Birding halfway up the Alps (1 Viewer)

[Richard Prior]

February already, time for me to come out of hibernation I suppose..... I do tend to keep death of the roads by not driving much in the depths of winter, so unfortunately not a lot to report since November. The Alps have had a few good dumps of snow so the ski resorts are very happy with conditions - and the fact that the tourists have returned to enjoy them of course. My rugby ravaged knees keep me off the pistes these days but we have done a few decent walks, mostly in the forests roundabout which are incredibly quiet when there's snow on the ground, last week for example I hiked up from a nearby village, ascending 700 metres (2300ft!!) and in the four hours there and back I managed just six species in a mostly beech forest interspersed with conifers: Robin, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Crested Tit plus Raven and a cracking adult Golden Eagle patrolling the sheer mountain face above the trees. I was hoping to perhaps get lucky with Three-toed Woodpecker but all was silent, not even a Great Spotted to be heard.
Just one outing by road a bit further afield so far this year, down to the Rhône and Lac du Bourget with Bittern, we missed the day's target birds, two Pygmy Cormorant which are wintering on the river, but as well as nearly standing on a Bittern while hoping to find Jack Snipe I actually scored a new bird for my feeble French List, a Velvet Scoter! For anyone coming to Geneva or Annecy for holiday or business, be aware that thefre are wintering Wallcreeper as usual this winter on the Chateau at Annecy and at the Fort de l'Ecluse on the Rhône downstream from Geneva.
At home there have been no real surprise birds, our first ever wintering male Middle Spotted Woodpecker was joined by a female at the feeder the other day and two male Sparrowhawk are keeping the tits and finches on their toes. When the snow was particularly deep the expected Alpine Accentor appeared and Willow Tit came to the feeders for a few days, the first winter that has happened since we moved to this house in 2016. The elm tree is looking particularly majestic too!

 

[Scridifer]

Congratulations on the Velvet Scoter Richard!

Chris

 

[KenM]

Mmmm…that Wallcreeper is tempting Richard 👍

 

[Scridifer]

Mmmm…that Wallcreeper is tempting Richard 👍

Go for it Ken, you know you want to!

Chris

 

[Richard Prior]

Mmmm…that Wallcreeper is tempting Richard 👍

Of course, Murphy's Law would guarantee dipping out if a one day 'tick and run' attempt was made, the Annecy one has often eluded me when I've wandered around below the outer walls of the chateau when my wife has had appointments in town, I think it has too much of a choice of tall historic buidings!
I had a scan of the cliffs in nearby Thônes earlier today as I found two on there last winter, but just a Kestrel acting territorial already and a Chamois doing its death-defying clambering about.
I set up my trail camera a few nights back as I wanted to spy on any Red Deer that might try and munch our Stone Pine despite me having built a wire fortress around it after the damage they did last winter. So far so quiet on the Red Deer front, but a few nocturnal visitors captured, Roe Deer, Badger, Red Fox, Pine Marten, the neighbour's ginger Tomcat and one of the Border Collies from the nearby farms. Another feline slipped through wothout tarrying, so the only pictures show it approaching in the distance and its tail end as it continued on its way. There are no tabby-type domestic cats in the vicinity and the ringed tail with a big black tip has me wondering about Wildcat , answers on a postcard please..................

 

[KenM]

Can’t help you with the feline Richard….but! you’ve got enough critters up there to open a “blinking”zoo. 😂👍

 

[Richard Prior]

Can’t help you with the feline Richard….but! you’ve got enough critters up there to open a “blinking”zoo. 😂👍

Err, Ken, you might want to sit down before reading the following re. my jaunt 'down river' yesterday: Feb 11th 2022 Another rare (at least in the last two years) day out birding ‘in the lowlands’, starting where ‘our’ river the Fier ends its course as it meets the mighty Rhône. Although from beginning to end it's only 72kms long (45miles in old money) it changes from a mountain stream to a powerful transporter of water, so much so that there’s a hydro – electric power station towards the end in one of three impressive gorges that it has forged over the years. I was surprised that some local people up here nearer its source thought it tipped into and formed Lake Annecy but it skirts the town to its north in fact. So heavy rain at dawn gave way to a cool breezy day which got sunnier as the hours passed, nevertheless I was wearing four layers to begin with, straightaway finding a pair of Red-crested Pochard on the last few metres of the Fier. The level of the Rhône here (just south of Seyssel if you want to check on map apps) varies a lot, dependent on another hydro station upstream, when the level is lowered it results in some nice sandy/muddy banks being exposed and the reedbed edges can be good, especially in Spring and Autumn, it’s a good spot for finding Spotted and Little Crakes for example. However, despite plenty of mud visible I couldn’t even find a Water Rail and the only Common Snipe was a heard only. Three Pintail were a sight for sore eyes for yours truly though and plenty of Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck and a handful of Common Pochard were present. More unexpected (but not something I could get really excited about) was a Ruddy Shelduck, they are increasingly common in Switzerland these days but this was actually the first I’ve seen in France (I still prefer to watch them on the mountain lakes of Armenia though ). My first singing Chaffinch and Woodpigeon of the year made it start to feel almost Spring – like and I got an earful of abuse from two or three Cetti’s Warbler. I carefully checked any floating or washed up tree trunks and branches in case the long staying Pygmy Cormorant had wanderd up the dozen kilometres or so from Chanaz where it was seen earlier in the week. Just Great Cormorant and Yellow-legged Gull to be found though. Down river at Chanaz I walked along the riverbank to two different dams and another hydro power plant but no Pygmy Cormorant there either. Still some very smart Goosander, a female Sparrowhawk, a dozen Reed Bunting and a tight feeding flock of c40 Siskin maintained my interest. On leaving the village I stopped at the same gateway from where last month Bittern and I had scanned the cliff face that overlooks the canal linking the Rhône and Lac du Bourget. This time I was in luck, with my first sweep of the bins there scowling at me before closing its eyes again was a magnificent Eagle Owl! I set up the ‘scope and on trying to relocate the exact ledge I jammed in on a Wallcreeper, as the character in the Mask would say “somebody stop me!" Flushed with my success I set off north but did a short diversion and turned to go upstream of the Fier to the last gorge it passes through before finishing its course, I was hoping to perhaps find a wintering Crag Martin or two as they have been seen there in previous years. I had forgotten that there is a noisy and unsightly quarry in the gorge so just did a desultory scan, nothing except a male Kestrel that flew from one side of the quarry to the other and landed on an outcrop – out from the rock flew another Wallcreeper 😮 which proceeded to do a peculiar looping and swooping flight around the crag (I think it was angry!) before deciding discretion was the better part of valour and landing well away from the falcon. Despite being a non-betting man I was seriously tempted to buy a euromillions Loto ticket after such a jammy end to my day! Back home, we continue to receive nocturnal visits by the Pine Marten, Badgers and Roe Deer, plus the possible Wild Cat...

 

[Scridifer]

t Down river at Chanaz I walked along the riverbank to two different dams and another hydro power plant but no Pygmy Cormorant there either. Still some very smart Goosander, a female Sparrowhawk, a dozen Reed Bunting and a tight feeding flock of c40 Siskin maintained my interest. On leaving the village I stopped at the same gateway from where last month Bittern and I had scanned the cliff face that overlooks the canal linking the Rhône and Lac du Bourget. This time I was in luck, with my first sweep of the bins there scowling at me before closing its eyes again was a magnificent Eagle Owl! I set up the ‘scope and on trying to relocate the exact ledge I jammed in on a Wallcreeper, as the character in the Mask would say “somebody stop me!" Flushed with my success I set off north but did a short diversion and turned to go upstream of the Fier to the last gorge it passes through before finishing its course, I was hoping to perhaps find a wintering Crag Martin or two as they have been seen there in previous years. I had forgotten that there is a noisy and unsightly quarry in the gorge so just did a desultory scan, nothing except a male Kestrel that flew from one side of the quarry to the other and landed on an outcrop – out from the rock flew another Wallcreeper 😮 which proceeded to do a peculiar looping and swooping flight around the crag (I think it was angry!) before deciding discretion was the better part of valour and landing well away from the falcon. Despite being a non-betting man I was seriously tempted to buy a euromillions Loto ticket after such a jammy end to my day! Back home, we continue to receive nocturnal visits by the Pine Marten, Badgers and Roe Deer, plus the possible Wild Cat... What a cracking day Richard! 🍻 Chris

 

[KenM]

A very nice collection of shots Richard 👍

I enjoyed the EO, but that’s a cracking pin sharp Pintail…..where’s the WC tho.😂

 

[Richard Prior]

A very nice collection of shots Richard 👍

I enjoyed the EO, but that’s a cracking pin sharp Pintail…..where’s the WC tho.😂

Don't be so catty

 

[KenM]

Don't be so catty

“Me-eeeow”😀

 

[birdmeister]

Richard, what a delightful Pintail shot! I know it's not full-frame, but that background is so complementary and looks like a watercolor on a portrait.

 

[Richard Prior]

Cheers! It was clearly my lucky day BM and the camera wasn’t even on the usual setting for moving objects !

 

[Farnboro John]

That looks quite a nice cat.

Plus points: Tail rings are completely separate and there isn't a visible line up onto the rump. In the side on shot the body stripes look complete and not dotty. The cat overall looks sizeable and heavily built.

Not quite so good points: tail could be thicker especially at the tip; not much in the way of leg stripes but it's a European Wildcat and they don't all seem to be as heavily marked as African.

I'd say if you are clearly in range I can't see why not. You'd have to be very lucky these days to get a better one.

Cheers

John

 

[David_]

A few weeks ago I searched for information on European Wildcats in Germany. While doing this I also came upon on the final report of a Swiss Wildcat monitoring program released at the end of 2021. Maybe you are interested (it‘s available in German and French). On the website is also some information where to report sightings

 

[Richard Prior]

A few weeks ago I searched for information on European Wildcats in Germany. While doing this I also came upon on the final report of a Swiss Wildcat monitoring program released at the end of 2021. Maybe you are interested (it‘s available in German and French). On the website is also some information where to report sightings

Thanks David, I will read it with interest!

 

[Warixenjalka]

IMHO it's a Wild cat. But it can be hybrid too. If you are in Facebook, put the picks on "Mammal Watching Europe" group.

 

[bittern]

February already, time for me to come out of hibernation I suppose..... I do tend to keep death of the roads by not driving much in the depths of winter, so unfortunately not a lot to report since November. The Alps have had a few good dumps of snow so the ski resorts are very happy with conditions - and the fact that the tourists have returned to enjoy them of course. My rugby ravaged knees keep me off the pistes these days but we have done a few decent walks, mostly in the forests roundabout which are incredibly quiet when there's snow on the ground, last week for example I hiked up from a nearby village, ascending 700 metres (2300ft!!) and in the four hours there and back I managed just six species in a mostly beech forest interspersed with conifers: Robin, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Crested Tit plus Raven and a cracking adult Golden Eagle patrolling the sheer mountain face above the trees. I was hoping to perhaps get lucky with Three-toed Woodpecker but all was silent, not even a Great Spotted to be heard.
Just one outing by road a bit further afield so far this year, down to the Rhône and Lac du Bourget with Bittern, we missed the day's target birds, two Pygmy Cormorant which are wintering on the river, but as well as nearly standing on a Bittern while hoping to find Jack Snipe I actually scored a new bird for my feeble French List, a Velvet Scoter! For anyone coming to Geneva or Annecy for holiday or business, be aware that thefre are wintering Wallcreeper as usual this winter on the Chateau at Annecy and at the Fort de l'Ecluse on the Rhône downstream from Geneva.
At home there have been no real surprise birds, our first ever wintering male Middle Spotted Woodpecker was joined by a female at the feeder the other day and two male Sparrowhawk are keeping the tits and finches on their toes. When the snow was particularly deep the expected Alpine Accentor appeared and Willow Tit came to the feeders for a few days, the first winter that has happened since we moved to this house in 2016. The elm tree is looking particularly majestic too!

With respect to the Fort l'Ecluse Wallcreeper, I was up there today and found one within a couple of minutes of arriving at the site but after taking a more careful look I realised that there are currently two present which were chasing each other about doing circuits around the fort.

Mike (bittern)

 

[Richard Prior]

And one singing in the gorge on the old Annecy to Geneva road this weekend apparently, they're starting to get frisky!

Feb 20

Despite the cold nights and occasional snowfalls (the most recent of which produced a brief visit to the garden from an Alpine Accentor), the longer days now are starting to have an effect on the birds, the Mistle Thrushes have now been joined in song by Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Siskin. After none since a single bird on January 1st, a few Woodpigeon have returned, other ‘altitudinal’ migrants such as European Starling, Red Kite and White Wagtail have also reappeared. We’re getting up to six Hawfinch feeding in the garden currently and after a few days’ absence one of the Middle Spotted Woodpeckers reappeared today, posing on the cherry tree with its larger cousin.

The first few primroses are out on south facing banks near the village and a smart white Stoat was looking a bit too conspicuous for its own safety in the field opposite as most of the snow has melted. I moved the camera trap into the bit of woodland on our field’s edge and put a few pieces of salmon skin and some peanuts on the ground, a Badger, Pine Marten and Fox visited but no Roe Deer that night, they become more active in the daytime in February as the hunting of them has finished (I think, though Wild Boar shoots continue, another person out for a stroll was killed by a stray bullet yesterday further south in France, that’s over 400 deaths since 2001 I read). A nice male came almost up to the kitchen window the other afternoon (a Deer, not a hunter ).

 

[KenM]

Terrible annual mortality rate (just for France Richard?…20 deaths per annum absolutely shocking!!
Next time you venture out, wrap up with a “bullet proof”😮

Seeing your “boring”😩 Hawfinch shots coincided with a phone call from a colleague, who reported a single bird c1.5 miles away….so I live in hope. 😀