A Brit abroad

Bonjour from Orsay

Last weekend, my parents drove me and my stuff over to Orsay via many wrong turns, one of which took us directly past the Eiffel Tower!. Here's a photo of the town - I live on the ridgeline behind, which offers great views of the town and is certainly giving my calves a good workout!

I've been busy enough settling in that birding hasn't really been on the agenda, except for what has shown up in my garden.

I live very close to a reasonable-sized wood, which makes for reasonably good birding. Perhaps of most interest to British birders are regular visits by Short-toed Treecreepers (identified by their Coal Tit-like contact calls). Have only managed a crappy digibinned shot so far, but will try to improve on this soon.

Also nice to see that all of our squirrels are Red!

My walk to work through the wooded campus shows promise. I bumped into some students digiscoping birds coming to a feeder (who says there are no birders in France?), and was instantly gripped off by their stunning shots of a Hawfinch. They also told me that Black Woodpeckers are sometimes seen on the campus, though so far I've only come across Green and Great Spotted.

A walk to the local duckpond was less fruitful following the previous night's frost! California it ain't...

Posted by rjhall at February 1, 2006 4:12 PM