Birding around Morzine, French Alps (1 Viewer)

[Taiga71!]

Hello all,
I am off to Morzine in the French Alps (Haute Savoie region) on a family holiday in first week of July. Can anyone recommend good birding sites near Morzine (preferably within walking distance or with the use of public transport). I am particularly interested in watching birds of prey (Lammergeier, Golden Eagles, Goshawk and Honey Buzzard), alpine specialities such as citril finch, woodpeckers and wallcreepers?

In addition, are there any good birding guide books for this area?

Thanks for any help with this.

Mike Thornton

 

[bittern]

Birding around Morzine

I live in the area and quite often spend time up in the mountains where most of those birds can be found,

I can normally be found on the BirdingPal web site but I removed myself a couple of months ago due to car problems but it seems that I shall be motorised very soon.

If nothing else I can give you some information about interesting sites,

If you are interested lets use private messages, e-mail or WhatsApp.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Taiga71!]

Hi Mike,

I would rather communicate via this forum and don't use Whats app. Can you list the best local birding sites to see some of the species I mentioned. Are there any birding guide books for the area?

Cheers, Mike T

 

[bittern]

Hi Mike,

In my opinion the best site for for most of the mountain birds is the Col de la Colombière which is at 1613 metres and reached either from le Grand-Bornand or le Reposoir. It is on the D4 road.

At the moment the col is shown as closed as the snow and rocks have not yet been cleared. It is normally open from some time in June to October or November depending on weather conditions.

Birds that are usually seen include Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Rock-thrush, Citril Finch, Northern Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Crag Martin, Water Pipit, (Snowfinch is present but you would need to walk up to about 2'300 metres). Other birds seen fairly frequently include, Golden Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Alpine Swift. Also species present but rarely seen include Rock Partridge and Ptarmigan.

There is a restaurant at the col and the walk up from the road is quite easy. However there is no public transport serving the col so a car is necessary. Many cyclists use the col but it is not for the faint of heart as it is frequently used by the Tour de France and is only for well trained cyclists!

Let me know if you need more information, I don't know of any guide books for birding in the region. There is always Where to watch birds in France but I don't remember how much it has to say about the mountain areas. I'll see if I can find my copy to see what it has to say.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Taiga71!]

Morzine

Hi Mike,

In my opinion the best site for for most of the mountain birds is the Col de la Colombière which is at 1613 metres and reached either from le Grand-Bornand or le Reposoir. It is on the D4 road.

At the moment the col is shown as closed as the snow and rocks have not yet been cleared. It is normally open from some time in June to October or November depending on weather conditions.

Birds that are usually seen include Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Rock-thrush, Citril Finch, Northern Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Crag Martin, Water Pipit, (Snowfinch is present but you would need to walk up to about 2'300 metres). Other birds seen fairly frequently include, Golden Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Alpine Swift. Also species present but rarely seen include Rock Partridge and Ptarmigan.

There is a restaurant at the col and the walk up from the road is quite easy. However there is no public transport serving the col so a car is necessary. Many cyclists use the col but it is not for the faint of heart as it is frequently used by the Tour de France and is only for well trained cyclists!

Let me know if you need more information, I don't know of any guide books for birding in the region. There is always Where to watch birds in France but I don't remember how much it has to say about the mountain areas. I'll see if I can find my copy to see what it has to say.

Cheers,

Mike

Thanks Mike, Good advice. Not sure if I will get there as its 150km from Morzine. Would like to cycle there but may not have time. Any closer sites, with in walking distance for forest birds (woodpeckers - black, white backed). perhaps I could just get a cable car up to high pass and scan for raptors and alpine specialists?
Thanks alot for your help - much appreciated.
Mike T

 

[bittern]

Mike,

I'm not sure how you arrived at 150km, it is in fact 39 km from Morzine to the base of the Col at Le Reposoir. Naturally most high passes will have similar bird life and forested areas will usually have Black Woodpeckers which tend to be very shy. No White-backed in this part of the world at all. The Col de la Colombière is good because of the Lammergeiers which are almost always seen as there are couples breeding in the neighbourhood it is also recommended because I know what can usually be found there. I checked out "Où voir les Oiseaux en France", and my edition at least, dates from 1989 so is very much out of date and has very little on the Alps as it covers the whole of metropolitan France.

Mike

 

[Taiga71!]

Morzine

Mike,

I'm not sure how you arrived at 150km, it is in fact 39 km from Morzine to the base of the Col at Le Reposoir. Naturally most high passes will have similar bird life and forested areas will usually have Black Woodpeckers which tend to be very shy. No White-backed in this part of the world at all. The Col de la Colombière is good because of the Lammergeiers which are almost always seen as there are couples breeding in the neighbourhood it is also recommended because I know what can usually be found there. I checked out "Où voir les Oiseaux en France", and my edition at least, dates from 1989 so is very much out of date and has very little on the Alps as it covers the whole of metropolitan France.

Mike

Mike,

Thats really useful - thanks so much for your advice. I love watching Lammergeirs..!

I will probably cycle up to the Col early one morning or try and hitch a lift?

If you are around that week and want to go birding please let me know?

Mike

 

[bittern]

I haven't been up to the Col de la Colombière this year as the last time I was nearby the road wasn't open. I'm looking for an excuse to go up anytime soon so I would be happy to give you a lift up there. Let me know how I can reach you to firm things up. (e-mail address or phone number). I could probably pick you up in Morzine as it is not too far out of my way. You can e-mail me at [email protected]

Mike

 

[bittern]

By the way I went up to the Col de la Colombière yesterday and it was pretty good:-
2 Lammergeiers, Short-toed Eagle, 2 Griffon Vultures, Rock Thrush, 5 or 6 Ring Ouzels, Water Pipits, Wheatear, Whinchat, Linnets, Alpine Choughs, Crag Martin, Cuckoo, etc. No Citrils however as I guess they are all busy breeding a little lower.

Mike

 

[Markcall]

We are also going to Morzine (well Montriond) next week with a mixed mtb cycling group and I am hoping to grab a day birding in the area. I am as much interested in lowland/forest birds as I am raptors so any local knowledge in terms of hot spots or species to look out for would be helpful. We will have our car with us.
Thanks

 

[bittern]

Please see my reply #9 regarding best birding place in the area. However the Col de la Colombière will be closed this Sunday 8th July as the Tour de France is passing over the Col. I don't have any first hand knowledge concerning Morzine/Montriond however. There are plenty of Griffons around at the moment and they can be seen almost anywhere around the summits. From where you are drive to Le Reposoir and then follow the road up to the Col. I suggest an early start as parking can get difficult at the summit now that school holidays have started.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[greg_evans]

Hi Mike,

In my opinion the best site for for most of the mountain birds is the Col de la Colombière which is at 1613 metres and reached either from le Grand-Bornand or le Reposoir. It is on the D4 road.

At the moment the col is shown as closed as the snow and rocks have not yet been cleared. It is normally open from some time in June to October or November depending on weather conditions.

Birds that are usually seen include Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Rock-thrush, Citril Finch, Northern Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Crag Martin, Water Pipit, (Snowfinch is present but you would need to walk up to about 2'300 metres). Other birds seen fairly frequently include, Golden Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Alpine Swift. Also species present but rarely seen include Rock Partridge and Ptarmigan.

There is a restaurant at the col and the walk up from the road is quite easy. However there is no public transport serving the col so a car is necessary. Many cyclists use the col but it is not for the faint of heart as it is frequently used by the Tour de France and is only for well trained cyclists!

Let me know if you need more information, I don't know of any guide books for birding in the region. There is always Where to watch birds in France but I don't remember how much it has to say about the mountain areas. I'll see if I can find my copy to see what it has to say.

Cheers,

Mike

Really helpful post Mike. I am staying just east of Annecy for a week soon and am particularly interested in some of the high mountain species you mention.

best wishes,
Greg

 

[bittern]

Hi Greg,

Just to be sure you are aware, there is no public transport up the Col de la Colombière. PM me when you are in the area and we can see what we can manage if you don't have your own transport.

cheers,
Mike

 

[miketaylor]

Green or Grey-headed Woodpecker?

Hi all,

Thought I'd add on to this thread rather than creating a new one, as my question is about similar habitat in the French Alps.

I was skiing in the 3 Valleys just above St Martin de Belleville on 4th Feb, near some pine trees (around 1600m altitude), when I heard a "yaffle" call, i.e. Green or Grey-headed Woodpecker. I'm not familiar with Grey-headed, but I listened to both calls on the Collins Bird Guide app, and thought that it was probably Green as I hadn't noticed it decreasing in pitch.

Back home in the UK I heard a Green Woodpecker a couple of days ago and my impression was that the call was faster, so I'm now questioning my id of the woodpecker in France.

On the basis of altitude, habitat (alpine, with pine trees) and time of year, which is more likely?

Mike

 

[Richard Prior]

Hi Mike

Like French people speaking, the Green Woodpeckers yaffle at a good rate of knots, especially this past two weeks, yesterday I could hear four calling simultaneously in our valley!
Grey-headed is not an option in this part of France so Pic vert it must have been.
Did you get lucky with Snowfinch up there?

Cheers

Richard

 

[miketaylor]

Hi Mike

Like French people speaking, the Green Woodpeckers yaffle at a good rate of knots, especially this past two weeks, yesterday I could hear four calling simultaneously in our valley!
Grey-headed is not an option in this part of France so Pic vert it must have been.
Did you get lucky with Snowfinch up there?

Cheers

Richard

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the quick reply - especially since it's an old thread!

I didn't see any Snowfinches on this trip, but I've usually seen them on previous ski trips, often hopping around very close. Plenty of Alpine Accentors around the mountain restaurants, a couple of Nutcrackers, Ravens, lots of Alpine Choughs, and my wife saw a couple of Golden Eagles. These were all seen without bins while we were out skiing.

Mike