Birding halfway up the Alps (1 Viewer)

[MJB]

Many thanks for the study link Debs, there must be some skilled mountaineer/birders in Slovakia to have managed to colour ring a few Wallcreepers!!

Google 'Miro Saniga Wallcreeper Slovakia' to find his website (https://www.saniga.sk/en/Curriculum-vitae/): I'm sure he'll answer all your queries!
MJB

 

[rosbifs]

Interesting obs. I have never bothered for breeding Wallcreeper - have not seen the point for me personally since they have been fairly easy to connect with at lower altitudes in October for me (in Haute-Pyrenees above Gavarnie and in the Polish Tatras above Zakopane) however, breeding altitude seems to depend on height of the localised mountain range, with breeding at lower altitudes in lower ranges - you may find this study interesting

(PDF) Seasonal distribution, altitudinal and horizontal migration of the wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) in the Mala Fatra Mountains, Slovak Carpathians

PDF | On Jan 1, 1995, M. Saniga published Seasonal distribution, altitudinal and horizontal migration of the wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) in the Mala Fatra Mountains, Slovak Carpathians | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

Thanks for the PDF Debs. We are seeing a change in the wintering habits of our local Wallcreepers with fewer observations on the plains - winters getting warmer. In our village we had regular winter visitors which sadly haven't had for the last 4-5 years! Gavarnie is still a great spot for them you'll be pleased to hear.

As for breeders the summer plumage is a real bonus and worth the effort. That said at one of the nests I have to wind the electric window down and recline my seat to watch the nest (the recline is not electric so does require some effort). The second nest is 40m above the road but it's difficult to park under the nest so needs a 50m walk...

I have mentioned before that we started to find nests when we started to look at lower altitudes - everyone assumed they bred at the top of the mountain, like Breche du Roland for example, which they do, and a month or so later. However, males are generally back on their territories in April and young birds fledge mid July so we started looking in areas with sightings in May to find nesting areas.