Berlin Trip (yes, Berlin!) (1 Viewer)

I went for a non-birding trip to Berlin this weekend. Great city with great sights. Of course I didn't expect to do any birding, but I took my bins anyway, just in case.

Well, it seems one of the most urban areas of Europe has pretty good birding (well, in British standards anyway). Mostly centred around the main park (Tiergarten), I saw Hooded Crow (lifer), Goshawk (commoner than Sparrowhawk), Hawfinch,Tree Sparrow, Firecrest, Brambling, Buzzard (hunting on the woodland floor), Siskin, and Redwing amongst commoner birds.

I was quite amazed at how good it was, this is mostly due to the brilliant botanic diversity of the park with more than 25 species of native trees included in quite a small area. Also the streets are often lined with trees, allowing species such as Tits and Goldcrests to live right in the centre of the city.

41 species in all, without leaving the city, brilliant.

The Tiergarten was pretty good when we went - buzzards, swallows, red squirrels, nuthatches, countless numbers of other critters. Wasn't even into birding at the time.

Hi,

I no longer live in Berlin, but it is even better outside. Within 2 hours drive from the city centre you have breeding Great Bustards, White-tailed Eagles, Ospreys, both kites, Cranes, four grebes, Bittern, tens of thousands of wintering geese and ducks, 40.000 cranes on autumn roost etc. Amazing how DDR cared for it's nature.

I was in Munich in Spring a few years ago and the parks were full of woodland species.