April 24, 2006
Birthday birding part 1: gorgeous gorges
This weekend I 'celebrated' leaving my mid-twenties and entering my late twenties with a mix of eating, drinking, sightseeing and (for me) leisurely-paced birding in the south of France. Saturday morning was spent birding around the hotel (Mas de Baumes) in the hills north of Montpellier. The area supported a rich diversity of Mediterranean-scrubland birds: displaying Woodlarks (Alouette lulu), singing Bonelli's Warbler (Pouillot de Bonelli) and Nightingales (Rossignol philomèle) everywhere! The Sylvia warblers (Sardinian and Orphean; mélanocéphale et orphée) were typically skulking, and a Hoopoe (Huppe fasciée) showed well, if briefly. The highlight for me was seeing Rock Sparrows (Moineau soulcie) setting up territories on the hotel buildings themselves - only the second time I've ever seen this species.
In full song it was often possible to pick out the diagnostic yellow throat patch.
White Wagtails (Bergeronnette grise) were apparently nesting too.
Hawfinches (Grosbec casse-noyaux) were surprisingly common and relatively easy to see in the stunted trees.
It wasn't clear whether these two male Whinchats (Tarier des prés) were prospecting breeding sites or on their way north.
Both redstart species were in song; this Common Redstart (Rougequeue à front blanc) was my first of the year.
This tall Asphode sp was abundant...
... but I only found a single Giant Orchid.
In the afternoon we drove our way up many winding roads towards the Gorges of the Tarn and the Jonte. I was surprised to see several large snow patches on the high tops - this was not the climate I had come dressed for! Our destination was the vulture viewpoint in the Gorge de la Jonte, and sure enough, we soon spotted several giant Griffon Vultures (Vauture fauve).
A most welcome bonus was a pair of Egyptian Vultures (Vauture percnoptère), apparently prospecting a nest site. Choughs (Crave à bec rouge) and Alpine Swifts (Martinet à ventre blanc) were wheeling around the cliffs, while Crag Martins (Hirondelle de rochers) and a single Dipper (Cincle plongeur) were feeding along the river. The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the fantastic scenery.
