This photography trip was almost over before it started. In the wild traffic of the big city of Prague, as an inexperienced rural driver, I got in the way of a van in the next lane. Only thanks to the presence of mind of an experienced (and appropriately angry) driver from the metropolis, there was no collision. After we recovered from this happy ending event, we were able to set off to our destination.

We were really very lucky, because we definitely wouldn’t have reached the destination of our trip on foot. Or maybe yes, but we definitely wouldn’t make it there and back in four days. We had a journey of almost 1100 km to the canton of Walis, in the district of Leuk in Switzerland at an altitude of 1411 m.a.s.l. The spa town of Leukerbad, literally nestled in a deep Alpine valley, is renowned for its thermal springs. It is not a ski resort, so the rhythm of this town is slower, calmer, more comfortable in a way. Just below the steep mountain slopes is the lower station of the cable car, the upper station of which ends at the Gemmipass saddle at an altitude of 2344 m.a.s.l. That was the ultimate destination of our journey.

Just a few tens of meters from the wonderful mountain hotel on the edge of the cliff was our campsite for the next two days. Along the several hundred meter vertical south wall of the Plattenhorner mountain massif 2854 m.a.s.l. in the winter months, the real rulers of the local sky – Bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) fly by. No one knows why several specimens spend part of their lives in this particular place every winter. No more food was noted to occur here than at other sites over this period. They do not even occupy nesting territories here, because they nest in another place in the Alps. On its wide spread wings, it only sails here among the mountain giants, maybe just for fun. As if they were enjoying the surrounding breathtaking views and snowy panoramas. They just fly in to enjoy their winter vacation.

However, an observer or photographer only rarely experiences the experience of being in the immediate vicinity of majestic birds, some days not at all. In my case, during our two-day stay here, I was lucky to be unlucky. During the first day, we observed the eagle vulture at close range twice. In the first case, when one specimen flew by about 20 meters from us, my battery died. Before I could change the battery, of course the eagle owl was there. In the second case, when he appeared under the hotel terrace we were standing on, I had a wide-angle lens on my camera for a change. So a strong experience, yes, but no photos. Fortunately, the eagle owls gave me one more chance. They let us admire their majesty right in the vertical rock wall of the Plattenhorner massif, even if only from a distance.

But the time between the arrivals of the eagle-vultures was not just about waiting in periodic gusts of mild gales. On the edge of the cliff, which opened below us, for some kind of invisible crumbs or grains of food, throughout the frosty but sunny day, Alpine accentor (Prunella collaris) flew by. Their contrasting and rather colorful coloring made them very photogenic objects on the white snow. Not to mention the fun we had watching them fly around in search of food on this inhospitable piece of land.

However, the real showmen, entertainers and aerial acrobats were completely different companions. Yellow-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus), like all crow-like birds, are very intelligent creatures. Moreover, they live in flocks that follow complex social behavior. He is not afraid of man. Especially when they see that he has something edible in his hand, their escape distance is not even one meter. The bravest will even take a bite out of your hand. We could stand watching their endless bickering and aerial stunts all day.

There are not many other natural attractions at this place. Citizen circling of a Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in the distance along the vertical limestone walls or a passing Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) heading for the evening pasture. And of course the breathtaking panoramas of the Valais and Bernese Alps in the setting sun.

It is obvious that I will not miss another visit to this charming corner of the winter mountains. I hopelessly missed both opportunities to photograph the local majestic eagle-vultures. I hope they give me another chance.