Prospecting day - Gavarnie
I was a bit surprised by how cold it was as I heard up the mountain - 10 c! With this in mind I went to at the Lammergeier thinking they would all be curled up together but I couldn't find them, I had a Griffon and a Honey overhead. I bit of low cloud so the lower road for me.
A couple of Rock Buntings announced their presence but didn't provide anything but a rear end view as they disappeared into a bush.
The road was fairly bumpy but I got a bit of relief in the small migrant trap. It was dripping with Black Redstart and a handful of Common Redstart, including a cracking male still showing his bib, Then a Blackcap, two Whitethroats and a Garden Warbler. Back in the car and the first Rock Thrush, a juvenile. From the end there is a nice flat walk - my favourite kind.
Two Dippers in the lake which crystal clear. Another couple of Rock Thrush, one male moulting and losing his colourful underparts. A troop of Griffons and then a glorious Golden Eagle. A the end I tried to cheat by scanning rather than walking uo hill too far but could see anything but then I heard a distant rising highpitched whistle, and again but could I find it!!??!! Wallcreeper, somewhere... I crossed the stream but alas in 30 minutes I couldn't find the bird, 25 of the minutes in silence so I gave up. I turned to a flypast Lammergeier.
Back to the car the and a brief stop overlooking a narrow gorge, nothing but turned the corner and a male Wallcreeper flew across the bonnet of the car. No time to grab my camera and he was gone. I reversed up the track to the gorge and decided I would eat my sandwich and wait. Again nothing!
I spent the rest of the afternoon pottering about thinking about seeing birds but seeing very little although I had a final count of 6 Rock Thrush and two Wallcreeper which was pretty good. Some Good views of Lammy, Goldie and then some fo the commoner birds.
A coffee to warm and walk up then a beer.... Great.
Oh nearly forgot, I stopped at one point to look over an edge and a Water Pipit flew up to land on my open door, then flew into the car to explore. I managed to grab a phone picture as he was trapped inside and then opened the windows to let him escape. During his short visit he managed to leave three presents on the passenger door!