Mas d'Agon, La Chassagne, Vaccares - 9/9

Another early start at La Chassagne and a pair of Stone Curlews were watched on the reserve field and not only the 2 adults but a fuzzy furred chick which was calling continually. Brilliant, this was the first chick I had seen and what better place to see it than the Camargue. We drove down to Mas d'Agon and a juvenile Purple Heron was immediately spotted standing statuesquely in the reedbed. Apart from the heron and a few Great and Little Egrets the only other birds of note were 4 juvenile Black Terns in the distance. We continued down to Vaccares where the number of Black - necked Grebes had increased since yesterday to around 100 birds. Also present were a few Little Grebes, a flyover female Marsh Harrier and a pair of Squacco Herons. On the return journey to Arles we had a male Sparrowhawk and a couple of Zitting Cisticolas but nothing else.