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April ...free time (1 Viewer)

Himalaya

Well-known member
Hi,

I have a few days spare from 13th April to the 17th and wanted some ideas on any places to visit for birding and general sightseeing - not including France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco.

I have a maximum of 7 days spare but probably less.


Thanks in advance

H
 
A week is short but

With direct flights from Manchester - Ethiopia might be an option.
Also direct flights form Northern England to Gambia.

At a push Boston and Cape Cod although migration was just starting when we were there in April a few years ago (whale watching was excellent though).

Enjoy where ever you go.
 
Baltics or E- Europe for owls, woodpeckers and maybe a wolf or a lynx if you are lucky and prepare well (also mentally for long days staking out watchpoints)
 
Could also be a good time to visit the Gulf coast in Texas, after a cheapish flight to Houston. Warblers on migration as well as waders and lots more …. even on a quiet day with no 'fall'.
 
Ethiopia is massive and one week does not look like it could do it justice!

I looked at Gambia last year - no direct flights from ,Manchester to Gambia in April last year. What is the weather usually like in the 2nd week of April ?



With direct flights from Manchester - Ethiopia might be an option.
Also direct flights form Northern England to Gambia.

At a push Boston and Cape Cod although migration was just starting when we were there in April a few years ago (whale watching was excellent though).

Enjoy where ever you go.
 
Will look into but worry that I may miss later migrants? Austria is a country I have always wanted to visit.

Yes that could be a concern. Last year we were too early for some warblers (Barred and Lesser Whitethroat) and Marsh Terns. Probably the best time to visit would be around mid-May.
 
Agreed

Ethiopia is massive and one week does not look like it could do it justice!



I looked at Gambia last year - no direct flights from ,Manchester to Gambia in April last year. What is the weather usually like in the 2nd week of April ?

You can't do all the sites but could do area around Addis and down to Bale Mountains, or Lakes and Yabello and get pretty good number of endemics and range restricted species.

Only been in Dec and Feb but guide book shows weather as still being pretty good in April. Just assumed flights would still go in April.
 
Texas flights are quite expensive currently, last time I looked were over £800 to either Houston or Austin, though perhaps you could get cheaper flights with connections. Mid month there would give some excellent birding though however if this is an option would be looking at an 8-10 direct flight from the UK.

Mid April in Israel could be a possibility, lots of migration going on, breeding residents and at around peak time for Levant Sparrowhawk passage, spectacular if you time it just right. Only 4.5 hours flight time to Tel Aviv from London.

Other places that could be considered are Hungary, Romania in Europe or maybe even Morocco.
 
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Pick one of the Baltic states, depending on cost / convenience of flights. We did a long weekend in Lithuania a couple of years ago - Ryanair flight Edinburgh to Kaunas, picked up a hire car and drove to the Nemunas Delta. Dipped on a few things, notably aquatic warbler, but thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

Edit - should've read the thread properly - we were in May, so can't comment on mid-April...
 
Migration will still be very good in the Baltic in April but it will be somewhat different things to May e.g. wildfowl and finches more than waders and warblers. It's perhaps better for things like woodpeckers, owls and grouse in April too and you can still get Steller's Eider in Estonia then.
 
Migration will still be very good in the Baltic in April but it will be somewhat different things to May e.g. wildfowl and finches more than waders and warblers. It's perhaps better for things like woodpeckers, owls and grouse in April too and you can still get Steller's Eider in Estonia then.

Wait. What? You can get Steller's Eider regularly in Estonia? Are you sure?
 
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