Upper Lake Zurich

02 September 2017
07:00 to 19:20

Harry Kälin

Visited Sites

Nuoler Ried

Some general information from a local birder:

The Nuoler Ried is a reedland just at the shore of the upper Lake Zurich. It is quite an attractive place to go birding, especially during migration time in March-May / August-October. Many rarities could be found on the fields in the past couple of years and after heavy rain there may be impressive fallouts of migrants.

The whole site can be checked in a few hours. From the airfield, there is a footpath around the whole reed that enables to check most all of the fields. The place may be a bit overrun by walkers on sunny days. Heading west and following the creek "Wägitaler Aa" can bring you some interesting songbirds. Plus, there is a good view on Lake Zurich from "Oberseeweg" 

Some possible species in winter: Shelduck, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, Hen Harrier, European Curlew, Black-necked Grebe. If you are lucky you may find a Greater Scaup between hundreds of Tufted Ducks in the harbour.

Some possible species in spring: Garganey, Lapwing (breeding), Ruff, Eurasian Golden-Plover in March, Turtle Dove, many Swallows, Yellow Wagtail (flava, thunbergi, sometimes cinereocapilla and rarely feldegg), Red-throated Pipit, Great Reed-Warbler, Skylark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Corn Bunting, Ortolan Bunting

Some possible species in summer: Marsh Warbler, Black Kite, Common Tern, Barn Swallow, Common Swift, Reed Bunting,

Some possible species in autumn: many Ducks, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Common Snipe, Meadow Pipit, Sedge Warbler, Bluethroat, Whitethroat, Whinchat, many Finches

The whole year over: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, European Curlew, Common Starlings, Great Crested Grebe, flocks of Black-headed Gulls, often with one or two Mediterrean Gulls in it

Rarities in the past couple of years include: Long-tailed Duck, Pallid Harrier, Great Snipe, Kentish Plover, Pacific Golden-Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Stone Curlew, Gull-billed Tern, Yellow Wagtail dombrowskii, Calandra Lark, Lapland Bunting

How to get there

About 25min by foot from the train station in Lachen.

Many parking places for cars by the airfield just at the site.

Species List

Order: systematic | alphabetic | highlights first
Published: 08 February 2019
Last updated: 08 February 2019
Upper Lake Zurich - Orniverse