North to The Gorges of the Cevennes

We decided today that we would go and enjoy the Gorge Jonte and the Causses Mejean in the Cevennes.  Leaving Olonzac we noticed a few Bee-eaters on a dead tree and one or two Rollers taking up their territories in the plane trees by the Canal du Midi between Homps and Capestang.  We pressed on to Millau crossing the amazing Foster designed bridge and made our way to the Gorge Jonte.

Gorge Jonte

After stopping a while to watch an impressive array of Griffon Vultures overhead and a couple of Choughs we moved up a narrow road to the Cause Mejean.  Here we had a fleeting glimpse of a Camberwell Beauty butterfly. We headed first for the amazing open area on the road linking the hamlets of Drigas, Hures, Le Villaret and Nivoliers.  First we had a sumptuous lunch at the Auberge Le Chanet at Nivoliers.  Afterwards we started looking for wildlife.  First we counted 14 Choughs on an unimproved meadow and then went back to Le Villaret to search for Rock Thrushes.  We failed with this species (perhaps they have not arrived yet) but did find plenty of Northern Wheatears and a couple of Tawny Pipits.

Northern Wheatear male

Northern Wheatear female

Looking around us we also admired a wonderful array of Common Pasque Flowers on both sides of the road.

Common Pasque Flower

Pasque Flowers galore

We were standing by the roadside by the Przewalski's Horse enclosure although we only saw four today.  What we did see though was a National Park warden drive up to the top of a hill and put out food for vultures.  Within minutes we watched about 60 Griffon Vultures and 3 Black Vultures tucking in. 

A digiscoped image of the vultures.  Two Blacks to the left of the Griffons.

Moving on we found a Western Bonelli's Warbler and a splendid male Yellowhammer.

Male Yellowhammer

Finally we sat in the Gorge Jonte for a little tea and watched hundreds of Griffon Vultures coming to roost.  We also picked up a Green Woodpecker, 2 Red Kites and a pair of Egyptian Vultures.

Out with The Danes

Wild Boar

First thing we observed 6 Honey Buzzards flying north in the sunshine.  Today I had offered to take the very nice Danish people I met the other day out to see some birds.  So this morning Jette and Arvid Jebens, Karen Engelstoff and Elsa Larsen joined me first to the local Bonelli's Eagle site.  As we arrived three female and 4 young Wild Boar crossed our path.  Watching the nest from a safe distance we had now views of the adults but were pleased to see two big chicks standing up and trying their wings which had already developed primary feathers.  In bright sunshine we listened to Nightingales, Orphean and Subalpine Warblers and admired a Crag Martin and 6 Alpine Swifts overhead.

Alpine Swift

We headed up into the hills near Boisset and found breeding Whitethroats and Stonechats and a male Red-backed Shrike on territory.  We also picked up 5 Honey Buzzards heading north. Coming back down to Minerve we checked the Peregrines and found they were feeding three hefty young.  My Danish friends had not seen a Roller so we set off for the vineyards.  Immediately we noted a super Roller sitting on a dead tree.

Roller

Heading on we found the now familiar Bee-eaters and a very obvious Tawny Pipit.  Further on we admired some Rock Sparrows and an Ortolan Bunting sang briefly but sadly did not reveal itself.  We returned to Montcelebre for a welcome cup of tea,  Just before dusk the male Pied Flycatcher showed itself in the garden.

Still Keeping it Local

Female Pied Flycatcher

We started a gorgeous day by doing more work in the garden.  I checked out the birds and could find three Pied Flycatchers a male and 2 females.  I also noted a female Common Redstart which was the only other passing migrant.  The breeding birds of the area are also very active now.  Numerous Serins are in the area as are singing Corn and Cirl Buntings.  Nightingales provide a perfect musical backdrop and a male Orphean Warbler now sings daily from our neighbour's garden.  Great Tits are busy too and we have a pair of Blue Tits nesting somewhere which is a first as they normally only visit us in the winter.



Wild Tulip

We decided to go out after lunch as Beryl was keen to see some of the wild flowers before they went over.  First we headed for Fauzan where a super male Montagu's Harrier was hunting the vineyards. We stopped near the top of the Cesse Gorge to look at an array of Pyrenean Snakesheads and Wild Tulips of the race australis.  We also admired a handsome Violet Carpenter Bee basking on a telegraph pole exactly where it had been a week ago when the Honeyguiders passed this way.

Violet Carpenter Bee

We moved on then heading towards the back of Minerve.  We paused to check that the Peregrine was on her nest and she was.  Further on we encountered a female Montagu's Harrier over the garrigue.

Female Montagu's Harrier

Our next destination was the meadows near Bois Bas.  Here there is an impressive display of hundreds of Green-winged Orchids.  It is an impressive sight.  We were also pleased to see a male Red-backed Shrike back in its breeding area.


Orchid meadow at Bois Bas

 

Green-winged Orchid

Before returning home we decided to check out the local vineyards again.  We found the Bee-eaters again and about four pairs seemed interested in a sandy roadside bank which could turn out to be a nesting site.

Bee-eater

Moving on we found a Turtle Dove and the first female Red-backed Shrike of the Spring. 

Barn Swallow

There are still hundreds of hirundines passing north with almost feverish intent.  This Barn Swallow looked a trifle tired as it rested in a vineyard.

Giant Peacock Moth

As I was writing this there was a familiar banging on our lounge window shutter and going outside I found a Giant Peacock Moth ( 3 inch wingspan) flying under our front light and occasionally colliding with the shutter.  This is an annual event at this time of the year,  As I shut the door a Tawny Owl called in the distance.

Closer To Home

I had lots of grass cutting to do today so was going to be in the garden most of the time.  Early on there were lots of passerines in the garden.  Most were Willow Warblers but also a Spotted Flycatcher, a male and female Pied Flycatcher and a female Common Redstart.

Willow Warbler

After the hard work was done and lunch taken I decided to check out the local vineyards and it was quite productive. I started first at the section below Cesseras and immediately discovered 12 gorgeous Bee-eaters feeding and perching on wires.  I also located a Woodchat Shrike, Red-backed Shrike and heard a Quail calling.  Finishing off this section 3 Honey Buzzards flew north.

One of the 12 Bee-eaters

I then crossed the road to the section below Azillanet and found two more Woodchat Shrikes and heard another Quail.  I also photographed a Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting Cisticola) sitting up and for once quite silent.

Fan-tailed Warbler

Finally enjoying supper on our front terrace we watched a pale morph Booted Eagle flying north over our garden.

Shopping but a Few Birds as well

After a little bit of a lie in after my tour leading we set off for Narbonne shopping.  First we did a little birding.  The first of note was a splendid Hobby chasing hirundines at La Viala.  Moving on to Lespignan we found a male Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Black Kite, Short-toed Eagle and 10 Honey Buzzards battling there way north.

Honey Buzzard

We moved on to Pissevache and lo and behold met up with the same four wonderful Danish birders we had encountered at Bugavach earlier in the week.  As we spoke dozens of Avocets and about 200 Sandwich Terns called around us.  We also picked up a Hobby and then still a small group of marsh terns.

Sandwich Terns

Looking through the marsh terns there were still 4 White-winged Black Terns, 8 Whiskered Terns and a Little Gull.

White-winged Black Tern - The best I could do

We checked out some waders which turned out to be 20 Little Ringed Plovers and 30 Kentish Plovers and headed for the shops.  On arriving home a couple of Bee-eaters flew low through our garden calling.

Beautiful Weather and a Return to Normality

I guess it is sods law but after dropping the Honeyguiders at Carcassonne Airport I returned home in warm sunshine and after a brief rest took a walk around our hill.  Common Redstart and Golden Oriole were heard singing as well as a number of Orphean Warblers.  It was butterflies that caught my attention with Glanville Fritillaries and Chequered Skippers very obvious.

Glanville Fritillary

Chequered Skipper

Later I took a trip out first around the local vineyards.  A Montagu's Harrier and a Short-toed Eagle flew over and I found two male Red-backed Shrikes and a Quail called nearby.

Red-backed Shrike

At the Lac de Jouarre 2 Common Sandpipers were located and near the Homps sewerage pools at last 2 Rollers were found.

Roller

Lastly as I headed home a Turtle Dove flew up from the roadside.  Now the migrants are coming.

Honeyguiders return home

The last week has been spent guiding 14 splendid people around the area looking for wildlife.  Despite some dreadful weather much was seen.  The following is a summary of the events.

Honeyguiders botanising

April 25th - Honeyguiders arrive and after checking in at Chateau de Siran we go up to the Fauzan area.  We start by trying out the Curiosity Lauriole and then go to look at a large show of Pyranean Snakesheads before looking at Dwarf Irises and many more plants.  I was shown a new orchid for me in Provence Orchid.  A Montagu's Harrier flew over and Orphean and Subalpine Warblers sang in the scrub.

Provence Orchid

April 26th - A cold day and we begin at Minerve and walk down to the village.  Again many plants to occupy the botanists and a few butterflies too with Cleopatras attracting the most attention.  Birds were represented by lots of Common Swifts, 4 Alpine Swifts, 6 Crag Martins and 4 Red-rumped Swallows.  A splendid Blue Rock Thrush sang from a bush on the top of the Gorge Brian.  We moved on an took lunch by the meadows near Bois Bas.  The huge display of Green-winged Orchids attracted much attention as did a wonderful display of Wild Tulips.  We moved on to the Gorge above La Caunette for more flowers and views of Woodlarks.

Kentish Plover

April 27th - We headed off to the coast and stopped first at Etang de Vendres but the strong cold wind meant we did not go far.  We noted a Marsh Harrier and Grey Herons and Little Egrets nesting. Moving on the the meadows at Fleury we failed to find any Rollers or Bee-eaters and ended up at Pissevache.  The were a few waders present which were mostly Kentish Plovers but there was a superb Curlew Sandpiper in full summer plumage. The weather was very unpleasant as we headed south to Gruissan.  We noted a few subadult Greater Flamingos and tried the vineyards where we discovered a couple of Whinchats and a pair of Black-eared Wheatears.  The lagoons at Mandirac produced 40 Greenshanks and 20 Wood Sandpipers.  Four White Storks fed in one area where another sat on a nest.

Pair of Lesser Kestrels

April 28th - We headed off for St.Pons de Mauchien to enjoy a morning with the Lesser Kestrel colony.  We were not disappointed and saw dozens of these wonderful birds as they perched on TV aerials and rooftops.  We also enjoyed a great view of a Hoopoe singing from a roof. We eventually headed for Bessan to try our luck with other species.  As we arrived there were a few Buzzards around and we located a couple of Great Spotted Cuckoos flying in a scrubby area.  Eventually we did have great views of a number of Little Bustards flying around and displaying from the ground.  The botanists added Tongue Orchid to their list.   We had lunch at the end of the runway of Beziers Airport where three more Little Bustards called.  Our early success and no rain tempted us back to Pissevache and that turned out to be a good decision.  Here we discovered a rare sight of 12 White-winged Black Terns feeding with 15 Whiskered Terns over the sewerage ponds.  Scanning the tern flock on the shallow lagoon we identified 130 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Terns, 4 Little Terns and a solitary Caspian Tern.

Black-winged Stilt

April 29th - Today we headed south to the Leucate area.  Checking the shore pools we could only find a couple of Kentish Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers and a few Black-winged Stilts.  Heading up to the Cap a cold wind and low cloud caused us to abandon the site immediately.  We stopped in a coffee shop at Le Franqui for an hour to escape driving rain and afterwards enjoyed a brief walk around the sewerage works in a rare dry period.  Here we found a Snipe, Wood Sandpiper and some Yellow Wagtails and a bedraggled Pied Flycatcher.  We had to find a place for lunch and ended up at Peyriac sur Mer.  A violent thunderstorm interrupted our lunch so we gave up and headed back to the hotel.

Subadult Greater Flamingos

April 30th -  Given the disappointment of the previous day we went back to Leucate.  This time we were able to walk the Cap and look at plants and search for migrants.  Early successes included a Hoopoe and a Common Redstart.  Soon a number of Northern Wheatears and 2 pairs of Black-eared Wheatears were discovered.  One particular area seemed to hold a number of birds most of which were Common Whitethroats but we did find a few Whinchats, a Pied Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler, Tawny Pipits, 2 Red-throated Pipits and best of all a Wryneck.  We watched some resident Sardinian Warblers and then surprisingly a Spotless Starling.  We walked a bit at Le  Franqui seeing Hoopoe, Cuckoo and plenty of Whinchats and Northern Wheatears. Some glimpsed some distant Bee-eaters flying over.  Heading home we stopped to watch a few Avocets and Greater Flamingos near Bages.

Baton Blue

May 1st - Last day and the best weather of the week.  We stop in a Corbiere Gorge where the Nightingale song is deafening.  Overhead Crag Martins and 6 Alpine Swifts dash by and on a crag a Blue Rock Thrush appears.  More plants are discovered and Orange Tip butterflies are very obvious. We move on to another area near to Queribus Castle where we do not see many birds but find Green Hairstreak and Baton Blue butterflies on meadows full of impressive Lady Orchids.  Our eventual destination was Bucarach where friend Jonathan Kemp was arranging us the opportunity to watch Griffon Vultures being fed.  We assembled on a hillside as the food was laid out.  Up to 40 Griffons quickly appeared but seemed reluctant to descend.  We also saw Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Hobby and a superb Red-footed Falcon.  A great end to a difficulty but productive week.