Now up to four to five occupied common rock thrush territories on the Espinouse, with more expected. Also my first one or two wheatears of the spring, plus two to three female ring ouzels. Very few BoPs today #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
My first seriously singing common rock thrush of spring y'day (17th)...more to follow 🤞. Plus cuckoos, woodlarks, skylarks, tree pipits, 5 STEs, 3 griffons & golden eagle. Male whinchat and especially flyby yellow wagtail were major local rarities #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
An excellent day on the East side of the Gorges de Colombiéres. Western subalpine & Bonelli's warblers, a heard-only ring ouzel, my first common rock thrush of 2026 (hurrah!), lesser spotted w'pecker and up to three black vultures #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Excellent birding from the house yesterday (11th). My first swift and bee-eater(s) of 2026, hoopoe, lesser sp. w'pecker, melodious w'bler, 2 marsh harriers, red & 6 black kites, peregrine, booted & s/t eagles, osprey, adult male gos and black stork. #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Hoping for my first common rock thrush(es) on the Montagne d'Aret today, but no joy. Did see/hear tree pipits, skylarks & woodlarks, cuckoo & black woodpecker. BoPs inc. griffon, 5 short-toed eagles, ad male gos & 2-3 golden eagles. Next time then 🤞 #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Change of scenery t'day at a limestone plateau E of my regular patch. Newly arrived redstart, n'gales, Western Bonelli's warbler & 17+ Western subalpine warblers. Also singles of woodlark, cirl & corn bunts. Top BoP was a super golden eagle overhead #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Thanks. You're welcome.
Another cracking day (6th) on the Espinouse... skylarks, woodlarks, cuckoos, my first tree pipits, two red kites, five short-toed eagles & seven griffon vultures. But top of the pops were a single ring ouzel and a pair of rock buntings #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A sparkling day on the Espinouse. Darties, skylarks, woodlarks, dunnocks (!), 2+ cuckoos, 3 black woodpeckers, short-toed (4) booted & golden eagles, 7 Alpine swifts NE #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
The Tramontane finally dropped - a bit - y'day, and bingo, some birds! H'lights inc. 1 red & 9 black kites, 3 marsh harriers, 3 short-toed eagles, 1 pale booted eagle, 3 ospreys & up to 3 golden eagles, inc spectacular dogfight between two of them #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Another good day's (24th) birding in the Orb Valley before the Tramontane blocks visible migration for a bit. My first swallows, 7+ sparrowhawks, 5+ short-toed eagles, 1 female gos, 1 golden eagle, 6 marsh harriers and a surprising 90+ black kites #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
V. good BoP birding from the house this w/e. Tots inc 6+ kestrels, 11+ s'hawks, 5+ buzzards, 7+ blk & 1 red kites, 3 m. harriers, 11+ STEs (inc mating pair), 15+ griffons, 1+ p'grine, 1 osprey, 3 goshawks & 2 golden eagles. Plus g'crest & f'crest! #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Sunny but hazy & a cool SE'erly on the Montagne d'Aret turned up a typical early spring selection. Four-plus meadow pipits, singing skylarks, woodlarks, Darties, dunnocks & stonechats. Plus 2 house martins N, 4+ STEs, 8 griffons & two golden eagles #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A good day on the Espinouse (17th). Best birds inc. yellowhammer, crossbill, meadow pipits, skylarks, woodlark, stonechats, marsh & crested tits, black woodpecker, 2 red kites, 7+ sparrowhawks, 8+ short-toed & 2 golden eagles and a female goshawk #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A good day out on the Espinouse...woodlarks, stonechats, black woodpecker, kestrels, sparrowhawks, buzzards, ravens, blue rock thrush, 4 griffons, 4 black & 1 red kites, 3 short-toed eagles, 1 black vulture & 3 golden eagles #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
The rain actually stopped for several hours today, so there was a bit of spring migration to enjoy: one red & three black kites, 20+ buzzards & 11+ kestrels all East. Plus griffon, peregrine, 2 yellow-legged gulls & singing cirl bunting #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A sparkling first day of spring on the Caroux yesterday with singing skylarks, woodlarks, stonechats, Dartford warblers & meadow pipits (a rare breeder here). BoPs surprisingly thin but two griffons, five red kites north and a peregrine #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A top morning on the Sommet de l'Espinouse y'day. Early spring migration inc low 00s chaffinches, 6+ bramblings, 24+ siskins, 10+ xbills & 1 citril finch. Singing woodlarks & 2 calling black w'peckers. Best BoPs inc 2 male goshawks & 2 golden eagles #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A spring-like day between Storms Nils (140+kph) last week & Pedro (90+kph) tomorrow. Crag martins, peregrine, golden eagle and, a very good spring record here, 45 common cranes heading NE #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Like many others in Western Europe I'm trying to dodge the almost non-stop rain on my local patch in the Orb & Jaur Valleys. Better on Saturday with one subadult & one displaying adult golden eagles. Then today this unusually showy black woodpecker #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Most of the snow had gone, but still chilly on the Caroux today. Had to work hard for my birds but h'lights inc. marsh & crested tits, Dartford warblers, ravens, buzzards, black woodpecker, peregrine, golden eagle and especially nine citril finches #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Still snowy and chilly on the Montagne d'Aret yesterday. Highlights were woodlark, black woodpecker, a pair of dislaying peregrines, six or so Alpine accentors and an hour and a half of two black vultures #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A whole day of sunshine in the Orb Valley yesterday (26th)😎! A super male brambling on the feeders, plus kestrel, sparrowhawk, 6 buzzards, 2 ravens, a spectacular stooping goshawk and three different golden eagles #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
After 2+ weeks of low cloud & almost continuous rain, some torrential, it was nice to be able to see up & down & across the Orb Valley for much of today. Up & about were 1 kestrel, 3 buzzards, 5 ravens, peregrine & the closest pair of golden eagles #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Cold & icy on the E side of the Caroux today. Fairly quiet but 4 Darties, 4 ravens, red kite, 2 griffons & male peregrine. A concerted effort for wallcreeper turned up a blue rock thrush instead, actually probably just as difficult to see here #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
Sun but still bloomin´ cold on 2nd & 3rd! Top birds inc. likely 3rd local pr of golden eagles (inc display), a passing subadult & one of the original two pairs displaying. Plus 4 griffons, cracking overhead views of black vulture & 2+ citril finches #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
My New Year's Day birding largely thwarted by low cloud & a biting Tramontane. That said, two-plus dippers, two kingfishers squabbling over a perch (to sit on, not the fish), one calling black woodpecker, and two drive-up-to Alpine accentors #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A hike out to the Cap de Creus & rtn from Cadaqués. Possibly not the best time of year (and maybe y'day for a seawatch 🤔), but still serins, cirl bunts, Darties, black r'starts and 50+ Sardinian warblers! Best were 4 Thekla's larks plus 6 Thekla's/crested #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirderinCatalunya
Another sunny Orb Valley Wednesday 🤔! Highlights inc. 6 red-legged partridges, 3 little & 1 great white egrets, 2 griffons, golden eagle, 2 peregrines, 11+ Sardinian warblers, 6+ cirl buntings & a low altitude roadside alpine accentor 😮. #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
A sunny day after two wet ones on the Caroux today, but surprisingly few raptors. Just 1+ griffons, 4+ buzzards & a kestrel. But 7 linnets (quite rare here), 4 fieldfares and finally...good 'scope views of 8 citril finches 😎 #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway
