Birding Around the World

JULY 25:

Life has gotten crazy again so I am behind in posting — so posting one last time about my amazing trip to Switzerland!

At the beginning of my last week there, I had a free afternoon, so I took the bus up the valley to Lake Mauvoisin for birding and sightseeing. The cable car views down to catch the bus were beautiful as always:

River down at the bottom:

A few birds were around, such as EURASIAN BLUE TIT:

And GREAT TIT:

The bus wound its way through narrow Swiss villages, scraped over tight switchbacks, and gradually climbed up the valley toward Mauvoisin:

The views along the way were nothing to scoff at.

Birds were around too like TREE PIPIT:

YELLOW-BILLED CHOUGH:

EURASIAN ROBIN:

Female COMMON CHAFFINCH:

Lifer Alpine Ibex was awesome to see on the hike up to the lake:

After a brief but somewhat steep hike uphill, I was rewarded with partially-cloud-obstructed views of Lake Mauvoisin:

And the view looking the other way atop the dam:

Then, as I was waiting for the bus back to Verbier to arrive, I got caught in the rain — but not before my lifer CRESTED TIT, my bird-of-the-day, decided to just randomly feed in the tree next to where I was standing! Awesome!

And I have to add a few Verbier performance pics now that the festival is over. Here are a couple snapshots from the Lied concert:

And from the opera, The Rake’s Progress:

Verbier was AMAZING! (20 lifers this trip, bringing my list to 1169) But stay tuned for more epic birding: Idaho is next!

Happy birding,
Henry

MONDAY, JULY 24:

Despite still feeling cruddy, I mustered up the energy this afternoon to take the lift up to La Chaux, above Verbier, to do some hiking and birding. I was glad I risked the iffy weather and was rewarded with these incredible cloud-studded vistas:

And marmots!

A nice alpine species, NORTHERN WHEATEAR:

And more gorgeous views:

BLACK REDSTART:

Awesome to get a photo of this RING OUZEL:

And this is where I topped out, despite not making it to my goal of a high glacial tarn — I was just a bit too sickly and out of breath to make the final push.

And I was ecstatic to photograph this WHITE-WINGED SNOWFINCH, a species I regretted missing photographing back in Mürren, and my bird-of-the-day for today!

WATER PIPIT:

The gondola ride back down was so interesting — first, I started above the lower clouds:

Entering the fog:

Then, along the slopes, it was windy and stormy within the cloud layer:

And approaching Verbier again, it was clear! That’s mountain weather!

Stay tuned!

good birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1168 Species

Upon waking up today, I found myself ill — hence why I had the time to write a blog post in the middle of this young artist program.

It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least, here I am performing with the Kandinsky Quartet the other day!

And I was sick in bed most of the day but mustered up the energy to sit on the balcony this afternoon to this gorgeous view:

And of course, I brought my camera for birds! And birds did I find! In this “little sit” of sorts (as opposed to a “big sit”), I found a modest nineteen species including this EURASIAN MAGPIE:

HOUSE SPARROWS in their natural range and habitat:

BLACK REDSTART:

Distant RED CROSSBILL:

Brief look at a EURASIAN GREENFINCH:

Female EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH:

Still waiting on an ID for this (immature?) passerine sp — any ideas?

GREAT TIT:

Female EUROPEAN SERIN:

And this singing male gave astonishing views from the top of a nearby conifer, and he will be my bird-of-the-day!

With runner-up to the earlier Red Crossbills.

Sucks to be sick here, but great to see some birds!

On July 30, I perform in the Rake’s Progress here (streamed live on medici tv) and then on August 1 I fly to Idaho for a week!

Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1168 Species

We made it to Verbier, my home for the next few weeks as a Verbier Festival Young Artist!

Yesterday a surprise lifer was this EURASIAN CRAG-MARTIN right outside our window! Hopefully, I can get a better photo of one sometime.

Today dad and I went on a beautiful hike to a gorgeous point overlooking Verbier and the Val de Bagnes.

My first COMMON BUZZARD of the trip flew over:

And, I found another lifer: a GOLDCREST, similar to our Kinglets back home! Awesome!

However, I also “lost” a lifer today as the Cordilleran & Pacific-slope Flycatchers in the western USA, both of which I have seen, where recently lumped by the ABA to become one species: the Western Flycatcher. So this gives me a net total of one life bird for this post.

Bird-of-the-day to the Goldcrest with runner-up to the Eurasian Crag-Martin. Now, time to sing!

Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1168 Species (2 life birds: Eurasian Crag-Martin & Goldcrest)

After our final breakfast in Mürren, my dad and I packed our bags and started our journey to Verbier by train. We enjoyed the final views from Mürren and Winteregg:

As well as river views on our second train of the day:

One of our rail layovers today would be Spiez, a beautiful town on Lake Thurnesee which we had passed on our way into Mürren. Seeing that we would stop there today, too, I planned a walking tour of Spiez to be our “activity” for the day: stopping by the Schloß castle, a walk along Lake Thurnesee for birds, and lunch before continuing our train journey to Verbier. The walk through town was gorgeous:

And birds were seen along the way, like this EURASIAN KESTREL:

Getting mobbed by a COMMON SWIFT:

EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE; great to see in its native range:

As well as HOUSE SPARROW — I never take photos of these back home, but in their native range, sure!

Grapes!

BLUE TIT:

A brief stop on the grounds of Castle Schloß was gorgeous.

And I spotted a view birds in the lake such as this immature GREAT CRESTED GREBE, a bird I have seen very few times before!

MALLARD duckling:

And this BLACK KITE, my first of the trip:

The walk along the lake was decent for birds, too, with EURASIAN SERIN:

EURASIAN COOT:

Family of WHITE WAGTAIL:

CARRION CROW:

YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS:

The views did NOT disappoint!

“Classic” view of a BLACKCAP, these guys are loud but near impossible to spot:

BLACK-HEADED GULL was nice to see in it’s “more-expected” range; I have seen these as vagrants in North America before.

Nice family of COMMON MERGANSERS:

RED KITES:

Then, I found this small, drab-colored passerine which turned out to be my first COMMON NIGHTINGALE of the trip, and I think possibly my photographic life bird!

Nice to see some COMMON HOUSE-MARTINS at a nesting site:

BLACK REDSTART:

Bye-bye, EURASIAN MAGPIE:

And more beautiful Spiez views before getting back on the trains to Visp, Martigny, Le Châble, and eventually, Verbier!

Finally, by 16:30 in the afternoon, we made it to Verbier, my home for the next three weeks as a Verbier Festival young artist! I have one full day off tomorrow, I move in with my host family sunday, and then the festival commences on monday! (at which point I will stop posting unless I stumble upon something really unexpected or new)

Bird-of-the-day to the Common Nightingale with runner-up to the Great Crested Grebe. In case I don’t post until then, “see you” in Idaho/August!

Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1147 Species