Birds of Réserve des Grangettes / Private Tour with Yvette & Martial

For this morning birding tour at the Grangettes reserve, I meet Martial and his mother to enjoy the arrival of the wintering birds on Lake Geneva. Right when we start, we cross a first harbour already with the water birds typical of our urbanized banks. We observed a few Common Coots as well as a Great Crested Grebe of the year. The water is very calm and we observe a beautiful scene of underwater hunting led by the Grebe.

Going up the first watercourse of Eau Froide we observe Eurasian Moorhens and therefore differentiate between it with the coot. Then a rather shy Gray Heron lets itself be observed.

Photo Loris Bono

A few small birds will be noticed as we head towards the observatories of the reserve; Water Pipit, Gray and White Wagtails, Blue and Long-tailed Tits and numerous Eurasian Siskins which will accompany us all morning.

We arrive at Terre-plein des Saviens and the ducks are already vocalizing quite a bit... there is activity and we gain height in the observation tower. We have rather pleasant observation conditions (apart from the cold, manageable, but already present) no fog, the lake is very calm. Mallards, Gadwalls and several scattered groups of Teal are active right before our eyes. The numerous Tufted Ducks and Common Pochards inhabit a large part of the ducks further offshore.

As we go back down, a Rock Bunting perches at the top of an elderberry at binocular height, a great sighting. We go a few steps behind the other observatory located closer to the water level. When we arrive, another birder points out a Common Kingfisher just below, perhaps 2 meters at most... amazing proximity!

Photo Loris Bono

Scanning a small island, we pass our eye on some Common Snipes, a few Reed Buntings then, appearing out of nowhere, a Pygmy Cormorant hunts right in front of us before grooming itself on a branch.

Photo Loris Bono

Later we head towards the Grand Canal to observe as close as possible to the open sea. We observed numerous Goosanders and even a Red-breated Merganser! Five Common Goldeneyes are added to the list as well as the Common Eiders which offer quite a close proximity.

Photo Loris Bono

To end our birding tour at Les Grangettes, we return through the forest and observe in detail, between the numerous frogs and perched on a stump above a stream, a female Common Kingfisher. In 4 hours, we end up spotting not far from 60 species. A fantastic diversity for this nature excursion on Lake Geneva!

Loris
Guide Salva Fauna