quail

No sign of the heron today so perhaps he's continues his migration---but then I've prematurely said goodbye to several migrants already.

Speaking of which, 2 turtle doves were still at the pond today. But much more interesting was the quail which took of from the roadside as i was cycling near Le Chatenet. I've heard a few in the fields this summer but this is the the first that I've actually seen.

In a nearby field a flock of migrating yellow wagtails were feeding/flying. They were too far away for me to determine the race.

today's purple heron pic

We seem to be back to blue skies and sunshine although the breeze is quite stiff today.

The purple heron is still here but now seems to favour the small pond where it is difficult to observe without flushing the bird.

At least one pied flycatcher is still in the garden.

A female hen harrier past the back of the garden yesterday.

A turtle dove was by the pond this morning.

The mallard which is nesting by our door has still not hatched the 12 eggs. I don't know how the ducklings are going to cope with virtually no water in the ponds. Stella suggests I fill an old bath with water.

The sunflower harvest has just begun opposite the house.

purple heron update

The purple heron which didn't seem to fly too far off yesterday, didn't do so today either as it was sat in the trees behind the smaller pond (also virtually dry) at La Poterie at around 6 pm.

While looking for him I came across my first hawfinch for a long time-- a male who was in some low foliage close to the main pond. a few other birds were taking advantage of the moist conditions which the mud offered. They included cirl bunting, robin, chiffchaff and chaffinch.

I had a very brief view of what was probably a common redstart.

A couple of lingering turtle doves and a calling oriole (Ventouse) were of note yesterday.

black woodpecker

In all the excitement of yesterday's purple heron, I forgot to mention that a black woodpecker flew over the road as I drove through the north end of the Braconne Forest at about 7 pm.

purple heron

A third pic of the PH

purple heron

Another pic of the purple heron. The light/background were not very good and neither of my cameras were able to pic him out very sharply

purple heron

My it's hot today! but yesterday and today turned up a rare bird at the almost dry pond at La Poterie. A juvenile purple heron was attempting to feed in the middle of the pond at about 7.30 pm yesterday. I watched him for about 30 minutes before he was disturbed and flew off---but obviously not far, as he was sat there again this morning at 8 am but unfortunately he flew off when the shutters were opened.
A very small number of these birds are said to breed on the border of Charente and Vienne according to 'Les Oiseaux des Charente' but I have seen them in this region only in the wetlands of Charente Maritime. They are summer visitors and this bird is presumably on its southern migration.

belated blog

This is the blog that I was about to publish yesterday --before the arrival of the purple heron.

There was a distinct Autumn nip in the air this morning but it was a pleasant temperature for a bike trip along the Son- Sonnette. Nuthatches and great spotted woodpeckers were common and tits were flocking. There were four species in one group with long-tailed and a single marsh alongside the blue and great. I couldn't find a coal tit or any crests but a solitary short-toed treecreeper was creeping up a tree. A cettis warbler was calling at Valence and I came across several chiffs and blackcaps. Several green woodpecker were calling and two black redstart turned up on the way back. White wagtails are appearing in the harvested fields. They will probably form sizeable flocks a little later in the year.

white storks

white storks

I've just had a birding chat on this very balmy evening with Helen and Gordon from Lairiere. They tell me that about 30 white storks roosted overnight in their village about this time last year. I've seen them around here only during Spring migration but it seems that they pass through in the Autumn also--which makes sense.

more flycatchers and a storm

Predictably, yesterday's high temperatures ( still 26C at 1 a.m.) resulted in a noisy electrical storm at about 4 a.m. It brought with it some welcome rain.

The village pond is now virtually dry and the 3 mallards have taken to bathing in my small fishpond, much to the consternation of the fish.

The pied flycatchers are still flitting around the garden and have been joined by a spotted flycatcher, only the 3rd or 4th that I have seen this year.

I had a brief view of a hoopoe at Valence yesterday, the first I have seen around here for a while.

A grey wagtail was on the Son-Sonnette.

pied flycatchers

The occurrence of pied flycatchers in Charente seems curious. They are a summer migrant but I've never seen one during the Spring passage, yet on their return migration they are regular visitors to my garden. Perhaps their migration route varies between Spring and Autumn.

They usually turn up in mid August and stay around for a week or two--or at least keep passing through. Their presence is often indicated by a repetitive 'seep' call and they flit from tree to tree and sometimes to the ground, often seemingly chasing each other if more than one is present. I heard at least one in the garden yesterday and two were there today. At this time of the year the males closely resemble the females in plumage but one of today's birds still had his black primaries.

It was very warm today and not really conducive to birding but a cycle ride to the Bonnieure valley was quite productive. The woods were a lot cooler and a bit of pishing attracted a few species including lesser spotted woodpecker and nuthatch. The St Angeau little owl was on his perch behind the church.

My farewell to the turtle dove was rather premature. I saw 3 today, including one purring in the garden. Long may they hang around with their summery sound.

back to birding

Our revels now are ended---or sort of--- so I can start looking at birds again.

August is always a quiet month and the most visible activity seems to be hundreds of swallows feeding over the harvested fields.

A few orioles are still singing/calling but turtle doves seem to have gone quiet over the last few days.

I saw four stone curlews on the plains this morning so it seems as though they bred successfully. Another one or perhaps two were calling from a few hundred yards away.

Things are pretty quiet on the raptor front but a male montague's harrier was hunting on the plains yesterday. And I came across a recently killed and plucked wood pigeon on the GR36 yesterday. It's carcass was headless and surrounded by a snowstorm of white feathers suggesting a peregrine kill but perhaps a goshawk or even a sparrowhawk ould have been responsible.

The pond at La Poterie is almost dry but a few young moorhen are hanging on in there. One of the commune's mallards is sitting on eggs outside our front door. I hope some rain arrives before the ducklings do.

back again

A week's absence from Charente while I did some work in the centre of Manchester provided few birding opportunities but I did see kingfishers just by the hotel and surprisingly managed to add a couple of birds to my year list with goldcrest and tree creeper--as opposed to the short-toed species which is found here. Swifts were also in evidence but I have seen none since arriving back in Charente.

It's a coolish 20C today but I gather it has been very hot over the last week and everywhere is beginning to look a little parched.

I had a fleeting view of a common redstart in the garden today and saw a sparrowhawk being mobbed by house martins above Mansle yesterday evening but I've yet to do any serious birding..... I might not be doing too much for the next few days either as Stella and I are getting married in St Amant on Monday!