Birding in the Charente-Maritime department (1 Viewer)

I am due to spend a week with the wife's family in Gemozac during August. Sensing I probably will need to escape at some point for my sanity can anyone recommend any good birding locations in the area, ideally no more than 30 minutes drive from Gemozac No particular target species other than stuff I don't normally encounter in Britain.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Phil,

Head straight towards the Gironde estuary for Aquatic Warbler ! There's a ringing station operational in August at Mortagne-sur-Gironde run by Biosphere Environment ( http://www.biosphere-environnement.com/ >> Actualités and scroll down for the details. Contact Raphael to arrange a visit etc.) There'll be other interesting stuff to see in the area as well and it's only 15 minutes away so you could sneak off regularly ;-)

A bit further afield (45 mins) there's a nice little reserve (Terres d'Oiseaux) at Port de Callonges west of St-Cires-sur-Gironde and just north of the nuclear power station. Given that there'll be plenty of migrants coasting south at this time the possibilites are endless all along the estuary.

Eugene

Many thanks Eugene :t:

You can head north west 30 ks or so to Le Gua, lots of ponds, pools, waterways near the mussel beds, you should see Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, Short toed Eagle & Black winged Stilts, the cereal fields of Sablonceau nearby are good for Montagu's Harrier too.