We went to Lake Garda in the last week of May for 4 days staying in Torri del Benaco, half way up the east coast of the lake just at the start of the mountains. The woods behind the town looked good for birds but every road seemed to lead to a private estate so it was difficult to get into. I did find a lane by the hotel Benacus leading to a small mixed wood which I visited every day. Here I had Redstart, Serin, Wryneck and Green Woodpecker along with the usual woodland birds. I heard Wood Warbler but it seemed to coming from a house ?? Are they kept as caged birds ?? There was a Goldfinch in a cage in an adjoining house.
The lake had Red Crested Pochard, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow Legged Gull and Cormorant from the hotel balcony.
A trip up the cable car to the top of Monte Baldo produced Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Black Redstart, Wheatear and Water Pipit, but no Alpine Chough which are usually there, maybe the time of day or weather which was a bit drizzly.
Walking from Garda to Bardolino you pass a small reedbed which has singing Great Reed Warbler. There were Crag Martin amongst the Swallows and House Martins in Garda.
A small park at the north end of Torri had Spotted Flycatcher hunting butterflies and when on a tour of the castle, a Black Kite came floating in off the lake. Swifts were numerous about the castle, but I couldn't pick up any Alpine types. Italian Sparrow hopped around the picnic tables by the harbour with the Starlings and Blackbirds.
The lake had Red Crested Pochard, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow Legged Gull and Cormorant from the hotel balcony.
A trip up the cable car to the top of Monte Baldo produced Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Black Redstart, Wheatear and Water Pipit, but no Alpine Chough which are usually there, maybe the time of day or weather which was a bit drizzly.
Walking from Garda to Bardolino you pass a small reedbed which has singing Great Reed Warbler. There were Crag Martin amongst the Swallows and House Martins in Garda.
A small park at the north end of Torri had Spotted Flycatcher hunting butterflies and when on a tour of the castle, a Black Kite came floating in off the lake. Swifts were numerous about the castle, but I couldn't pick up any Alpine types. Italian Sparrow hopped around the picnic tables by the harbour with the Starlings and Blackbirds.
