Down to the Coast

A dull day but even so we headed for the coast near Gruissan to look for migrants.




Pink-backed Pelican


We started at Mandirac and the first sighting of note was 3 Pink-backed Pelicans high in the sky. Very spectacular but escapes from a local African Wildlife Park.  Moving on a small flock of Greater Flamingos were on a lagoon and 2 Great White Egrets a bit further on.  Looking left at c20 Bee-eaters our attention was caught by an Osprey siiting quietly on a dead branch out in the marsh.




The Osprey in the marsh

We then moved on to the vast marshes and lagoons nearer to Gruissan.  In the wet meadows at Le Petit Tournabelle there were good numbers of birds.  our attention was first focused on the white egrets and amongst dozens of Little and Cattle there 7 Great White Egrets.



Great White & Little Egrets

Looking around further we soon discovered 3 White Storks one of which had a damaged wing and a couple of flocks of Glossy Ibises totalling 21.  This is the biggest number of this species I have seen in France and I assume they are all from the Camargue.



One of the flock of Glossy Ibises

We shifted position to the track which leads from the Roc de Conillac down to Ancienne Douane and looked at the meadows from a different angle.  Here we came upon a great rarity - 3 birders from Luxembourg.  We all joined together in scanning for more species.  We found at least 12 Wood Sandpipers, Curlew, Snipe, 2 Black-winged Stilts, 2 Black Terns and a very approachable juvenile Purple Heron.  Overhead 2 Marsh Harriers patrolled the area.




Juvenile Purple Heron

Saying goodbye to our new pals we move down the track to check the other lagoons.  Dozens of flava wagtails were passing by and there was a good gathering of waders.  We counted c30 Grey Plovers, 2 Curlew, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshanks, 5 Redshanks, c40 Kentish Plovers, 10 Little Ringed Plovers and 3 Common Sandpipers.




Little Ringed Plover


It was a good session but soon food shopping beckoned and we headed  back to Narbonne and home.