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On the third day of my holiday in Switzerland (13th July) it was not a good forecast, so I ventured back from Filisur to Rapperswil by train.

Rapperswil promised a walk on the boardwalk across the causeway between Rapperswil and Pffafikon, possibly seeing birdlife and taking photos of the trains and the castle. I found I couldn't get the castle and the trains in the same picture very easily.

From Rapperswil, the S-bahn trains take you into Zurich via Zurich Stadelhofen, where I stopped off to see the trams and the Forchbahn trains.

The square at Stadelhofen is sheltered by Plane trees and there are expensive shops, the Opera House is beyond and a large public square next to Lake Zurich and the lake steamers.

From Stadelhofen, it is easy to go through Zurich main station to Dietikon, where i caught the Bremgarten (BDWM) train through Bremgarten to the woods at Erdmannlistein. I have not been here since 2011 - there were Map butterflies here then and Silver Washed Fritillaries - this time I saw Map almost immediately in a brief 10 minute spell of sunshine, a Brimstone and Ringlet - no Silver Washed Fritillaries though.

On the fourth day of my holiday (Sunday 14th July) it was forecast sunny in Schwyz for the only time in the week, so I visited Biberbrugg.

This is an interesting site because it includes wetland and associated woodland.

I managed to find Scarce Large Blue and Lesser Marbled Fritillary, along with False Heath Fritillary, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Small Skipper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Marbled White and Small White.

I left after lunch, working my way back to Filisur via Unterterzen - to try and photo trains and the Walensee, and Sargans - another scenic spot.

Again, that scenery is breathtaking, Jason. Is the weather always so unreliable in Switzerland in mid July though?

Love the summer brood Maps by the way!

No, David, the weather is usually much more reliable - I hope to have 4 or 5 days of sunshine out of 6 days in a holiday in Switzerland.

I think I have just been unfortunate - looking at the weather either side of my holidays so far, it has been good.

On the 5th day of my holiday (July 15th) it was again forecast dull, so I went looking for the new Class 526 working the Voralpen Express. I traveled up and down between Rapperswil and Biberbrugg several times, but no luck though. I walked the boardwalk at Rapperswil again but couldn't improve my photos.

Returned to Filisur via Sargans and Chur. I caught the DB ICE 1 train between Sargans and Chur - very austere seating in 1st Class.

At Filisur there was a little sunshine and I managed to see Comma and False Heath Fritillary = a new species for me at Filisur.

On the 6th day of my holiday (July 16th), it was sunny all day - the best butterfly day of my holiday.

I went to 4 sites and saw over 30 species of butterfly.

I decided to go up Muottas Muragl, but because it would not warm up until later, I visited Val Roseg first - a short walk from Pontresina.

I was rewarded with Amanda's Blue, Titania's Fritillary, Lesser Marbled Fritillary, Almond-eyed Ringlet, Large Ringlet, Common Blue, Large Grizzled Skipper, Chequered Skipper, Alpine Heath, Purple-edged Copper and Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

You sure made the most of that sunny day, Jason. That's a great species line-up, and nice that you can get Chequered Skipper in mid-July!!

I left Val Roseg at about 1030 to walk back to the station at Pontresina on 16th July.

On arriving at the base station, just after 1100, for the funicular to Muottas Muragl, there was a significant queue.

It took 30 minutes before I was on the funicular, then had to stand for 10 minutes - this was rather tiring so curtailed my walking at the top.

Next time, it is probably best to go at 0900 and walk as high as possible, even though it may be cool for butterflies.

There weren't as many butterflies as on my visit in August last year, but I immediately found Mountain Marsh Fritillary.

Walking higher up. i found my target species - Cynthia's Fritillary, but it was very worn already - so must come next year for a better specimen.

I also found Silky Ringlet - a first for me, Alpine Heath, Mountain Clouded Yellow and Dusky Grizzled Skipper.

There were several free horses where I saw the Mountain Marsh Fritillaries when I returned there - so the vegetation and flowers were sparse.

On returning to the base station at Punt Muragl, I managed to see a Dark Green Fritillary for the first time.

At 1400 on 16th July, I took the train from Punt Muragl a short distance down the valley to La Punt Chamues-ch.

Here it is possible to find Damon Blue and the usual Fritillaries and Ringlets.

I managed Niobe Fritillary, Titania's Fritillary and Lesser Marbled Fritillary, as well as Purple-edged Copper.

Damon Blue is an easy butterfly to identify from the underside, but it is difficult to photograph well.

The last site I visited on 16th July was of course back at base at Filisur at 1700.

The village has returned to normal after the invasion of 6000 people for the One Love Festival!!

This was 5 nights of pop music, and I mean from 2300 to 0700 - the night time!!

I managed to see the White Admiral and Comma sparring again for territory, also Arran Brown and Black-veined White.

A Small Blue was a first for Filisur and I saw a nicely posing Spotted Fritillary.

On the last day of my holiday in Switzerland (July 17th), I had a chance to look around Filisur in the morning.

I found a nice Knapweed Fritillary posing on Knapweed, but otherwise the usual, Meadow Brown, Marbled White and Dark Green Fritillary.

The Glacier Express was 45 minutes late at Filisur - probably a locomotive problem at St Moritz.

The RhB Crocodile was on time though.

So, goodbye to Filisur for another year - I have booked for next year, but not at the same time as the One Love Festival!!

To summarize my latest holday - I saw 54 species - only slightly down on last years 58 species.

I was very pleased to find Purple-shot Copper, Thor's Fritillary, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Map, Scarce Large Blue, Amanda's Blue and Mountain Marsh Fritillary. But I missed out on Swallowtail, High Brown Fritillary, Sooty Copper, Scarce Copper, Dryad, Clouded Yellow and Pale Clouded Yellow.

There is always the next holiday in August!

Various people have helped me find butterflies in Switzerland - they include Guy Padfield, Michel Baudraz, Yannick Chittaro, Mike Brown,
Keith Newman, Tony Steele, David Irven and Paul Wetton.

If you are interested in visiting Switzerland and would like some ideas on where to go, I am always happy to help - see my website for contact details.

At home today, it was almost sunny and there was some activity on the buddleias - Painted Ladies, a Comma and a Peacock.

There was a nice Peacock on the buddleia in my front garden today.

Two Holly Blues were chasing around the Symphoricarpos, but I couldn't get a decent photo.

The Peacock was taken with the close up photo technique.

I have just returned from my last trip to Switzerland this year.

On the first day of my trip (August 8th), the priority was to sample the new Voralpen Express, running from Luzern to St Gallen.

I took the train from Brig to Luzern and traveled from Luzern to Arth Goldau in the new train - quite comfortable in second class.

At Arth I took the bus down to Arth am See and walked round the lake towards the railway and up to a viewpoint where I could get a good photo of the train with the lake in the background. It was rather warm (mad dogs and englishmen go out in the midday sun) - I was very hot and sweaty by the time I climbed up over the motorway and under the railway.

On returning to Arth, I caught the train to Biberbrugg - the twin peaks of the Mythen appeared from among the clouds at last.

At Biberbrugg I found some rather worn White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries. The Scarce Large Blues were looking faded. However, there was a nice Map butterfly feeding on the thistles and Brimstones were feeding on their favourite Cabbage Thistles.

I returned to Brig via Wadenswil and Zurich - the views of Lake Zurich are always special as the train descends toward to the lake.

Beautiful scenery again, Jason, and I really envy you those Scarce Large Blues, irrespective of their condition.

On the 2nd day of my holiday in Switzerland (August 9th), the weather forecast was for 20 C and sunny on the Simplon Pass.

So I took the Post Bus from Brig, but first stopped off at Rothwald Ganterwald. I followed the metaled road behind the hotel towards the sunshine.

Here I found Dark Green Fritillary, Scarce Copper and Large Ringlet.

I briefly saw a Swiss Grayling, but once it landed, it withdrew its upper wing and disappeared - I could not see it with the camera.

I don't seem to be very good at Graylings - there is always next year though.

After this, I also found Heath Fritillary and Queen of Spain Fritillary.

Following my excursion in Rothwald on the second day of my holiday (9th August), I took the Post Bus for a further 10 minutes up to Simplon Pass.

The last time I visited Simplon Pass 6 years ago, it was early July, the season was late, I saw butterflies such as Green Hairstreak, Grizzled Skipper and Small Blue.

This time I managed 18 species, mostly common mountain species, such as Scarce and Purple-edged Copper, Niobe Fritillary, Idas Blue and
Silver-spotted Skipper.

It was very windy, and there do not appear to be many sheltered spots for butterflies. It was difficult to photograph them and very difficult to film the butterflies.

More interesting species included Shepherds Fritillary, Marbled Ringlet, Swiss Brassy Ringlet, Pearly Heath. Others included Clouded Yellow, Chalkhill Blue, Large Grizzled Skipper.

There are spectacular views at Simplon Pass, under the eyes of the Big Bird (Eagle) and down to Brig on the bus journey back.

I returned to Brig on the Post Bus, arriving just after 1430 on the 9th August.

I decided to visit Leuk, just up the Rhone Valley - about 20 minutes away by train.

At Leuk there was a significant difference in the temperature from the Simplon Pass - it was 33 C and calm, compared to 20 C and windy.

So I only ventured as far as the waterfall - otherwise it was mad dogs again.

I added some new butterflies for the trip, but because it was so hot, not much was flying.

Butterflies seen included Spotted Fritillary, Great Sooty Satyr, Chalkhill Blue and Mallow Skipper.

I returned to Brig, cooling down in the air conditioned train!

On the third day of my holiday (August 10th), it was very wet.

i took the train down the valley to Martigny - still raining here, so on to Lausanne.

From Lausanne I headed to Zurich, along Lake Neuchatel and Lake Biel.

There were badly dressed young people on both trains playing loud music - very annoying.

At Zurich, I found out why - it was the day of the Zurich Street Parade.

I don't know why young people want to dress badly and play terrible music.

I took some photos of the trams outside Zurich Main Station and some photos of trains in the station.

Another problem in Switzerland (despite it being one of the best countries in the world to live in) is the graffiti - here on brand new Class 502 trains, paid for by all the Swiss people.

On the fourth day of my holiday in Switzerland (Sunday 11th August), it was a good forecast.

So I ventured down the valley to Martigny, took the bus down the Rhone Valley and began the climb up to the summer Cardinal site.

I gave myself 30 minutes walking uphill to get there - it was very hot and I eventually gave up - too far for me.

I saw some Whites, Adonis Blue and Provencal Short-tailed Blue, but no Cardinals.

I will have to be happy with visiting the Cardinals in the Spring - at least that site is more easily reached.

There were good views back to Martigny, you can just see the Castle.

Because it was Sunday, the buses ran only every 2 hours - so I took the bus back along the valley and walked to a local Vineyard.

By the bus stop there were 2 Buddleias - with Painted Lady, Silver-washed Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary, Marbled Fritillary Wall, Dryad and Clouded Yellow.

At the vineyard I found Adonis Blue, Mallow Skipper, Spotted Fritillary. I saw briefly Scarce Swallowtail and Tree Grayling. The Tree Grayling evaded photography in the same way as the Swiss Grayling previously, pulling in its upper wing and disappearing to the eye of the camera.

Great that you saw Dryad, Jason. It's a species that I always seem to just miss given that I abandon the French Alps prior to mid July.