Round and about

First thing I delivered a neighbour to Carcassone Airport and on the way back encountered 2 male Montagu's Harriers and a Short-toed Eagle. 




Corn Bunting


After lunch I checked a few local sites starting with Cesseras vineyards.  A lone Buzzard sailed over but I could not help noticing the many Corn Buntings singing from posts and bushes.  The population in this part of the World is thriving.  The same cannot be said for Southern Grey Shrikes.  I used to know 3-4 sites but cannot find them at all this year. A group of 3 Hoopoes gave me a whiff of migration.




Southern Grey Shrike


I checked out the Lac de Jouarre where rather surprisingly a Red Kite passed over.  At the Homps sewerage ponds there were still plenty of Swallows, House & Sand Martins feeding.  At Lac Accueil there was little except for an obliging Hoopoe.





Obliging Hoopoe

 Finally I stopped in Azillanet to get some bread and was astonished to hear a Scop's Owl give three or four calls from a small garden.  Look as I may I could not see the bird.