Here, I will bring reflections on my experience and try to connect issues
from many fields in the hope that I can bring something of interest to many
I see the web as a unique possitility for communication and stimulation.

Who is Soren Breiting - Søren Breiting?
I was born 8th August 1947 i Frederikssund, Denmark. Since childhood I have had a drive to explore the World around me. My intersts are education as a researcher, teacher and communicator, natural history and outdoor life, photography, developmental issues incl. environmental conservation, bird watching and not least my big family.

Trained as a biologist with a focus on ecology until 1975. Since then working with science education and environmental education and as an educational researcher and teacher. From childhood been occupied with photography and birding / bird watching

2. April

Spring Crane Migration at Hellebæk, North Sealand, Denmark

In this splendid early spring afternoon with bright sunshine and blue sky in Denmark we went up to the northern coast of North Sealand to Hellebæk to look for cranes on spring migration.

Hellebæk (or Hellebaek) is situated a few kilometers west of Helsingore (Helsingør) and this location for bird observations is at the former military area of Hellebæk, 2-3 kilometers inland.

It is the European common crane species (Grus grus, Danish bird name trane) we were looking after - the only crane species that are regularly in Northern Europe.

From around 3 p.m. we could enjoy small flocks of cranes flying over to Sweeden. The cranes are coming from their temporary feeding station at the German island Rügen at the north coast of Germany and fly through eastern Denmark on their way to the Scandinavian breeding grounds. Their next stop is the Hornborgasjön in Sweeden, exact famous for the resting cranes during spring and autumn migration.

At Hellebæk the cranes will normally not arrive before 14 in the afternoon due to their long flight from Germany. The best wind direction is east and southeast.

Contrary to the cranes behaviour and migration pattern in Germany and Sweeden the cranes will normally not rest in Denmark. - We have to stay tuned with our eyes towards the blue sky and look for these beautiful and graceful birds with their big wings bringing them back to their breeding grounds.

The area at Hellebæk (full name Hellebæk Kohave and Hellebæk avlsgård) is designated to be a part of a coming nature park or national park of North East Zealand and the area is managed by Skov- og Naturstyrelsen under the Danish Ministry of the Environment.

This link to an external webside opens in a new window and lists observations from Hellebæk of birds, other animals and plants, in english: Hellebæk Bird observations - in Danish Hellebæk fugleobservationer you will find the numbers under the Danish names for cranes: trane and traner.

A description of Hellebæk nature area in Danish and a Folder with map (in Danish) can be found here.

Today more than 35 cranes passed Hellebæk, but some days give many more migrating cranes.

During the day also many birds of prey passed by. A total of around 10.000 birds of prey are passing Helebæk every spring, mainly the common buzzard, and a even higher number of birds of prey pass during the autumn migration. For pictures of buzzards from other locations see here.

Soren Breiting
2. April 2005

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