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SWITZERLAND 2025 (3 Viewers)

Nooooo..one was heard today at Klingnauersee...sigh

No Swiss Cuckoo for me either.

I went to the Kaltbrunner Ried yesterday, it started off very well, with a stoat right of the parking. It was so fast though, no chance for a photo. Lots of Greylag Geese with goslings, very cute! Also saw a (what I assume was a) Grass Snake swimming -- possibly after those same goslings. Northern Shovelers, Snipe and a Jack Snipe (flushed by something).

Also got these photos of what I assume is a Wood Sandpiper.
 

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Migration strongly underway.
  • Red Rumped Swallows
  • Western Subalpine Warblers
  • Caspian and Sandwich Terns
  • Collard Flycatcher
  • Short toed Snake Eagle
Etc etc.
When and where will be the first Cuckoo heard?
For me Klingnauersee on 22nd April...any bets?
I heard a first Cuckoo on 9 April, close to Lake Geneva but just in France at least one was heard at Sionnet on 13th April. By the way there are some very early Great Reed Warblers this year, I detected individuals at two widely separated sites on 14th April By the way my Merlin was not able to detect the loud shouts of either bird. Anybody else noticed this?
Mike
 
l By the way my Merlin was not able to detect the loud shouts of either bird. Anybody else noticed this?

Didn't hear either bird so far here in CH this year.

We got a Cuckoo in France late march, but really can not remember if I was actually sing Merlin at the time, and whether it was picked up or not. I will pay attention next time either bird is around :D

I did notice that Merlin has problems with Carrion Crows, generally they will get picked up eventually, but sometimes it takes ages.
 
Yesterday I finally came down from my French mountain hideout to experience some Spring birding at lower altitude around Geneva, spending the morning around Sionnet marshes and fields before a brief look at Lac Léman from the Pointe à la Bise tower hide, finishing off at the hydroelectric dam on the Rhône where, thanks to a tip off from Mike 'Bittern' I was able to see a nice Black-winged Stilt.
Around Sionnet it was great to see/hear some passerine species that I never (or very rarely) get at home, such as Nightingale, Common Whitethroat, Stonechat, Whinchat, Wheatear, Corn and Reed Bunting, Reed and Great Reed Warbler plus the ducks etc., my highlight was finding a singing male Ortolan Bunting which flew off unseen the first time I heard it, then flew off (brief flight view) after singing in a different location 20 minutes later. Not to be outdone, I then spent at least half an hour searching for it in the extensive vines on the nearby slopes where I thought it had landed. My perseverance finally paid off as I refound it pottering about between the rows, always distant but at least it was now settled so I was able to alert various other birders down by the marsh.
At Pointe à la Bise I found a couple of Whiskered and one single Black Tern with a good number of Common Terns so I treated myself to lunch at the restaurant there, sitting outside with the accompanying chorus of Blackcap and Marsh frogs!
 

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Golden Orioles reported in several sites!
Get out there!

I heard them this weekend a couple of times in France. Also, while out at the Katzensee yesterday, I had a brief moment where I thought I heard one, but then was not sure. Didn't hear it again.

Still a very nice evening, with my first Swiss Cuckoo as well as a year first Common Reed Warbler. Also had a Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper and a Common Redshank. I am, however, still waiting for my first Swiss Whitethroat of the year (I'd be happy with either Lesser or Common ;) ).
 
Out with friends to Klingnauersee to look for Cuckoo, Nightingales and Golden Oriole.
But the weather was against us..April Showers!
Still Some 60 Species seen including Alpine Swift, Sand Martins, Lesser Whitethroat, Water Rail, Reed Warblers, Garden Warblers, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Kingfisher, Little Ringed Plover and Wood Sandpipers.
So dipped on the target birds but a great time had with all.Messenger_creation_45867424-5154-4852-BFA8-87B7CF9C0979.jpeg
 

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