Switzerland
The Swiss Alps in Summer
Saturday 14 - Saturday 21 June 2008 (8 days)
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.
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 and crimson-crowned Black Woodpeckers conceal themselves amongst the pines and the trills of handsome 'red' Lesser Redpolls rise above flower-filled alpine meadows.
From Geneva, we follow the mighty Rhône valley to reach our comfortable base in the picturesque Val d'Herens. With no changes of hotel to worry about during our stay, we shall be free to devote ourselves to some of the most spectacular 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 generally warm with plenty of sunshine - and our aim will certainly be to make the most of this! Walks are not strenuous and though there will inevitably be some uphill stretches, all are taken at a gentle pace.
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 hay-meadows around town, Dippers bob and troops of chatty Common Crossbills buzz about the treetops as we start to explore.
On one day, we’ll travel to Zermatt and take the mountain railway up to the Gornergratt. If the visibility is good, we shall enjoy uninterrupted views across the glacier towards the iconic chiselled peak of the Matterhorn. Up here, at an elevation of around 3,000 metres, we’ll watch for Alpine Accentor and Snowfinch, while playful Alpine Choughs and plump Alpine Marmots may even feed from your hand! Should visibility on the high tops let us down, then we’ll find birdwatching along the floor of the Rhône valley is equally rewarding, with the likes of Honey Buzzard, Nightingale, Marsh Warbler and Golden Oriole awaiting our discovery.
In short, birding in the Swiss Alps is full of surprises and - though we should indeed need to be fortunate - recent tour highlights have included Wallcreeper and even Rock Partridge! 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 its easy-paced walks and invigorating Swiss mountain air, why not join us this year for a delightful introduction to alpine birds and wildlife?
Brian Small designed this tour specially for us and this will be his fifth tour to Switzerland.
Price: £ 1,295
Single supp.: £ 75
Deposit: £ 300 per person
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return scheduled flights London-Geneva, with meals on-board as appropriate, 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.
*It may be possible to arrange flights from Manchester. Please enquire for details and supplement.
This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays.
Principal Leader: Brian Small
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, with its heady mix of stunning scenery, alpine scents and sounds, and its alluring montane birds.
Dipper and Grey Wagtail haunt the river at Evolene and we have chances of finding the outsize Black Woodpecker - 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, Red-backed Shrike and Serin. We should encounter good numbers of 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 for parties of fast-flying Alpine Swifts. Of special interest in this corner of Switzerland is the puzzling ‘Italian’ Sparrow, variously treated as a hybrid between Spanish and House Sparrows, or as a subspecies of Spanish Sparrow.
Taking a walk above the tree-line to the high alpine meadows and the Tsidjoure Nouve glacier, Water Pipits and Woodlarks 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 fortunate to find one, we have enjoyed fantastic views here!
Arolla is best known as a climbing centre. Quiet in early summer, for the birdwatcher there are flocks of Common Crossbills to enjoy, while dappled Nutcrackers screech from the tops of pines that are the haunt of Firecrest, and Crested and Willow Tits. In June, we have sometimes found Griffon Vulture and Citril Finch here too, along with the superb Rock Thrush. This area also offers perhaps our best 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’ll 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 the plump Alpine Marmots and endearing Snowfinches like to join in too, the less demonstrative Alpine Accentors are more easily overlooked as they shuffle quietly about. Later, investigation of the forested lower slopes may reveal Western Bonelli’s Warbler 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. 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, Golden Oriole and Cirl Bunting. 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.
Six nights Evolene
Day 8
Bidding a reluctant farewell to the Val d’Herens after breakfast this morning, we will head back west along the Rhône valley. If flight times permit, we will enjoy a short stop at Les Grangettes, where the river flows into the eastern end of Lac Leman. An array of wetland birds is possible, with Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, Red-crested Pochard, Common Tern and Yellow-legged Gull among species we’ve seen in the past. We then continue on to Geneva and board our afternoon flight to London, where the tour concludes.
Accommodation: We stay at a small, friendly family-run two-star hotel in the quiet rural town of Evolene. Rooms are simple but all have en suite facilities.
Meals: All included in the tour price. Continental-style breakfasts at the hotel, with dinners taken at a nearby local restaurant. Lunches a mix of picnics and Gasthof sit-down meals.
Walking: The Rhône valley is relatively flat and the going is easy. Elsewhere, our walks are not strenuous, but expect some uphill stretches - all taken at a gentle pace, with our itinerary being carefully planned to avoid arduous hikes. Swiss mountain trails are well-marked and generally in good condition. Maximum elevation this tour: ca. 3,000m. Stout walking boots recommended.
Ground Transport: Minibus.
Numbers: Max. 12 clients