I live in Winterthur, a town in eastern Switzerland and I work in Turbenthal, a village nearby. In the morning I take my bicycle with the train so I can cycle back in the evening. The way back follows the river Töss and goes through a big forest.
Usually when I start the local Red Kite is circling above the village. At the river I see Grey Wagtails, Dippers and sometimes a Kingfisher, but I hear them more than I see them.
In the forest I often hear or even see Black Woodpeckers. Last week I suddenly noticed a big bird taking of from the ground just near me and it was one of them. He overpassed me, flew shortly directly in front of me before he gained height and reached a tree trunk where he recovered from the shock (so did I but on my bicycle)
Best observation so far was a female Smew last winter. They are usually rare on the big lakes in Switzerland but hardly ever found on a river.
Usually when I start the local Red Kite is circling above the village. At the river I see Grey Wagtails, Dippers and sometimes a Kingfisher, but I hear them more than I see them.
In the forest I often hear or even see Black Woodpeckers. Last week I suddenly noticed a big bird taking of from the ground just near me and it was one of them. He overpassed me, flew shortly directly in front of me before he gained height and reached a tree trunk where he recovered from the shock (so did I but on my bicycle)
Best observation so far was a female Smew last winter. They are usually rare on the big lakes in Switzerland but hardly ever found on a river.
