Another great day in the Pyrenees 2024 (1 Viewer)

[rosbifs]

Time to kick off again - only because things are kicking off

Eagle owl, lammergeiers with chick both almost in view of my house and scops kicking about…

A couple of booted eagles and a couple of goldies today and a very sorry short toed eagle in the rain the other day.

Wallcreeper on the church and no camera.

A day trip to el planeron with Jacob produced a lot of larks 80+ species but lots of omissions - neither bustard nor sandgrouse - next time.

Today another highlight was middle spotted wood and a calling Iberian chiffchhaff - only my second and my first in France!

Great things to come…

Spot the wallcreeper?!?!?!

 

[rosbifs]

A weekend birdwatching and it was hot! Sadly not the birds - particularly in the afternoons...

The Iberian Chiffchaff still around and that was pretty much the first bird - produced some good views albeit not adjacent. First Bonellis Warbler of the year too and not in one of their 'spots'.

A view bits and pieces calling or showing. Sadly the Middle Spot was just a flash. Firecrest on hand was nice.
At the lake a few returning sand martin and then a nice suprise Nightingale - a while since we've had a breeder so hopefully he finds a mate. Corn Bunting and a passing Redstart (common although the rarer here)

Little else so off to Pibeste. Immediate success with an Egyptian and Griffons. A distant Peregrine was almost a permanent fixture. Clocked a Short Toed sad in a tree but very distant - difficult when you have two photographers. A none showing but vocal Bonellis and a pair of Cirl Bunting rounded off the morning.

Picnic lunch and the other side of the lake gave up 4 Little Ringed Plover and a much better Middle Spot who investigated 3 trees around us before disappearing.

En route for home and a juv Dipper in the 'Gave' and a final stop at the Lammy nest. The mother, I guess, shielding her young and a very distant father patrolling the mountain side. Great to see.

Also great was a displaying Sparrowhawk with a great pair of white bloomers!

The Eagle Owl didn't come out although I did sneak out just after dark to catch sight of it disappearing towards the village - still clearing out some of the cats I suspect...

Most of the days targets achieved but distant views, low numbers and very hot - 30 in the afternoon made things a little uncomfortable!

 

[rosbifs]

And then came the Sunday.

Early out - no Eagle Owl so up the mountain. No Citril Finch no this no that argh!

On parking the car caught a tail end of a Black Woodpecker calling in the distance. A great sign. Up and down and along and back along the tracks to finally get a pair of Black Woods around one of the nest sites with another calling from an adjacent territory. The male even looked to be making this years nest hole. Great views but they weren't settled.

Also had a nuthatch couple flirting together and then intermittently carrying nesting material backwards and forwards to their 'tiny' nest hole.

Crested Tit, treecreeper and one treecreeper calling like a short toed - at 1500m! Incredible at this altitude. Add into the mix Goldcrest, Firecrest and all the other morning chorus the woods were alive!

A quick foray up the mountain and the first Rock Thrush of the year. Sat on pylon no 3 to give you an idea of how far away he was and he flew even further as he flew to no 3 on he adjacent ski lift. Some nice Linnets, Chough, Tree Pipit and wheatears finished off the morning.

A quick snack and off to Gavarnie.

Sadly Gavarnie was super quiet. A distant Golden Eagle, some distant Alpine Choughs, lots of colourful Water Pipits and the Lammy sat on her nest on the other side of the valley. I guess it was a sunday so there were a lot of people trapsing around keeping things at bay and it was nearly 30 degrees so the birds did have a valid excuse.

So a nice half cool beer on the terrace and time to call it.

Most of the raptors over the weekend in fact probably only missed Hobby and Gos, a couple of the mountain birds but others were either too high with no access and others not back where they should be yet so in summary a good weekend bordering on great....