Another Great Day in the Pyrenees 2021 (1 Viewer)

[rosbifs]

The great days keep coming!

Add a little but of spice...

Started off with an hour to kill round Lourdes so headed to site where there was a possibility of Sardinian Warbler (I had failed here before although had had them a little higher).

Started with a Blackcap - very pretty but not what I looking for! I followed a fairly well trodden path without success but at the top of this particular hillock I could actually hear something that wasn't a Blackcap. Indeed 2 calling Sardinian (should point out these are not common in this part of Franceland) and one other, maybe a female not sure. I tried to get a photo without success for about 20 minutes so you guys are stuck with the Blackcap.

At that point a friend text to say that he may have found a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker possible nest the day before and I was in the area so obviously off I went. I knew exactly the tree he was talking about - having photographed a Bee-eater on it about 4 years ago (on here somewhere). It was a long wait before the male finally showed, maybe 10 seconds, and started digging out a new nest for the year. Couple of snaps and I decided to walk around the lake a bit, I have to be honest tress in the fairly recent islands are growing up at such a rate that it is becoming fantastic for the birds but a nightmare for anyone trying to find the birds i.e. me.... I decided to have my sandwich nearish to the new little home of the LSW. Low and behold a pair of Great Spots appeared on the next tree and the pair decided to bare all in front of me and then disappear.

In the same field I spotted a nice, not cracking but nice, male Redstart and a few bits and pieces roundabouts. I returned to the lake to find a pair of Common Sandpipers doing what pairs do at this time of the year and a pair of LSP's where the female was running faster than the male!

I had to stop to fill up and there was a hobby - usual place this time of year even if the nest site is a couple of clicks away.

All in all another great day!

 

[rosbifs]

Forgot to add had two Cuckoos calling - my first of the year...

Flav had 5 Capercaille, all male, above Luz. He camped out but got stuck because they continued lekking until 10 in the morning! Normally they're done and dusted by 7am - even in full season. The other notable thing was 5 of them when you consider that above Bareges which has the highest concentration there are supposedly only 7 males!

He also found some awesome bear tracks in the ski station.

 

[rosbifs]

Woodpeckers keep coming.
I had a little explore into a new wood - I had never been to this particular wood because of the access although always fancied investigating for White Backed. Normally in prospection season it's quite a hike in (snow) and in any event as the road was restricted (fudged some excuse together). Anyway, I got to drive to the base of the woods so went to look. It's a fantastic beech wood with some fairly large tall trees but to my mind lacks enough old dead wood for WBW. I'm not fit enough to walk to the higher altitudes c.1600m but got to 1200m. I tried a bit of playback thinking that any birds would be keen for a fight at this time of year although I'm maybe a week or so too late. Only a Great Spot that was already drumming.

On the fringe of the wood there was my first Tree Pipit and then to my surprise. Short Toed Treecreeper - 1200m is super high for them. The wood was quite steep and its lots of leaves quite slippy, I took one tumble which with my strained shoulder was pretty... well you don't really need to know.

I wandered around a bit and then decided to head to an old stomping ground for Middle Spot. After penetrating the wood about 50m I could hear a Middle Spot. I hatched around until the male showed up. Couple of shots then left for some lunch. A little higher a Tawny was hooting away - this was 2pm!

So this week that's almost the set - Lesser, Middle, Great, Green and Black. I've got my eye on one more wood I need to explore into for the White Backed or Gavarnie for a Spanish Green hmmmm

First Whitethroat (don't breed round me)

All in all must have racked up close to 60 species this week without really pulling stops out - Great

Note Three photos from Thursday and three from the 'new' wood. When I get down stairs for breakfast will attach a couple of birdy snaps

 

[rosbifs]

Forgot to add the birdys

Should point out that I id'd the STT by call but if anyone is unsure with the photos (very white underneath scared me) quite happy to review...Should also add that I only took the small lens with me, because it's a third of the weight, so photos could have been better.

Been into a different wood to day - 4 Great Spots drumming in various parts but nothing of greater interest...

 

[rosbifs]

More reasons to get out and more reasons to find birds...

At Lourdes this morning a small flock of Jackdaws - obviously, in England you wouldn't bat an eyelid but they are a rarity in these parts with breeding over the last hand full of years.

Onwards to a report of Black Terns at the Lac yesterday but not visible today, although in fairness I literally stopped for 5 minutes. Bit of, wait for it 'work' and then back to Argeles taking a nice back route. I stopped a couple of times and could hear a Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Access is limited so I didn't wander around.

At the lake the Lesser Spot was still digging his nest out poking his head out and throwing the 'cuttings' out.

I wandered around a bit looking for early shrikes and the like to stumble over a good size flock of Sand Martin. A couple seemed to be picking up nesting material and sure enough I watched a few digging their holes in the bank of the river. This is a new thing for me, the nesting bit, and it actually looked like there were two little colonies and maybe 30/40 birds in total! Wow

On the way back there was a swoosh of two Hobbys - probably lining up my colony of Sand Martins! I grabbed a shot of a Booted Eagle which looks like an intermediate phase to me...

Back at the car and the Osprey that was reported yesterday rose up form the river with a big fish. It tried to land in a dead tree but was very quickly harassed by three Black Kites who wouldn't let him settle anywhere. Great!

Almost forgot a Lammy appeared over the house in the afternoon - how could I forget that???

 

[rosbifs]

Osprey caption ‘might as well carried in to Scotland!’

and first honey of the season...

 

[Richard Prior]

Osprey caption ‘might as well carried in to Scotland!’

and first honey of the season...

I guess being further south than us you usually get the first HBs before April ends, in the 15 years since I pitched up in the Alps my earliest ever was 6 May !

 

[rosbifs]

I guess being further south than us you usually get the first HBs before April ends, in the 15 years since I pitched up in the Alps my earliest ever was 6 May !

I originally doubted myself because of the date! That said I checked through the annual reports for the area and generally first observations are 28,29,30 April or even one year 1st May! I think migration 'in numbers' are generally mid May onwards...

First Scope heard was Feb this year and a friend has a pair somewhere near the bottom of his garden - duelling the other night. Big movement of Swallows the other day and swifts have arrived down the mountain but seemingly late for Luz (earliest nest 19th April).

It was interesting seeing the Lesser Spot still working on his nest, the Great Spots mating, and Middle Spots I think already in their nest - as in theory WBW's are but I haven't got to their nesting sites because of the 'lockdown'.

 

[rosbifs]

Like london buses and then there were 6!

6 honeys on migration with 8 black kite well not far between- actually 1,1 honey then the black kite tiogether then 4 honey together. All over the eagle owl nest....

might be moving into phase 3 if the nesting where the male stays close to the nest.

great!

 

[rosbifs]

Out of 'official' 10km travel limit! Had a meeting in Lourdes so took advantage and took a trip into the sticks. Sadly, couldn't find Purple Heron or Night Herons that have been kicking about.

Few bits here and there but nothing to speak of. A White Headed Blackbird which is a new species, to mankind, lots of Whitethroats singing everywhere. In fairness I had set the targets fairly high Red Foot, Pallid and such like. Found none, not surprisingly. First Turtle Doves of the year though. Disappointingly no Shrikes today nor Black Shouldered Kite around nest site - have they fledged already or not nested in that spot, no Rock Sparrow although I'm pretty sure they have already done with their first brood.

I finished the day with 2 Sardianian Warblers though and a Nightingale so that was pretty good, oh and a Hobby on the way home.

Great-ish day

First bird of the day (this morning) Peregrine over the woods. I suspect we have a nest not too far away form the village...

 

[rosbifs]

Gavarnie

Time to head up the mountain to find firstly Alpine Swift which were around their nest site - I really didn't stay long but 4 in the air together with a couple of passes around the nesting area - so for me at least four pairs but need to follow up! Then onto the the failed Lammy cliff to be rewarded with a pair of Wallcreepers. Sadly, for me I had forgotten that I had taken the scope out of the boot the other day so no scope. Seemed to be returning to the same whole and parading each other. What I suspect could be the general nest area is a little bit higher than last year but otherwise same area. Try as I may at this distance I failed to get a photo of the pair together - so some random distance photos!

Great news and great afternoon.

Ps also got a Turtle Dove near Argeles - so another to follow to see if it settles...

 

[rosbifs]

So I took a very long range photo yesterday but forgot to get a closer look. Anyway, this is an occasional nest of a golden eagle and it’s occupied!

 

[rosbifs]

Seems like a while but had a day trip to Tarbes yesterday stopping at the 'usual' spots. Great to see a pair of adult Black Shouldered Kites back in situ. I'm guessing this is the second brood, not that I could actually see the nest but there was definitely some mobbing of crows that came too close...

Onto the Rock Sparrow of which there were four on two different pylons.

Hoopoe carrying food. All happening!

Finally at least two calling male Orioles.

Last week found a calling Nightingale near Argeles which is the first territorial for about 5 or 6 years in the valley for me...

Great!

 

[dragnil]

Sounds great, wish we were there! Hoopoe and nightingale are great finds for the valley. Hoping against hope that our September visit will be OK.

 

[muck22]

not really a “birding day”, but I just saw at least 12 storks circling over our house....
this was quite impressive

 

[rosbifs]

Hiking time. Ran up to Gloriettes with Inge, Dutch friend from Bareges. In search of the Wallcreeper. The walk was a slog, as usual, made worse by the transhumance - ended up following 2 lorries up a mountain and then a herd of cows! This put us seriously behind schedule and was significant.

It was significant because at the top I was 3 minutes ahead of Inge. I could hear calling as the male Wallcreeper arrived at the nest and went in - result. Then he was out and gone. Then the female came out, sat around for a while and then also disappeared. Then Inge arrived! She managed to see the female as it disappeared in the same direction of the male. At this point it's worth suggesting that if she wasn't in the nest then their eggs have hatched (as I understand it during incubation the female doesn't leave the nest).

In this case the pair disappeared for 1h20! I thought this was a super long time to be away. In the meantime we watched a pair of Snowfinch which seemed to have set up nest somewhere in the vicinity and a group of 3 Alpine Accentors that were almost ever present. Overhead a few vultures that seemed to be feeding 1/2km further on.

Sadly as time ticked by and pressing appointments approached we had to leave. Right at the point when the male started calling and made another show. Inge missed the photo ops and I got some rubbish piccies...

 

[rosbifs]

Short trip to Portugal, finally(!), and the obligatory trip to the driving range.

A nice pair of Azure Winged Magpies and lots of Spotless Starlings. Then a very light brown coloured Swift which has to be Pallid, then a couple of cracking Red Rumped Swallows - Great. Lots of Serin, odd Sardinian warbler but surprisingly no Hoopoes...

I thought I had a Goshawk this morning over Sintra but just I was about to pull off the road to get a better view a van appeared and pushed me on.

 

[rosbifs]

Back at home and back to some common birds!

Nice walk near and around the lake. Got a glimpse of a mammal in the river - had to be an otter and can't think of anything else it could have been... Should add I had just finished the story of seeing a Polecat on the road the night before - 3am and not far from Luz when this other thing flashed in front of me...

Common Sand, Egyptian Vulture, Griffons, Kites and buzzards. Then lots of Sand Martin in and around the nests - at least 60 birds in the air so I think I will settle for 30 pairs. Unbelievable can go from 0 two years ago to possibly some last year to this.

Great

 

[dragnil]

Great news of the Sand Martins.

 

[rosbifs]

Silly work thing has got in there way of birdwatching... Finally managed to get up to the Soulor and some migration. I was organising my day with the kids when picnic on the Soulor was suggested and voted through - great.

Little cloudy in the valleys but sunny higher up was the forecast.

I got there just as the lower cloud shifted and birds started arriving - well Kites. Had a great half hour with groups bubbling up - 82, 28, 32 etc. Some Crossbills 32 as well overhead and some Swifts 110+.

Then the cloud came back and everything stopped. Highlight was a cracking, local, Booted Eagle that pottered about.

Kids were happy because they still got their ice cream...