I like your philosophical and laid back attitude to the circumstances your found yourself in. Very nice birds and your account has pushed up The Camargue on my list of places to hopefully bird one day.Joanne
A flight from Stansted to Perpignan was the beginning of the trip that shall be remembered for many a year. There were a few bob left over from a decorating and plastering budget for the lounge, so off I took, with tent in rucksack along with teabags etc. First port of call was Stansted airport, not 6miles from home and a 13.15 flight. All pre paid, but sack had to go through unusual loads. One X ray showed that I had packed a gas canister which is likely to explode therefore; a search through the sack to find it and sign for its confiscation. My fault and apologies to custom/backage handlers were proffered.
Plane journey superb with a pleasant gin and tonic over mid France. Landed early and due to the efficiency of the staff (and compactness) of Perpignan airport, the luggage was on the carousel within minutes. Well, all but my sack (sac rouge) as it became known. Contents of my rucksack were my Manfrotto tripod, tent, clothes and cooking gear. Not to worry as my camera, lenses and bins along with notebook, pencil, maps and sunglasses and scope were in my Nikon bag which I used as hand luggage. After an hour of working hard with my Francais I had forms filled in and was on my way to the station for the journey to Nimes, where a quick change for Arles got me there, on time at just gone 10.00pm.
Arles was similar to Bethlehem some 2000 years ago, consequently after an hours walk looking for a hotel I gave up and enjoyed the local ale and a variety of other alcoholic beverages, along with a pleasant steak sandwich. Midnight came, the rain was beginning to drip too much and sleeping rough along the Rhone didn't look as appealing as it had several hours earlier. So, off for a wander where a few 1* establishments were awoken. Eventually taken in and all was superb. A glass of pastis with the concierge sealed the day, a fixed time for the bus to La Paty de la Trinitie later that morning. Champion.
I awoke early and had a wander around, getting used to the clothes I was in. Yellow legged gulls flew over the Rhone whilst expected crested larks showed well on a nearby building site. Overhead a black kite stared and both house and tree sparrows made themselves known.
The bus left Arles at 7.50a.m. and off at Le Trinitie where I took a path (La Bouvet) which after 5km arrives at Le Vacarres. En route a superb short toed eagle was noted on the telegraph pole and eventually rose to give a good fly past. Hundreds of dragonflies clogged the space around my ankles as egrets, cattle and little, filled the fields. A kestrel sat happily in a tree as I listened to bonelli's, sardinian and great reed warblers. Zitting cisticolas (fan tailed warblers in my day) flew and hovered low as bee eaters and various hirundines flew by. A grey heron rose, irritated, as a whole flock of cirl buntings chanted they way west. A clouded yellow butterfly held on to vegetation as the breeze increased in the 30C+ temperature and a swallowtail butterfly shot past me, my first ever sighting of the species.
I was now hot and into the 2nd day of the same clobber, including socks!!
Onward, however, and I eventually arrived at Le Vaccares. Flamingoes everywhere, gull billed terns appeared annoyed with my presence and Kentish plover ran around considerably better than a team UK relay team. Gulls were on offer but no tripod. I wedged the trusty scope in vegetation but it was not going to be easy. I settled on the "shore" and enjoyed the view with a bottle of Pelforth and a Gaulouises. Life was peaceful.
I continued along the path all the way to Saint Marie de la Mer, some 25 km in increasing heat. My speckled hen t shirt was coming obviously rank but wow, bee eaters were calling and filling trees, a purple heron flew overhead and what I am sure was a savi's warbler trundled out a call from deep vegetation. More gull billed terns "kreeked" with common, black and little terns but infuriatingly I was scopeless and some birds remained unidentified.
On arriving at St Marie D L Mer I enjoyed several beers and was greeted with "Bonjour, comment ca va" It was the concierge from the Arles hotel who joined me in a Ricard before heading off back to work. I then decided that a wander up to Pont Le Gau for a quick visit to the Parc Ornitholique would be good. Along the way a hoopoe flew for cover before I could focus the camera but egrets and herons wer everywhere, along with scarce chasers and a variety of darter sp dragonflies. What I think was a lesser emperor was also registered. A coypu was watched and a flock of linnets moved along the road faster then I.
Upon arriving at the park I paid my 7 euros entry and was disappointed to see eagles, owls and storks in cages. Not what I had expected. I left after a 10 minute wander and made my way north along dusty, horse smelling footpaths. More of what I had already witnessed was most pleasing. I continued to Albaron where a selection of hosteleries were used before a bus to Arles station and a train to Nimes. I sat alone in my speckled hen t shirt and once disembarked, found a hotel where a shower improved my body odour but not the clothes I put myself back into.
An evening meal for 18 euros (moules gratinees, tourneau and fromage with half a bottle of Costieres de Nimes, Chateau de Campouget) was superb and I hit the sack at Midnight. Tired feet and a wanting to see the day's photos but I didn't want to waste battery power on flicking through the 150+ photos.
Following morning spent around the wonderfully historical city where I went mad and bought a 3 Euro hairbrush and an even cheaper toothpaste and brush. Life was even better.
On to the train and off to Perpignan where I immediately picked up my sac rouge and checked it in for the flight home. It had arrived on the Wednesday flight!
All went well with another enjoyable gin and tonic over France before arriving at Stansted and my partner meeting me. Much though she was overjoyed to see me, we did return home with the car windows open and I was made to remove boots and socks outside; the latter consigned to the bin!
A super days birding and 3 good days in a wonderful part of France. I had looked forward to camping just outside St Marie D.L.Mer and had an excitement for using my scope as last time I visited the region (2005) I slept rough near Albaron, but with a change of clothes and didn't take my scope; but what the hell. It was just brilliant to be there and the fly past of the S.T. eagle and a tree full of bee eaters will keep me smiling well into the darkening months of Autumn.
I shall post photos on my blog as they are too large for the forum. Hope you enjoy them. Will also add species list for the trip when I find my red field note book in the void that remains our undecorated lounge!!
pip pip,
Jono
An excellent and enjoyable read Jono. I like your philosophical and laid back attitude to the circumstances your found yourself in. Very nice birds and your account has pushed up The Camargue on my list of places to hopefully bird one day.
Joanne
Nice one! Ryanair I presume? In their inflight brochures I rememeber them saying how good they are at not losing luggage compared to the other main carriers - looks like you were unlucky! (Although of course you had a lot less weight to carry in all that heat, so a possibe bonus . . )
And stand firm, Fan-tailed warblers are always nice 