Weekend only Birding trips abroad (2 Viewers)

kb57 · Mar 9, 2017

You mentioned in your OP that snowfinch was a target species...flights to Geneva are cheap, although Switzerland less so...
I was skiing this time last year at Wengen, and there were feeders up at the top of the Mannlichen cable car which were attracting small groups of snowfinch. This is accessible for pedestrians, while Wengen is accessible (only) by rail, so no need for car rental. There are reputedly wallcreeper sites in the vicinity of Wengen too - lots of cliff habitat, and lots of well-marked footpaths to access them.
For a complete change of habitat, I'd recommend getting the train back via Neuchatel, then bus or walk to the lake, and ferry either to La Sauge or Cudrefin. There is a wetland nature reserve at La Sauge where I've seen garganey, night heron and wood sandpiper there in late summer / autumn to name a few, but would expect it would be good at other times of year.
Both sites are easily do-able in a weekend.

DMW · Mar 9, 2017

Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines have regular direct flights from Edinburgh to their respective hubs of Doha and Istanbul. Both tend to be competitively priced, and give access to many destinations. I reckon Oman would make for an excellent long weekend.

Acanthis · Mar 9, 2017

kb57 said:
You mentioned in your OP that snowfinch was a target species...flights to Geneva are cheap, although Switzerland less so...
I was skiing this time last year at Wengen, and there were feeders up at the top of the Mannlichen cable car which were attracting small groups of snowfinch. This is accessible for pedestrians, while Wengen is accessible (only) by rail, so no need for car rental.

Thanks!
Some great tips to consider and an alternative to the Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen scenario I'd been considering

Acanthis · Mar 9, 2017

DMW said:
Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines have regular direct flights from Edinburgh to their respective hubs of Doha and Istanbul. Both tend to be competitively priced, and give access to many destinations. I reckon Oman would make for an excellent long weekend.

Yeah, I know a birder who's planning a trip to Oman. Sounds like it'll be outstanding.
I'd settle for just visiting Salalah in Dhofar - for a good chance to catch up with Arabian Golden-winged Grosbeak. Then there's a whole lot of other great birds there too

wolfbirder · Mar 10, 2017

Ive done weekend trips to Tenerife and Finland, and a load of 4 night trips including to Israel (Monarch now fly luton-Eilat), Finland, Poland, Hungary (excellent birding), Cyprus, Turkey (Antalya) for Brown Fish Owl and so much more.

I really enjoy my short trips.

lewis20126 · Mar 10, 2017

wolfbirder said:
Turkey (Antalya) for Brown Fish Owl and so much more.

Yes,I've done that - base a weekend around the boat trip and combine with Akseki and nearby areas. Excellent weekend trip.

cheers, alan

amears · Mar 11, 2017

Just a couple to add - Estonia for large Steller's Eider flocks (extras could be 3t woody, Ural Owl, Hazel Hen, etc) and Croatia for Rock Partridge (generally birdy with nice orchids, and Dubrovnik is amazing). Estonia has potential for all sorts of seasonal targets.

Always embark on these weekends thinking I'm insane but never regret a single one.

Andy

jurek · Mar 11, 2017

I did several: Hungary, Tenerife, Jordan, Turkey, Corsica, Fuerteventura...

On Fuerteventura I had 3 targets, saw all within 3 hours of stepping out of the plane.

On Corsica I spent less than 24 hours but got long views of the endemic nuthatch, finch and some other specialities.

Helpful is good planning, especially minimizing driving distances.

Enormously helpful is observado.org which shows latest sightings of many species. However, there is a trick - some sightings are plainly false. You arrive at the site and see that no bird is in sight and the habitat is totally wrong. I developed a method of looking for sightings of people I know are dependable birders, or for sites with multiple observations over many days. And I try not to waste time on one site - I have 3 or 4 in a list and move quickly forward.

The choice of the place is surprisingly flexible - depends from flights available and your personal preferences. It is a bit weird when I don't know if I go to Cyprus or Arctic Norway and develop a plan for both.

simmojunior · Mar 12, 2017

I've just come back from a one night trip to Fuerteventura. I went early Friday morning and arrived back very late last night thanks to flight delays. Saw lots of birds including 9 lifers (Fuerteventura Chat, Houbara Bustard, African Blue Tit, Berthelot's Pipit, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Barbary Partridge, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Spectacled Warbler and Audouin's Gull). Plenty of other goodies like Barbary Falcon, Cream-coloured Courser, Trumpeter Finch, Kentish Plover, Ruddy Shelduck, Stone Curlew etc...

Very easy to do so highly recommended. Mallorca is on the cards for May but wondering about trying something the Easter weekend too...

I did lynx in Andujar a couple of years ago so happy to dig out a file of info if anyone is planning that as that is a very good weekend trip.

trw · Mar 12, 2017

simmojunior said:
I've just come back from a one night trip to Fuerteventura. I went early Friday morning and arrived back very late last night thanks to flight delays. Saw lots of birds including 9 lifers (Fuerteventura Chat, Houbara Bustard, African Blue Tit, Berthelot's Pipit, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Barbary Partridge, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Spectacled Warbler and Audouin's Gull). Plenty of other goodies like Barbary Falcon, Cream-coloured Courser, Trumpeter Finch, Kentish Plover, Ruddy Shelduck, Stone Curlew etc...

Very easy to do so highly recommended. Mallorca is on the cards for May but wondering about trying something the Easter weekend too...

I did lynx in Andujar a couple of years ago so happy to dig out a file of info if anyone is planning that as that is a very good weekend trip.

Fuerteventura is an ideal place for a weekend trip.
Not sure how true it is but I believe some birdwatchers used to do it in a day to see the Fuerteventura Chat in Wilson's Barranco.I'm told they would fly in in the morning,walk to the barranco,tick off the Chat,then get back on the plane home later that day.Mind you it's one of the most god forsaken birdwatching sites in the World.Below the busy road to the Corralego and right next to the airport.
Alghero in Sardinia would make a good short stay break.There are cheap flights there,plenty of accommodation in Alghero and public transport to the Porto Conte Natural, Park which is not only great for birds but also unspoilt.

Digbert Doobrey · Mar 19, 2017

Check out the 'where to watch birds in world cities' guide book by Paul Milne. It could give you a few ideas. Easily picked up on amazon or other similar sites.

cassowary · Mar 20, 2017

I've recently flown from NYC to Mumbai and Singapore for the weekend and LAX to Tokyo for the weekend twice this year; not birding though. So lets say you can organize flights to get 2 full days birding in; from Scotland I would say coastal The Gambia with a good guide, Eilat, Lesvos (in spring migration). You can see a lot in a weekend in Trinidad - I've spent two comfortable weekends there flying from NYC but that's a bit of a stretch for a weekend from Scotland. Then there are all the usual places in Europe. If the weather is good, The Netherlands in late spring can be nice.

Weekend only Birding trips abroad (2 Viewers)

More options

kb57

Well-known member

DMW

Well-known member

Acanthis

Well-known member

Acanthis

Well-known member

wolfbirder

Well-known member

lewis20126

Well-known member

amears

Well-known member

jurek

Well-known member

simmojunior

Well-known member

trw

Well-known member

Digbert Doobrey

Well-known member

cassowary

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread