Back at the beginning of 2020 we booked up a Christmas trip to Munich and Prague little knowing what was yet to come. The trip was ultimately cancelled and monies returned due to the dreaded COVID pandemic but we have wanted to rebook the trip ever since and so it was that we finally headed off to Heathrow Airport on Saturday 30th November with fingers crossed to enjoy the holiday we were originally meant to have 4 years ago.
We flew out to Munich on Sunday 1st December, there was no snow but it was frosty and misty and very bracing. Munich was very interesting as usual, we have been here twice before, and the Christmas markets were much improved since our last visit here back in 2012.
I didn't take my binoculars or camera with me as it was very much going to be a city break holiday but I did have a few interesting sightings. Roe Deer, Carrion Crows, Kestrels and Buzzards were seen on the train journey from the airport to the city centre and Blackbird, Feral Pigeon, Great Tit and Carrion Crow were seen around the city centre itself. A day trip on the (very expensive!) train to nearby Ulm on Monday 2nd December also gave sightings of a Grey Heron, distant Swans (presumably Mute) and more interestingly 4 Great White Egrets.
Wednesday 4th December saw us leaving Munich and travelling by train to Prague for the second part of our Christmas holiday. The journey was very pleasant and I added Mallards and a male Goosander to my trip list on the 5+hour journey along with more sightings of Grey Heron, Buzzard, Kestrel, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and yet more Great White Egrets.
We first visited Prague back in 2004 on a trip to see the Christmas markets, unfortunately we hadn't done our homework and flew home on the day they opened! We didn't make this mistake again and the Christmas markets were open this time, they were very good and looked amazing but mostly consisted of food and drink stalls with a few Christmassy ones dotted about here and there.
Prague is a very beautiful and interesting city with some stunning buildings and architecture but it was also incredibly busy with people, much more so than on our visit back in 2004.
Thursday 5th December was our first full day in Prague and it was cold, sunny, still and beautiful as we wandered around admiring the sights. We crossed over the River Vltava and walked up to the castle through Petrin Park, unfortunately the funicular railway was closed for repairs so it was a slow walk. I also wished I had my binoculars and camera with me as there was wildlife to be seen with Coot, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Magpie, Nuthatch, Treecreeper Sp.(presumably Short-toed), Green Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Rook, Jackdaw, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and 2 Coypu and a Red Squirrel all added to my trip list with more sightings of Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Blackbird and Feral Pigeon too.
Sadly the following day was wet and claggy but we made the most of it and I managed to add 8 Collared Doves in a park in the Jewish Quarter to my trip list.
All too soon it was Saturday 7th December and time to head home but unfortunately Storm Darragh had arrived in the UK and the flight home was delayed by an hour and a half which wasn't too bad considering the much longer delays others were experiencing. The drive back to Plymouth from Heathrow was rough but we arrived home safely having had a very enjoyable time away before all the Christmas nonsense begins in earnest.
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