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