One of many highlights of my summer time holidays was a week-long mountaineering journey with two birding buddies I met final 12 months whereas volunteering on the fowl observatory on Heligoland. We deliberate the journey for some time and had been all desirous to see a few of the specialities of the Alps. Having by no means been birding in montane areas in Europe, there have been numerous somewhat widespread alpine birds that had been potential lifers. We slept in mountaineering huts through the journey however carried most meals and cooking tools ourselves so we might put together meals independently. Seems most huts cost a surcharge whenever you don’t purchase their meals – which I assume is smart because it’s costly to get the meals there however it was fairly annoying as we carried all of the meals ourselves after which had been anticipated for stuff we didn’t make the most of…
We frolicked birding within the Karwendelgrube, Arnspitz, and Soierngruppe, every of which I’ll cowl in separate posts. The Karwendelgrube, a excessive altitude rocky pit, is likely one of the hottest birding spots within the Bavarian Alps because it supplies easy accessibility to high-altitude birds through a cable-car. We hiked up through a really difficult monitor throughout snow and scree fields however it was value it as we arrived an hour earlier than the cable automobiles begin arriving with different vacationers (“different” being right here a euphemism for the kind of individuals birders are somewhat allergic to when desperately looking for a lifer).
We additionally spent a day in complete on the decrease slopes of the mountain, the place Western Bonelli’s Warblers had been widespread, judging by their calls. Seeing them was one other matter although, and took was some time earlier than we obtained acceptable views. Eurasian Nutcrackers appeared to make use of related techniques, though this uncommon beast finally posed properly for us on a drizzly morning.
A spotlight on the best way up was a White-backed Woodpecker in the dead of night forest earlier than dawn – allowing nothing however fast views. I managed a horrendous picture however because it’s a lifer, I really feel like posting it nonetheless. Simply scroll down shortly!
Staying with the woodpecker theme, one other particular of the Alps within the type of a Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker was fairly obliging. One pal and I had been busy questioning why we determined to tackle such a tiring hike when the third member of our group known as out “three-toed!” – a concise reply to our query, in response to which we forgot about our heavy backpacks and ran uphill. We solely managed very temporary views however it was shut sufficient for us to understand its odd ft.
Above the tree line and within the Karwendelgrube, we noticed numerous specials together with Wallcreeper, White-winged Snowfinch, Alpine Accentor, Alpine Chough, and the long-awaited Rock Ptarmigan. The latter careened throughout the pit earlier than clearing the ridge, offering temporary fly-by views that jogged my memory of the snowcock scene within the film The Massive 12 months (which I’ve in all probability watched a dozen occasions – watch it for those who haven’t). We weren’t in a helicopter however the steep slopes and unfastened floor felt practically as precarious.
Birding was recurrently hampered by the thick fog that appeared fairly immediately, particularly at increased altitudes. I used to be trying ahead to taking some good pictures since I hauled my huge lens all the best way up the mountains, however this was significantly harder with the climate. Nonetheless, we had been very pleased with our sightings and proceeded to proceed to the subsequent part of our tour, which I’ll cowl in my subsequent publish.
