Homepage

Trip Report: Northern Austrian Alps, Spring 2004

Nördliche österreichische Alpen, Frühling 2004

Search
Amazon.com

Search
Amazon.co.uk

Search
Amazon.de
Search
Amazon.fr


Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay Learn More

What's this?
All photos taken during the trip. Do not use without permission. Click to enlarge.
Fire Salamander - Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp - Click to enlarge
Fire Salamander
Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp
Bird's-nest Orchid - Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp - Click to enlarge
Bird's-nest Orchid
Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp
Young Coot - Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp - Click to enlarge
Young Coot
Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp
Snowfinch - Copyright 2004 Phil Harris - Click to enlarge
Snowfinch
Copyright 2004 Phil Harris
Looking for Alpine Accentors - Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp - Click to enlarge
Looking for Alpine Accentors
Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp
Snowfinch country - Copyright 2004 James Hanlon - Click to enlarge
Snowfinch country
Copyright 2004 James Hanlon
Black Redstart - Copyright 2004 Phil Harris - Click to enlarge
Black Redstart
Copyright 2004 Phil Harris
Mute Swan - Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp - Click to enlarge
Mute Swan
Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp
Common Blue - Copyright 2004 James Hanlon - Click to enlarge
Common Blue with beak bites in wing?
Copyright 2004 James Hanlon
Common Blue - Copyright 2004 Phil Harris - Click to enlarge
Common Blue
Copyright 2004 Phil Harris
Chequered Skipper - Copyright 2004 James Hanlon - Click to enlarge
Chequered Skipper
Copyright 2004 James Hanlon
Common Heath - Copyright 2004 Phil Harris - Click to enlarge
Common Heath
Copyright 2004 Phil Harris
Wood White - Copyright 2004 Phil Harris - Click to enlarge
Wood White
Copyright 2004 Phil Harris

From May 28 to 31, 2004, three Englishmen, an American from Austria and two native Austrians visited Austria's Salzkammergut region and Salzburg.

Day 1: Friday, May 28, 2004, in and around Salzburg

Darrel and Phil arrived at Salzburg by RyanAir in the morning and James was to arrive in the evening, so we did a day of birding in and around Salzburg. Unfortunately it rained fairly heavily the whole day.
We drove the few kilometers from the airport to the Mönchsberg ("monk mountain") garage in the middle of town and walked across the Salzach River to the Kapuzinerberg ("capuchin mountain"). We took a walk on the wooded mountain (actually more of a large hill), which afforded good views of Salzburg. Here there are apparently Chamois, although we didn't see any. However, we did see an impressive-looking Fire Salamander. On the way back down into the city we saw the first of several Black Redstarts. They are much more common in Austria than Common Redstarts and can be seen in gardens and industrial areas as well as on rocky mountainsides, their original habitat.
Then we drove south to the Leopoldskroner Teich or Weiher (Teich and Weiher both mean "pond"), where we saw several common water birds. Just to the west of the pond is a park where we saw our first target species, a Short-toed Treecreeper, in pouring rain. Then we drove further south toward the Hellbrunn Zoo, where there are free-breeding Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus), which we didn't see. Just south of the zoo there is a Grey Heron colony, where we also saw three free-flying Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), apparently escaped from the zoo.
Dusk was arriving so we drove back to the city, where I left Darrel and Phil at the Domplatz ("cathedral square"). Here breeding Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) had been seen for several years just before our expedition. I had information that they weren't there this year, but we decided to give it a try since we were there anyway. Meanwhile James's plane was due, so I had to go to the airport. When we got back Darrel and Phil reported what we already suspected: the Eagle Owls didn't show.
Then it was off to Ebensee on the southern tip of the lake Traunsee, which was our base of operations.

Species seen on first day in and around Salzburg:

EnglishGermanScientific
(Eurasian) SparrowhawkSperberAccipter nisus
MallardStockenteAnas platyrhynchos
Greylag GooseGraugansAnser anser
(Common) SwiftMauerseglerApus apus
Grey HeronGraureiherArdea cinerea
Red-crested PochardKolbenenteAythya ferina
Tufted DuckReiherenteAythya fuligula
(Common) GoldeneyeSchellenteBucephala clangula
(European) GreenfinchGrünlingCarduelis chloris
Short-toed TreecreeperGartenbaumläuferCerthia brachydactyla
Wood PigeonRingeltaubeColumba palumbus
(Common) RavenKolkrabeCorvus corax
Carrion CrowRabenkräheCorvus corone corone
(Western) JackdawDohleCorvus monedula
Mute SwanHöckerschwanCygnus olor
Great Spotted WoodpeckerBuntspechtDendrocopus major
(Common) Reed BuntingRohrammerEmberiza schoeniclus
(European) RobinRotkehlchenErithacus rubecula
(Common) KestrelTurmfalkeFalco tinnunculus
(Common) ChaffinchBuchfinkFringilla coelebs
(Eurasian) CootBlässhuhnFulica atra
(Common) Moorhen (Florida Gallinule)TeichhuhnGallinula chloropus
(Eurasian) JayEichelhäherGarrulus glandarius
(Barn) SwallowRauchschwalbeHirundo rustica
White WagtailBachstelzeMotacilla alba alba
Pied WagtailTrauerbachstelzeMotacilla alba yarelli
Coal TitTannenmeiseParus ater
Blue TitBlaumeiseParus caeruleus
Great TitKohlmeiseParus major
Marsh TitSumpfmeiseParus palustris
House SparrowHaussperlingPasser domesticus
(Eurasian) Tree SparrowFeldsperlingPasser montanus
Black RedstartHausrotschwanzPhoenicurus ochruros
(Common) RedstartGartenrotschwanzPhoenicurus phoenicurus
ChiffchaffZilpzalpPhylloscopus collybita
Wood WarblerWaldlaubsängerPhylloscopus sibilatrix
Green WoodpeckerGrünspechtPicus viridis
Great Crested GrebeHaubentaucherPodiceps cristatus
GoldcrestWintergoldhähnchenRegulus regulus
Fire SalamanderFeuersalamanderSalamandra salamandra
(Eurasian) NuthatchKleiberSitta europea
(Eurasian) Collared DoveTürkentaubeStreptopelia decaocto
(Common) StarlingStarSturnus vulgaris
BlackcapMönchsgrasmückeSylvia atricapilla
(Winter) WrenZaunkönigTroglodytes troglodytes
(Common) BlackbirdAmselTurdus merula

Day 2: Saturday, May 29, 2004, Krippenstein and Hallstättersee

The rest of the trip was devoted to the Salzkammergut region, sometimes called Austria's Lake District, on the northern edge of the Alps, with high mountains and deep lakes. We concentrated on Alpine species rather than for example water birds. For the rest of the trip Werner joined us. He is a native Austrian ornithologist who knows the area well.

First we took the Krippenstein ("crèche stone") cable car on the Dachstein ("roof stone") mountain near the town of Obertraun ("upper Traun") and got off at the first station, called Schönbergalm ("beautiful mountain meadow"). It is 1300 m (4265 ft.) above sea level. Here the cable car workers have often seen Snowfinch at the feeder in a window of the cable car station, but we didn't have any luck here. Here we also had our first hopes for Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), but unfortunately didn't see any the whole trip. However, we did see another target species, the Alpine Chough. Mammals seen were Chamois, Weasel (Mustela nivalis) and Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).

Species recorded at Schönbergalm (those marked "[more than 3] singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
(Eurasian) SiskinErlenzeisigCarduelis spinus
(Eurasian) TreecreeperWaldbaumläuferCerthia familiariscarrying food
(European) RobinRotkehlchenErithacus rubeculasinging
(Common) ChaffinchBuchfinkFringilla coelebsmore than 3 singing
Coal TitTannenmeiseParus atersinging
Crested TitHaubenmeiseParus cristatus
ChiffchaffZilpzalpPhylloscopus collybitamore than 3 singing
Willow WarblerFitisPhylloscopus trochilussinging
DunnockHeckenbraunellePrunella modularissinging
Alpine ChoughAlpendohlePyrrhocorax graculus
(Eurasian) BullfinchGimpelPyrrhula pyrrhula
FirecrestSommergoldhähnchenRegulus ignicapillussinging
GoldcrestWintergoldhähnchenRegulus regulussinging
ChamoisGämseRupicapra rupicapra
Lesser WhitethroatKlappergrasmückeSylvia currucasinging
(Winter) WrenZaunkönigTroglodytes troglodytessinging
Ring OuzelRingdrossel (Ringamsel)Turdus torquatus

Next we got back into the cable car and rode to the top. We stayed around the cable car station, called Krippenstein, which is at 2100 m (6890 ft.) and had several feet of snow on the ground. After waiting a while we got some good observations of a few Snowfinches. Werner, Conny and I climbed higher in the snow looking for Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) but didn't find any.

Species recorded at Krippenstein (those marked "singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
(Common) CuckooKuckuckCuculus canorussinging
(White-winged) SnowfinchSchneesperling (Schneefink)Montifringilla nivalis
Black RedstartHausrotschwanzPhoenicurus ochrurossinging
DunnockHeckenbraunellePrunella modularissinging
Alpine ChoughAlpendohlePyrrhocorax graculus

Then we took the cable car back down to the bottom station and searched the woods near the station for woodpeckers. The altitude here was 600 m (1970 ft.). After much searching we finally got a glimpse of a White-backed Woodpecker. From the parking lot we saw a Golden Eagle flying high up.

Species seen:

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
Golden EagleSteinadlerAquila chrysaetos
Common BuzzardMäusebussardButeo buteo
(Common) House MartinMehlschwalbeDelichon urba
White-backed WoodpeckerWeißrückenspechtDendrocopos leucotos
Mistle ThrushMisteldrosselTurdus viscivorusfledglings

Our last stop of the day was near the town of Steeg at the northeastern shore of Hallstättersee (Hallstatt Lake), where there are reed beds and brush along a railroad track. 510 m (1670 ft.)

Species recorded (those marked "[more than 3] singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
Marsh WarblerSumpfrohrsängerAcrocephalus palustrissinging
(European) GoldfinchStieglitzCarduelis carduelissinging
(European) RobinRotkehlchenErithacus rubeculasinging
(Common) ChaffinchBuchfinkFringilla coelebsmore than 3 singing
Red-backed ShrikeNeuntöter (Rotrückenwürger)Lanius colluriopair
Yellow-legged GullWeißkopfmöweLarus cachinnans
Goosander (Common Merganser)GänsesägerMergus merganser
Bonelli's WarblerBerglaubsängerPhylloscopus bonellisinging
Willow WarblerFitisPhylloscopus trochiluscarrying food
BlackcapMönchsgrasmückeSylvia atricapillasinging
Garden WarblerGartengrasmückeSylvia borinsinging
(Common) BlackbirdAmselTurdus merulasinging

Day 3: Sunday, May 30, 2004, Traunsee

We spent day 3 at various places around Traunsee ("Traun lake"). First we went to Hollereck, south of the town of Altmünster ("old monastery"), where there are reed beds, marshy areas and thickets. Then we went to Altmünster itself, where in winter Wallcreepers are regularly found on the monastery walls. 425 m (1395 ft.)

Species recorded at Hollereck and in Altmünster (those marked "[more than 3] singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
Marsh WarblerSumpfrohrsängerAcrocephalus palustrismore than 3 singing
(European) Reed WarblerTeichrohrsängerAcrocephalus scirpaceusmore than 3 singing
(European) GreenfinchGrünlingCarduelis chlorissinging
Carrion CrowRabenkräheCorvus corone corone
Mute SwanHöckerschwanCygnus oloron nest
(Common) House MartinMehlschwalbeDelichon urba
(Common) Reed BuntingRohrammerEmberiza schoeniclussinging
(European) RobinRotkehlchenErithacus rubeculasinging
(Common) ChaffinchBuchfinkFringilla coelebsmore than 3 singing
Icterine WarblerGelbspötterHippolais icterina
(Barn) SwallowRauchschwalbeHirundo rustica
Sand LizardZauneidechseLacerta agilis
Spotted FlycatcherGrauschnäpperMuscicapa striatasinging
Blue TitBlaumeiseParus caeruleussinging
Great TitKohlmeiseParus majorsinging
(Eurasian) Tree SparrowFeldsperlingPasser montanus
ChiffchaffZilpzalpPhylloscopus collybitamore than 3 singing
Willow WarblerFitisPhylloscopus trochilussinging
(Common) MagpieElsterPica pica
Great Crested GrebeHaubentaucherPodiceps cristatus
(Eurasian) NuthatchKleiberSitta europeawarning
(Eurasian) Collared DoveTürkentaubeStreptopelia decaocto
(Common) StarlingStarSturnus vulgarisfledglings
BlackcapMönchsgrasmückeSylvia atricapillasinging
Garden WarblerGartengrasmückeSylvia borinmore than 3 singing
(Common) BlackbirdAmselTurdus merulasinging

Then we tried our luck at some craggy rocks and rocky mountainsides on the northeastern side of Traunsee in the area of Hois'n and Kaltenbachwildnis ("cold brook wilderness"). We mostly wanted Wallcreeper but unfortunately didn't see any. 425-650 m (1395-2130 ft.)

Species recorded at Hois'n/Kaltenbachwildnis (those marked "[more than 3] singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
Common BuzzardMäusebussardButeo buteo
(European) GoldfinchStieglitzCarduelis carduelissinging
(European) GreenfinchGrünlingCarduelis chlorissinging
(Common) RavenKolkrabeCorvus corax
Mute SwanHöckerschwanCygnus olorfledglings
(Common) House MartinMehlschwalbeDelichon urba
Great Spotted WoodpeckerBuntspechtDendrocopus majorfledglings
(European) RobinRotkehlchenErithacus rubeculasinging
(Common) ChaffinchBuchfinkFringilla coelebssinging
White/Pied WagtailBachstelzeMotacilla alba
Spotted FlycatcherGrauschnäpperMuscicapa striataon nest
Coal TitTannenmeiseParus atercarrying food
Blue TitBlaumeiseParus caeruleusfledglings
Great TitKohlmeiseParus majorsinging
Black RedstartHausrotschwanzPhoenicurus ochrurosfledglings
Bonelli's WarblerBerglaubsängerPhylloscopus bonellimore than 3 singing
ChiffchaffZilpzalpPhylloscopus collybitasinging
Willow WarblerFitisPhylloscopus trochilussinging
Green WoodpeckerGrünspechtPicus viridis
(Eurasian) Crag MartinFelsenschwalbePtyonoprogne rupestris
(Eurasian) BullfinchGimpelPyrrhula pyrrhula
FirecrestSommergoldhähnchenRegulus ignicapillussinging
(European) SerinGirlitzSerinus serinusvisiting nest
(Eurasian) NuthatchKleiberSitta europeafledglings
BlackcapMönchsgrasmückeSylvia atricapillasinging
(Common) BlackbirdAmselTurdus merulacarrying food

Finally we stopped in some mature-growth woods in the park of an old castle that is now a school on the northwestern edge of Traunsee near Grub (Altmünster). Here we hoped for some woodpeckers but only saw Great Spotted. 475 m (1560 ft.)

Species recorded (those marked "singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
Carrion CrowRabenkräheCorvus corone corone
Great Spotted WoodpeckerBuntspechtDendrocopus major
Spotted FlycatcherGrauschnäpperMuscicapa striatasinging
(Common) StarlingStarSturnus vulgarissinging
(Common) BlackbirdAmselTurdus merula
FieldfareWacholderdrosselTurdus pilaris

Day 4: Monday, May 31, 2004, Alpine meadows and forests

The fourth day consisted of mountain hiking and catching the plane back to the UK. Here our main aim was woodpeckers. We finally managed to see Black, as well as White-backed, but only heard Grey-headed despite desperate searching on the final stretch back down the mountain.

The first stretch was from Weißenbach am Attersee ("white brook on Atter lake") to Fachbergalm ("Fach mountain meadow"). 500-700 m (1640-2300 ft.)

Species recorded (those marked "[more than 3] singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
(Eurasian) TreecreeperWaldbaumläuferCerthia familiarissinging
Wood PigeonRingeltaubeColumba palumbussinging
(Common) House MartinMehlschwalbeDelichon urbanest with eggs
White/Pied WagtailBachstelzeMotacilla alba
Grey WagtailGebirgsstelzeMotacilla cinerea
Coal TitTannenmeiseParus atersinging
Great TitKohlmeiseParus major
Marsh TitSumpfmeiseParus palustris
Bonelli's WarblerBerglaubsängerPhylloscopus bonellimore than 3 singing
ChiffchaffZilpzalpPhylloscopus collybitasinging
Wood WarblerWaldlaubsängerPhylloscopus sibilatrixsinging
Willow WarblerFitisPhylloscopus trochilussinging
Grey-headed WoodpeckerGrauspechtPicus canussinging
BlackcapMönchsgrasmückeSylvia atricapillasinging
(Common) BlackbirdAmselTurdus merulasinging

The second stretch was from Fachbergalm to Haleswiessee, a small, swampy mountain lake. 800 m (2625 ft.)

Species recorded (those marked "singing" may or may not have been seen):

EnglishGermanScientificactivity
Long-tailed TitSchwanzmeiseAegithalos caudatus
Tree PipitBaumpieperAnthus trivialissinging
Common BuzzardMäusebussardButeo buteopair
(Eurasian) TreecreeperWaldbaumläuferCerthia familiarissinging
(Common) RavenKolkrabeCorvus corax
(Common) CuckooKuckuckCuculus canorussinging
White-backed WoodpeckerWeißrückenspechtDendrocopos leucotosfledglings
Black WoodpeckerSchwarzspechtDryocopus martius
(Common) ChaffinchBuchfinkFringilla coelebssinging
(Eurasian) JayEichelhäherGarrulus glandarius
Common CrossbillFichtenkreuzschnabelLoxia curvirostra
Grass SnakeRingelnatterNatrix natrix
(Spotted) NutcrackerTannenhäherNucifraga caryocatactes
Coal TitTannenmeiseParus atersinging
Great TitKohlmeiseParus majorsinging
Willow TitWeidenmeiseParus montanussinging
(European) Honey BuzzardWespenbussardPernis apivorus
DunnockHeckenbraunellePrunella modularissinging
(Eurasian) BullfinchGimpelPyrrhula pyrrhulasinging
FirecrestSommergoldhähnchenRegulus ignicapillussinging
GoldcrestWintergoldhähnchenRegulus regulussinging
Song ThrushSingdrosselTurdus philomelossinging
Ring OuzelRingdrossel (Ringamsel)Turdus torquatusfledgling
Mistle ThrushMisteldrosselTurdus viscivoruscarrying food

All in all, we saw many target birds, mostly Alpine species, of course, and some of us got several lifers, but our main aim, the Wallcreeper, eluded us, as well as some of the woodpeckers and all the owls, whereby our main interest was the Eagle Owl. Unfortunately the rock quarry on Traunsee where I have often seen Wallcreepers in the past has recently been declared off-limits to non-employees. The total bird species for the trip was 84, 85 including subspecies. We also observed many different butterflies and moths. Some of us stayed at Pension Ahamer (Rindbachstr. 20, 4802 Ebensee, tel. +43 6133 52020, pension.ahamer@sklona.at), which can be recommended.

Copyright 2004 Robbin D. Knapp, with help from Werner Weißmair, James Hanlon, Darrel Bryant, Phil Harris, Conny Gigl, and Stefan Gratzer


Robb's Homepage Biology Feedback
Robb's Homepage | Biology | Feedback

Robb's Biology Books--Online Bookstore--Click Here

Copyright 2004-05 Robbin D. Knapp robb@robbsbooks.com