Zermatt- Info wanted (1 Viewer)

I'm going to Zermatt for a long weekend in may and was wondering if anyone could advise me of some places to visit to try and pick up some of the Alpine specialities like Alpine Accentor, Alpine Chough, Snowfinch and Nutcracker amongst others. If these sites could be tied in with site seeing for the wife then so much the better !
Many thanks

Craig.

Are any of the ski lifts open at that time - BASI (British Association Snowsport Instructors) use Zermatt at the end of the season? I would have thought that a mountain restaurant would be fruitful for AA, AC and SF - probably around 2,200 - 2,800 metres. As for Nutcracker pine trees a bit lower - perhaps upto 1800 metres - south facing. Wallcreeper probably in the area aswell - possibly even on the Matterhorn.

Someone is bound to have more specific info.

Good luck.......

Hi Craig

Take your wife up to the Gornergrat. (http://www.gornergrat.ch/home/index.php). The station is at 3100m, Alpine Choughs are all around. Alpine Accentors and Snowfinches are a bit harder to find, but some time on the ridge and you should find them. If you are fit, walk down to Zermatt. You will cross all habitats on the way down.
Nutcrackers are in the forests around Zermatt, eg around Riffelalp (another station on the Gornergrat railway).
Another place would be Kleines Matterhorn. Great view, Alpine Chough, Snowfinches and sometimes Accentors as well. (http://bergbahnen.zermatt.ch/e/peaks/kleinmatterhorn.html).
Around Zmutt (very nice walk from Zermatt to Zmutt and back) Rock Buntings can be found easily. Check also the first viaduct of the Gornergrat railway for Wallcreeper, but they can be very hard to find.
In the village itself around the House Sparrows, some Italian Sparrows are also begging for food.
May is a good time, but you have to check the snow situation. Gornergrat and Kleines Matterhorn can still be snowed in deeply. Accentors and Choughs (and Snowfinches) can be found lower down then.

Good luck and greetings from Switzerland
André

Thanks for the info Andre, that gives me plenty to look into and plan.

Another advice: take always the first cabelcars or trains in the morning. Later in the day some places are filled with tourists... I once got on the first train to Gornergrat and had some nice Ptarmigans just at the station.

Hi Andre,

Sorry to bother you again but i was wondering if i could try to get a bit more info from you about the Zermatt area.
Do Citril Finch occur in the area ? And what species of woodpecker am i likely to find in the woods around Zermatt ? I was hoping Black might be a possibility?

Many thanks

Craig