It's not Alsace without...

...the storks, of course. Breeding time, so they are out in great numbers, flying around, landing near their nests and encouraging their chicks to try out their wings. I hadn't been back at that time of the year in so long that I tots forgot how much fun it is to watch! :)

I hadn't realised there were young ones in the nest in the foreground at first. I had just noticed that the 'couple' in the background kept 'clacking' their beaks over and over. I'm guessing they were trying to rouse their teenagers (typical, non?). The young one and its sib finally did flap their wings a bit, but still didn't quite take flight.

Each of the storks gets registered and tagged (the young ones while they are still in the nest). I'm told the females are quite fickle and readily change and take on new partners. The nesting sites are protected all over Alsace.