11th - A trip into the Camargue today to visit Mas d'Agon and Salin de Badon amongst other places. The sky was overcast and a pleasant breeze blowing as I arrived at Mas d'Agon. Whiskered Terns were feeding on both sides of the road and must have numbered around 80. A rufous female Cuckoo appeared and did a quick recce of the area then I spotted a pair of fly-over Night Herons and at least 4 Purple Herons, all in the first 10 minutes. Common Terns and a single Gull-billed Tern joined the other terns feeding over the lagoon and 4 Shoveler flew over. Soon, Collared Pratincoles began swooping over the road giving excellent views and then I spotted a Black-winged Pratincole amongst them. The lack of white trailing edge to the secondaries and the darker head were diagnostic. It is often the case that a flock of Collareds will have one or two Black-winged with them and so it proved today although I had watched this flock several times and not spotted this bird so it may have only recently joined the others. Before I left a Squacco Heron flew low over my head. I tried to get a permit to Salin de Badon but was told the reserve was closed due to all the water evaporating! I decided to explore the area alongside Vaccares instead. Just south of Capelliere 3 Common Sandpipers fed on the shoreline and a Green Sandpiper flew over. Next stop was at Marais de Palunette where 12 Spotted Redshank were feeding, 10 of which were resplendent in summer plumage, plus a pair of Black-tailed Godwits and more than 20 Black-winged Stilts. A stop at the Etang de Tour du Valat produced 24 Spoonbills on the lake ( presumably relocated from Salin de Badon due to the lack of water!) plus at least 15 Little Terns feeding. Soon a Short-toed Eagle appeared hanging in the air looking for prey. Its beautifully patterned underside was clearly visible. A final stop at Fumemorte produced nothing more than a pair of Crested Larks and 5 Corn Buntings feeding in a field.