Duck catching (Wesseling)

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The Entenfang nature reserve has an area of ​​over 75,000 square meters and is located in Wesseling between the districts of Keldenich and Berzdorf .

The nature reserve Entenfang has been expelled in 1969 for the conservation of its habitats and communities of plants and animals, and because of its rarity as a nature reserve. Through intelligent botanical reforestation and expansion of the green areas, the city of Wesseling also created an attractive local recreation area .

Entenfang nature reserve

free time activities

Many residents of Wesselingen use the local recreation area, which has been designated as a nature reserve since 1969, as a popular excursion destination for walking, sunbathing or for sporting activities such as B. for jogging or cycling. In the summer, various festivals for families take place here, as well as simple meetings and barbecues. Young people will find a soccer field, a skate park and an adventure playground for children to let off steam. Young mothers and parents meet here to exchange experiences. There are also running groups for like-minded people and an association of Hundefreunde Entenfang eV Wesseling .

Geological evolution

The Entenfang nature reserve is located in an old channel of the Rhine river. An 8 meter high step was carved out by side erosion in the west of the Ice Age Rhine . The old slope edges of the bank terraces are still visible today, which testify to the shoreline lines of that time .

On the old shoreline extending lower terrace are at about 50-60 meters above sea level on the edge of the Rhine Park from north to south, the cities of Bonn, Wesseling and Cologne. The towns of Brühl, Hürth and Frechen are located on the central terrace above about 60–70 meters above sea level . The upper terrace of the Ville runs above the central terrace .

The middle terrace is more level than the lower terrace. The reason for this difference is based on the fact that the central terrace was covered with a 5 to 10 meter thick layer of loess in the last glacial period . The duck catcher, which is 600 meters long and 100 meters wide, is the only body of water that has been preserved in the old course of the Rhine.

The duck catch is one of the few remnants of the original floodplain landscape in the Cologne-Bonn Bay and thus represents a geological monument in the history of the landscape of the southern Lower Rhine .

See also on the topic: Geology of the Lower Rhine Bay

history

The name "Ähndtenfang" was first mentioned in writing in 1679, when it was referred to as a historic duck fishing facility in the former wetland between Keldenich and Berzdorf. Duck fowl was caught here for the culinary needs of Elector Clemens August and his guests.

Near the Entenfang is the “Jagdschlösschen Haus Entenfang”, built around 1750, which is now used as a communal facility for a kindergarten.

The 1.6 hectare duck catcher in its current form is the only body of water in the Cologne-Bonn Bay that has been preserved in a former arm of the old Rhine. The duck catch is directly adjacent to the central terrace, which was created during the last ice ages next to the low and high terrace. The old slopes of the bank terraces are still visible in the west today.

Today the old Rhine channel of the Entenfang is supplied with water from the Dickopsbach in the south and the Palmersdorfer Bach from the north.

Most of the water seeped away from the permeable gravel soils. Up until the beginning of the 19th century, constant rain or snowmelt with a higher groundwater level caused floods between Keldenich and Berzdorf. During this time, the farmers maintained pastures here, parts of which are still visible today.

With the increase in nutrient and mud inputs, the periodically flooded wet meadows were transformed into a permanent body of water, today's duck fishing. Due to frequent flooding and flooding, an elevated sidewalk to a dam was raised in the north (at today's soccer field) and four septic tanks were built one after the other. The septic tanks were soon no longer sufficient, so that in 1976 the septic tanks were replaced by a canal drain to the Rhine.

Recreation area

In the 1970s, a spacious leisure and green area was created in the north, which can still be used today as a local recreation area and retreat for humans and animals. A thorough desludging in 1989 and the completion of the Sechtem sewage treatment plant in 1998 ensured the continued existence of the biotope, which is rare and important for this region.

To this day, continuous conservation measures such as extensive reforestation and expansions serve to further upgrade the popular Entenfang nature reserve.

Duck catching biotope

Due to the permanent water surface, a unique flora and fauna developed towards the end of the 1950s, so that in 1969 this biotope was placed under nature protection because of its unique special position for resting and breeding waders (Limikolen). In order to improve the attractiveness for the bird world, the water level is lowered every year at the beginning of the migration period. This measure increases the number of resting areas and the food supply for waders and water birds.

Since the turn of the millennium, extensive new plantings have been carried out in the western part of the duck catching area. To the southwest, a green belt was created as a demarcation and privacy screen against the advancing development in order to expand the breeding and retreat options for the animal world. In the north-west, additional hedges were planted on former arable land.

In 2003, avenue trees were added along the paths, for which 80-year-old poplars had to be removed because they now represented a safety risk.

In the future, more and more reforestations will take place, which will offer the animal world and visitors to the Entenfang nature reserve sufficient relaxation.

Wildlife

In addition to numerous small and large dragonflies, the duck catch also features the European pond turtle and the muskrat, and on warm summer days you can hear water frogs and the rare green toad in the evenings. At least three species of bat, including the noctule bat, can be seen in the sky in the evening.

Besides released goldfish, carp, some tench and crucian carp swim in the water. In addition to the up to 10 different species of small crustaceans, water fleas and various snails, they serve as a food basis for the important bird world.

Gray heron

In the past, 55% of all bird species known in Germany could be detected here when ducking.

The main focus of these 250 bird species is the group of waders and water birds.

With 52 breeding bird species today - including at least 12 of those on the red list - duck fishing is bucking the trend in many biotopes in North Rhine-Westphalia, which are experiencing a decline in species.

Bird species

Plant species

Web links

Coordinates: 50 ° 49 ′ 11 ″  N , 6 ° 57 ′ 42 ″  E