Birding in Zurich – Limmat Vogelinsel

The Limmat is a river in Switzerland, with its headwaters in Zurich’s southern end at Lake Zurich. A Vogelinsel is a ‘bird island’; this relatively tiny one is about 4km northwest from the river’s headwaters. It was a just a five-minute walk from my hotel in the city’s Industriequartier, or Fifth District, so an obvious destination for quick strolls to get a morning dose of nature and to see what was flying and swimming in the river’s rapidly running waters.

Three short visits – two in the morning around 8am and one at about 7 in the evening – yielded seven or eight species each, including Common Mergansers, Gray Herons, Eurasian Moorhens, an Eurasian Coot, Mallards and a Common Sandpiper, 12 species in all. I was most excited about the Common Sandpiper, which I observed for the first time, and the Great Tit (above) and Common Mergansers (lead photo and below), both of which I shot for the first time. Great hair. Reminded me that I needed a haircut.

I also got a few nice close-ups of a House Sparrow which I think illustrate nicely the beauty found among the most common of birds.

It was the closest I’ve yet observed Eurasian Coots and Common Mergansers – it was fun to watch the latter battle the downstream current after short flights from the island and back, an action that can be likened to large clumsy skipping rock.

Also managed a few more shots of Gray Herons for that gallery, one shading himself from the morning sun and another in flight towards the right bank.

Here’s a map.

I was planning to visit Neeracherried, a 105 hectare reserve about an hour outside of the city via public transport, but unfortunately it was closed. Visits are limited to Saturdays (10am-6pm), Sundays (81m to 6pm) and Wednesdays (2-8pm).

Photos from 27 and 29 August 2025. Post last updated on 30 August 2025.