Saxony

Landlocked Saxony is one of the 16 federal states of Germany, covering an area of 18,449.89 km² (7,123.54 square miles) and with a population of just over four million people. It is bordered by Brandenburg to the north; Saxony Anhalt to the northwest; Thuringia to the west and Bavaria to the southwest, as well as by the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, although its largest city is Leipzig.

The state spans a broad transition from the lowlands of the northern German plain in the north to upland and mountainous terrain along its southern border with the Czech Republic. The north-south gradient in relief is one of the defining features of the state’s geography. The northern part of the state lies within the glacially influenced lowlands of the southern edge of the northern German plain. Northern Saxony is amongst the most fertile agricultural regions of eastern Germany and supports arable crops such as wheat, barley, rape, sugar beet and peas as well as apple growing. Cattle and dairy farming are more prominent in the less fertile upland areas near the Ore Mountains where there is also forestry. The region is transversed by the Elbe and its tributaries. where broad valleys and floodplains predominate.

Elbe in Saxon Switzerland – ©Pudelek CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Southern Saxony is dominated by uplands and low mountain ranges, forming part of the central uplands. They include the Orr Mountains, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, the Lusatian Mountains and the Zittau Mountains. The Orr Mountains form much of the border with the Czech Republic and have the highest elevations in the state. The Elbe Sandstone Mountains are noted for their deeply incised sandstone gorges, mesas and isolated rock towers, much of which is protected within the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Lusatia in eastern Saxony has been significantly altered by mining of lignite and there are a lot of decommissioned open-cast mines, which are or have been flooded and turned into artificial lakes. Some of the Ore Mountains are similarly modified.

Birding Saxony

Saxony enjoys an abundance of bird life. More than 250 birds breed here or are occasional visitors. Many species are found only in certain regions or in specialised habitats, and some are extremely rare in Saxony. The regions described in brief below will give you an overall impression of the varied bird life in the state.

First and foremost, the extensive Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) range, marking the border with the Czech Republic, and its foothills, is especially suited for birdwatching all the year round. In addition to the heraldic bird of the Saxon Ornithologists’ Association; the Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum, several other owl and woodpecker species are plentiful in the forests here. Our newest visitors, and hopefully breeders, are the Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus and the Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris.

Ore Mountains – ©Harke CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Also, on the border with the Czech Republic, and designated as a trans-national National Park, are the Elbsandsteingebirge (Elbe Sandstone Mountains). The main characteristic of these deeply fissured sandstone mountains is its exceptional variety of topographical forms in a relatively small area combining lowland plain, gorges, table mountains and rock formations with near-natural forest areas. The River Elbe carves its way through the low mountain range. The diverse habitats, each with its own micro-climate makes for an abundance and variety of flora and fauna. Saxony’s lowland regions also feature many lakes, reservoirs and ponds with a thriving resident waterfowl population and a lively migratory population in spring and autumn. Among the many species attracted to this region in passing are Grebes, Swans, Geese, Ducks, Plovers, Terns, and Gulls.  Osprey and White-tailed Eagle are also well-represented.

Mulde River – ©Kora27 CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Another, contrasting landscape, is the gentle wooded slopes of the ‘Valley of Castles’, hugging the curves of the River Mulde. The valley alternates between natural narrow canyons with steep wooded walls and broad cultivated meadows and pastures. Finally, the Dübener Heide (Dueben Heath) where lush meadows and rich heath and bog flora provide a home to a large number of birds, mammals and other fauna.