One of many highlights of my summer time holidays was a week-long mountain climbing journey with two birding associates I met final yr whereas volunteering on the chook observatory on Heligoland. We deliberate the journey for some time and have been all desperate to see among the specialities of the Alps. Having by no means been birding in montane areas in Europe, there have been quite a lot of reasonably widespread alpine birds that have been potential lifers. We slept in mountain climbing huts throughout the journey however carried most meals and cooking tools ourselves so we might put together meals independently. Seems most huts cost a surcharge once you don’t purchase their meals – which I suppose is sensible because it’s costly to get the meals there however it was fairly annoying as we carried all of the meals ourselves after which have been anticipated for stuff we didn’t make the most of…
We hung out birding within the Karwendelgrube, Arnspitz, and Soierngruppe, every of which I’ll cowl in separate posts. The Karwendelgrube, a excessive altitude rocky pit, is without doubt one of the hottest birding spots within the Bavarian Alps because it gives easy accessibility to high-altitude birds through a cable-car. We hiked up through a really difficult observe throughout snow and scree fields however it was price 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 reasonably 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 have 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 comparable techniques, though this uncommon beast finally posed properly for us on a drizzly morning.
A spotlight on the way in which up was a White-backed Woodpecker at nighttime 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 rapidly!
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 have 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 quite a lot of 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 Large 12 months (which I’ve most likely watched a dozen occasions – watch it when you haven’t). We weren’t in a helicopter however the steep slopes and unfastened floor felt almost as precarious.
Birding was often hampered by the thick fog that appeared fairly all of the sudden, particularly at larger altitudes. I used to be wanting ahead to taking some good photographs since I hauled my huge lens all the way in which up the mountains, however this was significantly tougher with the climate. Nonetheless, we have been very pleased with our sightings and proceeded to proceed to the subsequent part of our tour, which I’ll cowl in my subsequent submit.