September 26, 2006
Rain in the south
My Kiwi pals are heading back to the other side of the globe next month (take me with you!), so we decided to visit Andrew in Montpellier for a whistle-stop tour of the south of France incorporating the Camargue and Arles to the east, and Narbonne and Carcassonne to the west (an adult pale phase Booted Eagle - Aigle botte - was the highlight of the long journey to the latter site). What we weren't counting on was the formidable amount of rain that bucketed down for the whole weekend; however, we did a pretty good job of dodging the rainclouds and saw some good birds in the process.
A Caspian Tern (Sterne caspienne) brought our car to a screeching halt on the east side of the Etang de Vaccares, though the Kiwis were understandably more interested in their lifer Greater Flamingos (Flamant rose). In the mean time I managed a couple of pics of an approachable Little Egret (Aigrette garzette).
This large group of Coots (Foulque macroule) was preening and swimming in a tight circular formation - anyone know why?
The Salin de Badon was much quieter than my last visit, although we had excellent views of a hovering Osprey (Balbuzard pecheur), and the ubiquitous Coypus.
Another out of place exotic, this Geranium Bronze butterfly hails from South Africa.
We visited the Tour du Valat for the first time, which paid off when we discovered 4 Black Storks (Cigogne noir) flying in to feed at the lake (the black blob in the left of this picture is one of them).
The supporting cast of birds here included 3 Black-necked Grebes (Grebe a cou noir), and Whiskered and Black Terns (Guifettes moustac et noire). After a much-needed coffee break in Salin de Giraud, we birded the Baisse de 500 Francs, where in strong wind we picked out another Osprey and my first French Red-necked Grebe (Grebe jougris). This Caspian Tern on the nearby beach dwarfed the surrounding Common and Sandwich Terns (Sternes pierregarin et caugek).
An adult Yellow-legged Gull at close range.
Back in Andrew's flat, we weren't the only ones sheltering from the rainstorms!
I rather gingerly trapped it in a plastic cup and released it a safe distance from the apartment.
