October migration birding: Heligoland, Texel, Ouessant, ... ? (1 Viewer)

[dalat]

Hi, planning a week mid-October on Heligoland, but I am wondering what could be interesting alternatives with similar good migration birding and island feel (everything close together, no need for a lot of traveling during the week). I was already thinking about Texel and Ouessant as alternatives, and perhaps there are other places I don't have on the radar.
So, what's your experience with these islands or other rewarding places in reasonable distance from Switzerland (a days travel distance by train/ship), in terms of birding and practicalities?

 

[jogresh]

I've birded Texel a few times in Sept/Oct in the 90s, stayed at Arend Wassink's BnB, which is a great place to stay tho he may well not run it any more.
Texel is great if you like cycling (which I do), the main drawback is it's very large. Dutch birders told me Terschelling and Vlieland are even better.

There's a blog on here by a Scottish birder who visits Ouessant every year. I really fancy it one day.

I enjoyed Öland and Falsterbo; a Swedish birder told me Gotland is underwatched, his favourite was Landsort, tho I think you need to take part in migration studies to stay here?

 

[dalat]

Ok, I we will try Ouessant.

 

[David_]

Maybe not relevant as you already made the decision for Ouessant but one thing I realized last autumn after first spending a long weekend at Falsterbo and than going to Helgoland the week after: if you want to see rarities go to an island, if you want to see astonishing numbers of birds go to mainland hotspot which funnels bird through an small area.

Birding Helgoland was a lot of fun chasing rarities but Falsterbo was even more spectacular. Watching tens of thousands of songbirds passing by from before sunrise to midday was absolutely amazing and for me personally this was the even better all around migration experience.

I am still going back to Helgoland this autumn but to experience the magnitude of bird migration a location which funnels the birds through a small area might be the better location. Even if the chances to see rare birds are higher on an island.

(By the way I didn’t have a car at Falsterbo I went there by train and bus and during my stay I only walked between birding sites, apartment and restaurants as it’s quite small)

 

[dalat]

but Falsterbo was even more spectacular

The to do list gets longer! Thanks for the motivation!

 

[jurek]

I was about 3 times on Heligoland and it is very hit-or-miss for rarities. On some days, there is a fall with several good birds, on others, nothing. Which may be a general feature of such hotspots.

Texel, as others pointed, is 40 km long. Unless you take a car or rent a bike, it is not possible to cover easily. Therefore Dutch birders prefer nearby island of Ameland, which is somehow not well known abroad. For me, actually moving with a car on the nearby Dutch mainland was funnier - you get spot after spot full of birds.

 

[Ribbon]

Texel, as others pointed, is 40 km long. Unless you take a car or rent a bike, it is not possible to cover easily. Therefore Dutch birders prefer nearby island of Ameland, which is somehow not well known abroad. For me, actually moving with a car on the nearby Dutch mainland was funnier - you get spot after spot full of birds.

Texel is probably still the most populair Dutch Wadden island for birders. The annual Dutch Birding weekend is held at the island since pretty long back. It has a real 'birding culture' with a shop/info centre, guides, tours etc., which is rather unique in The Netherlands.

Vlieland is smaller and therefore more 'managable' when birding. Cars from mainland are not allowed except for special permits in contrary to Texel and Ameland. It's a great place (personal opinion) rarity wise. Each autumn a number of 'rarity finding' weekends are organised known as 'Deception Tours'. I'm a fan and will be present again coming October.

Ameland is also nice and comparatively less well known for birding, but pretty exciting anyway. It kinda offers the best of both worlds (smaller than Texel and accessible by car).

And then there's Terschelling and Schiermonnikoog. The former is quite large, the latter about the same size as Vlieland. I'll be visiting Schiermonnikoog in September. Among rarity enthousiasts it's rather well known for the Horus- and White-Rumped Swifts seen there in recent years. Also not accesible by car, but birding is great when renting an e-bike.

Each island has it's own unique character, but autumn birding is great on everyone of 'em.

 

[jurek]

Few years ago, Ameland wasa firm favorite over Texel in the Netherlands. I see it changed now! But I find that all Dutch islands and the nearby mainland are very good for birds.

 

[PeterBird]

Texel, as others pointed, is 40 km long.

Texel, in fact, is 24 km long and some 9 at its widest. I agree with everything else that has been said about the wadden islands.