Lake Constance (of the Bodensee in German) is a large lake on the border of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The place could be very in style amongst vacationers of those and plenty of different international locations, with intensive vacationer infrastructure in place in most cities across the lake. Nevertheless, some glorious birding can also be available at just a few spots, with waterfowl, waders, and a few passage migrants being significantly fascinating.
I used to be visiting prolonged members of the family within the space and used the chance to discover just a few components of the lake for the primary time. I didn’t have the prospect to go to a number of of the well-known birding websites, however nonetheless received a superb impression of the birds that may be discovered within the space. Sadly, the climate was very dangerous – chilly, moist, and darkish – which means that I used to be additionally not capable of get good sightings of the (somewhat few) birds that I did see.
A pleasant sighting was of a small group of Eurasian Tree Sparrows in some gardens bordering farmland on the fringe of the lake. This species is declining in Germany and though it isn’t uncommon, my sightings have normally been distant or transient. The birds appeared very torpid, permitting shut commentary of their plumage – somewhat extra vibrant than their shut cousins, the Home Sparrows.
I did see fairly just a few species of waterfowl, together with Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, and Purple-crested Pochard. Nevertheless, my major quarry was Ferruginous Duck, which I’ve by no means seen earlier than and was recorded right here repeatedly over the previous few weeks. I ultimately noticed an odd duck amongst some Widespread Pochards and Tufted Geese. This fowl, significantly the mix of darkish plumage, whitish-yellow eye, and invoice and head form, was very uncommon. The windy circumstances and distance of the fowl prevented me from acquiring good views, however I suspected a hybrid Ferruginous Duck x Widespread Pochard. I managed to take some report photographs, and taking a look at these made me extra assured that that is what it’s. Nevertheless, I’m no duck hybrid knowledgeable by any means and it could be one thing else.
No matter this duck species, I used to be completely satisfied to seek out such a complicated fowl, though a part of me was pissed off that if it certainly was a Ferruginous x Pochard hybrid, I used to be solely half a genome away from a lifer. I trying ahead each to my first Ferruginous Duck and exploring the various birding websites round Lake Constance extra extensively.
