NAB
Well-known member
My wife and I arrived at Zel am See on 30/08/2013, where we checked into the excellent Hotel Tirolerhof and for the rest of the first day we took it easy and explored the local town.
01/09/2013
The following day brought low cloud and rain, so out came the waterproofs and we decided to explore the lower wooded hillside on the the north west side of the lake. From the town we headed west towards the ski lift/cable cars before turning north along a narrow footpath where after a short way you are looking down on the lake. Birds were hard to come by in the gloom and rain; however I soon heard an unfamiliar crow like call and shortly after we were greeted by fantastic views of a Nutcraker (Lifer) which flew and perched in the top of a spruce tree!
As we headed north we joined a single track residential road and eventually found ourselves on Doktor Muller-Promenade. Elevated up on the hill we could see a hotel (Jausenstation Einöd-Pfefferbauer) where we decided to stop for lunch. By the time we'd finished lunch the rain had stopped and on exiting the hotel, it was obvious that the local birds were now much more active. The meadows around the hotel held several Yellowhammers and from here we decided to retrace our steps back to towards Zel; as you walk down from the hotel, take the wooded path on your right, signposted Zel. Birds seen here included another Nutcraker, Hobby, several juv Redstarts, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, lots of Blackcaps, a single Wood Warbler and both Marsh and Willow Tits, which were very vocal. As we approached the town several juv Black Redstarts were encountered along with a large movement of House Martins and a single Swift.
02/09/2013
Today we decided to take the ski lifts west of Zel, taking the express cable car to Mittelstation then ascending on foot towards Glocknerhaus and above. Initially birds were hard to come by along the footpaths through the Spruce forest; however eventually we happened on a mixed tit/tree creeper flock which also contained many vocal Crested Tits. As we ascended uphill we came to a clearning between a couple of ski runs and by a seasonal restaurant/bar called Gasthaus Glocknerhaus. The whole area here was bouncing with migrants in areas consisting of mainly young pine, willow, alder and rowan trees (migrants probably grounded as a result of the previous days poor weather). Birds encountered included good numbers of 1st winter Pied Flycatchers, Chiffchaffs, a single Lesser Whitethroat, Black Redstarts and Whinchats. We also had a probable 1st winter Collard Flycatcher with its very prominent double wing bar? The rowen trees were full of fruit and included feeding Mistle Thrushes, a loan Fieldfare and a pair of Bullfinch. Several Nutcrackers were also encountered as was a very vocal Great Spotted Woodpecker.
03/09/2013
After breakfast we collected a hire car and headed to Krimml Waterfalls; unfortunately when we arrived around 10:00 AM, it was already busy with tourists and the long steep climb wasn't putting them off. I chose this venue as previous reports had suggested a chance of Wallcreeper and suitable habitat wasn't found until well above the falls (minus the tourists). Here it really was 'Nutcracker city', with birds everywhere but as far as Wallcreeper was concerned it really was a case of finding a needle in a haystack and I descended with a gloomy air of failure!
04/09/2013
Early start today and we headed for the Grossglokner mountain road; after paying a steep entrance fee of €26 we made straight for the end hoping to avoid the crowds. Based on past reports I was under the impression this was going to be easy; however after over an hour of birding we hadn't seen a single bird! By now it was starting to get busy so we headed behind the viewing tower to scan the mountain side away from the main peak and glacier. Things started to liven up slightly with the first birds encountered being 4 Linnets, followed by a Water Pipit and Golden Eagle which sent the local and vocal Marmot population running for cover! As lunch time approached, down descended small numbers of Alpine Choughs (Lifer) looking for food scraps and giving excellent excellent views! 5 Crag Martins also passed through.
After lunch we headed back down the road and despite multiple stops, including a €10 cable car ride, I just couldn't locate Alpine Accentor or Snow Finch. Again passage migrants were in evidence with Northern Wheater, Whinchat, Black Redstart, Meadow and Water Pipits encountered at various stops.
Our last stop was at view point 6 (raptor watch point), where an hours viewing revealed 4 Griffon Vultures, lots of Ravens and a Female Sparrowhawk.
05/09/2013
The pressure was on today, as last day with the hire car and we needed a result! The chosen target was Lammergeier; Matrei was an option based on reports from the beginning of August, but as seems to be the case with all Austrian bird reports, the author assumes you know the site with exact directions lacking. A bit of googling suggested that the Kruml Valley (Valley of the Vultures) was also an option so again with very vague directions we took the road to Rauris and Wörth. Basically just stay on the road way past Wörth, until you come to a right turn sign posted various venues/destinations including: Nationalpark Hohe Tauern Krumltal, Alte Buchebenstrabe and Lechnerhäusl (seperate red sign). There is also a blue parking sign, stating 100m, just follow this road to the obvious parking area complete with raptor information boards.
From the car park follow the track through the trees, turn left at the t-junction, then right on the uphill track through the spruce forest (Crested and Willow Tits abound). Eventually you reach cliff faces on your right and you start to think Wallcreeper habitat? Further up the valley the cliff/rock faces are on both sides of the track and now your really thinking Wallcreeper? We pushed on to end of the valley/track by a waterfall and set up the scope to scan the ridges on 3 sides. The first birds spotted were several Alpine Choughs which were mobbing a Kestrel, then the large raptors arrived with 6+ Griffon Vultures (which showed really well) and 2 Golden Eagles. This pattern followed for the next 40 minutes with said birds occasionally showing over the North ridge; through the binoculars and at distance my attention was then drawn to another huge raptor which had the shape of a giant crucifix (no stumpy tail like the Griffon's). I immediately grabbed and focused the scope to reveal a stunning adult Lammergeier (lifer) which showed well before drifted back over the ridge.
Made up with this new bird we headed back down the valley (note there is an unexpected and welcome seasonal restaurant just below the waterfall). As we descended the track we stopped periodically to look for Wallcreeper. As always this was a needle in a haystack, but whilst scanning one of the cliffs I picked up a small bird which appeared to land and show a flash of crimson. I immediately went into to panic mode, thumbled setting the scope up and try as I might I just couldn't find the bird - Grrrrr! Then to make matters worse two German birders arrived and said they'd seen Wallcreeper earlier in the day on the same cliff. By now Crag Martins had appeared in numbers, all along the cliff and picking out any bird other than another Crag Martin was a none starter, and I had to call it a day, with what was a probable but untickable lifer.
Summary
*
In summary don't make the mistake that I did i.e thinking Alpine/Austrian specialities are easy to add to your European list as with the exception of Nutcracker and Alpine Chough its far from easy! I hope to return again during the next couple of years and will probably come earlier in the summer to see if we can add the missing apline ticks plus some woodpeckers?
01/09/2013
The following day brought low cloud and rain, so out came the waterproofs and we decided to explore the lower wooded hillside on the the north west side of the lake. From the town we headed west towards the ski lift/cable cars before turning north along a narrow footpath where after a short way you are looking down on the lake. Birds were hard to come by in the gloom and rain; however I soon heard an unfamiliar crow like call and shortly after we were greeted by fantastic views of a Nutcraker (Lifer) which flew and perched in the top of a spruce tree!
As we headed north we joined a single track residential road and eventually found ourselves on Doktor Muller-Promenade. Elevated up on the hill we could see a hotel (Jausenstation Einöd-Pfefferbauer) where we decided to stop for lunch. By the time we'd finished lunch the rain had stopped and on exiting the hotel, it was obvious that the local birds were now much more active. The meadows around the hotel held several Yellowhammers and from here we decided to retrace our steps back to towards Zel; as you walk down from the hotel, take the wooded path on your right, signposted Zel. Birds seen here included another Nutcraker, Hobby, several juv Redstarts, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, lots of Blackcaps, a single Wood Warbler and both Marsh and Willow Tits, which were very vocal. As we approached the town several juv Black Redstarts were encountered along with a large movement of House Martins and a single Swift.
02/09/2013
Today we decided to take the ski lifts west of Zel, taking the express cable car to Mittelstation then ascending on foot towards Glocknerhaus and above. Initially birds were hard to come by along the footpaths through the Spruce forest; however eventually we happened on a mixed tit/tree creeper flock which also contained many vocal Crested Tits. As we ascended uphill we came to a clearning between a couple of ski runs and by a seasonal restaurant/bar called Gasthaus Glocknerhaus. The whole area here was bouncing with migrants in areas consisting of mainly young pine, willow, alder and rowan trees (migrants probably grounded as a result of the previous days poor weather). Birds encountered included good numbers of 1st winter Pied Flycatchers, Chiffchaffs, a single Lesser Whitethroat, Black Redstarts and Whinchats. We also had a probable 1st winter Collard Flycatcher with its very prominent double wing bar? The rowen trees were full of fruit and included feeding Mistle Thrushes, a loan Fieldfare and a pair of Bullfinch. Several Nutcrackers were also encountered as was a very vocal Great Spotted Woodpecker.
03/09/2013
After breakfast we collected a hire car and headed to Krimml Waterfalls; unfortunately when we arrived around 10:00 AM, it was already busy with tourists and the long steep climb wasn't putting them off. I chose this venue as previous reports had suggested a chance of Wallcreeper and suitable habitat wasn't found until well above the falls (minus the tourists). Here it really was 'Nutcracker city', with birds everywhere but as far as Wallcreeper was concerned it really was a case of finding a needle in a haystack and I descended with a gloomy air of failure!
04/09/2013
Early start today and we headed for the Grossglokner mountain road; after paying a steep entrance fee of €26 we made straight for the end hoping to avoid the crowds. Based on past reports I was under the impression this was going to be easy; however after over an hour of birding we hadn't seen a single bird! By now it was starting to get busy so we headed behind the viewing tower to scan the mountain side away from the main peak and glacier. Things started to liven up slightly with the first birds encountered being 4 Linnets, followed by a Water Pipit and Golden Eagle which sent the local and vocal Marmot population running for cover! As lunch time approached, down descended small numbers of Alpine Choughs (Lifer) looking for food scraps and giving excellent excellent views! 5 Crag Martins also passed through.
After lunch we headed back down the road and despite multiple stops, including a €10 cable car ride, I just couldn't locate Alpine Accentor or Snow Finch. Again passage migrants were in evidence with Northern Wheater, Whinchat, Black Redstart, Meadow and Water Pipits encountered at various stops.
Our last stop was at view point 6 (raptor watch point), where an hours viewing revealed 4 Griffon Vultures, lots of Ravens and a Female Sparrowhawk.
05/09/2013
The pressure was on today, as last day with the hire car and we needed a result! The chosen target was Lammergeier; Matrei was an option based on reports from the beginning of August, but as seems to be the case with all Austrian bird reports, the author assumes you know the site with exact directions lacking. A bit of googling suggested that the Kruml Valley (Valley of the Vultures) was also an option so again with very vague directions we took the road to Rauris and Wörth. Basically just stay on the road way past Wörth, until you come to a right turn sign posted various venues/destinations including: Nationalpark Hohe Tauern Krumltal, Alte Buchebenstrabe and Lechnerhäusl (seperate red sign). There is also a blue parking sign, stating 100m, just follow this road to the obvious parking area complete with raptor information boards.
From the car park follow the track through the trees, turn left at the t-junction, then right on the uphill track through the spruce forest (Crested and Willow Tits abound). Eventually you reach cliff faces on your right and you start to think Wallcreeper habitat? Further up the valley the cliff/rock faces are on both sides of the track and now your really thinking Wallcreeper? We pushed on to end of the valley/track by a waterfall and set up the scope to scan the ridges on 3 sides. The first birds spotted were several Alpine Choughs which were mobbing a Kestrel, then the large raptors arrived with 6+ Griffon Vultures (which showed really well) and 2 Golden Eagles. This pattern followed for the next 40 minutes with said birds occasionally showing over the North ridge; through the binoculars and at distance my attention was then drawn to another huge raptor which had the shape of a giant crucifix (no stumpy tail like the Griffon's). I immediately grabbed and focused the scope to reveal a stunning adult Lammergeier (lifer) which showed well before drifted back over the ridge.
Made up with this new bird we headed back down the valley (note there is an unexpected and welcome seasonal restaurant just below the waterfall). As we descended the track we stopped periodically to look for Wallcreeper. As always this was a needle in a haystack, but whilst scanning one of the cliffs I picked up a small bird which appeared to land and show a flash of crimson. I immediately went into to panic mode, thumbled setting the scope up and try as I might I just couldn't find the bird - Grrrrr! Then to make matters worse two German birders arrived and said they'd seen Wallcreeper earlier in the day on the same cliff. By now Crag Martins had appeared in numbers, all along the cliff and picking out any bird other than another Crag Martin was a none starter, and I had to call it a day, with what was a probable but untickable lifer.
Summary
*
In summary don't make the mistake that I did i.e thinking Alpine/Austrian specialities are easy to add to your European list as with the exception of Nutcracker and Alpine Chough its far from easy! I hope to return again during the next couple of years and will probably come earlier in the summer to see if we can add the missing apline ticks plus some woodpeckers?
Last edited:
