Slow tourism activity Birdwatching at the Marais de Goulaine

Grey herons and black-crowned night herons stand motionless at the water’s edge, patient and silent. Great cormorants draw moving lines in the sky above the ponds. Kingfishers flash across the water like blue lightning, captivating keen observers. In spring, the white spoonbill searches the mud with its flat bill. At dusk, the tawny owl adds its mysterious presence. Together, these moments reveal all the magic and diversity of the Goulaine marshes.

Winter transforms the marsh into a theatre of impressive gatherings. Gatherings of shovelers, pochards and pintails occupy the ponds. They transform the bodies of water into moving, animated scenes. The bittern, discreet and mysterious, hides among the reeds. Red-crested lapwings gather in groups on the flooded meadows. Occasional common snipe complete the winter picture. The cold season reveals all the intensity and richness of the marsh.

In spring, dozens of black-necked grebes stop off on the marsh, making the Goulaine marsh an exceptional site in Loire-Atlantique. Thesickle ibis, with its exotic silhouette, is increasingly present. They are extending their range further north than usual, becoming new breeding inhabitants of the marsh. The Goulaine marshes are also home to storks on pre-breeding migration, with a peak between mid-February and mid-March. In 2025, they were ahead of schedule and could be observed as early as mid-January!

Throughout the year, coots, shovelers and great crested grebes roam the waters. Marsh harriers soar through the sky before swooping down on their prey. Black woodpeckers pierce the trunks of poplars in search of the insects that hide there. And the reed bunting livens up the reedbeds, punctuating the marsh with its high-pitched songs. Sedentary species mingle with migrants, weaving a living, changing landscape.