Cuckoo's mate in the garden.

Morning here saw good numbers of the usual migrants but hundreds of House Martins going over and quite a few Red-rumped Swallows.  Searching in the hedge for warblers I was thrilled to find a Wryneck sitting up giving reasonable views.  I have not seen one here for some time.  When they were nesters in Suffolk years ago locals called them Cuckoo's mate as they tended to arrive in the same week.




Red-rumped Swallow



Wryneck

Whilst sitting watching the brids a splendid Two-tailed Pasha gave a wonderful flying display around the garden. 



Two-tailed Pasha


We had to take our guests Ben & Anne back to Beziers airport so afterwards we had a very speedy coastal trip.  Pissevache sewerage lagoons had two Black Terns and the sandy pools still supported about 30 Little Stints plus a few Dunlin and about 30 Ringed Plovers. 




Squacco Heron


Moving on to Mandirac near Gruissan there were 16 White Storks, Purple Heron, 2 Great White Egrets and a Squacco Heron on the wet meadows and a Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Pink-backed Pelican and a Garganey on the lagoons by the reedbeds.