Switzerland
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The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return scheduled flights London-Geneva, all accommodation and meals, minibus transport; mountain railway excursion to the Gornergratt, entrance fees, tips, airport taxes, bird and butterfly checklist, and services of the leader/s.
The price excludes travel insurance, drinks and other personal expenses. This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays. Principal Leader: Brian Small |
If you're looking to combine the delights of alpine birdwatching with a little gentle walking and a wider appreciation of the natural world, this trip is for you. Alpine Accentor and Snowfinch await - perhaps even Rock Partridge, too - on this spectacularly scenic week based at a single hotel in the beautiful Val d'Herens. |
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Switzerland is rightly famous for its stupendous upland scenery and crisp mountain air. The southern Valais region that borders with Italy is one of the most beautiful, and a prime location for alpine birding. Crested Tits and Western Bonelli's Warblers frequent the forests, boldly-spotted Nutcrackers conceal themselves amongst the pines, and the trills of handsome 'red' Common Redpolls rise above flower-filled alpine meadows.
From Geneva, we follow the mighty Rhône valley to reach our base in the picturesque Val d'Herens, which is both a Parc Regional and a Biosphere Reserve. With no changes of hotel to worry about during our stay, here we shall be free to devote ourselves to some of the most spectacular birding and landscapes in all Switzerland: from the glaciers at the head of the lovely Val d'Herens itself, east to the famous Gornergratt with its majestic views of the Matterhorn. In mid-June, the weather in the Alps is typically warm with plenty of sunshine and our aim will certainly be to make the most of this! The woods and mountains around about our hotel are the perfect place to start. Fieldfare, Red-backed Shrike and Serin are to be found in the gardens and meadows around town, and Dippers bob as we listen for the chatter of Siskins. On one day, we plan to travel to Zermatt and take the mountain railway up to the Gornergratt. If visibility is good, we shall enjoy uninterrupted views across the glaciers towards the iconic chiselled peak of the Matterhorn. Up here, at an elevation of around 3000 metres, we'll watch for Snowfinch and Alpine Accentor, while playful Alpine Choughs may even feed from our hands! Should visibility on the high tops let us down, we will find birdwatching along the floor of the Rhône valley is equally rewarding, with the likes of Black Kite, Honey Buzzard, Nightingale, Marsh Warbler and Golden Oriole awaiting our discovery. From Common Eider to Blue Rock Thrush, birding in the Swiss Alps is full of surprises. Our 2011 group found Wallcreeper and enjoyed superb close views of Lammergeier (and we've even been lucky to encounter Rock Partridge in the past)! Add the prospect of as many as 70 different species of butterfly on the wing - from Mazarine and Amanda's Blues, through Mountain Dappled White and Clouded Apollo, to Niobe and Asian Fritillaries - and you have all the right ingredients for a wonderful holiday. With easy paced walks and plenty of invigorating Swiss mountain air, this tour offers a splendid introduction to alpine birds and wildlife. This will be our tenth visit to the Swiss Alps. Itinerary Day 1 Our holiday begins with a flight from London to Geneva. We drive east along the Rhône valley to Sion, then swing south to enter the glorious 'chocolate-box' landscape of the Val d'Herens. Along the way, we should see our first Black Kites beside the banks of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva), and Goshawk is also possible. Late afternoon arrival at our quaint little hotel in the beautiful Val d'Herens, which will be our base throughout the holiday. Overnight Evolene Days 2 - 7 Waking to the crisp mountain air and 'gravel-gargling' song of Black Redstarts from the rooftops, our daily plan will depend a little on the weather - which, incidentally, is usually at its best in Switzerland in June. Much of our time will be spent exploring the woods and mountains of the Val d'Herens itself (which is both a Parc Regional and a Biosphere Reserve), with its heady mix of stunning scenery, alpine scents and sounds, and its alluring montane birds. The rare Lammergeier is once again to be looked for in the skies over this fabulous region, and our June 2011 group was treated to incredible close range views! Serins gabble away like speeded-up Corn Buntings, and Dippers and Grey Wagtails haunt the river at Evolene. We also have chances of finding the outsize Black Woodpecker here - though despite their size and far-carrying cries, they can prove surprisingly elusive. This lovely valley is also home to Crag Martin, hot-tempered Fieldfares, Rock Bunting and Red-backed Shrike. We should encounter a few Ring Ouzels too, here of the 'frosted' central European race, alpestris. Golden Eagles sweep the skies and as we scan for them, we'll watch and listen for parties of fast-flying Alpine Swifts. Of special interest in this corner of Switzerland, we may be fortunate to come across the puzzling 'Italian' Sparrow (variously treated as a hybrid between Spanish and House Sparrows, or as a subspecies of Spanish Sparrow), though it appears this little bird has now all but disappeared from its former haunts. Taking a walk above the tree-line to the high alpine meadows and the Tsidjoure Nouve glacier, Water Pipits and 'Alpine' Willow Tits sing, and we may hear the 'creaking door' call of perfectly-camouflaged Ptarmigan. The rarely-seen Rock Partridge also occurs and though we should indeed be very fortunate to find one, we have been lucky to enjoy fantastic views here! Arolla is best known as a climbing centre. Quiet in early summer, for the visiting birdwatcher dappled Nutcrackers screech from the tops of pines that are the haunt of Western Bonelli's Warbler, Firecrest and Crested and Willow Tits. In June, we have occasionally found Eurasian Griffon and Citril Finch here too, along with the superb Rock Thrush. The upper slopes are the haunt of Alpine Chamois and Alpine Ibex, and this area also offers a good chance of finding the crimson-winged Wallcreeper - no mean feat in a landscape so vast! And with a splendid array of alpine butterflies on offer, too - among them such delights as Mazarine and Amanda's Blues, Alpine and Pearly Heaths, Spotted and Knapweed Fritillaries, Almond-eyed and Swiss Brassy Ringlets, Moorland Clouded Yellow and Red-underwing Skipper - this is a place destined to linger long in the memory. On one of our days, after a relatively short drive east to Zermatt, we plan to take the mountain railway high up to the Gornergratt. Set at around 3000m, if visibility is good, stunning views across the glacier towards the Matterhorn will tempt our eyes away from the schools of playful Alpine Choughs - close enough to stroke last time! - which jostle for visitors' left-over food. While plump Alpine Marmots and endearing Snowfinches sometimes join in too, the less demonstrative Alpine Accentors are much more easily overlooked as they shuffle quietly about. Later, investigation of the lower slopes may reveal Red-backed Shrike, Northern Wheatear and Ortolan Bunting to round off another exciting day. Offering a whole new suite of birds, a visit to the floor of the Rhône Valley can be equally rewarding, with Wallcreepers to look for at a special site and, remarkably, even Blue Rock Thrush at some towering cliffs. Nightingales, Blackcaps and Garden Warblers provide plenty of background sound as we listen for the tell-tale voices of other valley dwellers such as Quail, Marsh Warbler, Whinchat and Golden Oriole. Overhead, we could see Peregrine or perhaps a dashing Hobby, while Common and Honey Buzzards are quick to take advantage of thermals as the day begins to warm and small parties of 'sub-Alpine' Swifts cruise the valleysides. Six nights Evolene Day 8 Bidding a reluctant farewell to the Val d'Herens after breakfast this morning, we head back west along the Rhône valley. If travel time permits (and usually it does), we will enjoy a short stop at Les Grangettes, where the river flows into the eastern end of Lac Leman. Regular nowadays in summer, Common Eider is a most surprising bird to find on the lake! An array of other wetland birds is likely, with Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, Red-crested Pochard and Yellow-legged Gull among species we have found in the past. We then continue on to Geneva and board our afternoon flight to London, where the tour concludes. Accommodation: Our hotel for the past 10 years on this tour is a small, simple, quaint and friendly 2-star family-run establishment in the quiet rural town of Evolene - right at the heart of the picturesque Val d'Herens. Rooms are modest but all have en suite facilities. Meals: All included in the tour price. Continental-style breakfasts served at the hotel, with dinners taken at local restaurants within a short walk from our hotel. A mix of picnics and Gasthof lunches. Walking: The floor of the Rhône valley is relatively flat and the going is easy. Elsewhere, our walks are not strenuous - but this is the Alps so expect some uphill stretches of course, all taken at a gentle pace, with our itinerary being carefully planned to avoid arduous hikes. Swiss alpine trails are well-marked and generally in good condition. Stout walking shoes or lightweight boots with good corrugated soles for grip recommended. Maximum elevation: ca. 3000m. Numbers: Max. 12 clients |
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