Monday 5 October 2009 - Besançon to Port Douvot - 5/10/09

Thursday 1 October 2009 - September 2009

Being busy with exhibitions and back at work, there hasn't been much time for birding, I managed a visit to Osselle and Pagney on the 6th, and a visit to Pagney on the 10th.

6th September - Osselle

Teal - 2 female type

Mallard - c100

Shoveler - 4

Coot - 65

White Wagtail - 1 male

Whinchat - 1 juvenile

Stonechat -  family party

Chiffchaff - some giving a bit of song

Linnet - 4

Pagney 6th September

Teal - 1 female type

Pheasant - 1 male

Little Grebe - 1

Buzzard - 2

Kestrel - pair

Pagney - 10th September

Teal - 11

Tufted Duck - 1 male

Little Grebe - 1

Night Heron - 1 juvenile

Grey Heron - 10

Sparrowhawk - 1

Buzzard - 1

Moorhen - 1 imm.

Lapwing - c50

Snipe - 1

Curlew - 1

Common Sandpiper - 1

Red-rumped Parrot - 1 escapee

Tree Pipit - a few flying over

Meadow Pipit - 1 flew over

Yellow Wagtail - one or two flying over

Black Redstart - 3

Stonechat - 1

Reed Warbler - 1

Wednesday 26 August 2009 - Osselle 26/8/09

9 Mute Swans - 2 ads plus the family.

1 Garganey

1 Great Crested Grebe

3 Cormorants

1 Purple Heron - juvenile

Coot - 43

Common Sandpiper - 1

Stonechat - Family with 3 juveniles

Blackcap - c10

Willow Warbler - 1

Serin - c5

Monday 17 August 2009 - Osselle - 17/8/09

A morning visit to see what was moving, quite quiet considering it's August.

 Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 4 adults, 5 young

Teal - sarcelle d'hiver - 2 female type

Mallard - colvert - 65+

Pochard - fuligule milouin - 3

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 1

Grey Heron - héron cendré - 6+

Honey Buzzard - bondrée apivore - at least 4 and up to 7 seen. Including at least one juvenile, and one foraging on the ground.

Buzzard - buse variable - 1

Kestrel - faucon crécerelle - 2+

Coot - foulque macroule - 22 (16 on workings plus 6 on pool behind)

Snipe - bécassine des marais - 1 flew over calling

Common Sandpiper - chevlier guignette - 2 on fishing pool

Woodpigeon - pigeon ramier - 7 including one without a tail

Kingfisher - martin-pêcheur - 1

Wryneck - torcol - 1 (new species for me at Osselle)

Green Woodpecker - pic vert - 1

Sand Martin - hirondelle de rivage - still about, some still feeding young

White Wagtail - bergeronnette grise - 1 adult

Stonechat - tarier pâtre - at least 6 including 2 juveniles

Blackcap - fauvette à tête noire - several

Whitethroat - fauvette grisette - 1

Red-backed Shrike - pie-grièche écorcheur - 1 juvenile

Serin - serin cini - several

Goldfinch - chardonneret - 3

Friday 31 July 2009 - Osselle - Pagney 31/7/09

Osselle

Mallard - 92

Pochard - 2

Little Egret - 2

Grey Heron - 6

Black Kite - 1

Coot - 1

Little Ringed Plover - 2

Black-headed Gull - 8

Blue-headed Wagtail - several

Pagney

Night Heron - 4 juveniles

Honey Buzzard - 1

Black Kite - 3+

Lapwing - c30

Greenshank - 1

Red-backed Shrike - 1 male

Wednesday 22 July 2009 - Osselle - Pagney 22/7/09

Osselle

Mute Swan - 4 adults plus 5 cygnets

Mallard - 99

Gadwall - 1

Great-crested Grebe - 1

Little Egret - 1

Little Ringed Plover - 1

Snipe - 1

Common Sandpiper - 1

Bee Eater - 1

Melodious Warbler - several

Golden Oriole - 2 singing birds heard

Tree Sparrow - several family parties

Pagney

Black Kite - 22

Kestrel - 2+

Hobby - 1

Little Ringed Plover - 4

Common Sandpiper - 2

Lapwing - about 50

Bee Eater - 1

Thursday 9 July 2009 - Osselle 9/7/09

Sunday 5 July 2009 - Lesser Spotted Eagle - secret location. 5/7/09

Sunday 31 May 2009 - Osselle and Chateau de Bois - 31/5/09

The morning was spent at Osselle, where I was disappointed to see that many areas of rough grass had been mown, I only hope that the Blue-headed Wagtails nesting there had already fledged, but seeing adults carrying food to sites that hadn't been cut showed that there would have been a few nests with young in them shredded.

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 4, the pair on the island are still sitting, but no young.

Shoveler - canard souchet - pair

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 4

Honey Buzzard - bondrée apivore - 1

Black Kite - milan noir - 2

Red Kite - milan royal - 1

Buzzard - buse variable - 3+

Kestrel - faucon crécerelle - 1

Moorhen - poule d'eau - Adult with 5 chicks

Common Sandpiper - chevalier guignette - 1

Kingfisher - martin-pêcheur - 1

Bee Eater - guêpier - 2

Cuckoo - coucou - 1 heard

Skylark - alouette des champs - 1

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière - 3+

Nightingale - rossignol - 3+ singers

Black Redstart - rougequeue noir - recently fledged young seen

Whinchat - tarier des prés - 1 male

Melodious Warbler - hypolaïs polyglotte - 1 singing

Golden Oriole - loriot - 1 heard

Carrion Crow - corneille noire - recently fledged young

Starling - étorneau - adults carrying food

Tree Sparrow - moineau friquet - several

Chaffinch - pinson - singing

Goldfinch - chardonneret -1

Greenfinch - verdier - 2 songflight

Serin - sérin cini - pair.

The afternoon at Chateau des Bois saw Sparrowhawk, Turtle Dove and 2 Yellowhammers. In butterflies there were Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Painted Ladies, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and White Admirals. A Wildcat was disturbed from a mown field.

Tuesday 26 May 2009 - Forêt du Risol and Frasne 26/5/09

The highlight of the day was a Hazel Grouse that flew out of trees and over the path in the forest, also present were Ring Ouzels and Bullfinches.

Between the forest and Mouthe there were many Mistle Thrushes, 2 Fieldfares, a Meadow Pipit, singing Willow Warblers, White wagtail and a Black Kite.

Lac de Remoray held a few Tufted Ducks, G C Grebes, Coots, singing Reed Warblers, a Fieldfare and a Red Kite

Frasne had about 10 Pochards, some Tufted Ducks, 2 G C Grebes, a pair of Mute Swans a Curlew, a Yellow-legged Gull, 3 Black Kites, 2 Tree Pipits, Willow Tits, a Fieldfare, Willow and Reed Warblers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Collared Dove. On the raised bog there was a Tree Pipit, a Bullfinch and a Crested Tit.

Monday 25 May 2009 - Pagney and Osselle 25/5/09

Pagney

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 5

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 3 adults  +2 young/jeunes

Coot - foulque - 7

Pheasant - faisan de Colchide - pair

Curlew - courlis cendré - 2

Lapwing - vanneau huppé - c10

Buzzard - buse variable - 1

Black Kite - milan noir - 3

Turtle Dove - tourterelle des bois - heard/entendu

Cuckoo - coucou gris - heard/entendu

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière - many carrying food, one fledged juvenile 

Great Reed Warbler -  rousserolle turdoïde - 3

Whitethroat - fauvette grisette

Nightingale - rossignol - 1

Stonechat - tarier pâtre - many, family with at least 4 juveniles

Red-backed Shrike - pie-grièche écorcheur - 3 males, 1 female

Tree Sparrow - moineau friquet

Goldfinch - chardonneret

Greenfinch -verdier

Yellowhammer - bruant jaune - heard/entendu

Reed Bunting - bruant des roseaux - 1 male

Corn Bunting - bruant proyer

Cirl Bunting - bruant zizi - 1 in Saligney

Osselle

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 4

Grey Heron - héron cendré - 5

Mallard - colvert - 30 males and 12 females

Black Kite - milan noir - 1

Buzzard - buse variable - 2

Honey Buzzard - bondrée apivore - 1

Hobby - faucon hobéreau - 1

Kestrel - faucon crécerelle - 1 male

Little Ringed Plover - petit gravelot - 1

Temminck's Stint - bécasseau de Temminck -1

Common Sandpiper - chevalier guignette - 1

Whiskered Tern - guifette moustac - 1 at 10h30am

Bee Eater - guêpier - 2

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière

Nightingale - rossignol - 1

Melodious Warbler - hippolaïs polyglotte - 1 singing

Stonechat - tarier pâtre - 1 singing

Monday 18 May 2009 - Osselle 18/5/09

The storm overnight failed to deliver, the pool was very quiet with nothing new.

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 2

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 6 (3 pairs)

Mallard - colvert - c20, 1 brood of 5

Goosander - harle bièvre - 1 female

Black Kite - milan noir - 1

Kestrel - faucon crécerelle - 1 male

Hobby - faucon hobéreau - 1

Little Ringed Plover - petit gravelot - 2

Common Sandpiper - chevalier guignette - 2 displaying, the first nesting attempt was a failure then.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - pic épeiche - heard

Green Woodpecker - pic vert - heard

Bee Eater - guêpier - 2

Kingfisher - martin-pêcheur - 1

Cuckoo - coucou gris - heard

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière - 3 nests being visited with food

Reed Warbler - rousserolle effarvatte - At least 5 singing around the complex

Lesser Whitethroat - fauvette babillarde - 1

Stonechat - tarier pâtre - 1 pair

Starling - étorneau - seen carrying food

Saturday 16 May 2009 - Osselle 16/5/09

The month of May giveth, but also taketh away! With the sun providing ideal migrating conditions there were no new waders in today. 

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 2 pairs/couples

Goosander - harle bièvre - 2 females, 1 with a brood of new chicks.

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 2 pairs/couples

Honey Buzzard - bondrée apivore - 3

Black Kite - milan noir - 1

Buzzard - buse variable - 1

Kestrel - crécerelle - 1 male

Hobby - hobérau - 1

Coot - foulque - 1

Common Sandpiper - chevalier guignette - 1

Little Ringed Plover - petit gravelot - 3

Black-winged Stilt - échasse blanche - 2

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière - still taking food to the nest

Turtle Dove - tourterelle des bois - heard/entendu

Cuckoo - coucocu gris - heard/entendu

Grasshopper Warbler - locustelle tachetée - heard/entendu

Whitethroat - fauvette grisette - heard/entendu

Nightingale - rossignol - heard/entendu

A family of 3 Coypu and a few Painted Lady butterflies. Une famille de 3 ragondins et quelques belles dames.

Friday 15 May 2009 - Osselle 15/5/09

An early start in the pouring rain to go and see the 2 Black-winged Stilts that had been seen the day before, success!

La journée commence de bonheur et sous la pluie pour aller voir les 2 échasses blanches présentes depuis hier - réussite!

Other things of note:

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 2

Goosander - harle bièvre - 3 females

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 2 still on nest

Yellow-legged Gull - goéland leucophée - 1 2cy

Wood Sandpiper - chevalier sylvain - 2

Common Sandpiper - chevalier guignette - 1+

Little Ringed Plover - petit gravelot - 2+

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière - seen attending a nest.

Saturday 9 May 2009 - Osselle 9/5/09

Much the same as yesterday though less waders.

1 male Kestrel, 2 Buzzards, 2 Common Sandpipers, at least 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 male Stonechats, 1 male Whinchat, 1 Grey and 1 Purple Heron.

Several Painted Lady butterflies were on the wing.

Friday 8 May 2009 - Osselle 8/5/09

Mute Swan - pair sitting.

Mallard - An increase in numbers - breeding season already over for some!

Great Crested Grebe - 1 pair present on the water, no sign of a nest so far.

Buzzard - 1

Wood Sandpiper - 2

Common Sandpiper -

Little Ringed Plover - 3+

Temminck's Stint - 1

Sand Martin - The colony on the island is much more active now, but there are plenty of tunnels being dug in a pile of sand still being worked on.

Stonechat - A pair and a male.

Reed Warbler - 1 heard

Golden Oriole - Heard

Tree Sparrow - 2

Linnet - 1

Friday 1 May 2009 - Petit Noir 1/5/09 - Big Day Out

Little Grebe - Grèbe castagneux

Great Crested Grebe - Grèbe huppé

Cormorant - Grand cormoran

Little Egret - Aigrette garzette - 3

Grey Heron - Héron cendré

Purple Heron - Héron pourpré - 2+

Mute Swan - Cygne tuberculé - Several pairs on nests and one pair with 7 cygnets.

Mallard - Colvert

Osprey - Balbusard - 1

Red Kite - Milan royal - 1

Black Kite - Milan noir - 5+

Marsh Harrier - Busard des roseaux - 1 female and 2 males, female seen carrying nesting material, + 1 female over the road at Chemin.

Montagu's Harrier - Busard cendré - pair seen at Petit Noir, 2 males together at Fretterans and a male at Annoire.

Buzzard - Buse variable

Sparrowhawk - Epervier - 1 male

Kestrel - Faucon crécerelle

Hobby - Faucon hobéreau - 1

Pheasant - Faisan colchide - heard

Coot - Foulque macroule - Several pairs, some on eggs some with large young.

Little Ringed Plover - Petit gravelot - 5+

Common Sandpiper - Chevalier guignette 2+

Redshank - Chevalier gambette - 2

Greenshank - Chevalier aboyeur - 6

Curlew - Courlieu cendré - Heard

Whimbrel - Courlis courlieu - 1 in a ploughed field most of the day.

Ruff - Combattant varié - 1 female

Yellow-legged Gull - Goéland leucophé - 1 adult

Common Tern - Sterne pierregarin - 3, Fretterans

Woodpigeon - Pigeon ramier - several pairs displaying

Collared Dove - Tourterelle turque

Turtle Dove - Tourterelle des bois - Heard almost constantly from mid morning on, several seen displaying.

Cuckoo - Coucou gris - Heard almost constantly, several seen.

Swift - Martinet noir

Kingfisher - Martin-pêcheur - 1

Bee eater - Guêpier - plentiful

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Pic épeichette - 1 male

Skylark - Alouette des champs - 1 singing

Sand Martin - Hirondelle de rivage

Swallow - Hirondelle rustique

White Wagtail - Bergeronnette grise

Grey Wagtail - Bergeronnette des ruisseaux - 1

Blue-headed Wagtail - Beregeronnette printanière

Nightingale - Rossignol - heard everywhere, not seen.

Bluethroat - Gorgebleue - 1 male singing - lifer!

Stonechat - Tarir pâtre - A pair and a female seen.

Blackbird - Merle noir

Blackcap  - Fauvette à tête noire

Whitethroat - Fauvette grisette

Grasshopper Warbler - Locustelle tachetée - 3 reeling, one seen.

Reed Warbler - Rouserolle effarvatte

Great Reed Warbler - Rouserolle turdoïde - Lifer!

Willow Warbler - Pouillot fitis - heard

Chiffchaff - Pouillot véloce

Great Tit - Mésange charbonnière

Blue Tit - Mésange bleue

Short-toed Treecreeper - Grimpéreau des jardins

Magpie - Pie bavarde

Jay - Géai des chênes

Carrion Crow - Corneille noire

Rook - Corbeau freux

Starling - Etorneau sansonnet

Golden Oriole - Loriot - At least 5 heard, frustratingly, none seen.

House Sparrow - Moineau doméstique

Tree Sparrow - Moineau friquet

Chaffinch - Pinson des arbres

Linnet - Linotte mélodieuse

Goldfinch - Chardonneret

Greenfinch - Verdier

Corn Bunting - Bruant proyer - Many

Yellowhammer - Bruant jaune.

70 Species/espèces

Also seen were a few Rabbits and 3 Hares.

Aussi vus, quelques lapins et 3 lièvres.

Saturday 25 April 2009 - Osselle 25/4/09

Great Crested Grebe - 4 including a pair on a nest platform

Gadwall - 1 male

Mute Swan - 1 pair

Coot - 0 !!!

Grey Heron - 1

Black Kite - 3

Red Kite - 1 near Routelle

Common Sandpiper - 1

Little Ringed Plover - 2 displaying

Woodpigeon - 2

Sand Martin - back in number, seem to be ignoring their old nest colony on the island in favour of a sand bank near the entrance to the site

Blue-headed Wagtail - a few around the pools

White Wagtail - a few, 1 seen prospecting a nest site in machinery.

Stonechat - 1 seen

Tree Sparrow - one or two

The first Swifts of the year were over Besançon in the evening.

Monday 13 April 2009 - Petit Noir 13/4/09

Highlights of a visit to this excellent spot on the Franche-Comté/Burgundy border were-

Marsh Harrier - adult male, Montagu's Harrier - 2cy female, Osprey, Black Woodpecker, Cuckoo, 2 Great White Egret, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Stone Curlew, at least 4 Little Ringed Plovers, including a pair mating, 2 Common Terns, many Corn Buntings, Yellowhammers, Blue-headed Wagtails, Nightingales, Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

Friday 3 April 2009 - Marais de Saône and Osselle 3/4/09

I'm just very unlucky with certain specis of birds, the Marais de Saône is supposed to be crawling with Penduline Tits at the moment, I didn't see any!

La Vèze

Snipe - bécassine des marais - 5 + 1

Green Woodpecker - pic vert - heard

Great Spotted Woodpecker - pic épeiche - Pair

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - pic épeichette - 1 male

Song Thrush - grive musicienne - many singing

Dunnock - accenteur mouchet - at least 2 singing

Robin - rougegorge - a few, including one very grey bird with less orange on breast.

Willow Warbler - pouillot fitis- many singing

Chiffchaff - pouillot véloce - many singing

Blackcap - fauvette à tête noire - 1 singing male

Willow Tit - mésange boréale - several heard and seen

Lesser Redpoll - sizerin flammé (cabaret) - 6

Siskin - tarin des aulnes - c20

Bullfinch - bouvreuil pivoine - 1 male

Greenfinch - verdier - 4 feeding on lawn by airfield

Linnet - linotte mélodieuse - Pair by airfield.

Reed Bunting - bruant des roseaux - 1 male and 1 female

Saône

Buzzard - buse variable - 1

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - pic épeichette - Pair displaying.

Osselle (very few birds!)

Great Crested Grebe - grèbe huppé - 6 birds including a displaying pair

Great White Egret - grande aigrette - 1 flew over

Grey Heron - héron cendré - 1

Mute Swan - cygne tuberculé - 2 pairs

Mallard - colvert - just a few pairs

Goosander - harle bièvre - 1 copulating pair

Coot - foulque macroule - almost entirely absent, one or two

Kingfisher - martin-pêcheur - 1

Swallow - hirondelle rustique - 1 or 2

Sand Martin - hirondelle de rivage - 1 or 2, where are they all???

Blue-headed Wagtail - bergeronnette printanière - 1 singing, plus about 5 others.

Blackcap - fauvette à tête noire - 1 female

Short-toed Treecreeper - grimpéreau des jardins - 1

Stonechat - tarier pâtre - 1 pair

Black Redstart - rougequeue noir - 1 pair

Starling - étorneau sansonnet - several singing

Tree Sparrow - moineau friquet - At least 3 checking out nest sites.