Where should I travel in Europe in September? (2 Viewers)

[The Kingfisher]

I am thinking of taking a trip somewhere in Europe during September for birdwatching. It will be 2-4 weeks depending on how and where I should go. Either it will be a drive through Europe for 3-4 weeks or it will be a trip by airplane for 2 week stay somewhere.

Trips I have thought about:

1. Sweden-Denmark-Germany-France-Spain-France-Germany-Sweden. Following bird sites will be visited: Extremadura, Coto Donana, Gibraltar, the Ebro delta and Camargue.

2. Sweden-Denmark-Germany-France-Italy-Austria-Germany-Sweden. The following bird habitats will be visited: the Camargue, Maremma, Tuscany, the Po delta, the Dolomites and the Alps.

3. Sweden-Denmark-Germany-Austria-Italy-Austria-Germany-Sweden. Here will the same bird habitats as above be visited (not Camargue), but also habitats further south in Italy.

4. Alcudia, Majorca. Albufera of course, but I will also rent a car to explore more of Majorca.

5. Cagliari in Sardinia. I do not know much about Sardinia really, but have heard that there will be a good opportunity to see many species in the immediate vicinity of Cagliari. Maybe it´s possible to rent a bike and using it to get around the area and see many species!?

6. Lesvos, Greece. Is a very popular island among birdwatchers, but September is perhaps not a good month for birding on Lesvos?

7. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

Driving around Europe attracts much, but chances are that there will be a lot of time in the car and not so much effective bird watching. What do you recommend if my aim is to see as many bird species as possible during my trip?

Thanks!

 

[Digbert Doobrey]

Sorry I can't give you a detailed response on all seven options but I think you can discount Fuerteventura as a choice. I'm not saying it isn't a good birding destination but if your aim is to see as many birds as possible you want achieve that on a relatively small island.

 

[Jon Turner]

Andalucía. For the migration if nothing else. It's also lovely and warm at that time of year.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

I agree - none of the Canaries would be that good for maximum species.
I'd avoid the driving options as they could be just a road trip and less of a birding trip
Sardinia and Lesvos I have no experience with but Majorca in September could be very good indeed. Especially as you can drive from one side of the island to the other in a couple of hours so no great worries about loss of time due to travel. S'Albufera, Cuber Res, Bocquer Valley and Formentor - all within short drives in the North of the island, if you base yourself in Puerto Pollensa the Bocquer is only a short walk away.
Somewhere else to consider would be the Algarve in Portugal, lots of migrants will be making their way down through there to get to the Straits of Gibraltar, obviously the Gib area of mainland Spain is also worthy of consideration

Sorry I can't give you a detailed response on all seven options but I think you can discount Fuerteventura as a choice. I'm not saying it isn't a good birding destination but if your aim is to see as many birds as possible you want achieve that on a relatively small island.

 

[John Cantelo]

Andalucía. For the migration if nothing else. It's also lovely and warm at that time of year.

Seconded. I'd stay in the Tarifa area which allows much more flexibility in visiting other areas/habitats than Gibraltar. Even on a good day there can be long queues on Gib/Spain border, but the current border problems may make things far worse. The Coto Donana is an iconic site and I can see why you'd want to go there, but the spectacle of raptor passage over Tarifa is stunning. Check out my notes on the area (available via my blog - see below) which should help you reach a decision,

 

[The Kingfisher]

I agree - none of the Canaries would be that good for maximum species.
I'd avoid the driving options as they could be just a road trip and less of a birding trip
Sardinia and Lesvos I have no experience with but Majorca in September could be very good indeed. Especially as you can drive from one side of the island to the other in a couple of hours so no great worries about loss of time due to travel. S'Albufera, Cuber Res, Bocquer Valley and Formentor - all within short drives in the North of the island, if you base yourself in Puerto Pollensa the Bocquer is only a short walk away.
Somewhere else to consider would be the Algarve in Portugal, lots of migrants will be making their way down through there to get to the Straits of Gibraltar, obviously the Gib area of mainland Spain is also worthy of consideration

Thank you so much for your replies!

I agree with you that it is wisest to avoid the driving options. Too much time in the car that could be used for bird watching instead. Admittedly, one would probably see many species during such a drive..but at the same time it will be too little time for birding in nice areas like Extremadura and the Po delta. Moreover, it can be hard to locate new accommodation at each and every night.

I skip the car and then choosing to fly to one of the following options:
- Andalucia, Spain
- Algarve, Portugal
- Mallorca, Spain
- Gibraltar, Spain
- Sardinia, Italy
- Lesvos, Greece
- Po delta, Italy
- Camargue, France
- Extremadura, Spain

The destinations you have mentioned seems more interesting than the others on the list. Especially Majorca is a really interesting alternative, I think. Even Andalucia-Gibraltar area feels appealing. And the Algarve seems like an interesting option that I have to check on the internet to know more about.

Do you have more appropriate alternatives for great birding in September so please list them!

 

[njlarsen]

Any mainland area is going to be more high yield than a small island. If you have 4 weeks, I would probably drive to either southern France (say Camargue), or the Pyrenees, or further down in Spain (maybe combine two of those, e.g., Pyrenees and Ebro delta + the steppes at Zaragoza). I would expect to cover the distance to S France in two days without much stopping, giving me most of the time for my chosen area. I would expect that to come out economically favorable compared to flight and car rental for that length of a time.

If you really have only two weeks, fly away and rent a car for your stay.

If you fly, Turkey?

Niels

 

[rosbifs]

bantumi raptor camp is an option further east.

for september i automatically think of migration. the pyrenees either round us (west) or narbonne - then down through spain. i reckon about 100 species in a 4/5 days here including some of the biggies - wallcreeper, accentor, citril finch etc., narbonne maybe 30-40 extra, then steppes for some bustards and sandgrouse.

so camargue, narbonne, gavarnie, steppes, valencia plus further south...

I think you would need to get to valencia at least for more 'stable' birds - those not migrating too quickly...

we did bordeaux to travemunde in 23 hours (with two young girls and quite a few stops). doing the return to the pyrenees today so let you know how that goes!

http://www.migraction.net/

gives you an idea of the migration hotspots in france

 

[The Kingfisher]

Flight options..

If I want to be able to see as many different species as possible without a car in september..what places do you recommend then?

Maybe I rent a car for a day or two, but otherwise I would bike or walk around. I like the idea of being able to observe many species by just walking or biking around near where I live. Alcudia in Mallorca seems to be a good alternative if you primarily want to walk or bike around to see a lot of good/exotic birds (from a swedish perspective). Cagliari in Sardinia seems also very good from that perspective. But if I want to fly to Andalucia in Spain..where is it best to stay then if I want to see many species without a car - Tarifa? Malaga? Cadiz? Huelva? Somewhere else?

 

[John Cantelo]

I don't know Huelva, but have given a brief resume of the plus and minus points of three other places you mention:-
Cadiz - during onshore winds, seabirds (terns and shearwaters) can be seen from the seawall round Cadiz (light is best AM). The city’s parks have a healthy population of Monk Parakeet. A ferry runs across to El Puerto (2€) from which a selection of terns and gulls (inc. Mediterranean Gull) may be seen. Nearby you could catch the train to Valdelagrana and explore Salinas de Tapa or Marismas de los Torunos for waders, terns, flamingos. Punta del Boqueron & nearby Tres Amigos saltpans (San Fernando) also have waders (Kentish Plover, Bw Stilt, etc), terns, gulls (inc. Audouin's) & Flamingo. I've seen small migrants along the Punta del Boqueron, but staying in Cadiz isn't great for passage either of migrants or raptors.

Malaga - Rio Guadalhorce reserve near the airport (a short bus ride from the centre) has hides etc. Seawatching is possible from the beach. Wetland species such as Flamingo, Night Heron, Purple Gallinule, Kentish Plover are present all year and are joined in the breeding season by Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Little Ringed Plover. Hoopoe, Pallid Swift, Great Reed Warbler are present. During passage a wide range of raptors, waders, terns and gulls (inc. Audouin's) can be expected. Montes de Malaga has Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Azure-winged Magpie etc., but I'm unsure about public transport there. It may be possible to reach sites near Manivla where you could get into areas for Black Wheatear, Blue Rockthrush. From Malaga you should be able to get to Ronda – Chough, Rock Sparrow, etc.

Tarifa – Raptors stream over the town where I have seen Hoopoe, Roller, Bee-eaters going over. Playa de los Lances, a short walk west from the town, has waders (inc. Kentish Plover, Auduoin's Gull, terns (Lesser-crested possible), pipits & larks. To the east a short walk along the coast takes you to Punta Camorro - where a new birdwatching centre is due to open in Sept – which is excellent for raptors and the bushes hold small passerine migrants (Wryneck, Hoopoe, warblers, etc). Regular buses between Algerciras & Tarifa allow you to access footpaths into hills/down to coast. Public transport to Cadiz should give you a chance of Flamingo, etc.

To me Tarifa wins hands down!

 

[davercox]

Lots of good advice here. There might have been even more if it hadn't been in the "Italy" forum.

 

[dalat]

nice areas like Extremadura and the Po delta. Moreover, it can be hard to locate new accommodation at each and every night.

Two years ago I was in the Po Delta in October. A dreadfull experience, crammed with hunters and I saw more decoy ducks than real ones. Not sure when the hunting season starts, maybe September is better.

 

[foxsparrow]

The Biodiversity in the Po Delta, NE Italy is represented by 109 species of rare plants, of wich 26 are Orchids; moreover, 52 species of Fish, 11 of Amphibians, 17 of Reptiles, 49 of Mammals and more than 370 of Birds (more of 500 in the whole Italy). During May 2004 a record of 198 bird species were found in the Po Delta, among which Black-headed Bunting, Spanish Sparrow (breeding), Ruddy Shelduck, Pallid Harrier, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Grey Shrike.
Here is a checklist of the birds to be found in May in the Po Delta:
http://www.birdingitaly.net/maggio2004eng.htm

Here a more recent birding trip with pictures (not mine):
http://www.khil.net/blog/?p=2146

While in Switzerland they KILL our migrating Ruddy Shelduck:
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.it/2011/12/swiss-destroy-ruddy-shelduck-population.html

 

[temmie]

Batumi, definitely. No question about it. I say it once more: www.batumiraptorcount.org
(hey, I am biased but only because I know how great the place is, and only those who haven't been there will mention other destinations as they cannot comprehend how fantastic it is).

 

[wintibird]

]
While in Switzerland they KILL our migrating Ruddy Shelduck:
http://uk400clubrarebirdalert.blogspot.it/2011/12/swiss-destroy-ruddy-shelduck-population.html

Which, as new research shows, are from Holland and obviously not from Italy. Or did I miss something there?

André

 

[foxsparrow]

Which, as new research shows, are from Holland and obviously not from Italy. Or did I miss something there?

André

From Eastern Mediterranean, migrating (safe) THROUGH Italy, heading to Switzerland to moult and, finally, killed there...
http://birdingitalynet.blog.tiscali.it/2005/08/17/casarche_a_nord_est_66088-shtml/

 

[Richard Prior]

Err, before Menotti and André start a trans-Alpine war, I think Kingfisher would appreciate knowing when the duck hunting starts around the Po Delta, it's after September isn't it Menotti? I guess September is before the morning fogs start there too, which can be a bit frustrating in late Autumn I recall.

 

[foxsparrow]

Err, before Menotti and André start a trans-Alpine war, I think Kingfisher would appreciate knowing when the duck hunting starts around the Po Delta, it's after September isn't it Menotti? I guess September is before the morning fogs start there too, which can be a bit frustrating in late Autumn I recall.

Dear Richard, please pay attention: the Po Delta is not a war scenery (even after the politically uncorrect statement of the first Swiss member here), so it is possible to go around and watch birds even during the hunting season. This results possible because of the many bird sanctuaries, such as: Punte Alberete and Valle Mandriole (with many hundreds Pygmy Cormorants), Salinas of Cervia and Salinas of Comacchio (with various thousands of Flamingos), Valle Campotto and Valle Santa (with Red-breasted Geese, 3 different species of Eagles, and many Ferruginous Ducks). The morning fogs are typical of early-Autumn and they are not so frustrating, because during the day normally they disappear. This is no the case of mid-Autumn (after mid-October), when fogs may be persistent all day round, but this is not a rule in recent years. Cheers Menotti.

 

[foxsparrow]

In the Po Delta we have many wintering Pygmy Cormorants in different roost sites. One of these is the site of Po di Maistra, were, during last mild winter there were more than 5.000 of them. Finally this year they settled to breed and this is a shrort video of the breeding colony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrssS003JtM

 

[Jos Stratford]

Dear Richard, please pay attention: the Po Delta is not a war scenery ....

Trans-Alpine war drags in France ...and by default I suppose the Baltics now