Late July.....and More Rain

Not just more rain but very much on the cool side as well!
Generally one doesn't expect too much that surprises by the time mid summer arrives and this year is no exception but here are a few observations.
The most interesting of these was a brief view of a peregrine as it flew across the upper stretch of the Bonnieure. I think this is only the second time that I've seen this precise in Charente.
All the grain is now in and the ground-nesting birds which have survived the combines can occasionally be seen or heard in the stubble fields. A stone curlew flew across the road near Romefort today and a few quail were calling from the plains as I cycled across yesterday. Meanwhile, the odd black kite scavengers for victims.
I came across a flock of five common sandpipers on the Charente near Mansle today and kingfisher was on a stretch of the river near Lichère.
On my local cycling excursions I am still coming across the occasional singing tree pipit and yellowhammers are more common on some days than cirl's while red back shrikes number at least 8 pairs within 10k or so of my house.
Sadly, after his earlier singing, there has recently been no sign of the reed warbler near Valence and I have yet to come across a bonelli's warbler this year. The nightjars are surely in the nearby forests but I have not made an evening visit to find out.....perhaps next week if it gets warmer.