Romo Island, Denmark (2 Viewers)

[pandachris]

Sorry for the 'o's. My keyboard won't handle the correct characters, or at least I'm too lazy to try to find them.

I tried this on Birding Worldwide but didn't have much luck - perhaps this will fare better.

We're having a couple of nights in Ribe, Jutland next Saturday/Sunday. We'll have a car and we're planning to visit Romo island. By the sound of it there will be plenty of places to find bird, mostly on the east coast.

Couple of questions - is birding possible from the causeway - i.e. is there anywhere to stop - and will there be sea ducks etc and what are the chances of finding Lapland Bunting (Calcarius Lapponicus)? Do they have any favoured spots?

Finally, what's the chance of finding lunch on the island on a Sunday in November - or should we bring sandwiches?

 

[Strandman]

Sorry for the 'o's. My keyboard won't handle the correct characters, or at least I'm too lazy to try to find them.

I tried this on Birding Worldwide but didn't have much luck - perhaps this will fare better.

We're having a couple of nights in Ribe, Jutland next Saturday/Sunday. We'll have a car and we're planning to visit Romo island. By the sound of it there will be plenty of places to find bird, mostly on the east coast.

Couple of questions - is birding possible from the causeway - i.e. is there anywhere to stop - and will there be sea ducks etc and what are the chances of finding Lapland Bunting (Calcarius Lapponicus)? Do they have any favoured spots?

Finally, what's the chance of finding lunch on the island on a Sunday in November - or should we bring sandwiches?

If you follow the coast road south from where the causeway starts on the mainland end, there are several parking areas on the right from where you can walk up onto the sea wall. On the Romo end of the causeway, you could pull off and scope waders to the south.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=38910

I can't help you with gen. on Laplands or lunch!

 

[pandachris]

Thanks white-back

I'll do a bit of exploring uncharted territory, then. I'll try to knock up some sort of report when I get back.

 

[njlarsen]

It has been a long time since I lived in Denmark, but as I remember it, I used to be able to pull out and bird a little from the causeway. You are much more likely to see shorebirds than sea-ducks there, it is very flat Waddensea. When arriving in Romo (I also do not have a Danish keabord here) you can continue straight over, and pass at least one place with fastfood. On the west side there used to be a possibility to access the beach, and either drive or walk some distance to the south for a little flat lake that is just on the inside of the dunes, and which used to hold a population of Kentish plover (only place in Denmark), and where several shorebird rarities have been spotted over the years. If it is still legal to drive on the beach, then take care not to find a soft spot, the car can sink really fast!

At the south end, there used to be a very small harbor, with slightly better chances of sea ducks.

Dont forget to check the bushes for rarities. On a neiboring island (Mando), a couple of birders recently spotted the first danish Blackpol Warbler, and they also had plenty of eastern Phyloscopus species (Yellow-browed and Pallas's); all only from what I have read, I live quite far away

If you happen to experience strong westerly winds, it might be better to drive north to Blaavands Hug, probably the best spot in DK for sea-bird watching (Sooty shearwater, etc.) this is another good spot for eastern rarities in the bushes if the wind is favorable for that.

Cheers
Niels

 

[pandachris]

Thanks, Neils

Some useful info here. I'll make sure that we have a close look at any bushes. Doubt that we'll be fortunate enought to find another Blackpoll Warbler, but who knows? There were some strong winds in the Atlantic earlier this week.

 

[pandachris]

Sorry for spelling your name incorrectly.

 

[njlarsen]

Sorry for spelling your name incorrectly.

Not to worry, it happens all the time. The way it is spelled is logical for a Dane and probably also for a German, but NOT logical for anyone talking English.

Niels

 

[pandachris]

For the record, conditions were less than ideal for birding because of very strong winds. No small birds showing in any coastal bushes. Best birds were a Hen Harrier near the causeway to Mando and a Goshawk that flew across the road heading north whilst we were stopped at the traffic lights on Romo.

Overall a pleasant weekend with a couple of good meals in Ribe and a few very expensive vodkas.