Silver-studded Blue

Silver-studded Blue
Silver-studded Blue, Iping Common

Sunday 26 May 2013

France - Holidays!

Just back from a family holiday to France. Whilst it was a non-birding trip, ~70 species were seen over the 10 days.

We stayed in a small Gite in Secondigny teeming with wildlife; an idyllic location surrounded by lakes, woodland and orchard. Many highlights including breeding Golden Orioles, Black Redstarts, Swallows, Wrens, Robins and Goldfinch amongst others. We also had Cirl Buntings, Turtle Doves and Serins in the garden. However, it was a privilege to witness 3 Black Redstart chicks fledge from the nest in the barn next door and then watch their parents feed them over the next few days.

Other highlights from the trip included my first ever Melodious Warbler (I think it was anyway!), and Black Terns, Black Kites, and Montague's Harriers, plus a fleeting glimpse of a Hoopoe. Will post some more photos as I process them...

A list of all the birds I saw in around the Gite is below (the 'b' denotes evidence of breeding):



Male Black Redstart

Recently fledged Black Redstart
 
 Recently fledged Black Redstart
 
Male Black Redstart

Male Black Redstart
 
Male Black Redstart
 

Turtle Dove

Pretty sure this is a Melodious Warbler but stand corrected as never seen one before!
 

Female and male Cirl Buntings, respectively

Black Kite
 
Hobby
 
 
1. Blackbird

2. Black Redstart (b)

3. Blackcap

4. Blue Tit

5. Buzzard

6. Cuckoo

7. Chaffinch

8. Chiffchaff

9. Collared Dove

10. Carrion Crow

11. Cirl Bunting

12. Dunnock

13. Great Tit (b)

14. Green Woodpecker

15. Great-spotted Woodpecker

16. Goldfinch (b; btw there is a nest in the hedge between the 2 Gites I forgot to mention)

17. Greenfinch

18. Golden Oriole (b)

19. Grey Heron

20. Green Sandpiper

21. House Sparrow

22. Hobby

23. Kestrel (b)

24. Kingfisher

25. Magpie

26. Mallard

27. Moorhen

28. Robin (b)

29. Swallow (b)

30. Swift

31. Sedge Warbler

32. Starling

33. Spotted Flycatcher (b)

34. Serin

35. Sparrowhawk

36. Turtle Dove

37. White Wagtail

38. Woodpigeon

39. Wren (b)

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