Overview

• Juvenile white storks from Hamburg began their migration south this week, travelling largely independently or in small flocks.
• Around 50 fledglings were reported gathering south of the Elbe in Landkreis Harburg shortly before departure.
• A spring drought halved food availability, leading some parents to abandon chicks, which were rescued, incubated and ringed by Jürgen Pelch and his family.
• Neighboring Schleswig-Holstein recorded a regional best of 100 fledged storks this season, underscoring local variations in breeding success.
• Migratory direction is inherited, and adult storks are expected to follow their young south in the next two to three weeks.