oiseaux
 

Why not a thread dedicated to birds?
Could be interesting for a bit and get better when spring is springing quiet for a while in summer liven up for autumn and be reborn next winter. Perfect.
There's an excellent website I've found (in French) that carries information and links to recordings of the songs:
http://www.oiseaux.net/liste/oiseaux.france.html

So to start:
Day before yesterday I saw a Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia Melanocephala/Fauvette mélanocéphale) outside the the window on the terrace. I'd never seen one before - really dark head and a bright red eye with the tail flashing white when it flew away. The picture is not one I took of course but it really looked bright eyed like that.

:)

Re: oiseaux
 

Hi Treskillard. Why not indeed? Our place isn't called Le Chant d'Oiseau for nothing. We see all kinds of birdlife here. Too many to list, and the list is getting longer. Well over 80 species now! The majority of those have been spotted either right here outside our door, or within a few hundred yards. The Boss loves birdspotting, while I get a slap from her each time I indulge....:thumbsup:

We have a family of Barn Owls that live above one of the gites, as well as woodpeckers, nightingales, goldfinches, hoopoes, buzzards, hérons, hen harriers and more.

Re: oiseaux
 

So what's around now? Do you feed them or are they coming by uninvited?

Re: oiseaux
 

Well, the smaller species are fed here with nuts, bird seeds and fat balls. They're things like the finches, chaffinches, bullfinches, goldfinches etc. The robins are frequent visitors too. The hérons are always hereabouts as are the buzzards. We've had storks nesting in the woods close by too. Kingfishers are usually to be seen round the back, by the river. Kestrels always hover close by. The hen harriers are not as frequent though, but still come by now & again. The nightingales nest in one of the old porcheries as do a family of small wrens.

Re: oiseaux
 

Nice :)

Re: oiseaux
 

yeah, it is nice really. We were worried when we got the kittens that they might decimate the oiseau oasis, but it hasn't happened yet!

I must get some pics of the birdlife sometime for the website too. Now, off to ebay.fr to have a look for that 55-300mmlens....

Re: oiseaux
 

Just a little picture I took earlier in the year of a Short Toed Eagle that hangs out in our valley! And one of my partner looking down towards the village from the hill.
:)

Re: oiseaux
 

Impressive! Nice shot of the eagle Treskillard, and a very nice valley too! :thumbup:

Re: oiseaux
 

Lovely to have this thread! I wish I could contribute more, but I am not a great twitcher. One of the few birds I can spot without any doubt is the kingfisher, and there are quite a few around. I am also becoming familiar with where they perch, as they are creatures of habit. It is especially nice since I live in a small town, and the river flows through it - so I often see a kingfisher or two as I walk along the river towards my nearby supermarket, what a treat!

Re: oiseaux
 

Very few places in the UK where you'd get such a treat as that Karunia!

I have the listing of the bird species found on site here and within a few kms. It's in Excel format and I can either post it here, or send it via e-mail if anyone's interested?

My photography doesn't really extend to snapping the birdlife as yet. I don't have a long enough lens to capture them in the way I'd want to just yet, nor do they stay still long enough for me to do so!

Re: oiseaux
 

Yes, indeed some good fortune to be able to see kingfishers most days. Also fortunate to see hoopoes quite frequently (even one perched on a tree in my small suburban garden), and even saw a golden oriole once (identified by someone else more knowledgeable than me, I hasten to add).

Re: oiseaux
 

This morning the sun was out and I heard a Cirl Bunting singing.
Also heard the resident starling that does a good impression of a Golden Oriole
:)

Re: oiseaux
 

I must admit, I have no idea what the songs are. Syb's the birdwatcher in our house. I couldn't tell the twitter of a starling from that of a nightingale, although I can sometimes see the differences! :D

Re: oiseaux
 

The Cirl Bunting sounds like the Yellowhammer but with out the 'cheese' !
The Oriole (Starling) sounds like it escaped from the tropical house in at the Zoo !

I'm a bit sad or have been in the past :rofl:

Re: oiseaux
 

Now that's all very well Tres, but what does a Yellowhammer sound like? :rofl:

I was watching a green woodpecker from our bedroom window this morning though, which was cool!:thumbup: