You beat me too it Delia!
Hi Jude, yes I'm not a million kms from Marlens (about 30 I guess) but I have never birded there, I know it's a wintering spot for Red - billed Chough which is no help if you're coming in the summer holidays of course! That area will be good for breeding Red backed Shrike for sure and Dave Parker who holidayed not far from there a few years back, had Golden Oriole and Bee Eater if I remember correctly. no doubt Black Woodpecker will be not uncommon in wooded areas . Lake Annecy is not particularly good though there is a reserve at the southern end of the lake with reedbeds, but in general the lake is a tourist playground so you'll see more boats and paddleboards than birds in summer.
Depending on how fit you are, the potential for doing some mountain birding is good, for example, not far from you will be La Tournette mountain (overlooking Lac Annecy) which could give you Wallcreeper and a chance of Ptarmigan up near the summit plus other more common mountain species like Water Pipit and Wheatear. Walking from near Le Bouchet up towards Mt Charvin is where the Red billed Chough are in summer, but my favourite (and more accessible if you have a car) high altitude birding day out is at the Col de la Colombière, above Le Grand Bornand. in July and August it can get a bit busy so an early start is advisable. On a walk from the road up to the Lac de Peyre you would be unlucky not to see Griffon Vulture, Lammergeier, Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Common Kestrel, Alpine Chough, Raven, (Red-billed Chough occasionally seen there too). Crag Martins nest near the col parking area and other regular breeding species include Rufous - tailed Rock Thrush, Ring Ousel, Dunnock, Alpine Accentor, Northern Wheatear , White Wagtail, Water Pipit, Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Linnet, Citril Finch, Snowfinch (above the Lac) and Rock Bunting. Rock Partridge breed in the vicinity but I have yet to see one, I have heard one once in the past 14 years 😮 Wallcreeper breed high up there too.
I've probably omitted something obvious so will let you know when my old brain reminds me!
All the best.
