We stayed at Saint Valery sur Somme for 3 nights from 31 August. This is about half an hour's drive from Le Marquenterre and is a pleasant place to spend a few days. The tide comes in and goes out very fast and there were hundreds of gulls, although surprisingly few waders.
It had already started to get windy when we made our visit to Le Marquenterre on 1 September and the small birds seemed to be in hiding or else had gone south. However, 3 life birds in one day is not at all bad.
There are several hides on site: most of them seem to have been constructed to cause maximum discomfort or possibly to discourage lingering. The observation ports were at the wrong level in nearly every case for people of 5ft 3 ins and 5ft 7 ins (or maybe we were at the wrong height). Only a few of the ports were big enough to allow a camera lens.
Close to the start of the circuit, there were several White Storks and a Common Crane (lifer).
The waders were the highlight of the day: 100s of Spoonbills (lifer), Avocets, Black tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers. Little Stint was a further lifer and there was also a Curlew Sandpiper.
We were disappointed that the reserve does not allow foot access to the bay of the Somme itself - you have to get and pay for a horse drawn buggy.
There are several pools on the approaches to Le Marquenterre and it is worth stopping to take a look. We saw a Great Egret, a Water Rail and two Black Swans on one of the pools near St Firmin.
The latter part of our trip involved visiting family in Normany. My sister's garden contained the usual garden birds but with more Marsh Tits than I usually see.
Trip list:
Avocet
Blackbird
Blackcap
Black headed Gull
Black Swan
Black tailed Godwit
Blue Tit
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Cetti's Warbler
Common Crane
Common Gull
Common Sandpiper
Cormorant
Coot
Curlew
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunnock
Feral Pigeon
Great Black backed Gull
Great Crested Grebe
Great Egret
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Green Woodpecker
Grey Heron
Greylag Goose
Grey Plover
Herring Gull
Hen Harrier
House Martin
House Sparrow
Jay
Kestrel
Linnet
Little Egret
Little Ringed Plover
Little Stint
Mallard
Marsh Tit
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Nuthatch
Oystercatcher
Pheasant
Pied Wagtail
Pochard
Redshank
Ringed Plover
Robin
Rook
Shelduck
Shoveler
Spoonbill
Starling
Swallow
Tufted Duck
Water Rail
Whimbrel
White Stork
Woodpigeon
Wren
Pat
Hi,
Glad you enjoyed the Marquenterre, but sadly have to tell you that the crane is a captive bird - I've seen it there each time I've been at the start of the circuit!
(not very obvious at all, and when I first saw it I ticked it as a lifer, until I found a hidden signpost some way along saying that it had been taken in as a sick bird and kept there in the captive area of the reserve - although of course it does freely wander around the fields, as your photo shows)
Paul
Anyone reading this post might like a copy of my site notes for the Calais area - somewhat dated as I'm now besotted with Spain - is welcome to PM me with their email address for a copy,