Birding my way from Munich to Frankfurt (1 Viewer)

I will be attending Oktoberfest in Munich on Wednesday, October 1. The next thing on my calendar is my flight from Frankfurt back to New York on Sunday, October 5. Can you recommend good birding spots in between those two cities? Ideally, I'd like to bird near Frankfurt on Saturday (Oct. 4) to stay in a hotel near the airport that night, but in between I'm okay with moving around. (I did see Drew's post from a while back about birding the Frankfurt am Main Riedteich, but other spots might be better!)

As far as European birding experience, call it "minimal." I spent a few days in southern Austria at the Neusiedler-See National Park (mostly shorebirds and waterbirds), one afternoon at a park in Vienna (usual park birds), and one day on Mt. Scheeberg (some alpine species, nothing too special). I'm basically totally unfamiliar with calls/songs, unfortunately.

Thanks in advance!

As you have 3 days (well, depends how much time you need to recover from the Oktoberfest) and distances are not that large, you can pick pretty much any spot in southern Germany. The time is good to focus on some migration hot-spots, e.g. the lakes near the alps.

I can recommend you the Lake of Constance, as it's my home turf. You can easily spend 3 days there and explore various locations around the lake. It's 3-4 hours from Munich and the same distance to Frankfurt. Some good information here (all in German, but with Google translate you should get most of it): http://www.birdinggermany.de/bodensee.htm

Here some info on locations near Munich: http://www.birdinggermany.de/bayern.htm

This is supposed to be a good place around half way to Frankfurt: http://www.birdinggermany.de/guenzburg.htm

A great little site, good for migration, not too far from Frankfurt (maybe 1hour): http://www.birdinggermany.de/waghaeusel.htm

If you opt for the lake of Constance (Bodensee), I can give you more detailed info.

Between Munich Airport and city is lake Ismaninger Speichersee, which is the best spot around Munich and one of the best spot in Bavarian ( for me only Guenzburg area is better ).
If the weather is fine I will be there at 3.10. on public holiday.
You can hike there, but ideal is bicycle.

Inside Munich You can visit parc Englischer Garten.
Visit lake Kleinhesseloher See, which is easy reachable by underground.
http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/deutsch/garten/objekte/eg_suedteil.pdf
Expect there e.g. Mallard, Greylag Goose, Goosander, Red-crested Pochard.

For me the best place for birding in Bavarian is the area near Guenzburg, but car or bicycle is urgently recommended.

For alpine birds lift to Karwendelspitze is recommended. In October the view is often excellent.

weather forecast with diagramm
http://wetterstationen.meteomedia.de/map=Bayern

Where do You stay in Munich ?

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm staying at a hostel near the Munich city center on the nights of Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 30 and Oct. 1), but I was thinking of getting a place outside the city once I begin my birding trip — somewhere closer to birding sites, and more importantly, with free parking :-D.

What sort of migrants can I hope to see? Is it mostly shorebirds/waterbirds at this time?

dalat, I think I would like some more info on Lake Constance and the spots around there. I think I'd like to spend at least a day exploring there. Thanks!

Hi Don Diego,

if you go to Lake of constance, probably better go for two days at least rather than driving around much. You could still have a stop at Günzburg or Waghäusl on the way to Frankfurt the third day.

My regular site at the lake is the delta of Rhein river (on the Austrian side of the lake, near Bregenz), which would give you a good range of water birds and best chances for migrating birds (passerines, ducks, raptors, waders).

In the link above you find descriptions on all major sites around the lake, including the Rheindelta: http://www.birdinggermany.de/Rheindelta.htm

If you look on the map (I copy it below) the best area are the dikes along the Rhine reaching far into the lake. You can park on either side (Nr. 1 and 4) and then just walk up the dike as far as you can and back. You can already spend a full day here if you want. Another option is to drive to the parking at number 6 and walk along the dike nr. 8.

If you are after waders, it would be worthwhile to have alook at the delta of Bregenzer Aach, which is a river a couple of km further towards Bregenz.

Other intersting sites on the lake would be the Eriskircher Ried near Friedrichshafen or the Untersee/Wollmatinger Ried near Konstanz. But you'll find enough to keep you busy for 2 days around the Rheindelta.
Closest accomodation is in Hard, or perhaps also in Fussach. If you prefer to stay in town, Brengenz is the best bet.

Perhaps I'd be able to show you around, but only on satuday morning. If this is an option for you, let me know.

To see what birds to expect, you can browse this site.

dondiego87 said:

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm staying at a hostel near the Munich city center on the nights of Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 30 and Oct. 1), but I was thinking of getting a place outside the city once I begin my birding trip — somewhere closer to birding sites, and more importantly, with free parking :-D.

What sort of migrants can I hope to see? Is it mostly shorebirds/waterbirds at this time?

dalat, I think I would like some more info on Lake Constance and the spots around there. I think I'd like to spend at least a day exploring there. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Maybe You can visit me, I live 5 minutes away from underground station Obersendling in Munich.

check www.ornitho.de
select
"Letzte 7 Tage" it means last 7 days
then
"BY" for Bavarian
than
"M" for Munich surburbias included lake ismaninger Speichersee west part
"M*" for Munich City
"EBE" for Ismaninger Speichersee east part
"GZ" for Guenzburg

expected birds e.g. lake Ismaninger Speichersee
Hoecherschwan Mute Swan many
Stockente Mallard lots
Spiessente Pintail some
Loeffelente Shoveler >10
Krickente Teal >10
Pfeifente Wigeon some
Knäckente Garganey rare
Schnatterente Gadwall many

Tafelente Pochard many
Reiherente Tufted Duck lots
Moorente Ferrugenis Duck 2 - 5 in this time
Schellente Goldeneye >10
Kolbenente Red-crested Pochard many

Silbermoewe Herring Gull rather in winter
Sturmmoewe Common Gull some mostly expected after 6 pm at west end at west part of Ismaninger Speichersee
Heringsmoewe Lesser black-backed Gull rare, rather middle from middle of October
Mantelmöwe Greater black-backed Gull rare, rather middle from middle of October
Schwarzkopfmoewe Mediterranean Gull some similar like Common Gull
Tern rather not, already migrated to south

Rohrweihe Western Marsh Harrier maybe not gone yet
Wanderfalke Peregrine somethimes
Baumfalke Hobby maybe not gone yet
Turmfalke Kestrel somethimes
Rotfussfalke Red-footed Falcon some in this time
Falkenraubmoewe Long-tailed Skue rather at lake Bodensee at ferry line Lindau to Romanshorn

Gruenschenkel Greenshank some
Rotschenkel Redshank some
Alpenstrandlaeufer Dunlin some
Sanderling Sanderling rare but chance in October
Groesser Brachvogel Curlew somethimes learn the easy call
Regenbrachvogel Whimbrel very rare migrant
Steinwaelzer Turnstone very rare migrant

Dunkler Wasserlaeufer Spotted Redshank some
Bruchwasserläufer Wood Sandpiper some very good chance
Waldwasserläufer Green Sandpiper some
Teichwasserlaeufer Marsh Sandpiper very rare migrant
Terekwasserlaeufer Terek Sandpiper extrem rare migrant

Maeusebussard Common Buzzard somethimes good chance
Wespenbussurd Honey Buzzard some migrated in this times but rather not at lake Ismaninger Speichersee
Fischadler Osprey rare migrant until middle of October

other places
Prachttaucher Black-throated Diver some at lake Starnberger See at place Seeseiten in this time, buy the way nice view to mountains if fine weather

Albatross, thanks for sending along that information and the link to that website. It's really useful, and I'm going to have a lot of fun playing around with it and fantasizing about all the birds I might see at different places.

Florian, thanks for the insider's guide to the Lake Constance area.

Thank you both for all the info! I'll be in touch via private message about perhaps meeting up.