Marmots!

I have always wondered, during the occasional ski holiday I have taken in the past, what the mountain environment would be like in Summer. This year we found out, with a one-week walking holiday at the end of the season. It was just as peaceful as I had imagined it would be, and the scenery is spectacular and more colourful than in Winter, when pretty much everything is white.

Marmots live on the moutains but hibernate in Winter, so we had never seen a live one until last week. They are easier to see than to photograph, though. This picture was taken on the last walk that we did. The marmot, having been taken by surprise by our presence as he rounded a rock, decided that the best thing to do was to stop still. This gave us a bit better photo opportunity than normal.

The video is of the first marmot we saw, climbing a scree slope at the foot of the mountain. I hope you're impressed. Good, isn't it? I'm thinking of applying to be a BBC wildlife photographer.