28th - An early start today as the beach at Piemanson was the first port of call. The strong onshore wind was noticeable as was the huge increase in standing water. A brief scope of the sea showed that yesterday's rain, added to the strong winds, had brought in a number of birds. I spotted at least 100 Balearic Shearwaters making their way westwards in the company of one or two Gannets. Then a single White-winged Tern was seen fishing over the sea. A Cory's Shearwater appeared giving its characteristic banking and shearing display, then finally the bird I was hoping for, a dark form Arctic Skua seen well at a distance of about 200 metres, my first for France! The number of terns heading out to feed was in the hundreds at this point. I noted Common, Little, Sandwich and Gull-billed amongst them. Well satisfied with my hour's seawatch I investigated the Baisse de 500 francs and located a single Avocet plus a pair of resting Caspian Terns on a sand bar, the 6th tern species of the day! The roadside scrub produced a Hoopoe, a Sardinian Warbler, several singing Melodious Warblers and 2 singing Marsh Warblers plus a Sparrowhawk that appeared from nowhere. I made my way along the Grand/Petit Badon road and found a Short-toed Eagle, several Bee-eaters, a Hobby, a Spotted Flycatcher and a pair of singing Crested Larks. The return journey north was not uneventful either as I found 6 Spoonbills feeding on the Etang de Tour du Valat and a further 3 at Palunette which allowed me to get excellent digiscoped pictures. I even managed 3 Rollers as I passed Gageron

27th - Rain was forecast for today. It was overcast and warm as I travelled down to La Chassagne. I sat beneath at least 400 Swifts as they put on a fantastic display of aerobatics. My attention was distracted however by a calling Cuckoo which perched on a fence-post and gave excellent views. Not to be outdone it was soon joined by a first summer Great-spotted Cuckoo that looked to have suffered during the previous evening's downpour, such was the state of its plumage. As a female Marsh Harrier then flew over it put to flight 3 Stone-Curlews that gave vent to their eerie alarm call. My next stop was at Mas d'Agon where I spotted 3 Glossy Ibis landing just out of view plus a Purple Heron in flight. Travelling down towards Mas Neuf I stopped just short of the road junction and noted a recent influx of at least 4 Great Reed Warblers all singing from the reedbed. I managed to see 3 of the 4 birds well. I then noticed a bird in flight which I assumed was another GRW but when I got a decent view of it the plumage was much too dark and it looked more like an outsized Savi's Warbler. I had only seen Clamorous Reed Warbler once before and that was in India nearly 3 years ago but this bird would be a good contender for another. Unfortunately I couldn't get another look at it, so it remains only a possible! I also heard at least 2 Savi's Warblers singing from this reedbed. A further stop by Vaccares produced nothing of note except a pair of Black Terns but as I took the Tour du Valat road a pair of Honey Buzzards gave great views overhead. In the evening I took a trip along the Gimeaux road and just before the heavens opened I managed to spot at least 9 Collared Pratincoles balanced precariously on a mud bank separating 2 lagoons, as the wind tried its utmost to dislodge them.

23rd - Today I decided to walk from the Phare de Gacholle end of the Digue to see if it would be as productive as the St. Maries end was last week. The weather was calm and hot. Within a few minutes it was obvious that all the migrants had gone. The short walk to the lighthouse produced a couple of Yellow Wagtails (ssp iberiae), a single Whinchat and 3 fly-over Linnets. Around the Phare was nothing but a few House Sparrows. Further along the Digue I managed a nice view of a Tawny Pipit then at least 4 Sardinian Warblers in the scrub and a Willow Warbler flying into a tree. At one lagoon just north of the Digue 4 Redshanks and an Oystercatcher were feeding. The garrigue was full of Yellow Wagtails ssp. flava ( I counted 15) but nothing else. On the journey back to the car a flock of around 80 Ringed Plovers and 50 Little Stints flew over. Overall a disappointing day !

22nd - Today we travelled up into the Haute Alpes in search of a very rare French bird, the Black-headed Bunting. As we went north on the A51 I spotted a Green Woodpecker almost collide with a lorry ! The plateau de Valensole was wonderfully sunny and hot and a brief stop for food allowed me to spot several Serins and Goldfinches. We descended the steep valley down to Brunet and within minutes I had seen a female Red-footed Falcon as it posed in a tree close to the road. The roadside wires were full of singing Corn Buntings and a brief stop produced a singing Quail from an overgrown field. A Hoopoe was spotted in the road then 2 male Red-backed Shrikes were seen on fenceposts plus a Subalpine Warbler in a bush. A Chiffchaff was heard singing from nearby woodland. A little further along the road a couple of roadside trees stood between crop fields and here I heard the characteristic song I had been waiting for. The first tree produced a singing male Ortolan Bunting but the second had a male Black-headed Bunting singing from the very top ! In fact as I scanned the fields I spotted another male and at least 3 female birds. I managed to get several digiscoped pictures plus a video of the male bird singing from the tree. Magic ! On the journey home I spotted a Buzzard, Black Kite and a pair of White Storks. A wonderful day.

21st - Another sunny and calm day today allowed me to make a brief visit to the Camargue this morning and to Gimeaux in the evening in search of owls. A first stop close to Tour du Valat had me spotting the adult Short-toed Eagle again. This bird is frequenting the area regularly now although no mate has yet been spotted. The bushes to the south of the road also held a female Red-backed Shrike, a Hoopoe and at least 5 Bee-eaters. The canal at Fielouse was quieter than in recent days with only Melodious Warbler, Nightingale, Cetti's Warbler and Willow Warbler. Next I stopped opposite the Etang de Tour du Valat and saw a fly-over Purple Heron, a pair of Avocets landing on the etang and a Honey Buzzard. En route back to Arles I re-found the female Red-backed Shrike opposite the Vaccares but apart from the stilts and the White Stork on her nest there was nothing else of interest. In the evening I visited an area of sparse trees along the route de Gimeaux. As I drove past Gimeaux I spotted a Roller perched on a telephone wire, only my third this year ! Then as I approached the large reedbed to the south a Bittern flew in low over the reeds. As I waited near the cattle pens a Cuckoo made several flights over the car and a Hobby began catching insects then posed nicely in a tree nearby. I waited for another hour but there was no sign of any owls then, as I drove back towards Arles, an owl flew across in front of the car ! I managed to locate it with my torch as it perched high in a tree for several minutes - an adult Scops Owl ! What a treat ! 

19th - A bright sunny day and a brief trip around the Camargue taking in Mas d'Agon, Vaccares and Mejanes this morning. First stop was at La Chassagne where a Stone-Curlew and Lapwing were seen feeding amongst the grass. Mas d'Agon was fairly quiet with nothing but Coot and Great Crested Grebes apart from the usual egrets and herons. After a few minutes a Cuckoo flew over while calling and a Marsh Harrier was seen hunting over the reedbed. At Mas Neuf a Nightingale was singing from a tree close to the platform and a Collared Pratincole flew past giving excellent views. A flock of 6 Bee-eaters were also feeding close by. Next stop was opposite La Capelliere where the resident Black-winged Stilts were busy nest building. The reedbed held at least 10 Yellow Wagtails, a Water Pipit, several Cetti's Warblers and a Reed Warbler. Four Common Terns and a single Arctic Tern then began a noisy disagreement with the stilts and the pandemonium lasted for several minutes ! Over the Etang I spotted a pair of fishing Black Terns, although their white rumps were more typical of White-winged Terns than their more common cousins. As I travelled south on the D36 I caught a brief glimpse of an unfamiliar bird and on further investigation located a pair of Red-backed Shrikes in the roadside trees. The male was a magnificent example of one of the most attractive European shrikes. The final stop was at Fielouse where the bushes by the canal produced a pair of Melodious Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler.

16th - Today we travelled to Beauduc in the hope of finding some migrants amongst the wader flock that has been resident on the Etang de Galabert for the past 2 weeks. We also visited Vaccares and Gageron on the way back. The outward journey was not uneventful as on the approach road to Sambuc I spotted a first summer Great-spotted Cuckoo perched on a fence. It was obliging enough to remain there while the group got good views. The road past la Belugue was as treacherous as ever and slowed our progress a little. As we travelled alongside the Etang du Grand Rascallion we spotted a number of Ringed Plovers, Kentish Plovers and Little Stints, although they were camouflaged well against the brown mud. There were several Yellow-legged Gulls on nests here too. Unfortunately when we arrived at the Etang de Galabert we found that the wader flock had gone! Not to be disheartened we searched the small copse of trees by the pumping station and almost immediately a Nightjar flew up and landed nearby. We slowly approached again and this time confirmed it as a Red-necked Nightjar as it gave close up flying views to everyone. An excellent discovery. We then did a brief recce of the area and found 2 pairs of Grey Plover, a pair of Curlews and an Oystercatcher, which is not a common bird in the Camargue. On the return journey back to Belugue we spotted 6 Bee-eaters, a Sardinian Warbler singing in the garrigue, 8 Avocets, 6 Black-winged Stilts and around 20 Mediterranean Gulls. Just as we got back on the D36 a Honey Buzzard floated over giving excellent views. As we travelled north we found, in addition to the abundant Black Kites and Marsh Harriers overhead, a Spectacled Warbler, Reed Warbler, Bonelli's Warbler, several Yellow Wagtails (ssp thunbergi) and at least 4 Melodious Warblers. At a brief stop at la Palunette we heard a Grasshopper Warbler, but unfortunately did not get any views, and saw a flyby Kingfisher. The pair of White Storks were still on their nest at Capelliere and a Penduline Tit flew across the road in front of the car, which was a surprise. Finally, between Gageron and Saint Cecile we found a single Roller perched on the telephone wires. A fine end to the day.

15th - The weather forecast was not good for today and so it turned out with sporadic showers all day. Even so we took a trip to the Gorges de Regalon in the Petit Luberon in the hope it would improve. As we approached the site we had excellent views of an adult Bonelli's Eagle that glided low over the road. The walk into the gorge produced at least 5 Black Kites and a dozen Alpine Swifts soaring over the massifs. We also heard Crested Tit, Goldcrest and Sardinian Warbler singing close by. A male Subalpine Warbler was spotted in a tree close to the path and good views were had by all. I then noticed a male Blue Rock Thrush looking out over the gorge from the ridge on one of the peaks. Luckily it remained immobile for a few minutes permitting good views through the scope. Other birds were now soaring high above the gorge. A pair of Crag Martins, at least 4 Choughs and a single Raven took turns in displaying their aerobatic talents. Several groups of Serins flew fast overhead just as the rain began again. It was soon obvious that this was not just a passing shower and so reluctantly we returned to Arles.

14th - Today we visited Saintes Maries de la Mer and more specifically La Brise campsite and the Digue a la Mer. At the campsite the Western Olivaceous Warbler was still showing along with several Spotted Flycatchers, a pair of Turtle Doves, a female Blackcap, 2 Sardinian Warblers and a Nightingale. We began to walk along the Digue and it was immediately evident that a good number of migrants had come in overnight. Within the first 200 metres we spotted 2 Icterine Warblers, 2 Bonelli's Warblers, 6 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Willow Warblers, a Marsh Warbler, a female Pied Flycatcher, 2 Garden Warblers and a female Red-backed Shrike. The first lagoon to the north was full of Greater Flamingoes but also 2 pairs of nesting Avocets and a single wader that, on closer inspection, turned out to be an adult Terek Sandpiper. Further along the Digue on the south side we spotted at least 6 Grey Plovers, 10 Ringed Plovers, 20 Kentish Plovers, 8 Dunlins and 15 Little Stints. A single Night Heron was then seen fishing in one of the lagoons and gave wonderful views to everyone. Still the birds kept coming with a pair of Red-legged Partridges flying across the path into the scrub, a Tawny Pipit, several Yellow Wagtails (ssp cinereocapilla), a pair of Linnets, a single Black-eared Wheatear and a pair of Crested Larks. As we reached the Trabes du Rousty 3 Common Sandpipers flew over and a Chiffchaff sang from the cover of some nearby trees. We scanned the sea and Mike spotted 2 Caspian Terns flying in off the sea. They joined the Sandwich Terns and Little Terns that continually flew overhead. I then managed to spot a female Montagu's Harrier hunting over the marshland to the north of the path. On the return journey we noticed a Purple Heron flying over the Etang des Imperieux and the same passerines in the trees.

13th - This morning we visited the Marais du Vigueirat followed by brief stops at the Etang des Aulnes and Peau de Meau. The weather was nice and calm and partly overcast. The reedbeds were alive with warblers, not surprisingly, and we managed to see Reed Warblers, Great Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a single Moustached Warbler. At least one Cuckoo was heard and then seen flying overhead. A pair of White Storks were on their nesting platform as usual but no sign of any chicks yet, unfortunately. I then spotted a singing Icterine Warbler in a tree adjacent to the boardwalk which everyone managed views of, then a Whitethroat in the scrub. The open field supported 2 Whinchats, a Stonechat, several Sardinian Warblers and a couple of Black-winged Stilts. We then saw a fly-over Glossy Ibis, which was a nice surprise, and a pair of Black Kites and single Red Kite. The lagoons held Great and Little Egrets, Grey and Purple Herons plus a pair of nesting Teal (!!), several Mallard and a pair of Red-crested Pochard, the first I have seen here. A flock of at least 6 Bee-eaters began calling and flying over the far end of the reserve giving everyone an additional splash of colour. In the woods by the canal we spotted numerous Melodious Warblers, Great and Blue Tits, Robin, Wood Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and a Squacco Heron in the flooded area. As we approached the exit a Green Woodpecker flew across the marsh and a pair of White Storks glided high above the trees to the south. As we left the reserve a probable Barred Warbler flew from the fence on our left right across in front of the car and disappeared into the trees, not to be seen again. This is a rare bird for the Camargue and, interestingly, is the same species that I got a brief glimpse of last autumn at the same venue !! Our stop at the Etang des Aulnes was not very productive with just a single Stonechat and a Great-crested Grebe although we did manage a good view of a flying, male Golden Oriole, my first this year! We then drove a little further, onto the very north of the Crau and spotted a pair of Jays in the trees. On the Crau itself we had a single Southern Grey Shrike plus several Lesser and Common Kestrels, 4 Crested Larks and a pair of Tawny Pipits.

12th - Today we decided to concentrate on the north of the Camargue along the route de Gimeaux. A number of the arable fields are now flooded for rice growing and the number and diversity of birds has increased accordingly. Just after the village there is an extensive reedbed and here we spotted Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and Savi's Warbler all singing. Colin spotted a Melodious Warbler singing in an adjacent tree and I found a Short-toed Lark in a lay-by 100 metres further along the road. Just past the narrow bridge a flooded field held several pairs of breeding Black-winged Stilts plus 2 Wood Sandpipers, around 20 Mediterranean Gulls, several Great and Little Egrets, and a splendid Collared Pratincole which was doing its best to keep up with the continual flow of Swifts overhead. As we continued our journey a pair of White Storks drifted over giving everyone excellent views. Next we were treated to playful aerobatics between a Common and Gull-billed Tern followed by the first of 3 Cuckoos flying close by. Birds were coming thick and fast now as I spotted first a Turtle Dove perched alongside the road, then a pair of Great-spotted Cuckoos that mated as we watched! A wonderful sight! Then suddenly the sky was full of Bee-eaters as they continually gave their characteristic whooping calls and perched on the fence posts by the road. Everyone got excellent photos as they were unexpectedly transported to Africa for a few minutes! Next came a true bonus as I spotted a female Orphean Warbler engaged in a noisy squabble with a pair of Sardinian Warblers. They flew off in an agitated manner after we all had decent views. Our next stop was at Mas Lauricet where unfortunately all the waders had left. However, we did manage excellent views of both Squacco and Purple Herons plus Whinchat, Fan tailed Warbler,Yellow Wagtail, Linnet and several Goldfinches. Over the Petit Rhone we also spotted at least 2 Sparrowhawks, many Black Kites, Marsh Harrier and a single Short-toed Eagle. On the way back we found a feeding Kingfisher. Not bad for a few hours birding !

10th - Having heard that a Western Olivaceous Warbler had been seen in Saintes Maries de la Mer I was interested to see it and so made the 20 minute drive down. The weather was excellent with bright sunshine and a cooling breeze. I found the Le Brise campsite easily and parked outside. The far end of the campsite was empty of campers and it was here that I located the bird. It was quite easy to see although it flew several times from tree to tree and it remained silent throughout. It was in the company of a number of other migrants including at least 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, a Spectacled Warbler and, unusually, a Rock Sparrow. The resident birds included 3 Sardinian Warblers, 2 Nightingales, a Whinchat, a pair of Tawny Pipits and many Goldfinches. All in all an excellent short excursion. In the evening I went into the Camargue in the hope of finding some owls. A stop at Mas d'Agon produced a flying Red-crested Pochard, Marsh Harrier, Purple Heron and both Whiskered and White-winged Terns. Then as I drove along the D37 I spotted a pair of Audouins Gulls in a field along with around 50 Yellow-legged Gulls. A nice surprise! I waited around the Villeneuve area until dark and had a brief walk around but apart from a Tawny Owl heard calling at some distance I could not locate any owls.

9th - A return to the Camargue and a brief stop at Fielouse gave me excellent views of both Nightingale and Icterine Warbler singing from bushes next to the canal, plus Spotted and Pied Flycatchers. Further towards Tour du Valat I had a close-up view of a wonderful adult Short-toed Eagle plus Fan tailed Warbler, Crested Lark, Cuckoo and several Shelducks. Next stop, by Salin de Badon, led to Reed Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and Sedge Warbler all being heard but not seen and a flyover Purple Heron! At Amphise I spotted several Cattle Egrets feeding in a field along with a pair of Whinchats and a male Corn Bunting singing from a tree. My planned final destination was the Etang de Galabert, so I parked alongside and walked between it and Fangassier until I reached the far end. A single Willow Warbler and a pair of Yellow Wagtails flew from the scrub by the path as I passed. The far end of the Galabert hosted a flock of waders and although the wind was fairly strong by now I managed to pick out 100 Dunlin, 80 Little Stint, 30 Ringed Plovers, 20 Kentish Plovers, a pair of Sanderling and 4 Little Terns. Unfortunately there was no sign of the White-rumped Sandpiper seen on Tuesday. The return journey home was not uneventful as I noticed a Great-spotted Woodpecker flying alongside the road over the Tour du Valat reserve and then at Fielouse a splendid 3rd summer Bonelli's Eagle low over the fields to the right of the road.

8th - An early rise to birdwatch from the hotel window turned up trumps as a Black-bellied Dipper was spotted perched singing on a fence just above the stream that ran through the town ! An amazing sighting ! Also seen were 6 Swifts, 8 Blackbirds, 3 Serins, 10 House Martins, 2 Great Tits and at least 20 Carrion Crows leaving their roost sites. We travelled south from the hotel and first stop was along a huge gorge near St.Jean en Royans where raptors were numerous. I spotted 3 Black Kites, 4 Buzzards, a Short-toed Eagle, a Sparrowhawk and at least 3 Honey Buzzards, one of which was engaged in wing-clapping, a mating exercise unique to this species. In addition to these I spotted at least 8 Alpine Swifts plus numerous Crag Martins, Sardinian Warblers and Goldcrests. Our next stop was in the Foret de Lente which was fairly quiet apart from a Song Thrush, Blackcap, Melodious Warbler and several singing Chiffchaffs. We continued south and eventually stopped at the famous Col de Rousset where we spotted 2 Griffon Vultures gliding high up on the thermals, in addition to 3 Short-toed Eagles and several Black Kites. We emerged on to the plain below and searched for Ring Ouzels but instead discovered a pair of Black-eared Wheatears, Cuckoo, several Whinchats, Yellowhammer, Kestrel and 4 Skylarks singing high in the sky. After lunch at Die I spotted another Griffon Vulture as it glided down over the town.

7th - We decided to take a brief trip to Vercors Nature Park in search of specialist mountain species. Our base for the 2 days was Villard de Lans which was in the north of the park. The weather was bright and sunny although we had a brief shower on the Wednesday evening. The journey on the A7 turned up 2 Nutcrackers flying over the road which was a good start. An exploration of the high alpine meadows around the town lead to me spotting 4 Alpine Choughs that glided overhead for at least 5 minutes. The yellow bills were clearly visible on all the birds and they glided in pairs giving an excellent demonstration of aerobatics ( see attached video!). A short walk also produced Yellowhammer, Crested Tit, 3 Coal Tits, 6 Chaffinches, 5 Serins, Willow Warbler and 2 Goldcrests. Driving higher into the peaks I had a walk into the coniferous woodland which produced several Robins and Blackbirds, the possible call of a Hazel Grouse, a pair of Redstarts, a pair of Black Redstarts, 2 Jays and a pair of Bullfinches. We returned to the same area as dusk approached in search of owls but saw nothing.

ALPINE CHOUGHS

3rd - A brief trip to the Chateau d'Avignon for a non-birding experience turned out to be................a birding experience ! The drive along the D 570 turned up yet another Red-footed Falcon, this time a male gliding just south of the road ! The grounds of the chateau were nice and cool under the extensive tree cover. Birds were singing everywhere and I soon spotted a Hoopoe singing from the top of a distant tree. We settled down in the shade for a cup of tea and I noted a Melodious Warbler, at least 6 Pied Flycatchers, several Great Tits, a pair of Short-toed Treecreepers, a single Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, many Goldfinches and a Sparrowhawk. The journey back to Arles produced my first White-winged Tern of the year, in addition to many Black-winged Stilts, Mediterranean Gulls and 5 Gull-billed Terns. Merveilleuse!

2nd - An early start again at the Piemanson beach but no sign of any Audouin's Gulls today, or any of the mysterious, disappearing skuas! Conditions were calm and apart from half a dozen Little Terns, a Common Tern, 2 Gull-billed Terns and 4 Oystercatchers there was nothing of note. The dunes produced only the usual Tawny Pipits, Whinchats and Yellow Wagtails of ssp thunbergi and cinereocapilla. The Baisse du 500 francs had a decent-sized flock of waders comprising Dunlins, Little Stints, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover and 4 Curlew Sandpipers but in addition I noted 4 Avocets, 2 Redshank and 2 Curlews. As I left the area I heard a woodpecker drumming by the road opposite the saltpans and saw an adult Great-spotted drumming high on the trunk of an oak. Next stop was by flooded fields at Pont des Cocardes where a flight of 4 Green Sandpipers came in to land, a Cuckoo flew over and around 20 Mediterranean and Slender-billed Gulls were feeding. A pair of Sparrowhawks flew over as I travelled along to Amphise and here I investigated the fields by the road and found a pair of Northern Wheatears, 3 Stonechats, 4 Whinchats, a Cetti's Warbler and a Fan-tailed Warbler. By the pumping station further along the road a Purple Heron was perched in a bush and I saw a singing Common Redstart plus Black Kites, Marsh Harriers and 5 Bee-Eaters overhead. Next stop was at Fielouse where the influx of flycatchers and warblers was obvious. In 30 minutes I spotted 6+ Pied Flycatchers, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Melodious Warblers, 3 Icterine Warblers, a Wood Warbler and a Nightingale! Just for good measure a pair of Short-toed Eagles glided low above my head and gave exquisite views. I also heard at least one Orphean Warbler singing from the undergrowth. Final stop was at some of the flooded fields by Gageron in the hope of a White-winged Tern but unfortunately the terns have abandoned their former feeding stations and all I had were Black-winged Stilts and Mediterranean Gulls.

1st - Avoiding the area around Vaccares due to the recent influx of tourists I headed along the route de Gimeaux in the north of the Camargue. The weather was sunny and hot with no wind for a change. Unfortunately, the flooded fields that had held a number of terns just 2 weeks ago now held only a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, a few Black-winged Stilts and a single Common Tern. Further along the road however, I noticed a number of falcons circling overhead. These turned out to be 4 Red-footed Falcons (3 males and 1 female) which gave wonderful views. Just part of a huge influx of this species across the whole of southern France in the past week. Another stop just past Mas des Barnacles gave me my second Little Bittern in 3 days - a splendid male this time, along with Cetti's Warbler, Nightingale and Stonechat. Turning onto the Albaron-St.Gilles road I spotted a male Cuckoo in a nearby tree plus several Wood Sandpipers in adjacent fields. My final stop of the afternoon was at Mas Lauricet where the fields held 7 Wood Sandpipers, 3 Greenshank, plus many Little and Cattle Egrets. Both Purple and Squacco Herons flew past and a number of raptors were seen soaring over the canal including 2 Short-toed Eagles, Buzzard, Kestrel and a single Honey Buzzard, my first of the year !

30th - An overcast and rainy day mean't birding was not easy today but a brief trip along the Gimeaux road turned up a gem in the form of a 1st summer female Pallid Harrier that was hunting North of the road. Excellent prolonged views were obtained as the bird swooped and glided low over the fields. In addition to the standard fare I noted a flock of 5 Bee-Eaters in the trees of Gimeaux and at least 20 Black-winged Stilts feeding in the flooded fields further west.