Dave Burges

Good day on the east side of the Caroux y'day inc siskins, brambling, woodlarks, Sardinian & D'ford w'blers, crag martins, ring ouzels, black woodpecker, 21 griffons, peregrine, golden eagle & three common cranes flying E to W along the Orb Valley #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

A lot of action on the Espinouse y'day (17th) - 1+ each of linnet & brambling, 200++ chaffinches, 3+ ring ouzels, 320+ woodpigeons, 2 red kites, sub-ad golden eagle, first merlin of the autumn & at least two - but maybe four - black vultures. #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Top birding on top today with first 6 siskins & a brambling, crossbill, lots of meadow pipits & chaffinches, 17+ black redstarts, 2 woodlarks, 12+ ring ouzels, black woodpecker, ad m peregrine, 1-2 hen harriers and the local pair of golden eagles #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Did eBird October Big Day y'day in/on Orb Valley & Caroux/Espinouse. Got 60 spp. - pretty good for an area with no substantial water bodies. H'lights inc dipper, bl w'pecker, ring ouzel, xbills & STEs. 65 spp. next year then?!? #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway #OctoberBigDay2025

Lots of passerine passage on the Espinouse with minima inc. 1 crossbill, 1 tree & 62+ meadow pipits, 1 grey wag, 8 wheatears, 6 stonechats, 1 common & 17+ black redstarts, 2 woodlarks, 14+ skylarks, 1 song thrush, 2 blackbirds and 19+ ring ouzels #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

A quiet start on the Caroux y'day with small numbers of stonechats, woodlarks, skylarks, Dartford warblers, black & common redstarts. But it picked up at the end with one each of marsh harrier & golden eagle and two ring ouzels. #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Excellent birding y'day above the Gorges de Colombieres with h'lights inc. Dartford & Sardinian warblers, 4 wheatears, 5 black redstarts, yellow wagtail, hobby, one each of marsh & hen harriers, 2 peregrines, osprey, 26 griffon & 2 black vultures #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Nice passerine migration on the Montagne d'Aret - 2 linnets, 5 tree & 9 meadow pipits, 4 yellow wags, 6 w'ears, 3 stonechats & 3 whinchats, 5 black r'starts, and 5 w'larks. Bonus birds 2 r-l partridge, 3 black w'peckers & a stock dove - site tick! #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

A superb autumn day on Gioulet in the Espinouse. Highlights inc. 3 tree pipits, 3+ wheatears, redstart, 2 Darties, 1+ woodlarks, red kite, 12 sparrowhawks, 35 ravens, 9 griffon and 2 black vultures #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Wild bird numbers continue to fall in UK with some species in ‘dramatic freefall’ Species index fell by 4% between 2019 and 2024 – although data shows woodland populations beginning to stabilise

Unfortunately not surprised...

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The weather was perhaps more exciting than the birds on Gioulet yesterday, but best spots inc. 6 stonechats, 1 Dartford warbler, 8 sparrowhawks & 7 short-toed eagles all SW, and a female/immature hen harrier - my first of the autumn. #bird #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Another search for passage dotterel on the Espinouse y'day drew another blank. But did find yellowhammer, 5 tree pipits, 4 wheatears, redstart, 2 whinchats, 2 pied flycatchers, 5 short-toed eagles, marsh harrier, hobby, peregrine & 8 red kites. #birds #birdwatching #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

A good morning on the Montagne d'Aret today. Top birds inc. 6 wheatears, 1 tree pipit, a getting-late juv common rock thrush, black woodpecker, 3 short-toed eagles, only 1 griffon, a juv male peregrine and an adult & an immature golden eagles.
#birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Birding on the Espinouse yesterday was pretty good for a NNW'erly. Highlights inc. 2 tree pipits, wheatear, sand martin (a local first), 200+ house martins, 7 crossbills, black woodpecker, ad & juv peregrines, juv Monty's & a displaying golden eagle #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Excellent birding from the house in the Orb Valley yesterday inc. 7 short-toed eagles, marsh harrier, hobby, peregrine, 313+ honey-buzzards, at least two red-footed falcons & a black stork! #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Super birding on Gioulet t'day, despite (?) the Tramontane. Top birds - yellow wag, n'ern w'ears, r'start, 14+ pied flies, 15+ tree pips, 1 whinchat (rare), 4 Ortolan b's (site tick!), b-eaters, bl. w'pecker, 57+ HBs, golden eagle & 2+ r-f falcons #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Thanks Helen! Just my phone camera. Yes, the Orb Valley and the Caroux/Espinouse mountains to the immediate north aren't that well known, but host a wide variety of landscapes, habitats and lots of wildlife!

A sparkling day in an increasing easterly on the Montagne d'Aret - 3 tree pipits, 2 yellow wags, Northern wheatear, 3 pied flycatchers, 3 juv common rock thrushes, Alpine swift, 21++ bee-eaters, 2 STEs, 2 Montagu's harriers & 156+ honey-buzzards SW #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

It's only taken me 7 years to find this viewpoint, within sight of our house too 🙄. Quiet today bar 6+ STEs west & a hobby/red-foot that got away. With the Tramontane blowing all the HBs (1,100+!) were further east 😮 #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

On the 26th, above the cloud & mist and in the sun on the Espinouse - two honey-buzzards flew past me. On the 27th, under the cloud at home and at least three hundred and thirty-two honey-buzzards flew over my head! #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

My first foray into the outback since the canicule broke down & the forest fire risk has been downgraded. Nice autumn birds inc.common r'start, 8 pied flies, 5 w'ears, 1 yellow wag (real rarity here), 48+ honey-buzzards and min. of 140+ bee-eaters #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Hi Pete. Yes I was quite surprised and even had time to attach my phone to my scope 😮!

Hotter still today on the Caroux & hazy, but still some visible migration. 1st pied flycatcher of the autumn, a site first r-b shrike, griffons, STE, red kite, 3 HBs (inc. pictured), & the cracking female pale phase Eleonora's falcon still present #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

...forgot the eight honey-buzzards 🙄😉.

A good morning on the Caroux today. Male rock bunting (site 1st for me), 49+ black kites leaving their overnight roost, red kite, 3 griffons, pale booted eagle and pale Eleonora's falcon 😎 #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

The first day of really obvious autumn raptor migration on the Espinouse today - 5 HBs, dark phase booted eagle, juvenile Monty's, 16 red kites, 27+ black kites, 5 kestrels & a juvenile peregrine #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

A good session on the Montagne d'Aret in a breezy Tramontane today. H'lights inc. xbill, Darties, cresties, woodlarks,common rock thrush, r-b shrike, black w'pecker, pale booted eagle & finally, a cracking pale Eleonora's falcon #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirding #orbvalleyflyway

Raining in France this morning so we nipped under the Pyrenees and found the sun again in Spain. A short drive & walk turned up r&b kites, red-backed shrikes, griffons, short-toed eagle, a pair of golden eagles & a pale booted eagle #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirderinthePyrenees

About as close as I got to a caper today. Modest birding on the Plateau de Beilles in the French Pyrenees. But it is late July 🙄🤔😉 #birds #birding #OrbValleyBirderinthePyrenees

...and a black vulture!