Limosa - Birdwatching and Wildlife Hoildays Worldwide

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 Eurasian 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 European Serin are to be found in the gardens and hay-meadows around town, White-throated Dippers bob and we’ll listen for the chatter of Eurasian Siskins in the treetops as we start to explore.

On one day, we plan to travel to Zermatt and take the mountain railway up to the Gornergratt. If the 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 White-winged Snowfinch and Alpine Accentor, while playful Alpine Choughs may even feed from our hands! Should visibility on the high tops let us down, we’ll find birdwatching along the floor of the Rhône valley is equally rewarding, with the likes of Black Kite, European Honey Buzzard, Common Nightingale, Marsh Warbler and Eurasian Golden Oriole awaiting our discovery.

From Common Eider to Eurasian Crag Martin and Blue Rock Thrush to Water Pipit, birding in the Swiss Alps is full of surprises. Most of our previous trips have enjoyed superb views of the elusive Wallcreeper and we have even been lucky to see Lammergeier and Rock Partridge here in the past! Add the prospect of as many as seventy 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 pace and plenty of invigorating Swiss mountain air, this tour offers a splendid introduction to alpine birds and wildlife. This will be our eighth visit to the Swiss Alps in summer.