THE CAMARGUE
DATES: SUNDAY 5TH MAY TO FRIDAY 10TH MAY 2019
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| Sunset and shadows: The Camargue May 2019 |
Introduction
Another solo bird watching trip brought me to The Camargue at the start of May 2019. I flew into Nimes on the Sunday afternoon with Ryanair arriving a little late and after three attempts to land. The wind that caused landing difficulties was to plague the region for the next two days, making an interesting introduction to this area.
Having picked up from Hertz set of for my base for the week at Saint-Gilles. I selected to stay at The Appartement Anatole France, booked through Bookings.com at a cost of £224 for five nights. The apartment provided to be an idea base. The accommodation was very good with the added benefits of having a secure garage underneath the first-floor apartment that meant I could leave the heavier equipment safely in the car overnight. Its location was idea for visiting the areas I wishes to get too with none of them more than 40 minutes away from this base. It was also only 15 minutes away from the airport.
Once again, I was indebted to Dave Gosney and his guide to Finding Birds in The South of France. As with his previous publications which I have used in other areas, I found his recommendations excellent, easy to find and accurate in description. I would highly recommend them to anyone visiting the area. I did spend a beneficial amount of time before visiting this area putting the grid references provided by Dave Gosney into my TomTom making locating and driving too them quick and easy.
Photos taken during this visit can be viewed at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fenlandbirder/albums/72157707090573671/with/33993502738/
Day 1: Monday 6th May
Wind! I had heard of the Mistral but this was the first time I had ever experienced it. Biting wind that within a short period of time resulted in a headache like I have never had before. This wind was to last all day and into the next day. However here to birdwatch so headed for the highly recommended Marais Du Vigueirat, which as Gosney states, is ‘one of the best wetlands for birding in the whole Camargue region’ (La Vigueirat Marshes, Gosney, page 20). I arrived before the centre opened but was still able to have access to the site and during the whole of my visit saw no-one at all.
The incessant wind I feel did have an impact on the birding with everything keeping low and hidden away out of the wind. However did manage good numbers of Wood Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron and Great and Little Egret.
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| Cattle and Cattle Egret |
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| Black-winged Stilt |
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| Glossy Ibis |
By evening time, the wind had dropped so set off to explore the flooded fields around Saint-Gilles and down to the area around Mas D’Agon. The flooded fields attracted good numbers of Wood Sandpiper and Glossy Ibis in groups up to fifty strong. The fields around Saliers were particularly attractive with good numbers of Black-headed Gull and Mediterranean Gull.
While exploring the area between Saliers and Gimeaux for pratincole (Gosney: The Camargue: point 10) a group of seven Honey Buzzard passed over moving from south to north.
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| Honey Buzzard |
Moving on to the area around Mas D’Agon (Gosney: The Camargue: point 12) proved to be another highlight of the day. While the north marsh produced a couple of Purple Heron and several calling Great Reed Warbler, the marshes on the other side of the road were teeming in bird and animal life. As this road is very quiet, it was possible to stop at a number of points along it and by standing on the car door sill, get excellent views of the area. Greater Flamingo were visible in good numbers with 87 being counted. Mixed in with them were Black-winged Stilt with nine showing well and numerous Wood Sandpiper. Numerous gull species were present including Slender-billed, Mediterranean, Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gull and Terns were represented by Common, Whiskered and White-winged. Great Egret were showing well along with Cattle, Squacco and Blackcrowned Night Heron. Two Hobby stirred up the numerous Wood Sandpiper on a couple of occasions. A distant view of a Collared Pratincole hawking over the far side to the marsh proved to be the only sighting of this species during the visit.
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| Greater Flamingo at sunset |
The wind had dropped during the night so the visit to Centre de Découverte du Scamandre (Gosney: The Camargue: point 1) was made on a pleasant, warm morning. Arriving early allows you to avoid the crowds as by lunch time the place was busy with school parties and what seemed to be walking groups.
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| Broadwalk to hide |
The nesting White Stork attracted a great deal of interest from the many visitors. Red Crested Pochard were present in good numbers as were Glossy Ibis, Great, Little, Squacco and Cattle Egret. Purple Swamphen and Water Rail were heard calling from the reeds on a number of occasions.
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| White Stork and young |
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| Pied Flycatcher (Male) |
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| Glossy Ibis heading to roost |
Day 3: Wednesday 8th May
Woke to rain and it stayed around for most of the day, being torrential at times. This resulted in a day birding from the car as to venture out would result in a soaking.
First stop was the flooded fields around Albaron, where again Glossy Ibis were present in good numbers as were Black-headed, Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gull.
Moved on to Domaine de Mejanes (Gosney: The Camargue: point 7), an area in which pratincole had been found in the past. No such luck this time but did find a Melodious Warbler skulking in the undergrowth.
Retreating to the car as the rain came down again, I decided to drive south down the track towards Santes Maries, (Gosney: The Camargue: point 7 to 6), a journey of 10 km along the shoreline of the Etang du Vaccaries. The rain continued throughout most of this drive but did not spoil the birdwatching. I counted over 200 Greater Flamingo feeding in various locations.
A female Wheatear was feeding along the road edge and a pair of Tawny Pipit were observed moving around. Three Kentish Plover were skulking behind tufts of grass trying to keep out of the wind along with a couple of Little Ringed as well as Ringed Plover. Avocet were feeding together on the large pool at the end of the track where it joins the main road.
Being a quiet track there was plenty of opportunity to stop and scan for birds. However, the weather was foul with increasing high winds and torrential rain, making for difficult conditions.
Day 4: Thursday 9th May
At last a decent day for bird watching! Warm and sunny with only a gentle breeze. Being impressed with yesterday’s route from Domaine de Mejanes to Saintes Maries (Gosney: The Camargue: points 7 to 6) I decided to repeat this route again in fine weather, giving myself more time to stop and have a good look around to see what was about.
First stop was the area around Domaine de Mejanes and the lane identified by Gosney as being good for Collered Pratincole. Checking out the bushes and ditches resulted in a male Pied Flycatcher, two Cetti’s Warblers and a Willow Warbler but no pratincoles. I did chat to one of the farm workers and he confirmed that they were in the area but neither of us were able to spot any. We did have great views of a passing Short-toed Eagle being harassed by two Booted Eagles.
A stop by the railway line produced two Spoonbill flying over and a group of twelve Cattle Egret in a nearby field. Throughout the run there were good numbers of Greater Flamingo feeding or flying in or out of the area, a total of 549 being recorded. Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed Warbler), Sardinian and Cetti’s were all present as was a single Black Redstart.
Given yesterday’s poor weather today was a real treat with the whole area teeming with birds but the highlight of the day must have been the two Wild Boar which had climbed into a feed trough and were having a good meal.
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| Wild Boar in cattle trough |
Day 5: Friday 10th May
Last day so after packing the car and checking out of the apartment I had a couple of hours to kill before flying back to the UK. I decided to return to Centre de Découverte du Scamandre (Gosney: The Camargue: point 1). I was able to get some good photos of Black-crowned Night Heron
And in the same location where I found the male Pied Flycatcher I photographed a female Pied Flycatcher.
While waiting for the plan watched a pair of Redstart moving around the bushes just outside the terminal and a Hoopoe in the car park.
Summary
This was a first visit to The Camargue, and I would certainly consider returning especially during the migration season. I would highly recommend using Dave Gosney’s Finding Birds in The South of France. I found the information accurate and informative.
Saint-Gilles proved to be a useful location, giving easy access to all the areas I wished to visit.
I was impressed by the nature reserves visited. They were areas of great interest, superbly laid out with paths and hides and some very interesting displays.
I particularly like exploring the many flooded fields which held a wide variety of birds. I was great to be able to stop and view from the car without a constant flow of passing traffic. Although I did find that a lot of areas had signs restricting access this did not spoil scanning such places for what might be around.
Species List: 100 bird species recorded and 2 mammals
Birds
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Bee-eater Merops apiaster
Bittern Botaurus stellaris
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Blackbird Turdus merula
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
Carrion Crow Corvus corone
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Coot Fulica atra
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra
Crested Lark Galerida cristata
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Curlew Numenius arquata
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola juncidis
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
Great Tit Parus major
Great White Egret Ardea alba
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
Hobby Falco subbuteo
Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus
House Martin Delichon urbicum
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Jackdaw Corvus monedula
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Little Owl Athene noctua
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Little Tern Sternula albifrons
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
Magpie Pica pica
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta
Merlin Falco columbarius
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
Redshank Tringa totanus
Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala
Scops Owl Otus scops
Serin Serinus serinus
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
Skylark Alauda arvensis
Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei
Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Swallow Hirundo rustica
Swift Apus apus
Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris
Teal Anas crecca
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
Western Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida
White Stork Ciconia ciconia
Whitethroat Sylvia communis
White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
Mammals
Coypu Myocastor coypus
Wild Boar Sus scrofa
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