dwatsonbirder
Well-known member
Nothing too exciting this time, as we have just returned from visiting family in Germany. We stayed in the village of Schonlind, just north of Wunsiedel about an hour and a half of Nuremburg and 25km from the border with the Czech Republic. As this was a trip purely to catch up with family, birding was fairly limited to early mornings and occasional afternoons. The area isn't particularly popular with tourists, but it is certainly a pleasant area to spend a few days.
Day one
After arriving the previous evening and enjoying a meal I opted to get out early the next day. There were a few interesting species immediately present as I left the lodge; singing black restart on the rooftops, white wagtail hawking insects on the lawn, and the thin robin-like call alerted me to 3 hawfinch sitting atop a tree. I headed out of the village along a dirt track leading into the forest, which echoed to the songs of common woodland birds; blackbird, wren, robin, chaffinch, nuthatch etc. Several siskin were singing from the pines, whilst migrant Chiffchaff and willow warblers sang from the fringes. An odd song attracted my attention to a singing fieldfare - presumably a breeding bird in the area as I later saw individuals collecting nesting material.
An area which had been felled a few years ago allowed for a break in the treeline, and in this area I picked up the first of many singing Crested tit. I spent a while watching the birds feeding as this is a species I hadn't seen for a considerable time, and I enjoyed their hyperactive antics and quirky punk rock appearance, further enhanced by their harsh, nasal calls.
Several firecrest called from a stand of fir trees, and after a bit of pishing I coaxed a bird out and enjoyed some good views. I headed back for breakfast quite content with the mixture of species that would brighten any day in the UK.
Later in the day I ventured out in the afternoon to look for raptors. It was a bright and unseasonably warm afternoon - perfect conditions for soaring birds. The first large bird I clocked was a bit of a surprise, as it was thermalling several hundred metres in the air - a grey heron. A scan of the horizon revealed the expected buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk, whilst a commotion behind me saw me look up to see a female goshawk being harassed by carrion crows.
That was pretty much it for the first day, and it was great to be able to spend a bit of time in the forest.
Day one
After arriving the previous evening and enjoying a meal I opted to get out early the next day. There were a few interesting species immediately present as I left the lodge; singing black restart on the rooftops, white wagtail hawking insects on the lawn, and the thin robin-like call alerted me to 3 hawfinch sitting atop a tree. I headed out of the village along a dirt track leading into the forest, which echoed to the songs of common woodland birds; blackbird, wren, robin, chaffinch, nuthatch etc. Several siskin were singing from the pines, whilst migrant Chiffchaff and willow warblers sang from the fringes. An odd song attracted my attention to a singing fieldfare - presumably a breeding bird in the area as I later saw individuals collecting nesting material.
An area which had been felled a few years ago allowed for a break in the treeline, and in this area I picked up the first of many singing Crested tit. I spent a while watching the birds feeding as this is a species I hadn't seen for a considerable time, and I enjoyed their hyperactive antics and quirky punk rock appearance, further enhanced by their harsh, nasal calls.
Several firecrest called from a stand of fir trees, and after a bit of pishing I coaxed a bird out and enjoyed some good views. I headed back for breakfast quite content with the mixture of species that would brighten any day in the UK.
Later in the day I ventured out in the afternoon to look for raptors. It was a bright and unseasonably warm afternoon - perfect conditions for soaring birds. The first large bird I clocked was a bit of a surprise, as it was thermalling several hundred metres in the air - a grey heron. A scan of the horizon revealed the expected buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk, whilst a commotion behind me saw me look up to see a female goshawk being harassed by carrion crows.
That was pretty much it for the first day, and it was great to be able to spend a bit of time in the forest.
Last edited: