Trip Report: Switzerland and Vienna, August 9-25, 1994

Thanks for those of you who responded to my request with helpful suggestions and exceptionally detailed instructions for finding places. You all convinced me that Fanel was the one place in Switzerland that I couldn't miss. That was a truly exceptional location, and my only regret is that I didn't own a scope, since there were thousands of water birds visible in the far distance, too far for binoculars. I also would have enjoyed the company of an expert for all the warblers that I caught quick glimpses of and couldn't identify with much confidence. Even in breeding plumage, old world warblers just about all look the same, and in many cases can only be distinguished by song. Not much luck in August and the middle of the day... Birding at Fanel involves a half-mile hike on a wide trail along the Broye canal from the parking lot to the lake-side reed beds. There is one large trail on a dike through the reeds with occasional views onto ponds and the lake front. Willows and shrubs flank the trail. There are some observation towers, but I didn't have the necessary keys. My wife and daughter spent the time at the live tropical butterfly exhibit in nearby Marin, which is one of several recommended alternatives for non-birding companions. [Note added later: the butterfly house burned down on New Year's day 1995 and may not reopen for some time to come.]

Thanks especially for your suggestions about the Wallcreeper. I went to one of the suggested places, the Aare Gorge near Meiringen (Bernese Oberland). It was a spectacular location which my companions enjoyed very much, too, but I just couldn't find any Wallcreepers. Maybe next time...

Rather than giving a day-by-day report (the most abundant bird would repeat too often), I'll group it by species, with some comments as appropriate. Asterisks (*) denote life birds and question marks indicate uncertain identification. The abbreviation B E is used for the Canton (state) of Bern.

• GREAT CRESTED GREBE (Podiceps cristatus). A few of these birds were found in several locations along the Aare River where its flow was slow, as well as on Lakes Thun and Zurich (from the moving train). At Fanel, there were large numbers (hundreds).
• GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo). Good numbers at Fanel and on Lake Constance near Kreuzlingen.
• LITTLE BITTERN * (Ixobrychus minutus). On several occasions, at Fanel, a bird flew up from the reeds, displayed its striking cream- and-black wing pattern, and disappear again. I don't know if it was the same bird or several individuals.
• GRAY HERON (Ardea cinerea). This species is becoming common again, and we saw some almost every day. Most birds were seen in flight from the car or train. Wading birds were seen at the Aare River near Walliswil (BE), at the Elfenau preserve (BE), and at Fanel.
• WHITE STORK (Ciconia ciconia). We didn't see any truly wild birds, but we visited the re-introduction center in Altreu near Solothurn. The storks fly freely, and many have nests on nearby farm houses, but despite a long-going effort, they don't seem to spread yet. There are also Black Storks and Wood Ibis, but these are not allowed to fly away.
• MUTE SWAN (Cygnus olor). Swans are common on many lakes and larger rivers, especially in tourist places (handouts!) such as Lucerne. At Fanel, there were hundreds. A few carried their necks somewhat straighter, but the distance was too large to check on the possibility of whoopers.
• MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos). This is by far the most common duck and seen on most lakes and rivers. Of the thousands of ducks off the lake shore at Fanel, most were probably Mallards.
• GADWALL * (Anas strepera). This nondescript duck was surprisingly abundant at Fanel.
• TUFTED DUCK (Aythya fuligula). This is the second-most widespread summer duck in Switzerland, seen on larger rivers and lakes, including at Fanel.
• COMMON MERGANSER / GOOSANDER (Mergus merganser). A female (or eclipse male?) and two juveniles were swimming on the Broye canal adjacent to Fanel.
• BLACK KITE (Milvus migrans) and RED KITE (Milvus milvus). Both kites were seen soaring in several locations in the midlands and in the updrafts over the first Jura chain (Bernese Oberaargau). The depth of the notch in the tail was not always distinctive enough to determine the species in flight profile. One individual was seen in low flight crossing the road near Kirchberg (BE), and it clearly had a red tail.
• BUZZARD (Buteo buteo). This is by far the most common raptor, seen several times daily, except in the high mountains.
• GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaetos). We spotted an eagle while driving up the steep road to Furka Pass. Unfortunately, by the time I could pull over, the bird had disappeared around a corner.
• KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus). This is the most commonly seen falcon. I remember greater numbers from previous visits, and we didn't see one until the third day, from the road over the Schallenberg (Emmenthal). While looking for the Eagle on Furka Pass, we found a hunting Kestrel in the valley below us.
• ? HOBBY * (Falco subbuteo). At Fanel, a falcon that clearly wasn't a Kestrel made a couple sweeps over the reed beds. I could see black-and-white marks on the cheek and a dark cap, but the legs which would have clinched the ID were unfortunately not in the line of sight. The flight pattern and the size seemed to match a Hobby rather than a rare Peregrine.
• COOT (Fulica atra). Coots were commonly seen on large, slow- flowing rivers (Aare), lakes (Lake Thun, Lake Neuchatel at Fanel), and ponds (Elfenau, Fanel).
• MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus). I found an immature Moorhen in a secluded pond at the Elfenau preserve near Bern.
• COMMON SANDPIPER * (Actitis hypoleucos). A medium-size sandpiper with white wing stripe flew away along the Broye canal at Fanel.
• COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL (Larus ridibundus). This is the most abundant gull in Switzerland, seen near open water. Large numbers were at Fanel and along Lake Constance. None of the birds seen had the black head of the breeding plumage.
• [COMMON / MEW GULL * (Larus canus)]. Some of the gulls at Fanel were a bit larger than the black-heads and looked overall very similar to North American ring-bills, except for the bill which lacked the black ring. Mew Gull is the most likely candidate. [Note added later: It was pointed out to me that these birds were most likely YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS (Larus cachinans). That species, a recent split from Herring Gull, was not listed in my Peterson field guide.]
• COMMON TERN * (Sterna hirundo). Good numbers of terns were seen at Fanel.
• WOODPIGEON * (Columba palumbus). These large doves were seen on several occasions from the car or train, flying over fields, where they were flushed from feeding. I saw a perched pair from close distance at the Elfenau preserve near Bern.
• ROCK DOVE (Columba livia). Pigeons are just as common in Switzerland as they are in the U.S. in urban locations.
• COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto). I noticed these doves (and their incessant cooing) in my home town of Herzogenbuchsee (BE), but probably overlooked them elsewhere.
• KINGFISHER * (Alcedo atthis). For me, the sighting of two Kingfishers at Fanel was the highlight of birding in Switzerland. These jewels of quiet waters are becoming increasingly rare because of habitat destruction. I was watching one perched individual when another flew over me and sat down a small distance further away, both on a branch hanging over a pond.
• GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Dendrocopus major). I was disappointed not to see any more woodpecker species. This one I found in two locations: Elfenau near Bern, and Fanel, along the Broye canal.
• ALPINE SWIFT * (Apus melba). The large swifts have found steeples and abandoned buildings in the midlands to be satisfactory substitutes to cliff-side nesting sites. Colonies are found in several locations. I saw them feeding in the evening hours in Roggwil and Langenthal (both BE).
• COMMON SWIFT * (Apus apus). These smaller, dark swifts were mixed with alpines in Langenthal, and were also seen along the Aare River near Walliswil (BE) and near Bern.
• BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica). Barn swallows were seen daily in many locations, except at high altitude.
• HOUSE MARTIN (Delichon urbica). Martins are somewhat less abundant than Barn Swallows, but may expected in most populated areas. We saw them in Erlach (BE), near Walliswil (BE), and near Bern.
• WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba). This most common of wagtails was seen almost daily, often from the car in open country. Also at Fanel.
• GREY WAGTAIL * (Motacilla cinerea). This wagtail is more restricted to subalpine and alpine locations near water. We saw several individuals along the Emme River near Kemmeribodenbad (BE) and had excellent looks at a pair in the Aare Gorge near Meiringen (BE).
• ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula). We saw this well-loved little bird in several locations: in the woods near Herzogenbuchsee (BE), on a fence post near Walliswil (BE), and at the Elfenau preserve near Bern.
• ? WHINCHAT * (Saxicola rubetra). At Fanel, along the Broye canal, there were these smallish brown birds which moved from tree branches to the ground and back, always just a little too far for a good view. I think they were Whinchats in non-breeding or immature plumage.
• BLACK REDSTART (Phoenicurus ochrurus). These tame birds nested earlier in the year at my parents' vacation house in Farnern (BE). While they weren't at the nest anymore, I could still find an adult male in the neighborhood. Immatures of one of the two species (probably Black R.) were also seen at a barn in Herzogenbuchsee (BE) and surprisingly, at an altitude of 6000 feet, on the Schynige Platte mountain (Bernese Oberland), on a cow pasture.
• REDSTART * (Phoenicurus phoenicurus). The only confirmed individual of this species was an adult male in the trees along the Broye canal at Fanel.
• BLACKBIRD (Turdus merula). This abundant thrush fills the ecological niche of the American Robin. We saw it in many parks and woods, although in smaller numbers than what I remember from years past.
• FIELDFARE * (Turdus pilaris). A Fieldfare fed on the lawn by the parking lot to the Neuhaus inn in Unterseen (Lake Thun, Bernese Oberland).
• MISTLE THRUSH * (Turdus viscivorus). I found one individual of this species in dense underbrush at the Elfenau preserve near Bern.
• ? Swamp Warblers (Genus Acrocephalus). This genus is one of the most difficult to identify. At Fanel, numerous birds of this type kept popping up from the reeds and disappearing again. I'm pretty confident that I saw REED WARBLER * (A. scirpaceus) and the more olive MARSH WARBLER * (A. palustris) there. In addition, one bird looked somewhat larger and could possibly have been a GREAT REED WARBLER * (A. arundinaceus).
• ? Leaf Warblers (Genus Phylloscopus). This genus is just as bad. Birds seen in the trees at Fanel and along the Aare River near Bern could have been either WILLOW WARBLER * (P. trochilus) or CHIFFCHAFF (P. collybia).
• BLACKCAP (Sylvia atricapilla). One of these scolded us from a tree top on a walk near Herzogenbuchsee. I saw another one in the Elfenau preserve.
• ? GARDEN WARBLER (Sylvia borin). One of the drab birds in the trees along the Broye canal at Fanel looked like it could have been a Garden Warbler.
• DIPPER (Cinclus cinclus). We all had fun watching this lively bird work the edge of the Giessbach Falls (Bernese Oberland).
• ? SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER * (Certhia brachydactyla). One of the two possible treecreepers was in a mixed tit flock in the woods near Herzogenbuchsee (BE). I didn't get a look at its belly color, and the species is assumed because of the low altitude (1500 feet) elevation.
• NUTHATCH (Sitta europaea). Two locations were especially productive for this species: The park of Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, and Elfenau preserve near Bern, where they were gorging themselves on bread crumbs which somebody had left in several places along the trail. Tits were also concentrated in those places.
• ? PIED FLYCATCHER * (Ficedula hypoleuca). There was a concentration of juvenile flycatchers on top of the beech trees along the forest edge near Herzogenbuchsee (BE). I meant to return to the spot for a better look and identification but never found the time for it.
• SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata). I had a good look at one of these at Fanel.
• RED-BACKED SHRIKE (Lanius collurio). While riding the slow- moving cog rail train down from the Schynige Platte mountain (Bernese Oberland), I spotted a medium-sized bird with a chestnut back, grey head, and some black and white on top of a shrub. This could only be this relatively common shrike.
• GREAT TIT (Parus major). This was by far the most commonly found tit, seen almost daily in woods and trees.
• COAL TIT (Parus ater). One bird of this species was seen in some willows along a stream near Graben (BE).
• BLUE TIT (Parus caerulens). This is probably the second most common tit species in the summer. I saw several in the woods near Herzogenbuchsee (BE), at the Elfenau preserve, and at Fanel.
• MARSH TIT (Paurs palustris). I was able to identify one bird of this species at Fanel. A few others could have been either this or the very similar Willow Tit (Parus montanus).
• LONG-TAILED TIT (Aegithalos caudatus). One bird of this species was following a mixed flock of tits, chaffinches, and nuthatches around the Elfenau preserve.
• BEARDED TIT (Panurus biarmicus) *. Fanel is said to be one of the few reliable places for this species. Sure enough, one of the birds flitting through the shrubs lining the trail through the reeds was an apparently immaturee Bearded Tit.
• (BLACK-BILLED) MAGPIE (Pica pica). This bird is commonly seen in fields.
• STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris). Even though seen daily in good numbers, this species doesn't appear as quite a nuisance on its native territory as it does in North America.
• ALPINE CHOUGH (Pyrrhocorax graculus). A frequent visitor to populated mountain tops (handouts!), numerous choughs were seen from the restaurant terrace on the Schynige Platte mountain.
• JAY (Garrulus glandularius). I found one member of this species in the trees near the Giessbach Falls (Bernese Oberland) and heard many more in several forests.
• CARRION CROW (Corvus corone corone) and HOODED CROW (C. c. cornix). Carrion Crows are commonly found throughout Switzerland and easily seen even from the moving car or train. On the way to Vienna, I noticed from the train that the Hooded race was becoming more prevalent towards the east of Austria. In the park of Schoenbrunn Palace, Hooded Crows outnumbered Carrion Crows at least 2:1, but intermediates were also common.
• COMMON RAVEN (Corvus corax). Ravens were seen from the Schynige Platte mountain. Unlike the choughs which flew mostly over the top, the ravens were flying below us, near the tree line.
• CHAFFINCH (Fringilla colebs). I found the first of this common finch species near the entrance to the Aare gorge. Subsequent individuals were seen near the Neuhaus restaurant along Lake Thun, at the Elfenau preserve, and at Fanel.
• GREENFINCH (Carduelis chloris). A single bird (unusual for this species) was in the garden of my sister in Worblaufen (BE). Others were in the parking lot of the Neuhaus restaurant on Lake Thun and at Fanel.
• HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus). At least as common near human population as in North America.
• TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus). In Vienna, this sparrow replaced about half the House Sparrows.
• REED BUNTING (Emberiza schoeniclus). A flock of Reed Buntings was feeding on the trail at Fanel.

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