Best place in Europe for a short birding trip in June? (1 Viewer)

[Mysticete]

Hey Folks,

I have a conference that I might be potentially attending, next June (Specifically, towards the end of the month) in Belgium. Since I am already going to be across the pond, I figured it might be good to fit in a short birding trip before or after, preferably someplace with a different avifauna than England, which I have birded on multiple occasions via research/conference trips to London.

Since there are plenty of Europeans here, figured this might be a good place to get folks opinions.

 

[Bewick]

Anywhere in the Med, southern France, Portugal and Spain are all good.

 

[Mysticete]

Starting thinking Finland and Wolverines might be fun...anyone visit Finland this time of year?

 

[lgonz1008]

If you want Finland, June is still a good time and even a self-driven tour can be arranged relatively cheap with access to hides and day guides for the tricky species: Self-drive Tours | Finnature

 

[nkbj]

I think Southern Europe for a different avifauna than the UK. Spain, Portugal or maybe Romania. Another option is Estonia which still have a lot of rural areas, coastal areas and old forests.

 

[Farnboro John]

If you want Finland, June is still a good time and even a self-driven tour can be arranged relatively cheap with access to hides and day guides for the tricky species: Self-drive Tours | Finnature

Another vote for this. June should be early enough for owls and they might even be able to give you a chance at Siberian Flying Squirrel. If you are going to try for Wolverine give it more than one night to take account of random chance even where they are baited in.

John

 

[jurek]

If this is your first visit to Europe, southern Spain (Extremadura and Coto Donana) will give you most species. Even better is southern Turkey starting from Adana / Antalya, with holiday flights from all over Northern (corrected!) Europe. But it is no longer Europe and longer flight.

Northern Scandinavia is good, but has less species and many are shared with North America.

 

[pbjosh]

If it is June 1, the whole of Europe is your oyster in terms of weather and breeding birds. By late June birdsong is really diminished and a lot of things will be harder to find in S Europe, and it will be pretty warm. Timing would be more optimal further N.

If it were me I would go to Spain or Turkey if early June, Finland if late June.

Of course I say this as I’m in Cyprus on July 1 and it’s hot and birding is slow, but I still found the endemics and resident birds readily enough.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Another vote for Spain or Finland - perhaps adding Bulgaria although I have no experience of the latter.

 

[opisska]

I dunno, I have been living for Europe for a while and I really don't go to the southern part of it in June very often. Maybe the very beginning - I have been to Spain and Greece in first days of June and it was nice. But late June is terribly hot in the Mediterranean - except for the mountains. I was in the Pyrenees at the beginning of last July and enjoyed it a lot, the only difficulty was finding places where we could drive the A/C-ed car to a high enough altitude to be willing to exit it Spain also has beautiful mountains along the entire northern coast and the Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal is typically much colder. But I typically wouldn't go to Andalusia at the end of June - if you are unlucky, it can be 47 degrees (and not the cool American kind of degrees) in some places. On the other it's true that the best place in Europe to pick up species simply is a circuit through Extremadura and Andalusia - it's about what you can survive to see them ...

Finland is obviously an option, however be warned that there will be a lot, and I mean A LOT, of mosquitoes. They don't carry any disease - and you are from Wisconsin, so you must clearly be accustomed to some extent, so it's just a nuisance. The optimal time for most of Finland is a bit earlier before the mosquitoes really come out in full. I have been once to the very north of the continent - Kirkenes and around, something like 10-20 June and this was the most pleasant time - basically this one week was the spring between snow and mosquitoes but it was too early for some species (mainly Arctic Warbler) so a later date could be good for this area.

 

[Farnboro John]

I dunno, I have been living for Europe for a while and I really don't go to the southern part of it in June very often. Maybe the very beginning - I have been to Spain and Greece in first days of June and it was nice. But late June is terribly hot in the Mediterranean - except for the mountains. I was in the Pyrenees at the beginning of last July and enjoyed it a lot, the only difficulty was finding places where we could drive the A/C-ed car to a high enough altitude to be willing to exit it Spain also has beautiful mountains along the entire northern coast and the Atlantic coast of Spain and Portugal is typically much colder. But I typically wouldn't go to Andalusia at the end of June - if you are unlucky, it can be 47 degrees (and not the cool American kind of degrees) in some places. On the other it's true that the best place in Europe to pick up species simply is a circuit through Extremadura and Andalusia - it's about what you can survive to see them ...

Finland is obviously an option, however be warned that there will be a lot, and I mean A LOT, of mosquitoes. They don't carry any disease - and you are from Wisconsin, so you must clearly be accustomed to some extent, so it's just a nuisance. The optimal time for most of Finland is a bit earlier before the mosquitoes really come out in full. I have been once to the very north of the continent - Kirkenes and around, something like 10-20 June and this was the most pleasant time - basically this one week was the spring between snow and mosquitoes but it was too early for some species (mainly Arctic Warbler) so a later date could be good for this area.

I've typically been later in Finland and the first time the mosquitos were awful. However, last year in late July they were not numerous at all, and my DEET-laden Jungle Formula kept them away. It may be no coincidence that the Finnish water table is lowering due to climate change.

John

 

[opisska]

Also, goes without saying, that you can always pick the Czech Republic. The birding here isn't really the greatest at that time of the year either, but I can show you around the best of the mediocre

 

[watcher347]

Reykjavík and the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland is a nice birding destination in Europe.

 

[Farnboro John]

Reykjavík and the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland is a nice birding destination in Europe.

I've no doubt: but what can you see there that you can't see in North America?

John

 

[vergan]

I've no doubt: but what can you see there that you can't see in North America?

John

Redwing? 😅

 

[Mysticete]

Yeah...Iceland I am sure is awesome, but from a lifer/cool critter perspective, It really doesn't offer much that can't be seen within the ABA area. And of course the few European breeding birds that are there are often easier in Mainland Europe.

 

[watcher347]

I've no doubt: but what can you see there that you can't see in North America?

John

Aside from bird watching. You could see the waterfall, you could go mountain hiking. You could also visit the notable Gatklettur rock arch. There is the Saxholl crater where from it's peak you can see an extinct volcano. No doubt North America and South America also have some amazing views and destination as well.

 

[Mike Crawley]

I had a fantastic week in Extremadura and Monfrague about 6 years ago.
I recall struggling with my basic Spanish skills as English wasn’t widely spoken.
But great views of Eagle Owl, Spanish Imperial Eagle, various Sandgrouse and a plethora of warblers were fabulous

 

[Gladiator96]

Well the OP said the conference is at the end of June, so I would forget about the Mediterranean (speaking as a resident of it) and go for one of the northern European candidates e.g. Estonia, Finland, Poland. As others have said in early June you would have way more options.

 

[Bewick]

Well the OP said the conference is at the end of June, so I would forget about the Mediterranean (speaking as a resident of it) and go for one of the northern European candidates e.g. Estonia, Finland, Poland. As others have said in early June you would have way more options.

What's the issue with late June? Most bird species wouldn't be on the move yet.