I was in Vienna last week and managed to get away from Eurovision madness in the city by having a morning in the Lainzer Tiergarten. This former hunting estate turned nature reserve is on the western edge of the city and the wooded hills afford a wonderful view over Vienna.
It was listed as being good for flycatchers and woodpeckers yet this turned out to be a major understatement! Almost immediately, I found the first Collared Flycatcher and, once I learnt their song, I was hearing them everywhere and even saw one entering its nesthole.
I can honestly say I don't think I've ever been anywhere with so many woodpeckers. There were so many recently-fledged, juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers I was almost kicking them from under my feet! Despite hearing a couple of other species, the only woodpeckers I saw for the first hour or so were Great Spots, until I managed to locate a calling Grey-headed Woodpecker. After that, the woodpeckers flowed in quick succession with a Black seen in flight, a Middle Spotted, and the star bird of the day, a male White-backed! I was admiring this big, shaggy wild boar when I heard a loud drumming and headed into the trees to investigate. The drumming sounded like it was being made by something big, so I was fully expecting a Black Woodpecker, when something that looked vaguely like a Middle Spotted popped up on a snag in front of me. It had the same diffuse red vent and faint streaking of a Middle Spot, as well as a bright red cap, but this bird had a long, heavy bill and was much bigger than even a Great Spot. It was only when it turned and showed its white lower back, I suddenly realised I was looking at a White-backed, a species I'd only ever seen in flight before.
A five-woodpecker morning was way beyond my expectations but things didn't stop there, as the supporting cast included a passing Black Stork, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers fighting with a male Common Redstart, Hawfinch, Whinchat, Golden Orioles calling, several Wood Warblers, mouflon, Red Squirrel and my favourite wild flower; Aquilegia or European Columbine.
Just as I was thinking this place was simply magical and it couldn't possibly get any better, I heard yet another woodpecker giving an alarm call and looked through my binoculars in the rough direction of the sound only to find this bundle of fluff instead.
A baby Tawny Owl sitting out on a branch in full daylight! This has got to be some of the best 'city' birding I've ever experienced so anyone visiting Vienna simply must go. Do allow yourself plenty of time, though, as, after four hours of walking, I had not even covered a quarter of the reserve!
