Getting There

When I travel, whether past times car, educate or plane, the journeying to in addition to from my goal is oft only equally interesting equally the goal itself; indeed, the landscape or ecosystems encountered en road may attempt to live the highlight of the trip.  Setting out for Switzerland tomorrow morning, I know that the flying from Denver to Washington, DC, volition cross familiar terrain but I'm close sure as shooting to discovery to a greater extent than or less geographic features heretofore unseen.

Having checked the International road on Flight Aware, I likewise know that my minute flying volition caput northeast, crossing New York City, Boston, Nova Scotia in addition to Newfoundland earlier venturing out across the nighttime Atlantic.  Early the side past times side morning, nosotros volition cross Republic of Ireland earlier fishing SSE across England in addition to French Republic to Geneva.  Since I convey never been to Europe (unless I count the eastern one-half of Iceland, which is business office of the Eurasian Plate), this lastly stretch volition live all novel territory, viewed from 30,000 feet.

Of course, I convey secured my window seats in addition to am hoping for clear skies, peculiarly across Europe, fully aware that conditions tin complicate whatever degree of travel.  More on Switzerland inwards the coming weeks.

Exploring The Swiss Plateau

Today, I made a circuit across the Swiss Plateau using the country's fine develop network; shine as well as efficient, the trains render an fantabulous way to explore the landscape.  The Plateau region, nestled betwixt the Alps as well as the Jura mountains, is characterized primarily yesteryear rolling farmlands (dairy cattle as well as sheep predominate), dotted alongside lakes as well as scenic towns.

As a birder, I was pleased to run across a large disclose of dark kites as well as cherry-red kites on my journey, joined yesteryear a one-half dozen white storks.  Though I passed through Lausanne as well as Bern, my principal halt was at Neuchatel, at the base of operations of the Jura Mountains as well as on the due north shore of Lac de Neuchatel.  H5N1 catch to the splendid lakeside commons turned upward several to a greater extent than European birds (red-crested pochards, chaffinches as well as dark redstarts, to advert a few) as well as offered a spectacular sentiment of the Alps to the south.

On my in conclusion leg of the journey, I constitute that vineyards are abundant along the base of operations of the Jura Mountains, sure enough a reflection of the regional climate as well as the limestone geology.  I'll produce my best to back upward their products during my rest inwards Switzerland! 

Edge Of The Alps

This morning, nosotros left Nyon as well as took a educate to Montreux, an upscale urban marrow close the due east halt of Lake Geneva that sits at the border of the Alps.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lakefront promenade, through what is known equally the Montreux Riviera, is adorned amongst a fabulous diverseness of Mediterranean plants as well as offers a spectacular sentiment of the Alps equally it winds along the lakeshore; a host of shops, cafes, monuments, line-fishing decks as well as parks business the walkway.

Home to an International Jazz Festival, Montreux is the quest at which Switzerland's educate network receive enters the Alps for those traveling eastward from Geneva.  From here, 1 tin follow the border of the Alps northeastward to Spiez, Interlaken as well as Luzern or caput into the midpoint of the Swiss Alps to view famous alpine destinations such equally Zermatt, Davos as well as St. Moritz.

Our excogitation for tomorrow is to accept the educate to Interlaken, which sits inwards the Aare River Valley betwixt Lake Brienz as well as Lake Thun.  More on that journeying as well as our adventures along the border of the Alps inwards the coming days. 

Three Alpine Valleys

Leaving Montreux this morning, our develop climbed the mount wall to its eastward as well as crossed a split upwards via a long tunnel.  Exiting that tunnel, nosotros were inwards the wide watershed of the Saane River (or Sarine River inwards French).  Descending along 1 of its tributaries, nosotros enjoyed fabulous views of the high Alps to our south.  At Montbovon, nosotros joined the principal channel of the Sanne as well as followed it upstream equally far equally Gstaad, which sits inwards a beautiful alpine valley.  The Saane itself flows NNW from this area, eventually passing through Fribourg as well as entering the Aare River northwest of Bern.  Of interest, the Saane (or Sarine) but about marks the edge betwixt the French as well as High German linguistic regions of Switzerland.

From Gstaad, the develop climbed northward, leaving the watershed of the Saane as well as entering that of the Simme River.  After dejeuner as well as a alter of trains inwards Zweisimmen, nosotros followed the Simme downwards to the wide Valley of the Aare River, were it joins the Kander River earlier entering Lake Thun, but westward of Spiez.

H5N1 brusk journeying upwards the Aare Valley brought us to Interlaken West, a resort town that sits due north of a high wall of peaks; with these is the famous Eiger, 13,026 feet inwards elevation.  Tomorrow, nosotros excogitation to ascend to higher terrain via a train, motorbus as well as cable machine to savor views of those mountains as well as of the Aare Valley far below.

Into The Alps

On this mild precisely cloudy morning time inwards key Switzerland, nosotros caught a prepare as well as climbed southward from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen a scenic mount town that sits at the oral cavity of a spectacular glacial valley.  Changing from the prepare to a bus, nosotros continued southward through that valley, lined amongst sheer stone walls as well as adorned amongst waterfalls that plunge hundreds of feet to the valley floor.

At Stechelberg, nosotros arrived at the base of operations of a cable car lift, i of iv that took us upward to Schilthorn; this isolated peak, approximately 9700 feet inwards elevation, offers a magnificent, 360 score panorama of the surrounding Alps, including the trio of The Eiger, Monch as well as Jungfrau, all over 13,000 feet.  After enjoying the views, fresh air as well as alpine surroundings (marred alone past times noisy crowds of tourists) nosotros decended ii lifts to Murren, an attractive town of cafes as well as shops that occupies the greener, wooded slopes of Schilthorn; there, dairy cattle graze amidst the wildflowers, their bells echoing across the valley.

Before returning to the lowlands, nosotros caught approximately other prepare that took us upward to Grindelwald, a resort town that sits at the base of operations of The Eiger, its massive hulk looming to the SSW.  After a brief remain as well as to a greater extent than alpine photography, nosotros completed our 24-hour interval inwards the Alps amongst even as well as hence approximately other prepare ride dorsum to Wilderswil, our temporary domicile inwards the Aare River Valley.

Scenic Only Sedate: St. Moritz

Leaving Luzern this morning time nosotros caught a serial of trains to St. Moritz; en route, nosotros passed Lake Zurich together with Lake Walen earlier climbing southeastward through the Alps.  The runway stretch betwixt Chur together with St. Moritz, which crosses numerous bridges together with passes through 55 tunnels, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage railway.  St. Moritz itself sits inward the Inn River Valley, surrounded past times high peaks, together with stretches along the due north together with due west shores of St. Moritz Lake; scenic Lake Silvaplauna is a few miles upstream.

Though my personal expectations were that St. Moritz, a playground for the rich together with famous, would hold out a bustling resort town alongside numerous shops, cafes together with clubs, it is relatively devoid of those amenities together with proved to hold out a rather sedate goal inward early on June.  While historic hotels point the valley walls, many of the buildings are modern structures that are anything simply quaint; nosotros expected a Vail or Aspen similar atmosphere together with establish neither.  St. Moritz does cause got a casino simply nosotros create non programme to indulge.

On the other hand, numerous trails Pb along the lakes together with onto the mount slopes together with several cable cars whisk visitors to alpine vistas.  Indeed, tomorrow nosotros volition locomote to Bernina-Diavolezza, southeast of St. Moritz, together with volition accept a tram to an superlative of nearly 3000 meters.  More on that jeopardy inward my adjacent post.  

To Italy As Well As Back

As planned, nosotros took a develop to Bernina-Diavotezza this morn in addition to boarded a cable machine for a ridgetop vista; unfortunately, the atmospheric condition did non cooperate in addition to our views were express past times dense clouds.  We thence descended much before than planned in addition to made the fortunate determination to proceed southward to Tirano, simply across the border alongside Italy.

While Tirano offered a gustation of Italian life in addition to architecture, including a host of outdoor cafes, our journeying to in addition to from that  town was the highlight of our day.  On our agency south, nosotros climbed to a hold upward past times at Lago Blanco in addition to so began a long, winding descent through a wide glacial valley to Poschiavo in addition to its scenic lake; the latter is drained past times the Poschiavino River, which nosotros followed to Tirano.  This entire stretch of railroad, from St. Moritz to Tirano, is the southernmost department of the UNESCO World Heritage Railway, mentioned inwards yesterday's post.

Along our journeying nosotros crossed alpine tundra, passed remnant glaciers, hugged the border of sheer cliffs, observed magnificent waterfalls, injure through rich subalpine forests in addition to took inwards breathtaking views of deep glacial valleys in addition to the scenic towns that grace their floors.  Had the atmospheric condition been clear in addition to sunny this morn nosotros powerfulness non convey travelled to Tirano in addition to would convey missed approximately of the nearly spectacular alpine scenery inwards Switzerland.

The Glacier Limited To Zermatt

Yesterday, nosotros took The Glacier Express, Switzerland's premier prepare experience, from St. Moritz to Zermatt; en route, nosotros crossed 4 major watersheds in addition to enjoyed spectacular alpine scenery.

Leaving St. Moritz, nosotros climbed northward through the Inn River watershed (a tributary of the Danube) in addition to hence passed through a tunnel to larn inwards the vast watershed of the Rhine; i of Europe's major rivers, the Rhine eventually empties into the North Sea most Rotterdam.  In Switzerland, ii major branches, each amongst several large tributaries, merge to course of teaching the Rhine W of Chur; nosotros descended northward along its southern (or Posterior) fork to that junction in addition to hence climbed westward along its western (or Anterior) fork.  At Oberalppass, nosotros crossed into the watershed of the Reuss River, which flows northward to in addition to through Lucerne (or Luzern) earlier entering the Aare River.  Finally, roughly other long tunnel (the longest inwards the Alps) took us into the Upper Rhone Valley in addition to nosotros descended westward along that river to Visp; at that spot nosotros turned southward in addition to climbed along a Rhone tributary to Zermatt.

Unlike St. Moritz, Zermatt has proved to hold upwards a bustling town, amongst numerous hotel vans attain to recall visitors at the prepare station.  The downtown expanse is lined amongst shops, restaurants, bars in addition to outdoor cafes in addition to the Matterhorn looms to the southwest.  Today, nosotros took the cog railway to Gornergrat, on the alpine tundra to a higher house Zermatt; at that spot nosotros viewed the Matterhorn, the Gorner Glacier in addition to many other high peaks nether clear bluish skies.  On the agency back, nosotros exited the prepare most timberline in addition to endured a winding, half dozen mile hike downwards to our hotel; tomorrow nosotros volition sure enough pay for that decision. 

A Bird's-Eye Stance Of Eagle Bluffs

Returning to Colorado this morning, I flew out of Columbia Regional Airport, inwards key Missouri.  The plane took off to the due south as well as and therefore banked westward, crossing the Missouri River simply due south of Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area.

Fortunately, I had a window spot on the correct side of the aircraft as well as was treated to a fabulous thought of that floodplain preserve, my favorite birding place inwards the Midwest (see Ding Darling of the Midwest).  While I convey oftentimes explored its many pools, channels, marshes as well as woodlands at the world level, I convey never observed them from above.

Indeed, I realized that my perspective matched that of migrant waterfowl, pelicans, cormorants as well as shorebirds equally they brand it from the due south each spring.  Though H2O levels are currently depression across the floodplain, the number of an ongoing drought, it was obvious why this refuge is a magnet for those migrants equally they go upwardly the Missouri Valley, on their means to northern breeding grounds.

Abandoned Nests

On my end solar daytime inwards key Missouri, my married adult woman together with I took a walk some Perry Phillips Lake, but southward of Columbia.  In belatedly jump together with early on summer, nosotros e'er cease at the covered line-fishing deck to lookout adult man the nesting action of barn together with cliff swallows; the quondam house their nests on the cross beams of the construction piece the latter adhere their cavities of mud to angular joints of the roof.

Now, inwards early on August, those nests are abandoned.  While barn swallows nonetheless strafe the lake together with following fields, feasting on insects, the cliff swallows accept moved off to the southwest, showtime their long journeying to southern South America; past times January, during the tiptop of the Southern Summer, they volition caput for North America ane time again, sometimes arriving inwards the Desert Southwest past times belatedly February.  The barn swallows volition migrate southward past times September, wintering inwards to a greater extent than northern regions of South America.

The abandoned nests at Phillips Lake are but some other sign that summertime is winding down, though many days of oppressive oestrus nonetheless prevarication ahead.  Some of us, piece fond of our four-season climate, envy these long-distance travelers, choosing to ignore the many natural together with human-induced threats that they confront along their journey.

Counting Birds Inward Kansas

Yesterday, I made the xi hr crusade dorsum to Metro Denver from Columbia, Missouri.  Since I had my oldest grandson along for the ride, I suggested nosotros count the expose of aeroplane species that nosotros encountered along Interstate lxx inward Kansas.  Knowing that the Kansas segment of our trip covers 422 miles, I expected to reckon xxx species or so; much to my surprise (and frustration), nosotros observed entirely 14.

Contrary to pop perception, the Kansas department of I-70 genuinely crosses an interesting kind of landscape together with habitat, including the eastern woodlands together with river valleys, the Flint Hill grasslands, the Smoky Hills portion together with the Western High Plains; nevertheless, our aeroplane sightings did non tally that diversity.  As i powerfulness expect, European starlings, stone pigeons together with mourning doves were nearly abundant together with a fair expose of red-tailed hawks patrolled the eastern one-half of the State.  The highlight of our count was provided past times 4 Mississippi kites, i distich close Junction City together with the other close Abilene.

While the highway birding was far less than spectacular, inward purpose due to our speed together with the mid summertime conditions, it did continue my grandson entertained together with made that six-hour segment appear shorter.  Perhaps we'll become to elbow grease i time to a greater extent than during the saltation or tumble migration; then, the ranch ponds volition concur to a greater extent than than cattle.

A Sunset Flight

Last evening, my boy (a pilot) together with I took a flying across the Colorado Piedmont, S of Denver.  Leaving Centennial Airport an hr earlier sunset, nosotros headed westward to Chatfield Reservoir together with and therefore turned south, next the base of operations of the foothills.

Crossing over Roxborough State Park, adorned amongst scenic stone formations, nosotros could meet the prominent peaks that ascension along the South Platte River Canyon to our westward together with southwest.  Farther along, nosotros passed the craggy majority of Devil's Head together with continued upwards the Plum Creek Valley to the Palmer Divide.  Angling to the east, nosotros followed the Divide for a brusk distance, catching a sentiment of Monument together with Colorado Springs inwards the Fountain Creek Valley, off to our south.  After curving across the upper tributaries of Cherry Creek (which eventually joins the South Platte inwards downtown Denver), nosotros passed higher upwards the mesas together with buttes that characterize the scenic topography of the Castle Rock region.

As nosotros headed north, well-nigh Sedalia, the Sun educate behind the Front Range together with nosotros could meet the multiple ridges of foothills together with mountains that arrive at a stair-step landscape, leading to the Mt. Evans massif.  After taking it that spectacular view, nosotros headed dorsum to Centennial amongst a fresh appreciation for terrain that nosotros accept long known exclusively from the ground.

Perseids From The Sky

On my regular flights betwixt Colorado in addition to Missouri, I am commonly focused on the ground, studying the topography in addition to rivers; should it live on a nighttime flight, I sentinel for metropolis lights, observing the sequence of towns in addition to cities that I get got come upwards to memorize from my numerous route trips.

But tonight, equally I wing from Denver to Columbia, Missouri, I volition live on watching the sky.  This is the annual pinnacle nighttime for the Perseid Meteor Shower, produced past times remnant debris from the Swift-Tuttle Comet.  As the populace crosses the comet's path some the sun, the dust particles collide amongst in addition to ignite inwards our atmosphere, producing numerous meteors.  The Perseids are oft abundant in addition to are expected to growth inwards coming decades equally the comet's path to a greater extent than closely aligns amongst the ambit of our planet.

As I write this weblog from Denver International Airport, sunset in addition to our takeoff are nonetheless 2 hours away simply the radar shows that atmospheric precipitation is minimal betwixt hither in addition to Columbia, suggesting that high clouds volition non obscure my view.  Though the meteors are best observed later midnight, I promise to run across many from 30,000 feet, far removed from the "light pollution" on the ground.

Off To The Northern Gulf

Since the ruby-red tide was worsening on Longboat Key, nosotros decided to caput to the Northern Gulf Coast as well as settled on Pensacola Beach, an expanse that neither of us had visited.  The vii hr induce was uneventful, rather devoid of interesting wildlife; an exception was a huge discover of cattle egrets on ranchlands to either side of Interstate 10, simply W of Interstate 75.  Also of Federal Reserve annotation was the modify inwards graphic symbol of the rivers, from the clear, tea-colored H2O of the peninsula (flowing through limestone as well as sandy soil) to the muddied H2O of the Panhandle rivers, draining the clay soils of the interior.

Nearing Pensacola, nosotros cutting due south on Route 281, crossing the wide due east arm of Pensacola Bay to Gulf Breeze earlier continuing out to the narrow barrier isle of Pensacola Beach.  As is typical of the Northern Gulf Coast, Pensacola Beach boasts a scenic strip of white sand, backed past times little dunes as well as hotels.  While it is for sure a delightful place for Sun worshipers, surfers as well as boaters, it did non instantly appeal to this naturalist.  We did run across a fair discover of chocolate-brown pelicans on the bay, but solely a handful of sanderlings as well as laughing gulls were observed on the beach.

We'll hold upwardly hither for a couplet of days as well as I'll for sure convey to a greater extent than to study earlier nosotros leave.  Stay tuned!

Crossing Mississippi

Mention the State of Mississippi together with close Americans probable mean value of Delta cotton fiber fields or beautiful Gulf beaches bracing for the side past times side tropical tempest or hurricane.  But close of the State is covered past times wood together with woodlands, a fact that I confirmed every bit nosotros traveled through Mississippi yesterday.

Returning to Missouri, nosotros entered Mississippi westward of Mobile, Alabama, together with exited the State only due south of Memphis, Tennessee.  From the Alabama edge to Hattiesburg, nosotros undulated through the De Soto National Forest, crossing the Chickasawhay together with Leaf Rivers, tributaries of the Pascagoula which enters the Gulf of Mexico.  Between Hattiesburg together with Jackson, the terrain leveled out every bit nosotros crossed the "pine belt" earlier reaching the Pearl River, which too flows to the Gulf.

North of Jackson, woodlands all the same predominate but are broken past times small-scale farms together with ranches together with past times wetlands along the Big Black River together with the upper tributaries of the Yazoo River (all of which menstruation westward to the Mississippi).  On both sides of the Coldwater River, the northernmost of those waterways, wide swamplands had attracted hundreds of neat egrets, providing the natural highlight of our journeying through the State.  

Visiting Coastal Colorado

After my recent locomote to beaches too coastal wetlands of the Southeastern U.S., I idea I would take in Coastal Colorado today, a term I accept previously applied to the lakes, gravel pits, sloughs too canals across the South Platte Valley of northeastern Colorado.

Unlike the Southeastern wetlands, those of the South Platte Valley are non characterized past times lush, verdant vegetation.  Rather, inward this semiarid climate, trees (mostly plains cottonwoods) are constitute exclusively along the river, its top dog tributaries or irrigation canals.  Since this summertime has been specially hot too dry, the natural grasslands accept browned, adorned exclusively past times clumps of prairie sunflowers too rabbitbrush.  Though I saw hundreds (if non thousands) of American white pelicans (especially at Barr Lake State Park), close avian species were express inward number; amid these were Swainson's hawks, American kestrels, western grebes, cattle egrets, Franklin's gulls, American avocets too shorebirds that were also distant to identify.

I accept been visiting this percentage inward slowly summertime for to a greater extent than than 30 years, enjoying the mosaic of shortgrass prairie, cropfields too ranchlands that surroundings the river, lakes too wetlands.  In recent years, however, fracking wells too fossil oil storage tanks accept begun to dominate the scene inward approximately areas too i wonders what comport on they volition accept on the lineament of the H2O too the welfare of the aquatic ecosystems.

Tourism Together With Our National Parks

Anyone who has visited our National Parks inward recent years has certainly noticed a dramatic growth inward the tourist population.  The massive crowds detract from the tranquillity and, to a greater extent than importantly, bring a pregnant touching on on the natural ecology.  As a result, around Parks bring begun to bound access as well as others volition for certain locomote forced to create the same.

Some powerfulness combat that tax-paying citizens ain these natural preserves as well as that whatever limits placed on access is inappropriate if non un-Constitutional.  Of course, other citizens resent the protection of Federal lands altogether, favoring access for grazing, mining, drilling as well as "development."  In the end, nosotros Americans volition bring to determine what should locomote protected for the create goodness of futurity generations as well as for the welfare of our planet as well as its ecosystems.

Those seeking natural retreats without the tourist throngs should consider visiting our National Wildlife Refuges.  Relatively unknown to the full general populace as well as frequently devoid of the "comfort facilities" that nearly tourists seek, they offering around of the greatest wild animals glasses on the planet.  Some of the to a greater extent than pop refuges tin grade notice piece of job past times away a flake congested during altitude viewing seasons only it's nix similar the urbanization of our National Parks.

Back To Snowfall Geese Country

While a fair seat out of snowfall geese migrate southward along the Colorado Front Range, heading for wintering areas inwards New Mexico, their numbers pale inwards comparing to those that move through the Missouri in addition to Mississippi Valleys; these migrants caput for the lower Mississippi Valley in addition to western Gulf Coast, where they pass the wintertime on crop fields in addition to inwards wetlands.

Returning to Missouri for a few weeks, nosotros spent the nighttime inwards Abilene, Kansas, in addition to resumed our journeying this morning, guided past times a Cheshire satelite in addition to brilliant Venus inwards the predawn sky.  Once the Sun rose, I began to scout for flocks of snowfall geese though it's a chip early on all the same for those hardy migrants; unfortunately, I solely saw their large Canadian cousins in addition to a host of raptors equally nosotros crossed Eastern Kansas in addition to Western Missouri.

No doubt, I'll notice enough of snowfall geese (and greater white-fronted geese equally well) earlier returning to Colorado.  After all, I'll endure hanging out inwards the middle of snowfall geese country!

Boredom On The World Roads

Most adult humans relish both the scenery together with the placidity of a solid reason drive, specially during the sunny, colorful months of autumn.  Unfortunately, preteens are non e'er every bit enamored alongside the experience.

Since my oldest grandson (a novice birder) is visiting this weekend, I took him on a crusade through the farmlands due east together with southward of Columbia.  While the temperature hovered nigh freezing, vivid sunshine illuminated the landscape together with an interesting multifariousness of livestock together with wild animals were encountered on our journey; raptors were specially common, including numerous kestrels together with 4 red-shouldered hawks.  And though nosotros failed to discovery migrant snowfall geese, waterfowl occupied most of the lakes together with farm ponds.

It was 1 of those days when I could convey driven nigh for the entire afternoon, allowing the chilly air to waft through my pickup together with soaking inwards the peaceful scenery.  But my companion was bored inside an hour, bespeak what I planned to create next; a brief halt for snacks offered roughly consolation simply nosotros were dwelling shortly thereafter.  The joy of nature exploration, similar that of most human endeavors, is acquired through repetition together with I am pleased to offering that sense to my grandkids, all the same brief the dose.  Over time, I promise it becomes a vital purpose of their lives, every bit it has for me.

December On The Neat Plains

Leaving Columbia, Missouri, at dawn, I headed W too shortly dipped through a dense ice-fog that filled the Missouri River Valley.  Throughout western Missouri, frost-backed cattle grazed inwards icy fields piece stoic red-tailed hawks patrolled the highway from barren trees too band poles.

In eastern Kansas, an atmospheric inversion had order a lid on the Kansas River basin, producing hazy air too keeping the effluent of factories too ability plants inside a few hundred feet of the ground; the inversion broke downwards W of Junction City too brilliant sunshine lit my shape for the residue of the trip.  Throughout key Kansas, where snowbanks lined the highway, numerous flocks of crows, meadowlarks, longspurs too Canada geese moved most the farmlands; the highlight inwards this portion was a large flock of snowfall geese that funneled downwards to a crop field, E of Hays.

Farther west, on the High Plains of western Kansas too eastern Colorado, brilliant sunshine, dry out air too a steady southwest air current warmed the temperature into the depression fifties (F).  Raptors were abundant across this apartment landscape, including rough-legged hawks, prairie falcons, northern harriers, American kestrels too simply about red-tails.  As I approached Denver, the Front Range was backlit past times a spectacular sunset, producing a silhouette of mountains from the Pike's Peak massif to the Wyoming edge too a scenic halt to my Dec journeying across the Great Plains.