A Look Around in the Wind

The Splendid Gate at the old farm at Le Buoys

Bright sunshine today but with a very strong wind which made things feel cold.  At breakfast a beautiful male Hen Harrier hunted small birds over the lucerne fields.  After lunch we drove around the back of Minerve and La Caunette in a search for birds. We stopped at Le Buoys where a Hawfinch had been seen earlier in the week but nothing doing.  Our first bit of luck was we pulled on to the St.Pons road heading south to La Caunette.  A male Goshawk soared overhead being mobbed by 3 Jackdaws.

Mistle Thrush

We moved on and drove down the track by the gorge behind the village of La Caunette.  A group of Mistle Thrushes was very obvious as was another male Hen Harrier.  Further on a flock of 40 Fieldfares moved through a vineyard.  Lastly we stopped looking over Minerve hoping for a glimpse of a Blue Rock Thrush.  No luck with that one but to my surprise a super Hawfinch flew from one group of bushes to another right underneath us.  There are always surprises here.