Balade famille : sentier de découverte des cigognes

Brochure of the trail available at the Tourist Office or in the topoguides "Balades entre Loire & Allier" Created by the Conseil Départemental de la Nièvre, the website www.randonièvre.fr gives us access to more than 4000 kms of trails of the Nièvre registered as departmental heritage. Free visit and site open all year long What you should know : It is in March/April that the white storks return to the lower valley of the Allier. As soon as they return from Spain or Africa, this great migratory bird takes possession of the nest occupied in the previous seasons. In June, during the haying season, it is not uncommon to observe a dozen storks feeding behind the mower. This great wader leaves us in August taking advantage of the last warm days to migrate. The site of Mars-sur-Allier welcomes about ten nesting couples each year. The Grey Crane (Grus grus): It is around mid-October that the first grey cranes are generally observed, landed on the commune of Mars-sur-Allier. Arriving mainly from Sweden, Norway and Germany, this great migratory bird flies by day and night. These birds find in the Val d'Allier the quietude and especially the food allowing several hundreds of them to pass the bad season. They leave us in March in order to join their northern countries and raise their young. The birds have a very sharp sight. Storks and cranes, which may seem a little shy, remain wild birds and will not let themselves be approached. To observe them, stay away. Do not disturb them!