Cevennes NP - Birds and other wildlife

A very good mix of birds were seen from the Camargue area in the south, and in the Cevennes itself plus a couple of sites in between. The poorer weather in the mountains did not bode well with finding a few bits that we had hoped for (Black-eared Wheatear being one of them), but on the last day with the superb weather there was a good variety seen.

The non-avian highlight without doubt was nearly treading on a Western Whip Snake on the steep slopes of the Gorge du Tarn.

Birds highlights include:

Petit Camargue
European Roller - 1
European Bee Eater - 20+
Gull-billed Tern - 5
Whiskered Tern - 1
Great Reed Warbler - 4
Zitting Cisticola - 10
Greater Flamingo - 1000
Glossy Ibis - 10
Tree Sparrow - 4
Purple Heron - 2
Melodious Warbler - 6
Black Kite - 20
Sardinian Warbler - 1 male
Hoopoe - 3

Cevennes NP
Eurasian Griffon Vulture - 50
Golden Oriole - 4
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Crag Martin - 75
Montagu's Harrier - 1 2nd cal male
Rock Bunting - 3
Honey Buzzard - 7
Dipper - 1
Alpine Swift - 1
Tawny Pipit - 1
Western Subalpine Warbler - 1
Cirl Bunting - 20
Short-toed Eagle - 4
Stone-Curlew - 1
Chough - 2
Crested Tit - 6
Short-toed Treecreeper - 10

 Red-crested Pochard at Petit Camargue

 Crested Tit above Florac

 Griffon Vultures at Gorge du Tarn

 male Honey Buzzard above Pont de Montvert

 Short-toed Treecreeper above Pont de Montvert

 Greater Flamingo at the Camargue

 Bee-eaters at Petit Camargue

 Squacco Heron at Petit Camargue

 Whiskered Tern at Petit Camargue

Great White Egret at Petit Camargue

Western Whip Snake at Gorge du Tarn