Tuesday 26th June

Thankfully better weather for last day of holiday.  Took bus up the Zemmerbachtal (by accident) and had a lovely walk back to Ginzling along the valley, plus a run over the Innerboden lower hill walk in the afternoon.  A lot of butterflies that I started to photograph so I have confirmation of alpine blue and picture of an eyed brown I can't identify.  Large trout and others seen under first bridge at Ginzling.

On Innerboden walk a yellow bird landed briefly on a fence than scuttled off into the trees making discontented noises.  A dogwalking lady told me it was a serin, which I first doubted but later got a good look at one one the telegraph wires at the end of the walk and confirmed.  More encounters with black redstarts, the coal tits that look like marsh tits and butterflies, one of which was I think a female alpine blue - looked dark blue when flying but seemed very dingy grey with slight white marking when landed.

All throughout the holiday, the extra variety of species available made for increased interest but also inceased frustration as it makes identification much more of a challenge.  But I'm very happy with the new additions to my birdspotting list and to have seen such a variety of plant and insect life as well. And the scenery itself was of course fantastic.

24rd June and 25th June

Went up the Ahorn lift and walked to Edelhutte.  A bit cloudy so not so rich in butterflies but highlighted by excellent view of male and female ring ouzel that flew fortuitously into tree just past a rock edge as I was approaching.  I even knew from the calls and could readily see the white edgings to male's feather patterns but was 90% luck - right place at right time. Got photographs but too blurred to show much.

I saw several crag martins (apparently) and an annoying pipit that clearly wasn't a meadow pipit and kept flying up at 45 degrees chirruping all the way and back down onto the same rock.  This may have been a water pippet, which does occur in the Tirol.  Also several black redstarts.



The next day rain interrupted walk up one of the valleys towards Schlegeis at Teufelsbrucke.  Only one butterfly, but did get very good view of redstart in hedgerow which was constantly tutting and calling and seemed to follow me around.  There were also some tits moving around non-stop that at first I took for willow or marsh tits but there bibs were far too big, extending way down onto chest.  Again there are one or two rarities that looked possible but on balance I think they must have been the local variation of coal tit without the usual pinkish hue and white stripe at back of head.  My German bird book indicates some difference and some photographs of the Tannenmeise do look very like willow/marsh tit.

Friday 22nd June - Saturday 23rd June

Bike trip to Fugen and back, not really a nature day but did run over a toad/frog in transit and saw a strangely patterned dark bird going into trees and a tree sparrow outside hotel.

The day after I went back to Fugen as there is a bird trail.  This started out well as quickly spotted garden warbler and several whitethroats but did not really deliver, although did see my first ever black squirrel and watched some swallows feeding their young.

Wednesday 20th June

Holiday in Mayrhofen, Austria

Arrived around lunchtime after overnight stay in Kufstein.  Decided to go for walk to Brandberg as weather good.  Not a lot seen apart from a black redstart, a butterfly like a grayling and a red deer.

21st June

Very long (too long!) walk on and down Penkenberg.  Saw an obscure warbler singing single note like tsit from pine trees.  Looked most like arctic warbler and not bonelli's - maybe greenish warbler? Did not behave or sing like willow warbler.

Almost immediately after got a clear sighting of two nutcrackers including characteristic tail feathers before they made off.  Have been hoping to see one in Germany since 2004, so well-pleased.  On getting up to restart walk at Penkenjoch a black bird landed directly infront of me on the grass. Although it had its back turned you could see the white band on its chest so clearly a ring ouzel.  Sat down to try to minimise disturbance but immediately it flew off leaving me feeling disappointed at such a fleeting encounter with one of my main targets and certainly the top-listed one for this holiday. Kept a careful eye open on the way down but all suspects proved to be blackbirds.

Also saw a profusion of flowers and butterflies, many of which are hard to identify as they are local species not known in the UK.  Those identifed were (or were similar to) small tortoiseshell, speckled wood, painted lady, small pearl bordered fritillary, brown argos, alpine blue, dingy skipper, plus some strong-flying yellows that never settled - suspect brimstone, clouded yellow plus one that had a slight swallow tail.

Monday 28th May

Today looks like the end of prolonged spell of sunshine so off to Mabie Forest on bike to check out butterflies in nature reserve.  Kept casual eye out for wood warbler and green woodpecker on the way but suspected sighting of tree pipits on edge of butterfly area.  Couldn't get them in binoculars to confirm but tree pipit is becoming a target.  It seems they are around but I just don't notice them.

Quite instuctive as lots of small pearl bordered fritillaries and small heaths but also a very small, lighter coloured butterfly that seemed almost predominantly yellow with dark spots/cheques. There is a thing called the chquered skipper. I have contacted Butterfly Conservation  Scotland to see if this is at all likely.  Supposedly they only occur in the Fort William area but it is their peak flying time.  I don't find the pictures I've seen of them much help as the specimen I observed appeared much lighter in colour.

Later research suggests it may in fact have been a speckled yellow moth.

Tuesday 22nd May

First trip out with Malcolm yesterday. It has finally warmed over the weekend but fish are taking a time to respond.  Followed dubious tip to fish square but all we could get was small perch and one resonable roach bream hybrid.  Apparently things picked up on Queensberry Salix after teatime.  Saw another fox when we came to suss things out on Sunday.

Malcolm's First Carp

Today out with Alex and eventually Vicki as well as Malcolm.  Fish spawning and Alex keen to fish West end although my judgement is that North and South East banks tend to be better.  I was on the pole in the NW corner.  Alex got a couple of carp ledgering near weed and Malcolm missed bites before eventually getting a chub.  Corner was tricky because of lack of space to strike but fish came on nicely.  Eventually Malcolm got a reasonable common on my pole and Vicki got a couple of carp on float fished maggot.  Encouraged Malcolm to try this but all he got was a chub, a small skimmer and a gudgeon.

Meanwhile I was alternating between chub and carp mostly to sweetcorn and missed bites and eventually got a nice 5lb common around 9.00 pm that went round and round as if on a grand prix circuit before swimming straight into the net.  My total was seven carp and five chub but I wasn't getting unduly excited until that last fish as overall carp size was just 2 - 3 lb.  One chub about 13/4lb as against overall 1lb stamp.

Plenty of fish were coming out of SE corner which is main spawning area but unfortunately occupied by noisy locals when we got there. We're pretty convinced that the fish in Brooms get moved around and sold on, which might account for overall low size.  Perhaps time for a new fishing challenge?

Wednesday 16th May

Fishing trip to Brooms FI to test before Malcolm comes up next week as weather has been so chilly this month.

Margin fishing was disrupted by swan eating bait off the bottom and sport slow.  Did manage a koi and a common (latter on very short rigged half hooker) and turned the whole thing round a bit by getting a nice barbel of about 4lb from the swim the swan had disturbed on a worm, which was a good piece of thinking.  Saw splendid fox with huge brush tail on other side of F1.