restaurants where you can bird and eat at the same time (2 Viewers)

[earlytorise]

Any nice experiences? Feel free to share.

In Hong Kong where I live, the only example I can think of is the canteen at Wetland Park. It overlooks a large pond. The best bird that can be hoped for over there is probably Pheasant-tailed Jacana. Normally, you will have a few egrets, a Chinese Pond Heron, some cormorants, a White Wagtail (the resident subspecies leucopsis) that comes quite close, maybe a Pied or White-throated Kingfisher.

When I was visiting Ajman (north of Dubai) the golf club had plenty of birds, but I didn't ask to go in - I simply went to the restaurant that has a view of the club, and the manager was kind enough to let me scope from there. All kinds of waders, including Broad-billed Sandpiper, which made my day.

 

[angusmcoatup]

There was an older thread on this that’s petered out.
My contribution is Davut on the promenade of Lake Köyceğiz in Turkey. I usually stop there for a Kokoreç and drink after a mornings birding.
My memories not too clear on everything I’ve seen whilst eating there but Pygmy Cormorant is easy, White Throated Kingfisher possible with luck, 7 heron/egret species plus a single Bittern, regular Marsh Harrier, Black Winged Stilt, Marsh Terns, Black necked Grebe , Garganey flyovers, Slender Billed Gull, Glossy Ibis plus lots of Black Redstarts, Serins, and Woodpeckers in the woodland opposite.

 

[Warixenjalka]

Any KFC?

I take my coat...

 

[lmans66]

Any nice experiences? Feel free to share.

In Hong Kong where I live, the only example I can think of is the canteen at Wetland Park. It overlooks a large pond. The best bird that can be hoped for over there is probably Pheasant-tailed Jacana. Normally, you will have a few egrets, a Chinese Pond Heron, some cormorants, a White Wagtail (the resident subspecies leucopsis) that comes quite close, maybe a Pied or White-throated Kingfisher.

When I was visiting Ajman (north of Dubai) the golf club had plenty of birds, but I didn't ask to go in - I simply went to the restaurant that has a view of the club, and the manager was kind enough to let me scope from there. All kinds of waders, including Broad-billed Sandpiper, which made my day.

Mirador Rio Blanco in Ecuador, outside of Mindo a short distance. If you eat inside, they have a nice glass wall where birds of all kind come and eat, so...you eat, and they eat. The outside patio overlooks the valley below and birds around the entire place. A truly stunning place to spend time, relax...have a beer...eat...watch birds.​

 

[dalat]

There was an older thread on this that’s petered out.

I guess it was this one, a very nice one and it certainly merits to be revived here:

Good birds seen from restaurants

Here's one combining my two great enthusiams, birds and eating! Has anyone shared my luck of seeing good birds while dining in a restaurant, or other eating (or drinking?) establishments? I arrived in the Delta Hotel in Deltebre in the middle of the Ebro Delta little over 4 years ago, sat down...

www.birdforum.net

On my recent Costa Rica trip, I had the pleasure to eat in quite a few nice restaurants. The stand out to me was certainly Miriam's Quetzals in San Gerado de Dota. A small restaurant serving great "comida tipica" with a tiny balcony where we spent quite some hours enjoying great views of Quetzals, Hummingbirds (Fiery-throated, Volcano, Talamanca, etc.) and others...

Here at home, the restaurant terrace on the Säntis summit is not bad, I have seen Snowfinch, Ptarmigan, Golden Eagle, Chough from there...

 

[SlowLowFlyingTurkey]

On a visit to northern Finland last year, the restaurant at Neljan Tuulen Tupa had a number of feeders right outside the window with Pine Grosbeak, Willow and Siberian Tits, Siberian Jay, Common and Arctic Redpolls, etc. present throughout the day.

 

[Euan Buchan]

Does any nature reserve with a cafe count?

 

[Mysticete]

Mirador Rio Blanco in Ecuador, outside of Mindo a short distance. If you eat inside, they have a nice glass wall where birds of all kind come and eat, so...you eat, and they eat. The outside patio overlooks the valley below and birds around the entire place. A truly stunning place to spend time, relax...have a beer...eat...watch birds.​

This was the first place that came to my mind...Nothing like picking up some lifers while waiting for your lunch order to come through

Tambo Condor is another great place in Ecuador. Giant Hummingbird and Spectacled Bear from the patio!

 

[SlowLowFlyingTurkey]

Does any nature reserve with a cafe count?

The cafe at Cley, Norfolk, has a great view over the reserve but the birds are a bit distant.

 

[She’ll not av feathers on]

Does any nature reserve with a cafe count?

I was thinking this😄

The cafe at Attenborough nature reserve hangs over the largest lake of the reserve and has a veranda you can sit on whilst enjoying coffee and cake! In warmer months you could spend hours on it!

 

[kb57]

Does any nature reserve with a cafe count?

It might not be Michelin-starred, but there's a caravan at North Cave Wetlands reserve, East Yorkshire, where you can buy a bacon roll and cup of tea, to be consumed on a covered terrace with a great view of the reserve.

 

[Eduardoo]

There are many places like this in Ecuador. it is a widespread model for Eco-lodges.
Cabañas San Isidro
Mirador Rio Blanco
Sachatamia (excellent food and birds)
Bellavista
Sumaco Wild Life
Many amazonian lodges
etc.

 

[raymie]

The "Colibri Cafe" in Cinchona, Costa Rica, immediately came to mind of my favorite example of this. Beautiful lookout across a canyon with prominent fruit feeders and some hummingbird species. It's one of the most reliable places for Black-bellied Hummingbird and White-bellied Mountain-Gem. Violet Sabrewing, Red-headed Barbet, Prong-billed Barbet and Northern Emerald-Toucanet are all common. Many lower elevation birds also show up there for some reason. It feels like just about anything can be seen there, including a Yellow-winged Tanager recently. Ornate Hawk-Eagle is occasionally seen, too. Quail-doves have even been known to feed in full view.

Galeria de Colibrí y Soda Cinchona - Mirador San Fernando, Alajuela, Costa Rica - eBird Hotspot

ebird.org

 

[mjh73]

Stopped at this place an hour or so west of Bogota for lunch, random choice, and ended up spending most of lunch birding! 26 species, including a couple of lifers

https://ebird.org/checklist/S151300505

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

Nith hotel restaurant in Glencaple is quite good

https://www.nithhotel.co.uk/nith-hotel-food/

 

[Thibaut]

In Costa Rica, El Avion restaurant in Quepos. Me and my partner were desperate to see the scarlet macaws and knew from ebird stats that they had been reported there. So we went, sat at a table with direct view on the valley (gorgeous by the way), are and saw them passing through.

 

[Farnboro John]

I had alligator nuggets and fries while watching Snail Kites at a Seminole restaurant on Alligator Alley in Florida which was quite nice.

Also remember eating fish and chips in the chip shop at Tyndrum in the Highlands of Scotland while watching a summer-plumaged male Common Rosefinch attending their feeders.

John

 

[WalterRayle]

I believe there's a hotel in Iceland where you can sit in the restaurant and watch the Puffins on the cliff top outside the window, they also serve Puffin on the menu. I bet it tastes like chicken.

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Shieldaig Bar & Coastal Kitchen

https://maps.app.goo.gl/U7JBVwfnCny6tJvz9?g_st=ic

Was a decent meal iirc, White-tailed Eagle the highlight from the roof terrace. Fortunately I was facing the bay, difficult to give my full attention to Mrs. BH 😚

 

[Paul Chapman]

I believe there's a hotel in Iceland where you can sit in the restaurant and watch the Puffins on the cliff top outside the window, they also serve Puffin on the menu. I bet it tastes like chicken.

It is actually a far richer meat. More like liver to my taste. I had it as a starter in Iceland followed by ptarmigan....

All the best

Paul