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 !