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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Another Great Day in the Pyrenees - 2017 (1 Viewer)

Are the rock thrush local to Luz - that's not my usual scree slope in d'Ossoue? Planning lunch near Uzein tomorrow for B-s Kites then on to Luz. Just had a good day with Bluethroats at Aiguillon.
 
Things hotting up,
Getting most 'classics' just not all in the right places! The Rock Thrush yesterday not where I expected, today Lammergeier (occasional place - sorry Alan) but no Egyptian Vulture but then 2 pairs elsewhere!

Got a possible Goshawk - well I thought I had seen one bird twice but may have been two birds. The one I got the photos of may not be a Goshawk although very bulky - pictures were taken but to put into perspective I was at 500m altitude and the bird about 1500m - add in some slope he was probably about 2 miles away. I then say the bird a second time or a new bird that was only about 200m above me. Obviously, bigger than Woodpigeons that he put up. No hint of any colour in the breast (I'd say white) so either female Sparrowhawk or male Goshawk.

Some nice shots of ST Eagle but no Booted. Then a Bonelli's Warbler 'hu-eff'ing away but much as I tried it didn't fall for my impersonation.

Finally, got Cirl Bunting but again not in the easy places....
 

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Spent 1 1/2 hours glued to the eyepiece of a telescope looking for a needle in a haystack or specifically a Wallcreeper in 2km of cliff! No luck.

Time flies (and I promise I didn't have a snooze) but the problem is you don't really see the other birds around.

On the walk in I did see a distant displaying Rock Thrush c.2km and a Lammy (sorry Alan) on the way out...

I took comfort in the things more local - and managed to get a picture at a slightly different angle - 'it' was sat nicely out.
 

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Some shots from yesterday - too much to write up now!

5 Lammies in one day.
 

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So the end of a few days birding and the results were spectacular. There were some quiet periods because of the heat but great none-the-less.

Some highlights from day one included finding a Bonellis Warbler nest - on the ground. Both parents were busy in and out with food but I had no idea that they nested on the ground. This was the only day with low cloud so we headed up the mountain. For the second year on the trot I made a massive booboo miscalling territorial Wallcreepers. I saw a bird against the cliff but then was drawn to the bright colours of a butterfly - then two - what a prat! Of course efforts were doubled, I then was fortunate to actually find the bird - it would have been difficult to live it down otherwise.

Because of the cloud lower down the mountain we were in the best place albeit there wasn't much flying or action. A flyby Egyptian...
 

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Some of the results of day 2 were posted above - the Lammies - 5 in a day!

The day started with a partly successful trip to see the Eagle Owl - I saw it and one other before he tucked up for the morning. We moved on to Lammergeier nest 1 to see the 'chick' in the nest cave. Unfortunately, the cave is dark as is the bird so its actually fairly difficult to get a satisfactory view. Eventually time to leave and cars were loaded - everybody out - the adult arrived and paraded in front of us.

Typically, after an hour of not a lot the adult was there. Followed by 2 Honey Buzzards then a Peregrine then a Short Toed Eagle add Buzzard, Black Kite things were hotting up then a Sparrowhawk to add to the raptors. Hadn't even got to Gavarnie yet.

Coffee time but not without finding 7 Alpine Swifts over the village. Fingers crossed they decided to breed.

Two Golden Eagles flew over and before leaving scoped one on the nest seemingly feeding young - it was tearing food but couldn't see the rest properly. The immense shoulders head on were visible!

Next stake out was the Lammys home on the cliffs behind Gavarnie and some lunch. Again see the photos from an earlier post of an adult sat near the nest.

Its difficult to improve on the mornings birding. Up to find a Rock Thrush which just about got but also a 'pair', as in 2, Cuckoos - got a couple of snaps and it looks like the moment one laid an egg!!!!!

Has to be one of the great days. I should add that there was a distinct possibility of Wallcreeper - two observers one vehicle and me in the other independently. My reservation was the sunlight but size and flight and impression of colour were good...
 

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Day 3 - Bareges started with a glorious Eagle Owl!! Now on with the day.

As with other places things are seemingly very quiet this year! No Black Woodpecker, no Citril Finch, again(!), no Snow Finch up the road - awful!

On to the Tourmalet and finally some luck - a Hobby brightened the day. Then, a beautiful Alpine Accentor - not wishing to get too close we keep it at arms length. Back at the car park and whilst waiting for people to catch up had a final search for Snow Finch and scoped one up the mountain. It did come closer but not super.

Back in the car and 3 Honeys put in an appearance and at last a Snow Finch under the neighbouring car!!!!! Everybody out. He seemed to respond well to some meusili bar!

A couple of short stops on the way home but without further excitement...

How could I forget a pair of Booted Eagles...
 

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Stop Press I'm A Dad Again;;;;;;
 

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Back to the 'trip.

Friday morning and a dash to find Black Shouldered Kite and some waterbirds. Headed to Ayguelongue. There are night Herons etc. and some Turtle Dove and hopefully in the vicinity some BS Kites.

En route said bird flew across the road in front of the car, unfortunately, too busy to stop and although a little search down side roads followed couldn't pick it up again!

The lake produced what the lake produces - at least 2 calling Turtle Doves, a handful of Night Herons and buckets of Great Crested Grebes. I then caught the glimpse of a raptor but lost it behind a couple of trees only to hear some whooping and wailing behind me. An Osprey! I had seen it/one about 10 days previous (will have to check my posts). It performed!!!

Difficult to top that and failed to find any further BS Kites but did get a couple of Hobbies around airport. Failure was put down to ridiculous temperatures - topping 35° is too much for me. It is great for me to get out of the mountains and find some other birds though.
 

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Another couple of weeks has flown by. Been at a friends on hols for a few days but also up to Le Mans for the 24h race - great event - over 200k people and very very hot! Hit 38°c on way home.

Birdwatching been a little limited but got some great views of the Eagle Owl with Duffbirder (and at last he got his Lammergeier!). Speaking of which had the first of this years fliers this morning. A juv with two adults - brilliant.

Other birds included, 3 Honeys, Booted Eagle, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Griffon (c.35 at one point), Egyptian at least 3, Short toed Eagle, 2 Peregrine, Black and Red Kite - in short a raptor fest... Side cast included Melodious Warbler, Serin and a calling Nightjar from 10.45 for 15mins then off and on until 12.15 when we left.

And all because the road to the Soulor was closed again!

Also since my Osprey day have found a Black shouldered Kite nest!!

Missed out on the Specticled Warbler (was aiming for that today), but big news was a Ruppells Vulture on the Soulor on Monday - I just can't get there in the time I have had!!! It does mean that I now have to check every Griffon just in case.
 

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The Great Houdini

At last the road to the Soulor is open and first stop Wallcreeper.

I got there about 11.15 and didn't have to wait long - sorry Alan. Its funny it was about 8m away and I hadn't seen it! I very quickly fired off some shots but the angle wasn't very good. I had to turn my head for 5 seconds and I moved to the other side of the road, there is a steep drop so I couldn't 'back' away. The long and the short is I didn't see it again!!!! I wandered up and down for about 45 mins but nothing.

Absolutely incredible that it could be so close but just dissappear! A good supporting cast though Golden Eagle, Lammergeier, both Choughs, constant Crag Martins, 3 Goldcrests and a 'new' Egyptian Vulture nest - with chick.

I did have a longer walk to try and find the Spectacled Warbler but no joy then returned for the Wallcreeper and again no joy!

Picture of Lammy bottom is just for fun - extreme distance!
 

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Reminds me of one time a few years back (oh, yes, 'old git reminisces' warning). I was coming down the track leading off of the south side of Ordesa canyon, hot and tired and happy. In places the near vertical rock wall almost brushes your shoulder. I paused a moment and a Wallcreeper arrived right next to me: it would have been close enough to touch! A quick wing flick, a beady-eyed look around, and it was gone along the cliffside. No matter that it would have been impossible to photograph - it's one moment that's fixed and as vivid as ever!!
Brian
 
Reminds me of one time a few years back (oh, yes, 'old git reminisces' warning). I was coming down the track leading off of the south side of Ordesa canyon, hot and tired and happy. In places the near vertical rock wall almost brushes your shoulder. I paused a moment and a Wallcreeper arrived right next to me: it would have been close enough to touch! A quick wing flick, a beady-eyed look around, and it was gone along the cliffside. No matter that it would have been impossible to photograph - it's one moment that's fixed and as vivid as ever!!
Brian

Its not the first time I have seen the bird and it dissappears! I couldn't work out where it would have gone for me not to see it!!

Some shots from the other day and today...
 

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Thanks Brian!

Now why do I do it? What started out as a nice trip out to see if we could find the Alpine Swifts nest or proof that they are breeding turned into...

The Parcs were keen to find some proof so off to Gavarnie we went. I brought some picnic stuff and we set up scopes on the terrace of the Gavarnie Parc office. Great. After 5 minutes we spotted the first Alpine S. There were three and the closest I've seen to the village. It is just possible that one of them went into the cliff high above the village when the Parcs guy said lets get closer!

I'm sure with a bit more patience we could see from here...

To which he replied he knows a great path and off we set. Me trying to keep up with two mountain goats.

Actually the walk to the cliff was pretty quick but then things got interesting following this path along the cliff which was about 20cms wide with a couple of big drops below. Did I say I didn't like heights? They then decided we should climb up to the cliff as the path wasn't helping us see the cliff - great.

There were some benefits in that we could overlook the Golden Eagle nest and could see the chick albeit through a scope. There were some Crossbills, 8, Crested Tit, Goldcrest, Serin, some Griffon that came within touching distance and some Izzard. We did see the Alpine Swifts but none came close to the cliff as the weather closed in and it started raining!

I have to say that the walk back to the narrow path following the steep end of the cliff was pretty hair-raising. In hindsight I was pleased that I did the walk and it is fair to say that the area was really beautiful but I'm not sure that I would do it again!!

As for proof nothing definitive but that is 5 weeks, at least, in the same place...
 
Thanks Dragnil.

Well true to word or not I went back for some more punishment. This time I took two walking sticks for a bit more confidence. I had planned to go elsewhere but the lure of seeing 3 Alpine Swifts flying across the face of the cliff persuaded me.

Anyway, the walk in is painless until you arrive at the cliff. I edged my way along the path and then found a good viewpoint. Seeing 5 birds was great and on one pass vocal.

Eventually, I got the proof I needed as one bird entered a crevice on the cliff face.

Its funny I have been coming to Gavarnie for a number of years as have others. Could we all have missed these birds. Honestly, I don't think so although its possible. Even when I know where they are it still takes some patience to pick them up. They also can travel big distances so not be around at any given moment. Yes there have been occasional reports, including one at this cliff face. The Parcs guy says he seen them around the ski resort but never late into the breeding season.

Sadly, my pictures are pretty awful...

Funnily enough yesterday at home my daughter came screaming downstairs 'there's a bird in the house'. There was, a Common Swift in the toilet! He couldn't take off the floor so I picked him up and released him outside the restaurant. He had a very good grip with his feet and the wings felt surprisingly 'rigid'.
 

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There were some Crossbills, 8, Crested Tit, Goldcrest, Serin, some Griffon that came within touching distance and some Izzard. We did see the Alpine Swifts but none came close to the cliff as the weather closed in and it started raining!

I always get slightly worried when vultures start taking an interest in my progress... ;)
 
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