25th - A visit to the Crau today with the hope of spotting a migrating Dotterel or two. On the journey I managed to see a flock of 25+ Bee-eaters around Raphele and a single Roller at Vergieres. As I drove onto the Crau at least 5 Tawny Pipits were chasing each other around close to Mas Chauvet. I had excellent close views. Many Skylarks and Crested Larks were also giving good views as they flitted about! A pair of Northern Wheatears flew along the side of the track giving a good indication that migration was well underway. A female Hen Harrier flew over and then I spotted a superb male perched on a rockpile not 50 metres from the track. It too posed beautifully for an extended viewing. Kestrels were numerous (>15), and seemed to be occupying every stonepile available. A female Montagu's Harrier then put in an appearance, impressing with her effortless soaring in the strong winds. As I continued on the track south I spotted another harrier perched on a rock and managed to get fairly close to it. After having scoped it I was 90% certain it was an adult female Pallid Harrier. Its facial markings added to the wing shape in flight and the lack of the dark bar across the upper secondaries seemed to rule out both Hen and Montagu's. Unfortunately, I did not get a view of the underside of the bird in flight so could not see if it had the diagnostic dark inner secondaries but I did get a decent picture of the bird when perched and it is posted on the blog! I turned east and parked near Limous Berg and had a walk around. Almost immediately I put up a Hoopoe and spotted another pair of Wheatears, and a pair of Whinchats. Several calling Corn Buntings and a Calandra Lark took flight and in the distance I spotted a female Little Bustard creeping through the long grass. A Red-legged Partridge was spotted running away along another track and I noticed a pair of plovers flying over my head. The view was not good but they may easily have been Dotterel. Back in the car I found a male Southern Grey Shrike perched in a bush close to the Berg and as I approached Mas Chauvet again I spotted a juvenile Red-backed Shrike in its customary pose perched high in a gorse bush. I made a brief stop at the Etang d'Entressen but it contained nothing but Yellow-legged and Black-headed Gulls