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Recent content by paulmcandrew

  1. paulmcandrew

    late May

    Been awaay for a while including 3 weeks in Poland and a trip back to the UK so not really up to speed with the Charente scene. The Spring seems to have been pretty quiet though, partly because of the indifferent weather. --lots of rain/cloud and unseasonably cool most of the time. we've had...
  2. paulmcandrew

    French Birding (Charente)

    There are not many birders in these parts so you have to find it all yourself--nothing wrong in that though! Migration is just about under way with both cuckoo and hoopoe heard this week. The big crane migration took place as usual in late February and there don't seem to be any stragglers. A...
  3. paulmcandrew

    Bonellis Eagle Found Dead - Pyrenees

    Very sad news indeed. And somewhat surprising, at least from my experience in this part of France (Charente) where raptors are plentiful and not seemingly harassed by the many chasseurs who seemingly have only wild boar and deer on their minds.
  4. paulmcandrew

    first cuckoo

    Heard a cuckoo loud and clear in the Foret de Belaire today. (111th species of this year) Lots of blackcap were singing as were song thrushes and nuthatch. Watched a firecrest at close quarters. The wind is still cool though and there are plenty of showers--not really settled weather for...
  5. paulmcandrew

    Bonjour from France.

    Thank You and Merci Beaucoup to all those who have sent me a welcome. I've been visiting this area for over 15 years and now spend a most of my time here. It's mainly a farming and forested area and very underwatched. Part of the attraction for a long-time British birder is how many of the...
  6. paulmcandrew

    Bonjour from France.

    I'm a few miles south of Ruffec. We don't see too many cranes on the ground here but a few thousand pass over--very noisily-- usually in Feb and Oct. The locals say that in more superstitious times they were mistaken for withes on broomsticks particularly if they passed at night on a full moon.
  7. paulmcandrew

    Inquiry after Peregrine found shot on IoW

    I own firearms myself and use them for competition target shooting at a rifle club. I also have air weapons for the same purpose. I'm completely against guns of any sort being made available to anyone who cannot prove they use them for only bone-fide purposes and this means background checks...
  8. paulmcandrew

    It's cold here too

    It's not quite the weather I've seen on the UK forecasts but we've had hail showers here today and it's not got above 8C. Managed to check the flooded fields this morning though and there was a smattering of passage waders--11 Greensand , 2 ruff, 6 snipe, 3 redshanks and the first LRP of the...
  9. paulmcandrew

    Charente migration

    Today's rain meant no birding but it should help swell the many rivers around here. A few such as the Bandiat are already over their banks and this is good news for the migrants especially waders and wildfowl which stop over for a few days. These mainly seasonal rivers reurn to cultivated land...
  10. paulmcandrew

    Bonjour from France.

    There aren't too many birders around here but I'm one of the few English ones. Migration has just about started and the cranes have already gone through, several thousand passing over the house this year.
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