August four day trip tips (1 Viewer)

[wolfbirder]

Suppose i am hoping Andre can help. August (around 19th) is the date i am looking at a 4-day trip to either Switzerland or Hungary.

It depends on the difficulty to get targets at this time of year. I will fly into Zurich and get a hire car.

These are the targets....

Nutcracker - top target. Told Davos is an easy place?
Grey headed Woodpecker - Chatzensee, near the airport has been mentioned. Is this the best place and can anyone provide more detail?
Three-Toed Woodpecker - i know this is a tough one.
Hazel Grouse - another tough one
Citril Finch
Snowfinch - top of Cassonsgrat a possibility, but maybe more reliable spots?
Rock Partridge - a real tough one I know - may try Vals area.

Also any recent Wallcreeper proving fairly reliable?

I can drive around, but i am ignorant, will i need snow chains in August (I hope not)?

Look forward to any replies. Can pm me if sensitive info.

many thanks

 

[dalat]

Hi, with 4 days, I suggest to pick one mountain area in Switzerland and spend all the time there and do some hiking for finding the birds, rather than seeking out the birds in different courners of Switzerland and spend the time on the road.

Potentially you should find all birds in the same area, just at different altitudes (except Grey-headed WP, for which you need to look in the lowlands). Nutcracker and Citril Finch should not be too difficult anywhere near the tree limit. You'll need a lot of luck for Hazel Grouse and Three-toed WP at this time. Snowfinch should not be too difficult if you go up high enough (some cable car up a summit would be good for that). For Rock Partridge, you need luck as well.

No need for snow chains any more, but readiness for some hiking would be helpful.

I'll look up my book at home to see which would be a good area for all species, but probably André will come in with good suggestions as well.

If you don't know it yet, register to ornitho.ch, where you can see recent sightings.

 

[dalat]

You mentionned Cassonsgrat: there you have chances for Dotterel by end of August. That area is also good for many or all of your targets, could be a good option to spend a couple of days around there...

 

[wolfbirder]

Many thanks Florian

Seems Cassonsgrat/Flavs is a key area, hope August is not too bad a time. Maybe birds are active with second broods etc.

I know about the Dotterel, but bizarrely for us uk birders its Nutcrackers, citril and snowfinches, woodpeckers etc which are the big attraction.

 

[dalat]

Ah, wasn't aware that you have Dotterel in the UK

I checked the locations described in the opus: http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Switzerland

Cassonsgrat is described there. Another good option for the mountain birds would be the Bernese Alps. Schilthorn and Niederhorn are 2 locations there described in the Opus.
For Grey-headed WP, Niderholz would be a good option (also Middle-Spotted and Black WP).

 

[wolfbirder]

Cheers again mate. Trying to cost it all up but already its getting a bit pricey.

I gather late August to Sept is a good time for Nutcrackers, but i worry about finding the peckers at this time of year.

 

[Brosnabirder]

Hi, with 4 days, I suggest to pick one mountain area in Switzerland and spend all the time there and do some hiking for finding the birds, rather than seeking out the birds in different courners of Switzerland and spend the time on the road.

If you don't know it yet, register to ornitho.ch, where you can see recent sightings.

I'd second this.

By mid to late August some Nutcrackers should have started to come down to lower altitudes. Last year and the year before I saw Nutcrackers down as low as 550m where I live. They are actually a house (balcony) tick for me.

Vals would be a good area or Leukerbad in Valais. They are both spa areas too.

You don't really need a car as the public transport in Switzerland is amazingly extensive and can get you to amost all corners of Switzerland. I would recommend some kind of tourist travel card. Travel offers by the SBB in Switzerland cover all commuter transport like boats buses and trains automatically. Some cable cars are included if they are considered essential public transport for mountain communities but only a very limited number. Check out www.sbb.ch

Hazel Grouse are horribly difficult. Three toed woodpecker are no picnic either.

I know of no nailed on sites for either but I'm sure they exist. Hazel Grouse and Rock Partridge locations are never published on the internet in Switzerland unless in a careless trip report. Vals, however, seems to be reliable for Rock Partridge and Nutcracker and Citril Finch should also be certs there. Listen for the calls.

Where to watch birds in Switzerland details sites around Vals and it's really a lovely area. It also includes some areas that are good for Hazel Grouse across Switzerland but again the birds are very hard to find. The English version is a little out of date (about ten years old) I think but should still be accurate in most respects. That's all publicly available information anyway. The German version is a revised edition and much more up to date.

For Wallcreeper see the other thread currently running on here.

Snowfinch should be easy high up. In winter they are very easy around mountain restaurants and cable cars and in summer they are about the only finch in high altitude treeless terrain although Linnet is also possible.

All the best,
Tom

 

[wolfbirder]

Tom,

many thanks for the info, Vals in Birdwatching Switzerland seems to be a good recommendation.