SWITZERLAND 2025 (1 Viewer)

[Mcnswiss2]

Bird of the day:

• Hen Harrier

My friend was drinking tea in his garden in Therwil this morning, when this stonking Male turned up!
Many thanks for the photos Jon A.
Also reported in Battwil, Grandson, Wauwilmoos.

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Bird of the day:

• Hen Harrier

My friend was drinking tea in his garden in Therwil this morning,

Still, Hen Harrier or not, drinking tea instead of coffee in the morning is of course outrageous!!

Yesterday, I saw my first two House Martins for the year while going for lunch, and to Sand Martins early evening at the Katzensee. Almost feels like spring

(Didn't see Alpine or Common Swift yet, though)

 

[Mcnswiss2]

I agree..Sad man he is..Coffee before 12.00!
Apparently he just told me that 2 Alpine Swifts went over...Sigh..

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Apparently he just told me that 2 Alpine Swifts went over...Sigh..

I gotta thank him there. First day sitting outside after work -- drinking a beer -- I saw your post and decided to get myself my bins, though very few birds visible. I was then focussing on what might have been a Black Kite, when I saw some swift like birds. 10 (!) Alpine Swifts, definitely not discernible by naked eye, lucky that I had the bins out!

A bit later, I saw another four, again while using the binds to look at a Black Kite

 

[pbjosh]

(Didn't see Alpine or Common Swift yet, though)

I'm not an expert on Swiss birding but Alpine arrive well ahead of Common and depart well after...

 

[pbjosh]

Thanks Brosnabirder. I am always optimistic that Eiders will turnup.
5 reported recently at Rapperswil.
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I go to Rapperswill a few times a year, usually on sunny days when it's otherwise cold / shitty weather. I really enjoy the wooden bridge despite your bins bouncing everytime a runner passes, and I really enjoy the walk along the lakefront S of the wooden walkway as well. I have always seen between about 4-10 Eider. I have no idea what the total population is but it seems small and stable.

 

[pbjosh]

And today was indeed lovely, I had a tri-bike-alon. Skipped the swimming and my back and knees are too broken for running, but three bike outings is not something that happens for half the year here, sadly. Went birding in the morning in glorious sun and had a surprise (Euro) Herring Gull fly over, first one I've seen in the air in Zurich I think. Then in the middle of the afternoon enjoyed my first day of the year doing a road ride in shorts and short sleeves, it was glorious, and the number of Blackcaps singing around Greifensee was formidable. Then in the late afternoon one more outing, hoping for another interesting migrant either stuck in a bush or flying over turned up nothing but the sun was still much appreciated!