Another Great Day in the Pyrenees 2022 (1 Viewer)

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Headed out for the evening and took advantage of stopping for the Lesser Kestrels

At dusk the count was 62 with potentially more arriving. incredible! Some hawking, others on the pylons and 9 sitting in the trees - this is probably where the biggest margin for error was as could have easily been double. Hard to think where they head during the day because around 17h there are none. Maybe its just altitude.

The site near Bagneres has 50 or so too and last night 14 Rollers...

Anyway, a couple of fly by Ortolans - maybe 6 or so - the maize is impenetrable so again could have been a few more. Red Backed Shrike and a handful of Whinchats.

 

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The days get better and better

An afternoon with Dragnil and jackpot! Headed the other side of the mountain to find the Kestrels - isn't that a book? Anyway, I digress on approaching the site spotted first Roller - 3 in fact - and some Lesser Kestrels too easy. Shirley spotted some Wheatear and Whinchat very nice.

4 Yellow Wags disappeared into a field and then the Kestrels started hawking. A there it was a juv Red Foot diving and hunting (two were seen yesterday along with 17 Rollers). The only downside was trying to get a photo as the group changed positions and then disappeared out of view. I latched onto a couple but missed the record shot!

Our total was a meagre 3 Rollers, 15-20 LK's and the RF.

On the way home a male Marsh Harrier and a fairly lengthy control by the police as we overlooked the airport. There was no stress but a lengthy discussion about the validity of a UK license....

 

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First day out and a great start at argeles with the remaining Lesser Kestrels . There were 15 left at 8h30 and they flew off at 8h40 (last night there were 75 att he roost). The corn was buzzing with a handful of Ortolan, Whinchats, Pied Fly and Sparrows. The field were full of White wagtail. The lake was quiet but we found two Spotted Fly and a late Black Kite.

A handfuls of warblers of which one turned into a Melodious, 3 RB Shrike and 2 Serin. Just reeling off the birds!

Back at the van where a hoopoe was hoping about. What about that raptor lying in the grass - a Cuckoo! Then some form of Redstart - really cannot identify if - from chest up was a Bluethroat but below a redstart - I couldn't get a photo but I've never seen a bird like it.

Off for a coffee and up to the Soulor.

The wind wasn't that favourable but there were intermittent Honey Buzzards, a Marsh Harrier and a very high Osprey. The blue sky and wind meant that birds were very high and came through quickly!

Got some nice views of the Egyptian Vulture chicks and the adults close by. 3 Golden Eagles rounded off the day. I had a couple of distant LAmmys but too far for the group to latch on to. More chances today...

 

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Then some form of Redstart - really cannot identify if - from chest up was a Bluethroat but below a redstart - I couldn't get a photo but I've never seen a bird like it.

Eastern Black Redstart perhaps?

 

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Three and a bit days birding done and 108 species plus a handful of heard only...

The highlights were definitely both the flocks of Lesser Kestrels (Argeles has had max count of 76), 7 Rollers, hoopoe and then the classics Lammy, Golden Eagle, ST and Booted Eagles, some Egyptian including 2 young still on nest and 4 other just fledged, one female Pallid Harrier, Iberian Green Wood, Rock Thrush, Ortolan, Citril Finch...

Actually, now I've started typing there is a lot more highlights than I thought!

Black Shouldered Kite, RB Shrike, Crested Tit, Honey Buzzards etc etc

One thing that has become apparent is there was a lack passerines. This has to be down to the weather - the Rollers have dispersed all over France from their mainly southern breeding grounds which is where our Lessers probably came from - they are hungry.

 

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Short trip out with Dragnil

Very quiet in places would expect to find a few migrants... Where are the birds??????

Anyway, at least things hotted up with a lovely sandwich nr the Lammy nest.

Four birds were present, 2 adults and 2 young, and they paraded up and down to keep us entertained. The 2 young were 2cy and 4cy but didn't see this years bird...

Otherwise couple of Honeys, 1 Marsh Harrier and 3 Sparrowhawks....

 

[rosbifs]

Not much posting on my part which reflects how much birding I have done over the last month!

Couple of trips down the mountain which gave a couple of short forays to the airport and a walk at the lake but not a lot else. Well a small operation, doubt I mentioned it anywhere, on my ring finger - getting back to normal now.

At the airport got a nice Hen Harrier that gave quite a bit of id difficulty because it was moulting. Thankfully that was sorted on BF. A Marsh Harrier and my first Merlin of the autumn.

At the lake the other day scored, what will probably be my last of the year, Short Toed Eagle. Saligos held a Peking Robin - but they are everywhere - flocks of up to 72 - but bizarrely a number seem to be just dying 'falling out of the sky' - I saw 2 in Lourdes the other day but my friend picked up 9 in Lourdes! Otherwise, a party of Chiffchaffs and Rock Bunting in a friends garden while having a beer, another passion, as well as the Peking Robins...

Speaking of late birds I notice yesterday that there is still an Egyptian Vulture on the Soulor from the late breeders. This has got to be getting close to, if not, the latest ever for this area.

Holidays next week so maybe some east coast migration - I shall be hitting Scarborough Castle amongst other places...

Just noticed Scotland off to a flying start in the cricket against the West Indies - another upset on the cards?

 

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Well done Scotland!

 

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Twitching in sunny Scarborough

My day started at friends in York. Living by the river it was nice to see a Kingfisher before breakfast. Lots of thrushes, Fieldfare Redwing etc, and Tits with some alarms as a Sparrowhawk came through. Then a great trip into town as he dropped me near the station by boat!

Anyway, onto Scarborough and news of a Red-Flanked Bluetail at Filey - can't pass up that so off we go. Almost immediate views as a small group were already in place. Better views than Finland 1999! We followed it up and down for a bit and enjoyed lots of Goldcrests buzzing around with a Common Redstart.

Great!

 

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Very little birding over the last few weeks.

A trip to the Eagle Owl site which is controversial at the moment because someone wants to build a zip line in the area above the nest. The LPO have refused consent saying it's a site of special interest. I was asked to map the nest. The guy is now paying for a ecological study on the nest and an old Lammergeier nest which is in the vicinity. I'm struggling to see an impact - there are already zip lines below the nest which are nearer - which were allowed about 6 years ago. I don't think the Eagle Owl will be easily spooked. Anyway, not my decision I just have to point...

Coincidently, the bird was hiding in the back of the bushes so we also got to see it.

Then yesterday. Met Jacob - great birder. I invited him along to an outing with a family group, who it turns out he has known for years. We scoped around for a bit but struggled to find anything other than Griffons for a while, until Jacob found a Lammy drifting along the cliffs.

We relocated to the military camp via the airport. Dipped on the Grey Shrike but we were there for the roost. A couple of Marsh Harriers and Black Shouldered Kites later and light beginning to fade the Hen's came in to roost. Some great males with one of the kids finding a cracker just out the back of the car! I think we had 6/7 Males in total, Jacob had a female, 3 Marsh and minimum 6 Merlin. The first being the best - a closish range male. Birds seemed to have slightly relocated so will change position next time.

A huge flock of Woodpigeons - must have been more than a 1000 maybe even 2000.

Great afternoon and great to meet Jacob, after a couple of false starts.