January 17, 2008
Urban birding
Since the new year Les Ulis has been my temporary home. Not what you'd call scenic...
... but at least my walk into work takes me through a wooded park with a couple of decent-sized duckponds. 3 or 4 Grey Herons (Heron cendre) are always in attendance.
More of a surprise were 5 Great Cormorants (Grand Cormoran) actively fishing.
The grass around the ponds is mown short by oodles of Moorhens (Poule d'eau)...
... and Coots (Foulque macroule)
Hefty hoofs!
The landbirds are much the same as those present on campus. Green Woodpeckers (Pic vert) and Jays (Geai des chenes) provide a welcome splash of colour on a grey January day.
Siskins (Tarin des aulnes) are the most abundant finch in the park...
... while Redwings (Grive mauvis) have been fairly scarce locally - perhaps due to the mild weather?
