Cool May

The weather still remains cool and unsettled for May. There's not much to report on the bird front. On Tuesday, the 11th we visited friends just over the border in Charente Maritime, near Bresdon. The landscape/habitat is very different there with extensive vineyards and very large arable fields with little forestry compared to much of Charente. Because of this, stone curlew ( or european thicknee as they are now re-named) and little bustard should be common and they probably are. The last little little bustard I saw was in this area last summer. Their decline in Charente seems to have been very rapid over recent years. Some ten years ago small flocks were not an uncommon sight on the Lairiere plains but the best that I could manage last year was a primary feather which I found up there. This indicates that at least one bird was still about but I suspect that more intensive farming and the disappearance of set-aside has made it very difficult for this large and spectacular bird to breed successfully. Stone curlews are still holding on but I have found only one pair this year (and last year for that matter.)

But back to the Charente Maritime. We saw one black kite on the way, near La Terne and a short toed eagle was flying near Bourcelaine. Large numbers of swifts and some swallows seemed to be passing through, suggesting that this year's rather slow migration still has some way to go.

Back at chez nous, the nightingale seems to have bred in the garden and is still singing from time to time and the kestrel family are noisy on the gable end. Cuckoos and orioles are still calling and I heard a scops owl near the house on Tuesday evening.