A Damp Day

We awoke to low cloud and a faint drizzle.  Tuesday is market day so we headed off first thing to Olonzac.  Shopping over we encountered two male Montagu's Harriers battling north against a strong northerly wind.




Male Montagu's Harrier


Getting home there was slight evidence of some migration with 2 Willow Warblers, a Blackcap and male Redstart feeding voraciously in the garden.  Then the heavens opened and we were confined to the house for the next two hours.  The rain eventually stopped and the weather brightened a bit.  I decided to go out and have a look round.  I started by checking out a site for Pyrennean Snakeshead and was pleased to find a few plants in bloom.




Pyrennean Snakeshead


I then headed down the hillside and visited the Lac de Jouarre.  Nothing to report there except a Hoopoe feeding on the perimeter track.  I moved on to the sewerage ponds at Homps where there were dozens of Swallows and three splendid male Blue-headed Wagtails.  I then took a small vineyard road from Pepieux to Cesseras mainly looking for Southern Grey Shrike.  No luck with that species which is worrying because their numbers decline each year in this area and this site was the last I know off.  I paused by a new washing lagoon for agricultural vehicles and was astonished to find a pair of Little Ringed Plovers apparently holding territory.

Male Blue-headed Wagtail - Spanish race which is resident in this part of France

Time to get back home where a male Marsh Harrier flew north and c30 House Martins passed over high up.