The Somme!

On Monday myself AJG & LG had a day trip to the Somme. Starting at Sailly Braie a Black Redstart, several Song Thrushes and the first of several Turtle Doves. On the marsh there 3 Bluethroats, 3 Stonechats, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Great White, Little and Cattle Egrets, White Storks, Marsh Harriers, Common Buzzards and a superb Honey Buzzard, White Wagtails, Grey Partridges a singing Melodious Warbler and much more, LG put us on to a distant singing Savi's Warbler and AJG located 2 singing Marsh Warblers. 

 Cattle Egret

 Grey Partridges

 Black-winged Stilt

 Bluethroat

 Honey Buzzard

 Blue-headed Wagtail

On a marsh near Le Crotoy we found another Savi's Warbler, White Storks, Blue-headed and White Wagtails and more Egrets.

 Garganey

At La Basse pools a pair of Garganey showed well, a Scaup, 2+ Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Black-winged Stilts, lots of breeding Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull more Cattle Egrets and a Musk Rat, while there many of the large Carp were spawning.

 Scaup

 Musk Rat

 Peek a boo

At Marquanterre a Crested Tit showed nicely by the very packed car park also a Short-toed Treecreeper. Inside the usual showy White Storks, Spoonbills, Egrets and Avocets. Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers, Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats and a Nightingale were singing around the trail. Several Black-necked Grebes were seen but few waders as most have gone through.

 White Stork

 Spoonbill

 Avocet

 Black-necked Grebe

A short visit to to Crecy Forest in the afternoon showed us 2 more Melodious Warblers, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Marsh Tit, Bullfinch and 2+ Honey Buzzards.
With an hour to spare before the ferry sailed we visited a beach near Calais, there we found Little and Sandwich Terns, Dunlin, Kentish and Ringed Plovers, a Hobby, Skylark, Stonechat and more Spoonbills. An excellent day out where in great company we managed 116 species, finally many thanks to AJG who did all the driving.