Overview
Yverdon is a small town in western Switzerland at the shore of Lake Neuchatel. Several places at the lake shore are interesting for passage migrants and the Champ-Pittet holds an interesting nature centre and some good breeding birds.
Birds
Notable Species
Wintering waterfowl includes Black-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe, other Grebes and several species of Duck including Red-crested Pochard.
During migration many gulls, terns and waders pass through and sometimes interesting passerines are found too. Savi's Warbler breeds near Champ-Pittet.
Rarities
An long list, including Glaucous Gull and others. Most rarities turn up in April, May, September or October.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Great Cormorant, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Little Bittern, Great Bittern, Black Stork, White Stork, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, Garganey, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Velvet Scoter, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Black Kite, Red Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Goshawk, European Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Osprey, Eurasian Hobby, Common Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Water Rail, Little Crake, Spotted Crake, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet,Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Northern Lapwing, Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Ruff, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Yellow-legged Gull,Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Gull, Common Tern, Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Whiskered Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Woodpigeon, European Turtle Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Alpine Swift, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Water Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, White Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Eurasian Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Nightingale, Common Redstart, Black Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Song Thrush, Common Reed Warbler, Great Reed-Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, European Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Common Starling, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Common Jay, Common Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Ortolan Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting
Other Wildlife
In the woods nearby Squirrels and Roe Deer can be seen.
Site Information
History and Use
Yverdon is an old, mediaeval town. The old town was once at the shore of the lake but after some main irrigation work around Lake Neuchatel the water level dropped and new land was created.
The shore is a popular place for walking and swimming. However, the most important places for birds are well protected.
Areas of Interest
Champ-Pittet
The nature centre lies east of the town. It has it's own train station with stops every hour (SBB CFF Yverdon - Fribourg line). Alternatively it can be reached by bus 1 (get off at Pré du Châtaigner) or bus 3 (get off at HEIG-VD). On foot you need 45 minutes along the lake shore from the main train station Yverdon.
The information centre is open from March to November (every day expect Monday). From there a path leads to the marsh and to a hide. The path is open all year and in winter Great Bittern can be seen regularly.
Thielle - Promenade Robert Hainard
Left (or north) of the river Thielle at the lake shore is the Promenade Robert Hainard. Follow the Thielle to the lake, turn left and soon you arrive at a small reserve with some artifical islands. This is the best place for waders and terns.
These two places are the best known, but rarities and other good birds have been found at other sites at the shore too, so some exploration may be worthwile.
Access and Facilities
Yverdon is connected by train or motorway. Direct trains run from Geneva, Lausanne, Basel and Zürich. The lake shore can be reached on foot or with a bicycle. Accomodation is plentiful in town.
