Idyllic Day on the Marsh

Another fabulous warm day.  By 9.30am I was walking the track at the marsh near Capestang.  Local men fishing alerted me to 7 White Storks feeding on a flooded field before I really got going. I quickly located a couple of Squacco Herons flying in the distance where I could also pick out 2 Great White Egrets.  The water levels are really unusually high still and carp and other fish species are visibly trapped.  This makes me wonder if the last mentioned species might nest here this year.

A flooded area contained a few Black-winged Stilts and 6 Whiskered Terns hawking for insects.  As usual good numbers of Grey and Purple Herons are obvious and Marsh Harriers and Black Kites are overhead.  A harsh cackling call draws my attention to a single Great Spotted Cuckoo calling from an isolated bush and Cetti's Warblers and Zitting Cisticolas keep up a cacophany of sound.

Moving on I get to the main reed bed area and the bird song intensifies.  Dozens of Reed Warblers predominate but I calculate that up to 12 Great Reed Warblers are also belting out their frog-like song.  Reed Buntings are also part of the chorus with Water Rails and Little Grebes making their contribution.

Regular readers of this blog will know I am looking and listening for something else.  Finally I pick up the nightingale-like opening notes of a Moustached Warbler and the bird although not close climbs up the reeds and I manage a few distant shots.  This is such a difficult species to find in this area but is definitely here and  it takes practice and familiarity with its song to be lucky.

Well now I can head back with great satisfaction.  Leaving the marsh I stop by wet fields just outside the village of La Viala and after seeing a pair of Lapwings which seem to be nesting I note another Squacco Heron standing by a small ditch.

A great day and finally made perfect tonight as a Scop's Owl sang outside my back door.  Oh me of little faith!