Alpine Choughs, Marmots and the leaning tower of Pisa.

For the last two years, my girlfriend and i, have taken our summer holiday travelling
abroad in our campervan. Last year, we spent time in the French and Andorran
Pyrenees, this year we decided to spend a fortnight travelling from Dunkerque to

Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. In total, we drove just over 3200 miles,

visiting lot's of interesting places. Although this wasn't a birding holiday as such, i
couldn't leave my optics at home!

Herring Gull on the ferry

Kittiwake

first camp at Luxermbourg, Esch-Sur-Sure

The village near the campsite had breeding Fieldfare, Hawfinch

and Honey Buzzard

Honey Buzzard (above) mobbed by common Buzzard

Honey Buzzard (below) with Common Buzzard

male and female Honey Buzzards

Red Kite

The next day (Aug 2nd) we visited two villages in Luxembourg before heading for
Switzerland. At the border we had to pay forty euros to drive on the roads. The Swiss
are very good at relieving you of your money!
On route i saw Golden Oriole, White Stork and Honey Buzzard.

picture postcard Swiss village

Grindelwald

Alpine Salamander

birding the forest trail

mist draws in

On the morning of the 3rd we visited Grindelwald and spent the morning walking on

one of the forest trails up the mountain. Unfortunately the weather closed in and we

spent a lot of time sheltering from the rain.Whilst doing so i encountered my first Nut-

cracker, which was to be one of many.

Other highlights were the abundance of Crested and Willow Tits and Black Redstart.

A single Pallid Swift was over the town.

Leaving Grindelwald we headed for the Grimsel pass, a very scenic drive in

Switzerland, stopping frequently to take in the outstanding views.

Snowfinch

this adult bird was feeding young

Swiss cow meets camper!

The Matterhorn one of Switzerland's highest mountains was next on the visit list and
we spent a full day hiking up to 2500+ metres in plimsoles!
This was the best day of the trip so far, for birds anyway, with the following seen:
Pallid Swift, Crag Martin, Alpine Chough, Red-backed Shrike, Golden Eagle,
Serin, Water Pipit, Nutcracker, Firecrest, Goshawk and of course Black Redstarts.

The Matterhorn from Zermatt

Julie, with the town of Zermatt in the distance

nearly there!

Black Redstart

Wheatear (juv)

Red-backed Shrike

Juv' Goshawk

Water Pipit

The next day we drove down to Italy. Where we spent a few days visiting

various coastal towns and villages along with Pisa and Venice. I didn't get the chance for

much birding but saw my first Italian Sparrows and had a huge flock of migrating Bee eaters

fly over the van on the morning of the 7th.

Yellow-legged Gulls

Pisa

I can save it!

Views from up the tower

Venice

Med' Gulls, Venice

On route to Venice we stopped at Port Levante, the site is basically lagoons and

was excellent for birds. Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and Wood Sandpiper were

some of the many waders. Pygmy Cormorant, Black-necked Grebe, Purple,

Squacco and Night Herons, Flamingo, Montagu's Harrier, marsh Terns, etc, it was great.

Black Tern

Greater Flamingo

Montagu's Harrier

Pygmy Cormorant



Next stop after Italy was Austria, on route we came across a bridge with a gathering

of Crag Martins that gave excellent views.

Crag Martin

leaving Italy for the Austrian Alps



The highlight of the trip for us was the time we spent at Grossglockner in Austria.
The entry of 29 euros was well worth it for the sheer abundance of mammals, in
particular Alpine Marmots and Ibex.
Prior to our arrival, we saw only half a dozen Marmots in Switzerland, here we saw
around forty! A small group near the main car park had become habituated, as you can
see from the images, they were not timid!

We arrived at Glossglockner during a snow shower

thank you

This chap was a little heavier than a typical Marmot

Alpine (Yellow-billed) Chough feeding juvenile

The Alpine Choughs came so close that this image was taken with a wide angle lens.

The views were stunning and made better by the improving weather as the morning

wore on. Again, in plimsoles we walked as far as possible, (around 3000 metres)

before it became too dangerous to continue.

A steady stream of climbers made it to Grossglockner summit that day, helped by the

calm, sunny conditions. Bird interest comprised, Golden Eagle, Alpine Accentor, Raven,

Water Pipit, Black Redstart, Snowfinch, Wheatear and numerous Alpine Choughs.

Grossglockner

Observation tower and information centre. I saw Wallcreeper here, albeit a stuffed one!

Mr 'Happy'

Male Ibex

Alpine Accentor (look hard)

Snowfinches

Me, photographing Snowfinch. We saw three at this picnic site, they were present for

only two minutes before flying off strongly.

The road into the park

Later that day we drove the van up to Edelweisspitze, at 2571 metres above sea level

it offers the best view point of the area. The views were stunning.

on the way down



We spent the night in one of the valley bottoms by a waterfall and headed for Krimmler

Falls in the morning. The woods held good numbers of Nutcracker and Crested Tit but

the place was soon over-run with tourists by late morning.

Crested Tit

Krimmler Falls

Nutcracker

Not standing still for a minute, in the afternoon we drove to Mayrhofen and took a cable

car to around 2000 metres and walked back down through woodland to the valley

bottom. Nutcracker, Crested Tit, Western Bonelli's Warbler were the best birds in the

woods and a lingering group of Alpine Swifts were over the town.

Mayrhofen from the cable car

looking for Citril Finch (didn't find any!)

The next day we visited 'The Eagles Nest' near Berchtesgaden in southern

Germany. The building was given to Hitler for his 50th birthday. It's impressive position

gives outstanding views in every direction and is now a restaruant, serving many thousands

of tourists every year.

We walked through the tunnel, cut into the mountain and took the the lift up to the house

itself. The views, like so many we experienced on this trip were amazing, in the air above,

several Ravens were displaying and ever present Alpine Choughs hung around for food

scraps.

'Eagles Nest'

spot the birder

Alpine Chough

Raven

Entrance to the tunnel, with the house on top of the

mountain.

some of the views

From Berchtesgaden, we began to move North West, stopping to spend the night at a

service station in Stuttgart. Next day, the journey was broken with a few hours spent in

Luxembourg City before making camp at Dunkerque itself for the early ferry the

following morning. A couple of Great Skuas and Porpoises were seen during the

crossing back to Dover.

It was another succesfull and busy summer trip, i wonder where to visit next year in the van...