It’s hard to believe, but the snow-line is now lower than it was a month ago. Yesterday it was down to the 1600m (5,250ft) mark in our valley compared to around 1,900m (6,235ft) in mid-April, when I did this walk.
It was with this in mind that I drove down to Fully (pronounced to rhyme with Huey, Dewey or Louie) in the Rhone valley yesterday to do another steep walk, or training hike if you like. My aim was to reach a point called Sé Carro* at 2,092m (or 6,864ft), though I expected to hit snow as some point. And so I did – I turned around about 100m (330ft) below the summit, when the snow got a bit deeper and the going was still very steep. (See pic 20).
I again tried my best not to be distracted by the views and various butterflies fluttering around, but when several Cardinals are about you just have to stop. Like any photographer, I’m always looking for that ‘perfect shot’ and so I stopped quite a few times – mainly for the Cardinals. And it was while reaching up to capture one, that another landed right next to it! (See pic 13). In the end, I was glad I did stop so often, as the weather turned decidedly grey and cool and there were not many butterflies around on my return (along the section of the Chemin du Vignoble which I failed to finish a few weeks ago).
I’m often surprised by some of the things I see in Swiss villages, but the trompe l’oeil in picture 28 is just amazing.
*Note that Sé Carro is spelt a number of different ways… The Sé can be seen written as Sex or Scex (all three pronounced like ‘say’ btw). I even saw it as ‘Six Carro’ on one, albeit handwritten, signpost. But I decided not to use the most common, Sex, version in the title of this post, just in case it offended the internet police or attracted the wrong type of reader!
Alittlebitoutoffocus 
The Frits are great but that moth is neat!
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Thanks Brian. The moth was quite large too. I thought it was a butterfly at first. But once it landed, it wasn’t for moving. (Thankfully!)
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Also, I forgot to say… While I was walking back along the Chemin du Vignoble, I heard a bit of a noise overhead from a flock of about 10 birds. I reached for my phone, to record on my newly downloaded BirdNET app. but, by the time I had it ready, they had almost gone past when I took the recording – so it was quite faint. However, when the app analyzed it, it said European Bee-eater. (On other, quite good recordings, it didn’t have an answer – just a possible guess). In terms of what they looked like, the one I saw directly overhead seemed quite large (i.e. starling or blackbird size) and all I recall was a sort of light under wings and a black edge and quite pointed wing tips.
Looking at this website: https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds/birds-of-switzerland/european-bee-eater (which is a fantastic resource btw) it seems to suggest that they are on the increase in Switzerland and they do pass along the Rhone valley. So I cannot be 100% sure, but the sound does seem similar.
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Love Bee-eaters Mike, memories of holidays in the Med! Your shape and size is right and the call, once heard is never forgotten.
We only get the odd few spring overshoots.
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It’s a pity I didn’t get a better sighting. They look to be beautiful birds, but they were too high and quick for me to get a good look. We’re down there again today for our 2nd jabs so I’ll keep my eyes and ears open!
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A very nice walk thanks to the many flowers, orchids, butterflies and other insects. Also beautiful views of the valley. It is always nice to read the report of your walk Mike.
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Many thanks for your comment – it’s my very great pleasure to bring you the images. There were many more flowers, but I didn’t have enough time to look them up. But then it does leave a few ‘new’ ones for next time! 😊
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