The Outdoor Retreat Birding
Bird watching in Iceland and Switzerland
Our place in Iceland is situated in the middle of a bird reserve. In Rif next to the Snæfellsjökull National Park.
In Switzerland we are situated between the town of Rothenthurm and the town of Oberäeri
At our Icelandic location there is both a great variety of birds and incredibly many. The other day (June 2021) we counted 600 artic terns in one group (in fact this place hosts the biggest artic tern colony in Iceland) and 65 Red-necked Phalaropes on one pond.
There are nesting Red Throated Loons which we can see and hear. The sound of this bird gives a sense of remote pristine nature
The common redshank is always flying and sitting around the house.
Nesting on the islands in the pond are lots of Common eider.
Across the street is the Black-tailed godwit.
Not far away are some European Golden Plovers and the Eurasian Whimbrel.
The Common Snipe can be seen impressing a potential mate with the special sound it makes while air diving
Redwings are to be found near the little bit of scrub.
In some of the cliffs one can find some Puffins, the Little Auk and the Brünnichs Guillemot.
Soaring above nearby fjords is the White-tailed Eagle
In the direction of the mountains one can find Ptarmigans and its predictor the Gyr Falcon as well as the Snowy Owl.
You will also find both in Iceland and Switzerland White Watails, Ravens, Black headed gulls and Pigions
A few starlings are always in the neighborhood
At our Switzerland location you will see the Red kite soaring above and also at eye level.
At the lakes below and over the hill you will find the Great crested grebe
At some of the mountains nearby is the Alpine chough. Especially at the Great Mythen
We have seen the Black woodpecker in the woods above and also at Lake Shilsee
Swallows nest across the street
The Common buzzard watches over the moor and nature reserve by Rotherthurm
