If the mid-February heatwave has you dreaming of warmer days, you will be delighted to know there's another sign that Spring is very definitely coming - storks are returning to France
Et voilà donc une des cigognes ! pic.twitter.com/Ace1Iue9Eg
— Fizzy_shrimp (@Fizzy_shrimp) February 18, 2019
To the delight of bird lovers and photographers, many stopped parts of the country to rest for a few hours before continuing their journey north at the weekend. With the sunshine and near-spring temperatures, they are heralding the return of sunny days.
Most of the birds crossing the country come from North and West Africa. They go up through the Strait of Gibraltar and follow an axis Lons-le-Saunier, Besançon, Montbéliard towards Alsace and Germany.
Notre couple de cigognes est revenu reprendre possession de son nid qui trône fièrement sur le toit de la Cave de Turckheim.
— CAVE DE TURCKHEIM (@cave_turckheim) February 18, 2019
Emblème de piété filiale, d'amour paternel et maternel#cavedeturckheim #alsace #drinkalsace #cigogne #nature pic.twitter.com/uoo10UpFD3
@lpofranchecomte les #Cigognes sont de retour en #FrancheComte https://t.co/SxkcfQIOy3 pic.twitter.com/S3kfHPiIIx
— France 3 Franche-Comté (@F3FrancheComte) February 17, 2019
It is possible to follow the storks' migration on the LPO website. The elegant birds will make the return trip to Africa in August.