[wintibird]

Last update:30.12.2006: 210 species. Lifers for Switzerland:14 (Squacco Heron, Golden Plover, Laughing Gull, Franklin's Gull, Cetti's Warbler, Avocet, Eurasian Scops Owl, Bearded Vulture, Baillon's Crake, Short-toed Eagle, Capercaillie, Arctic Tern, Sociable Lapwing, Purple Sandpiper)
Baillon's Crake, Capercaillie, Sociable Lapwing and the two Gulls were also World lifers.

Divers
Black-throated Diver

Grebes
Great Crested Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Little Grebe

Cormorants
Cormorant

Herons and Egrets
Little Bittern
Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron

Storks
White Stork

Swans, Geese and Ducks
Mute Swan
Whooper Swan
Bean Goose
Greylag Goose
Shelduck
Ruddy Shelduck (Cat. C)
Wigeon
Mallard
Gadwall
Pintail
Shoveler
Teal
Garganey
Mandarin (Cat. C)
Wood Duck (escaped)
Red-crested Pochard
Pochard
Ring-necked Duck
Ferruginous Duck
Tufted Duck
Greater Scaup
Eider
Velvet Scoter
Goldeneye
Smew
Red-breasted Merganser
Goosander

Hawks, Vultures and Eagles, Osprey
European Honey-buzzard
Red Kite
Black Kite
Bearded Vulture (Lammergeier)
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Buzzard
Golden Eagle

Falcons
Kestrel
Merlin
Hobby
Peregrine Falcon

Grouses, Partridges
Black Grouse
Capercaillie
Grey Partridge (from reintroduction project, not counted)
Common Quail
Common Pheasant

Rails
Water Rail
Spotted Crake
Baillon's Crake
Moorhen
Coot

Cranes
Common Crane

Stilts and Avocets
Avocet

Plovers and Lapwings
Little Ringed Plover
Great Ringed Plover
Golden Plover
Sociable Lapwing
Lapwing

Sandpipers and Allies
Curlew Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
Ruff
Whimbrel
Curlew
Spotted Redshank
Common Redshank
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-tailed Godwit
Snipe

Gulls
Black-headed Gull
Franklin's Gull
Common Gull
Laughing Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Great Black-backed Gull

Terns
Common Tern
Arctic Tern

Pigeons
Woodpigeon
Stock Dove
Feral Dove
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove

Cuckoos
Common Cuckoo

Owls
Eurasian Scops Owl
Eagle Owl
Pygmy Owl
Little Owl
Tawny Owl

Swifts
Common Swift
Pallid Swift
Alpine Swift

Kingfishers
Kingfisher

Bee-eaters, Rollers and Hoopoe
Hoopoe

Woodpeckers
Black Woodpecker
Grey-headed Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Three-toed Woodpecker

Larks
Skylark

Swallows and Martins
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Barn Swallow
House Martin

Pipits and Wagtails
Water Pipit
Tree Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Yellow Wagtail
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail

Waxwing, Dipper, Wren and Accentors
Dipper
Wren
Hedge Accentor (Dunnock)

Chats and Thrushes
Robin
Rufous Nightingale
Black Redstart
Common Redstart
Whinchat
Common Stonechat
Northern Wheatear
Blue Rock Thrush
Ring Ouzel
Blackbird
Fieldfare
Song Thrush
Redwing
Mistle Thrush

Warblers
Cetti's Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Savi's Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Bonelli's Warbler
Wood Warbler
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Goldcrest
Firecrest

Flycatchers
Spotted Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher

Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Tit, Real Tits
Long-tailed Tit
Bearded Tit
Marsh Tit
Willow Tit
Crested Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit

Nuthatches, Wallcreeper and Treecreepers
Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Treecreeper

Orioles
Golden Oriole

Shrikes
Red-backed Shrike
Great Grey Shrike

Jays, Crows and Magpies
Jay
Magpie
Nutcracker
Alpine Chough
Jackdaw
Raven
Carrion Crow
Hooded Crow
Rook

Starlings
Starling

Sparrows
Tree Sparrow
Italian Sparrow (treated in Switzerland as subspecies of Spanish Sparrow)
House Sparrow

Finches
Chaffinch
Brambling
Serin
Citril Finch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Linnet
Common Crossbill
Bullfinch
Hawfinch

Buntings
Yellowhammer
Cirl Bunting
Rock Bunting
Ortolan Bunting
Reed Bunting
Corn Bunting

Visit my website: www.birdlife.ch/nvvwinterthurseen

[wintibird]

I finally put my yearlist on, little late, sorry for this. With two new gulls (Laughing and Franklin's) the year started very nice. Both were firsts for Switzerland. In my winter holidays I got the Cetti's Warbler, a bird was showing at Les Grangettes in eastern Switzerland.
In March a lot of Lapwings got stuck in Switzerland and amongst them some Golden Plovers. Just about 10kms from my hometown I finally unblocked them. I missed them for several years now, sometimes by minutes. This time I was lucky and three nice birds showed themselves for a long time.
Three-toed Woodpecker wasn't a lifer, but the best observation I ever made of this species. Calling, drumming, searching for food and all very near and very long. After about 40 minutes we left the place, the woodpecker was still there.
Ring-necked Duck was the second for me, this time in Zürich at the lake, the last was near Zug some years ago.
Finally, yesterday I completed my set of Herons and Egrets with a nice Squacco Heron at the Neeracherried, just half an hour from my place. The bird was quite shy and often hidden, but I managed to get some nice looks.

André (Wintibird)

[wintibird]

I'm just back from Geneva where I organised a weekend for my local society. It was really good, we saw all the specialities, including Little Owl and Melodious Warbler. We also were lucky to see some Grey Partridge. Geneva was their last stronghold in Switzerland, but all efforts to save the species were too late. The birds we saw origin from a reintroduction project.
We also had Stonechat, Common Whitethroat, Cirl Bunting and Corn Bunting, all uncommon in other parts of Switzerland. A Night Heron and 5 Little Egrets were a nice and unexpected addition to our list.
On the way back home we visited Préverenges, a famous spot at Lake Geneva. First it looked rather boring with just a Great Ringed Plover and some Common Terns present. Suddenly 4 Avocet flew in, later joined by 7 Common Redshanks. I always missed Avocets, so they were an addition to my Swiss list, which is now at 279.

[wintibird]

This weekend I spent in the Valais with three friends. The Valais lies in south-west Switzerland and is one of the dryest places in the country.
We started with 2 young Eagle Owls perching in a rock, but it took us some time to find the adult, well hidden behind the youngsters. 2 flying Hoopoes and one calling in the plain was a nice sight and in a quarry near Chamoson we found two Blue Rock Thrushes. Honey-buzzards were gliding in the sky and dozens of Crag Martins were swirring around.
In the evening I went alone to a place my friends found before. It's a piece of wilderness at the river Rhone and first there were just Nightingales and Blackbirds singing. After sunset it went quite and suddenly I heard it: Scops Owl! A male and a female were singing.
The next day we rented a car and went up to Derborence, were we found our target just after stepping out of the car: Bearded Vulture. A couple was flying around, quite close. A tour through the area also brought Golden Eagle, Rock Bunting and Bonelli's Warbler. A very nice weekend indeed!

[wintibird]

Spent the day in the west, in the Fanel and the Chablais de Cudrefin. Lot of wind, high water-level and therefore virtually no waders. Some nice adds to the list (Purple Heron, Little Bittern) and a very surprising Common Crane in a field. Seems to be there for some time now, but usually they are all gone by May and records in June are very rare.
Also added some Warblers, Bearded Tit and Golden Oriole.

[wintibird]

Spent two hours yesterday night in a marsh area nearby. It was difficult to hear birds as planes went over our heads and traffic on the road was still going on after ten.
First we heard several Savi's Warblers and Little Bitterns and finally we heard our target species: Baillon's Crake. Two were recorded here previously, we managed to hear one.
Baillon's Crake is a very rare breeding species in Switzerland with just a handful of birds calling. All the areas they call are protected, so no one is really sure if they are breeding or not. Nevertheless a nice new species for the list.

[wintibird]

Yesterday evening I visited the Klingnauer Stausee to see if migration has started already. Well, slowly. Some waders, but mostly Lapwings and Wood Sandpipers, one Black-tailed Godwit, one Snipe, some Curlews. A nice Spotted Crake was a good addition to the year list. The bird was out with a juvenile Water Rail (they look extremly funny) and showed well in the evening sun. Some little egrets were nice too.
I hope for some change in the weather in the next days, but it looks still sunny and hot.

[wintibird]

With 3 friends I travelled to Chur today to twitch a Short-toed Eagle. We had to wait an hour beside a military training ground (lots of shooting going on) for about an hour. Peregrine, Kestrel, Goshawk, even a Cormorant (it's in the Alps) went by, but no Eagle. Suddenly it appeared and sat down on a cliff in front of us. We could observe it for over an hour, a nice bird indeed and my first for Switzerland.

[wintibird]

Some time ago a friend of mine met a forest engineer, who knows a great deal about Capercaillie and also where to find them. So we arranged an excursion to go for them. Unfortunately the expert was sick today and couldn't join us. But she gave as the approximate whereabouts of the birds and so we tried.
At six (after over an hour driving) we arrived at the place in Central Switzerland. Already a lot of people where on their way out into the forest to look out for mushrooms. Some of them even with dogs. My hopes to see the bird vanished quickly. Nevertheless we went out, passing more and more of the mushroomers and after about three hours we were quite alone. The forest was beautiful but rather birdless, some tits, migrating flycatchers and willow warblers, some thrushes and a Nutcracker were the highlights. But all of a sudden, a male Capercaillie came, gliding and flying down the valley, just in front of us. It was bigger then I ever imagined and a truly beautiful bird. The magic moment lasted for a minute and then the bird was gone. As they are scarce and endangered here, we decided not to follow him. It was one of the moments when I know why I get up in the middle of the night, why I carry all these stuff around (ever went with a scope in the alps?) and why I'm so addicted to birding.
It was just pure magic.

[wintibird]

Saturday I was out birding at my local patch, the Neeracher Ried. It was little bit boring, just 6 Lapwings and 4 Great White Egrets, one Hobby and the local Red Kites (remember, this local patch is not in Great Britain, Red Kites are just common here). I guess the weather was to good the week before.
Sunday the weather changed (it's still raining) and the alert came in: juv. Arctic Tern at Klingnauer Stausee. I took the next train and one and a half hour later I was there. Three juv. Common Terns and the Arctic one were a great look and very nice for comparison. One more on the list, only 15 to go and I have 300 species in Switzerland.

[wintibird]

Mega twitch today: at the airport of Zürich (Kloten) a Sociable Lapwing (or Plover) was found this morning. After school I rushed out by train and bike and at six I was there. About 14 other birders were also present (a good crowd in Switzerland) and from the fence we could see the Sociable Lapwing together with some Northern Lapwings inside the airport area.
What a nice bird! It's a juvenile and such a friendly looking creature! And friendly enough to make this journey from Central Asia to Switzerland. The next great addition to my Swiss list! (and in this case to my World and WP lists as well).
As the light faded out after seven I got home, deeply satisfied. That's birding at it's best.

[wintibird]

After dipping the first Swiss Isabelline Shrike and two Richard's Pipits (I'm married and I intend to stay married) today luck was with me. No addition to the Swiss list but one for my World and WP list: White rumped Sandpiper. The bird was found friday evening at the Rhinedelta in Austria, just over the boarder. The weekend was filled with other things (see above) but today I could go and it was still there, together with 8 Dunlins. A nice bird and very close and so easy to identify. A Goshawk chased them around and so I could also see the white rump.

[wintibird]

Can't edit my list any longer, so my system fails. Went yesterday to Lake Constance and added three more:

Black-throated Diver
Red-necked Grebe
Mediterranean Gull

There were also two swans with yellow bills, probably Bewick's, but they were to far away to be certain. When I finally arrived at the place, they were chased away by dogs (and their nature-loving owners). So my year list is at 202, which is good.

[wintibird]

Went out to Lake Constance with a friend. We had some nice Black-throated Divers, Red-necked Grebes and Red-breasted Merganser. Also a Herring Gull was a nice find. At Triboltingen 22 Great White Egrets showed in a distance, but two Greater Scaups pleased us even more. Whooper Swan families were around. A Sparrowhawk killing a Blackbird was another highlight (not for the Blackbird I suppose).
A good day out.

And thanks to the Moderators and the Technical Staff for allowing the editing in this category again!

André

[wintibird]

Today I rushed to Geneva by train, 3,5 hours each way to see Switzerland's fourth Purple Sandpiper since 1900. The bird was almost to easy to find, directly at the shore of Lake Geneva and surrounded by about 50 birders (which is quite a lot here). It was very tame and easy to photopgraph, even I managed to get a picture.
A very nice bird and a very nice and unexpected addition to my Swiss list, now standing at 287.

[wintibird]

Today I guided an outing of my local club to the Lake of Constance. Despite the forecast the weather was nice and sunny and there was almost no fog. We had nice views of Black-throated Divers but the best species was a lonely Slavonian Grebe. Hundreds of Red-crested Pochards were there too.
Later, at Triboltingen, we found Whopper Swans and, when already waiting for the train, a soaring male Hen Harrier.
My yearlist stands now on 207 and it will be difficult to add a lot more. Perhaps a Great Grey Shrike or some Geese.

[wintibird]

As the Bramblings are gone, I have more time for other birds now. So today I went to Ellikon am Rhein to check if the Great Grey Shrike is wintering there once again. And so he did. A Great White Egret and about 50 Goldfinches were also nice observations.
I guess that was my last addition to my Swiss year list. All in all I saw very good birds this year and only one was really dipped (Isabelline Shrike). One of the best was Capercaillie, but also the two american Gulls were really nice or the Sociable Lapwing.

Good New year to everybody!

[wintibird]

Yesterday I went to the Lake of Neuchatel with some friends. It was cold, foggy but good birding. We saw 2 Great Grey Shrikes, 2 Merlins, some Bean Goose among the numerous Greylags, a Sparrowhawk, a Goshawk, a lot of Great White Egrets and 2 Hen Harriers, one a magnificent male.
Made it to 210 this year and looking forward to 2007.