Finding alpine species near Lindau (1 Viewer)

[Edward Lea]

Hi,

I am on a family holiday staying in Lindau from 20 to 30 July.

I would like while there to see some of the alpine species my wish list would read something like this; Hazel Grouse, Lammergerier, White Backed and Three-Toed Woodpecker, Alpine Accentor, River Warbler, Bonelli’s Warbler, Wallcreeper, Nutcraker, Alpine Chough, Rock Thrush, Citril Finch and Snow Finch.

My time for dedicated birding will be limited, so I will need to be selective in which species I search for. No doubt some species will yield themselves while doing the “normal tourist” trips.

Any advice on sites to visit / not to be missed and how to get to the site and how to work the site would be appreciated. Are there single day guided “birding” trips available?

Many thanks for any advice given.

Ed

 

[Xenospiza]

Lindau is quite low-lying: the closest alpine birding is in nearby Austria.
On the Kanisfluh (Walchs Varsass, Alpengasthof Edelweiss) you can find Alpine Accentor, Alpine Chough, Rock Thrush (difficult), Citril Finch and Snow Finch if you climb up the mountain (Holenke) to the north (550 metres altitude difference).
Nutcracker and Bonelli's Warbler may be around in the forests below (they are quite common in the Alps).
Hazel Grouse, Wallcreeper, White-backed & Three-toed Woodpecker are all found around Oberstdorf, but none are very realistic without a lot of effort.

Added:
River Warbler is very rare along the Bodensee (Lake Konstanz) and is probably impossible that late in the year.
Three-toed Woodpecker should occur not too far to the south in the Swiss mountains, but I have no idea where exactly.

 

[GMS]

Fairly reliable site for Three-toed WP, Citril Finch, Nutcracker, Alpine Acc, Snow Finch and also Pygmy Owl is at Hoher Ifen near Oberstdorf. But this is just under 2h from Lindau and includes a good 1 hour to get to the middle station and then you'd need to go even higher for Alpine Acc and Snow Finch. I've done it last year in summer and although I've connected with most of the species, it's quite late in the year, which makes it more difficult. No doubt there are much closer areas, but I don't have any info on those.
Whilst none of the following are on your list watch out for Alpine Swift in Lindau. Birds like Grey-headed WP, Icky, both kites, Dipper, etc. should be very easy. The nature reserve 'Rheindelta' near Bregenz is only a stone throw away and birds like Great Read Warbler, Little Bittern, etc. are easy there.

 

[dalat]

Some spots in Switzerland not too far away from Lindau:
- Säntis summit by cable car for snow-finch. The rock faces below the summit are good for wallcreeper, but you need not to be afraid of heights for getting there... The area around the bottom station has Three-toed WP, but hard to find.
- Another easier (in terms of access) place for Wallcreeper are the rocks below the cable car station "Ebenalp" near Appenzell.
- From Buchs drive up to the small lake Voralpsee, and in the forests above a good place for the WP (always need some luck), also Citrl Finch but again needs luck. Hazel Grouse should also be there, but chances are slim.

I agree that best overall birding close to Lindau is in the Rheindelta, but of course no Alpine species there...

 

[albatross02]

read something like this;
Hazel Grouse ( Haselhuhn )
- very rare or shy, not good time
Lammergeier ( Bartgeier )
-rather in Switzerland somestimes You can see them from Cassons Grad ( flims ) in Switzerland ( there is a lift up to 2.600 m )
White Backed and Three-Toed Woodpecker
http://www.birdinggermany.de/bavarianwoodpeckers.htm

Alpine Accentor ( Alpenbraunelle )
try Allgäu e.g lift to Nebelhorn
http://www.das-hoechste.de/en/

River Warbler ( Schlagschwirl )
hard to find rather near Guenzburg, but rare

Bonelli’s Warbler ( Berglaubsänger )
easy in mountain areas, even from 800 m level

Wallcreeper ( Mauerläuer )
maybe palais Neuschwanstein

Nutcraker ( Tannenhäher )
not really rare in Alpine areas

Alpine Chough ( Alpendohle )
almost on each peak in the alps

Rock Thrush ( Steinrötel )
extrem rare in Allgäu and almost nowhere else in Germany, maybe Kanishfluh in
maybe Cassons Grad near Flims in Switzerland ( I saw one there, but I do not know how common is Rock Trush there )

Citril Finch ( Zitrnengirlitz )
maybe Allgäu, but I do not know this area very well altitude 1.500 - 1.800 m is quite good


Snow Finch ( Schneesperling )
maybe Nebelhorn

I wrote german names in bracket, so You can check ornitho.de, .ch and .at

It depends from which point You start to Germany ?
If from Munich, tahn You can drive to Karwendelspitze at first.
Good place for alpine birds like Snow Finch, Alpine Accenture und good chance for ptarmigan, Wallcreeper also reported from time to time.
Also Golden Eagle is possible to see there.

Short-toed Eagle is possible to see in Murnauer Moor south Murnau ( 75 km from Munich ). Also White-backed Woodpecker is reported there from time to time.

July is better for high alpine areas, because spring is middle of July.
But weather can be unstable, because risk of thunderstorms.

Quite reliable weather forecast is
http://wetterstationen.meteomedia.de/

More than 3 days in advance forecast is not seriours.

Map of Allgäu with birding spots
http://www.birdinggermany.de/allgaeu.htm

 

[Edward Lea]

Hi All,

Thanks for your information which was very helpful. As originally mentioned I was on a family holiday as opposed to a birding trip, I was though very pleased to see, Nutcraker at Oberstdorf, Alpine Accentor on Santis and Alpine Chough at both.

Thanks again

Ed