Back in Paradise

We have been in France since yesterday and arrived to wonderful weather and temperatures of over 30.  Monday evening hordes of Bee-eaters were passing overhead and after dark our local Tawny Owl was calling.

Bee-eater

This morning the sky was full of hirundines including Swallows and House Martins but the most numerous species was Red-rumped Swallow.  We watched them flying about and then settling on overhead wires.  This species seems to have done very well this year,

Red-rumped Swallows

This evening I went with friends Mark Lynton and Jonathan Kemp to Capestang.  We sat above the marsh to see what birds might be migrating.  Our attention was drawn immediately to a large flock of birds soaring high up.  We realised we were looking at a flock of 28 Black Storks.  This was the biggest flock of this species that any of us had seen in France.

Black Storks migrating in Bulgaria this Spring

We also recorded 3 White Storks, a Great White Egret, 2 Green Sandpipers and 4 Marsh Harriers.