Trip Report: Das Werdenfelser Land (Bavaria, Germany), May 5-9, 1997

Robert Bowman, Little Silver, New Jersey USA; bowman@exit109.com

My wife, having business in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, invited me to accompany her, and I accepted. While she worked, I birded, took pictures, and reconnoitered restaurants for our dinners together. Occasionally she had some free time during which we toured the region and did some recreational birding. Garmisch-Partenkirchen lies in the heart of the German Alps and is the center of Das Werdenfelser Land, the southernmost part of Bavaria bordering Austria. (The name "Werdenfelser" dates to the 12th Century and translates, roughly, to "Mountain Rampart.")

May 5, 1997
Starnberger See, Bernried

Though not part of the Werdenfelser region, the Starnberger See just south of Munich was the first birding site of our trip. The weather was overcast and cool with a moderate northerly wind. We walked a trail along the southwestern shore of the lake near the village of Bernried. Here we saw Ardea cinerea (Grey Heron or Graureiher), Cygnus olor (Mute Swan or Höckerschwan), Anser anser (Greylag Goose or Graugans), Branta canadensis (Canada Goose or Kanadagans), Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard or Stockente), Anas acuta (Northern Pintail or Spiessente), Somateria mollissima (Eider or Eiderente), Larus canus (Common Gull or Sturmmöwe), and Sterna hirundo (Common Tern or Flusseeschwalbe). In the village of Bernried there were Columba livia (Rock Dove or Felsentaube), Columba palumbus (Wood Pigeon or Ringeltaube), Hirundo rustica (Swallow or Rauchschwalbe), Saxicola torquata (Stonechat or Schwarzkehlchen), Turdus merula (Blackbird or Amsel), Phylloscopus collybita (Chiffchaff or Zilpzalp), Parus palustris (Marsh Tit or Sumpfmeise), Parus major (Great Tit or Kohlmeise), Garrulus glandarius (Jay or Eichelhäher), Corvus corax (Raven or Kolkrabe), Sturnus vulgaris (Starling or Star), Passer domesticus (House Sparrow or Haussperling), and Fringilla coelebs (Chaffinch or Buchfink).

May 6, 1997
Karwendel, Mittenwald

The Karwendel, at 2240 meters (after the nearby 2962-meter Zugspitze), is the second-highest mountain in Germany. A cable car, the Karwendelbahn, leads to the summit from the outskirts of the town of Mittenwald. The weather was sunny with a strong southeasterly wind, the temperature quite warm at the base (68°F or 20°C), but cold at the summit (33°F or 1°C) with gale-like conditions. Birds seen included Pyrrhocorax graculus (Alpine Chough or Alpendohle), Corvus frugilegus (Rook or Saatkrähe), Corvus corone corone (Carrion Crow or Rabenkrähe), and Montifringilla nivalis (Snowfinch or Schneefink). The wind made it difficult to keep my binoculars steady and occasionally required me to hold onto a stanchion as well. Heavy snow cover spoiled my plans to hike down from the summit.

May 6, 1997
Garmisch-Partenkirchen

The twin towns of Garmisch-Partenkirchen were our base of operation during the trip. An afternoon walk together on the outskirts of Partenkirchen resulted in Columba livia (Rock Dove or Felsentaube), Columba palumbus (Wood Pigeon or Ringeltaube), Hirundo rustica (Swallow or Rauchschwalbe), Motacilla flava (Yellow Wagtail or Schafstelze), Motacilla alba (White Wagtail or Bachstelze), Acrocephalus scirpaceus (Reed Warbler or Teichrohrsänger), Phylloscopus collybita (Chiffchaff or Zilpzalp), Phylloscopus trochilus (Willow Warbler or Fitis), Parus major (Great Tit or Kohlmeise), Pica pica (Magpie or Elster), Corvus monedula (Jackdaw or Dohle), Fringilla coelebs (Chaffinch or Buchfink), Fringilla montifringilla (Brambling or Bergfink), and Cocothraustes cocothraustes (Hawfinch or Kernbeisser).

May 7, 1997
Eckbauer, Garmisch-Partenkirchen

The Eckbauer is a 1,237 meter mountain just south of Partenkirchen. A ski-lift, the Eckbauerbahn, connects the Olympic Ski-stadion at its base to the summit. (The 1936 Winter Olympics were held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.) My plan was to take the lift to the summit and then hike down through the forest by way of the Parnach River Gorge and along the River back to the Ski-stadion, birding along the way. The weather was poor, however: temperature of 32°F or 0°C at the summit with moderately-falling snow above 1,000 meters, turning to rain and fog on the descent. Bird songs and calls were plentiful, but visibility was extremely poor. Most frustrating was hearing the almost constant hammerings of woodpeckers in the forest, but not being able to see them. Birds seen included the following, many along the Parnach River at the lowest elevations: Motacilla flava (Yellow Wagtail or Schafstelze), Motacilla alba (White Wagtail or Bachstelze), Cinclus cinclus (Dipper or Wasseramsel), Troglodytes troglodytes (Wren or Zaunkönig), Turdus merula (Blackbird or Amsel), Sylvia atricapilla (Blackcap or Mönchsgrasmücke), Phylloscopus collybita (Chiffchaff or Zilpzalp), Ficedula parva (Red-breasted Flycatcher or Zwergschnäpper), Parus palustris (Marsh Tit or Sumpfmeise), Parus montanus (Willow Tit or Weidenmeise), Parus cristatus (Crested Tit or Haubenmeise), Parus ater (Coal Tit or Tannenmeise), Parus major (Great Tit or Kohlmeise), Sitta europaea (Nuthatch or Kleiber), Corvus corone corone (Carrion Crow or Rabenkrähe), Corvus corax (Raven or Kolkrabe), Sturnus vulgaris (Starling or Star), Passer domesticus (House Sparrow or Haussperling), Fringilla coelebs (Chaffinch or Buchfink), and Fringilla montifringilla (Brambling or Bergfink).

May 8, 1997
Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Morning weather of showers turning to steady rain and a temperature of 38°F or 4°C caused a change in plans, so I returned to the lower stretch of the Parnach River covered the day before. It being a holiday (Ascension Day, or Himmelfahrt), the Bavarians were out in force along the trails and footpaths, despite the rain. Birds seen a repeat of the day previous, but in addition Parus ater (Coal Tit or Tannenmeise).

May 8, 1997
Eibsee

In mid-afternoon, we drove the few kilometers to the base of the Zugspitze. There we parked the car and with assorted gaggles of Bavarians hiked the 8 kilometers or so around the Eibsee, an alpine lake at an elevation of 974 meters. Moderate snow continued above 1,500 meters, but we experienced only an occasional light drizzle. The temperature was 38°F or 4°C, with a light wind from the southeast. The crowds kept the birds somewhat at bay, but we nonetheless had observations of Podiceps cristatus (Great Crested Grebe or Haubentaucher), Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard or Stockente), Mergus albellus (Smew or Zwergsäger), Fulica atra (Coot or Blässhuhn), Hirundo rustica (Swallow or Rauchschwalbe), Troglodytes troglodytes (Wren or Zaunkönig), Turdus merula (Blackbird or Amsel), Turdus viscivorus (Mistle Thrush or Misteldrossel), Phylloscopus trochilus (Willow Warbler or Fitis), Regulus regulus (Goldcrest or Wintergoldhähnchen), Parus cristatus (Crested Tit or Haubenmeise), Parus ater (Coal Tit or Tannenmeise), Parus major (Great Tit or Kohlmeise), Sitta europaea (Nuthatch or Kleiber), Certhia familiaris (Treecreeper or Waldbaumläufer), Corvus corax (Raven or Kolkrabe), Fringilla coelebs (Chaffinch or Buchfink). Afterwards, we sat before a warm fire and enjoyed Hells und Bayerischer Wurstsalat mit Brot.

May 9, 1997
Ettaler Weidmoos

Our last full day in Germany, on our way back towards Munich and our flight home, we birded a marshy area on the outskirts of the village of Ettal, known for the Kloster Ettal, an abbey founded by Ludwig the Bavarian in 1330. The weather on our arrival at 9:30AM was mostly sunny with a temperature of 50°F (10°C), but turning to high overcast with a rising southeastern wind. Birds seen included: Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard or Stockente), Aythya fuligula (Tufted Duck or Reiherente), Mergus merganser (Goosander or Gänsesäger), Fulica atra (Coot or Blässhuhn), Motacilla flava (Yellow Wagtail or Schafstelze), Motacilla alba (White Wagtail or Bachstelze), Cinclus cinclus (Dipper or Wasseramsel), Turdus merula (Blackbird or Amsel), Acrocephalus scirpaceus (Reed Warbler or Teichrohrsänger), Sylvia atricapilla (Blackcap or Mönchsgrasmücke), Phylloscopus collybita (Chiffchaff or Zilpzalp), Phylloscopus trochilus (Willow Warbler or Fitis), Garrulus glandarius (Jay or Eichelhäher), Pica pica (Magpie or Elster), and Fringilla coelebs (Chaffinch or Buchfink).

Acknowledgements and References

Many thanks to the following persons with whom I corresponded via the Internet before the trip and who referred me to others or themselves provided extremely helpful information about birding in southern Bavaria. I hope I can return the favor sometime. They are: Alain Chappuis, Jochen Dierschke, Felix Heintzenberg, Martin Helin, Peter Hirsch, and Reinhard Höhnen. (I am grateful, too, for their patience with my poor German.)

Also, the following books were of great help before, during, and after the trip. Each has features neither of the other includes.

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