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Birding European Cities - May-June 2019 (1 Viewer)

White-winged Snowfinch would presumably be best at the top station though?

Not impossible up there, but I think also for Snowfinch, chances are much better at Kleine Scheidegg (2100m), or one stop higher at Eigergletscher (2300m).
I had a look at the ornitho database, but no June/July records at Jungfraujoch (3500m), and only a few in late summer..
 
Not impossible up there, but I think also for Snowfinch, chances are much better at Kleine Scheidegg (2100m), or one stop higher at Eigergletscher (2300m).
I had a look at the ornitho database, but no June/July records at Jungfraujoch (3500m), and only a few in late summer..
Thanks!
 
From London it's even possible to do a full day on the north Norfolk coast by public transport.

Trains run between London King's Cross and King's Lynn (Norfolk) throughout the day (once per hour in each direction, I think). The journey is an hour and fifty minutes each way and the first train arrives in King's Lynn about 7.30am. The last train back to London is after 9.30pm.

From King's Lynn train station it is a short (1 or 2 minutes) walk to the bus station where you can catch the Coasthopper bus around the coast. With an all-day pass you can get on and off anywhere you like and it takes you right to the entrances of hot-spots such as Titchwell, Holkham and Cley.
 
I would consider, if you have e.g. half days in some places, to strategically hire specialized guides.

This will cost you a lot of money (think 150-200 euro / day), but a half day in may around e.g. Amsterdam could deliver 50-70 species (a full day over a 100). If you combine just 3-4 of these outings in e.g. Amsterdam, Budapest and Montpellier or Barcelona, you will get a much more comprehensive list, you only spend 3-4 mornings die-hard birding and can for the rest just enjoy whatever comes. If you try to squeeze in some birding at every city, I fear it won't be fun for your fellow travellers, and you will spend way more time trying to find good birding than time with your companions or time at the really good birding sites that are probably much harder to reach on public transport.
 
Thanks! I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to see much in Paris, but those parks look promising. Are the Little Owls in Hyde Park conspicuous or is more effort demanded?

I don't want to raise your expectations of Paris too much, it really isn't that great in the centre!

For little owls, check out http://kensingtongardensandhydeparkbirds.blogspot.com/
- he more or less directs you to specific trees where you can see them. I know this level of detail is frowned upon by many when it comes to breeding birds, but we are talking an urban park here which is full of visitors. Without this information you'd be unlikely to come across them without a lot of luck.
 
Hi, if you go straight up to Jungfraujoch, you won't see much. But if you make a stop on the way at Kleine Scheidegg, and do some hiking around there, you should also see some mountain birds.

I've seen white-winged snow-finch coming to a feeder at the top of Mannlichen cable car in March before - this is accessible directly from Wengen, a 5 minute walk to the left from the railway station, and is an alternative route into the mountains. That said, they weren't there the last time I visited (2017). Don't know about later in summer, but the cable car should give you access to higher level hiking routes. Not sure if its possible to hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, you can certainly ski it in winter with only one uplift on the way, I guess on foot you'd have access to higher level traverses.

You should get Alpine accentor at Kleine Scheidegg, and of course Alpine chough are ubiquitous.

When in the Alps, don't overlook restaurant terraces as productive places for birding - all three of the above species hang around restaurants from time to time, and can offer close up views.

Lower down and closer to Interlaken, the big lake (Thunersee) holds red-crested pochard which are eminently more 'countable' than the ones you'll see on The Serpentine in Hyde Park. There is also a reputed site for wallcreeper readily accessible by boat or bus from Interlaken, at Beatusholen on the north shore of the Thunersee. I did go here in summer once, and I have to say views of the rock face weren't great from below (the site is a cave open to the public), and I believe there are other locations between Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen / Wengen which may be better.
 
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Barcelona

-Barcelona: A day trip to Belchite and the Aragonese plains could add Dupont's Lark, sandgrouse, vultures and a few other specialities.

You really don't need to go that far for Steppe birds; you can stay in Catalonia. Only a crazy person would go to Belchite and back in a day! That's up to 3.5 hours each way. Either way, you'd need a car.


Most of the parks offer the commoner species such as Sardinian Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper and Crested Tit.

The coast / beaches for some commoner gulls, etc. Seasonal Audouin's Gull.

Besos river - good variety here.


Llobregat Wetlands - http://www.catalanbirdtours.com/Spain%20birding/Llobregat%20birding%20trips.html

There are two main reserves (closed on Mondays with restricted access at weekends) and a few excellent satellite sites to quickly increase the day's species total. You might find bus routes via google but they can be tricky to find.

Garraf Hills - http://www.catalanbirdtours.com/Spain birding/GAR easy bird watching.html

Superb coastal mountain range to the south. Scrub, farmland, forests, etc. But again you'd need a car, a 4x4 in many places, unless you're o.k. walking from the rail station at Garraf.


Day trips to Ebro Delta, Pyrenees, Steppes, etc. but, again, you'd need a car or a guide.



Species' Videos here - https://www.facebook.com/Birding-in-Spain-Birding-in-Catalonia-199405906748382/


By the way, the latest migrant is the Eleonora's Falcon most of which come in through mid-late June.


All the best
 
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Seriously? Why would you drive from Barcelona??

If you are staying in centre of Barcelona, simply take the AVE is 85 minutes from Sants to Zaragoza - just a single stop! From there it is 45 minutes drive to Planeron for Sandgrouse and larks. Easily doable in a day.

Really frustrating to see people posting rubbish and not even taking a moment to do some basic basic research on what public transport options are available! Get out of your car for once!!!
 
Barcelona

simply take the AVE is 85 minutes from Sants to Zaragoza - just a single stop! From there it is 45 minutes drive to Planeron for Sandgrouse and larks. Easily doable in a day.

Really frustrating to see people posting rubbish and not even taking a moment to do some basic basic research on what public transport options are available! Get out of your car for once!!!

So sorry Captain. Didn't mean to get you all wound up. "Posting rubbish", etc. all a bit unnecessary, don't you think? We are all just trying to have a conversation, after all.

Two quick points though.

Again, you do not need to go all the way to Belchite from Barcelona for Steppe birds, by car or train / then a car). For anyone who can't be bothered "to do some basic research", I can tell you that you can drive to the Lleida Steppes in little more than an hour or, as the Cap says, get a train and then..er..drive a car.

So saving all the pollution (and time) you would create if you go to Belchite. The reserves at Belchite are nice though.

Anyway, as I said, either way you'll need a car.

Hope that's clear enough for you. Sorry if it's confusing (ref. Basil Fawlty just in case you think I'm being serious, I'm not, just being playful. You make a valid point, Cap, about our car fixation...just don't need to do it so aggressively.)


All the best
 
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