Mas d'Agon, Marignane - 13/9

As this was our last day we contented ourselves with a brief visit to Mas d'Agon today. Arriving late there were only a few egrets and a couple of Grey Herons on the lagoon. A field north of the area did contain good numbers of Cattle Egrets though. A Marsh Harrier flew over the reedbeds to the west and then a Squacco Heron landed out of sight to the east. A brief walk along the road between the reedbeds produced at first a Tree Sparrow and then, oddly, a juvenile Western Orphean Warbler in the reeds. It soon flew up into the tree but was an excellent and surprising find. A final Zitting Cisticola was the coup de grace from the real Camargue !! However this wasn't the end of the worthwhile birds as on the car journey to the airport I spotted a Short toed Eagle soaring over the cliffs at Marignane. The 1st for the trip no less !! Then, even as we were taxiing in the plane onto the runway I noted a pair of Little Bustards standing cautiously in the long grass. What a place, simply unbeatable !!