A Birding Trip To Europe
October 2025
Most people, this time of year (September-October), come to Germany for only one thing- Oktoberfest. But what to do when you have had enough beer and pretzels, not to mention the large Oktoberfest crowds? Well, if you are into birding, which I am, you go birding!
Barn Swallow, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Black-headed Gull, Lucerne, Switzerland
Black Redstart, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Buff Orpington Duck, Passau, Bavaria, Germany
Canada and Graylag hybrid Goose, Bliesaue bei Beeden, Saarland, Germany
Canada and Graylag hybrid Goose, Bliesaue bei Beeden, Saarland, Germany
Canada Goose, Bliesaue bei Beeden, Saarland, Germany
Carrion Crow, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Rook, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Rook, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Rook, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Caspian Gull (or Yellow legged Gull), Old Town Lucerne, Switzerland
Common Buzzard, Hoste (Military Bunker Ponds), Moselle, France
Common Chaffinch, Lake Zurich, Switzerland
Common Greenshank, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Common Pochard, Lake Zurich, Switzerland
Common Wood Pigeon, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Dunlin, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Egyptian Goose, Jägersburg (near Homburg), Saarland, Germany
Eurasian Blackbird (male), Furstenzell, Bavaria, Germany
Eurasian Blackbird (female), Lake Zurich, Switzerland
Eurasian Blackcap, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Eurasian Blue Tit, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Eurasian Coot, Lucerne, Switzerland
Eurasian Jackdaw, Passau, Bavaria, Germany
Eurasian Kestrel, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Eurasian Magpie, Furstenzell, Bavaria, Germany
Eurasian Moorhen, Old Town Lucerne, Switzerland
Eurasian Nuthatch (buff-bellied), Mandelbachtal, Saarland, Germany
Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Furstenzell, Bavaria, Germany
European Greenfinch, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
European Robin, Kloster Holzen, Allmannshofen, Bavaria, Germany
European Starling, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Gadwall Duck, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Graylag Goose, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Graylag Goose, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Graylag Goose (hybrid), Passau, Bavaria, Germany
Great Cormorant, Sarreguemines, Moselle, France
Great Cormorants, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Great Cormorants, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Great Crested Grebe, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Great Crested Grebe, Lake Zurich, Switzerland
Great Egret, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Great Tit, Kloster Holzen, Allmannshofen, Bavaria, Germany
Green-winged Teal, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
House Sparrow, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Little Grebe, Lucerne Lake (near Cogwheel Train Station), Switzerland
Mallard (female), Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Mallard (hybrids), Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany
Mallard, Interlaken, Switzerland
Mute Swan (juvenile), Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Mute Swan, Lake Zurich (near Lindt), Switzerland
Purple Heron, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Red-crested Pochard, Lake Zurich (near Lindt), Switzerland
Red-crested Pochard, Lake Zurich (near Lindt), Switzerland
Red Kite, Ormesheim, Saarland, Germany
Red Phalarope, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Ruff, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Spotted Flycatcher, Ormesheim, Bavaria, Germany
White Stork, Bliesaue bei Beeden, Saarland, Germany
White Wagtail, Bliesaue bei Beeden, Saarland, Germany
Willow Tit, Mandelbachtal, Saarland, Germany
Willow Warbler, Lindre Basse, Moselle, France
Yellow-billed Chough (Alpine Chough), Mount Pilatus, Switzerland
(They nest at a higher altitude than any other bird.)
Yellow-legged Gull, Lucerne Lake (near Cogwheel Train Station), Switzerland
Black Ameraucana Chicken, Kloster Holzen, Allmannshofen, Bavaria, Germany
(I know, it's just a chicken, but a damn good looking chicken!)
Photos of locations where we went birding:
Sarreguemines, Moselle, France
Bliesaue bei Beeden, Saarland, Germany
Nature Park, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Nature Park, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Nature Park, Ering, Bavaria, Germany
Inn River, Passau, Bavaria, Germany
Kloster Holzen, Allmannshofen, Bavaria, Germany
Interlaken, Switzerland, paragliding above hawks
Lake Lucerne, Switzerland
Lindt Chocolate Factory, Lake Zurich, Switzerland
(We went birding at the lake just across the street, and of course we bought some chocolates!)
Markus Scheller, an avid birder, and me in front of the house of my great grandfather.
Hoste, Moselle, France
The self-proclaimed "Alpine Chough Whisperer" at Mount Pilatus, Switzerland
At 7,000 feet we saw a large flock of Alpine Choughs.
This is the view from my cousins house in Ormesheim, Germany. This view has not changed much over the years. We saw many birds here!
Schärding, Austria where we enjoyed lunch and spotted many Black-headed Gulls.
Zurich, Switzerland, which I consider one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but also one of the most expensive. We saw several varieties of water birds here.
Some of the Wasservogels (water birds) that can be seen along the lake of Zurich.
Just another drop in the bucket!
All photographs are the copyright of Jim Jackson Photography and Nida Jackson Photography. Please contact me with any questions, comments, or for authorization to use photos, or for signed, high-resolution prints.
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Congratulations Jim, especially the Red Phalarope is almost a little sensation. In this region (Bavaria, Inland) he is extremely rarely seen.
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