Night Herons (Black-crowned) Nycticorax nycticorax, along the Sotos of the Río Ebro in Spain.

Purple Herons behind us, from beautiful sunshine to pouring rain, everything had changed as we headed out to find Sotos along the río Ebro.
Sotos are areas of the river where Popular Willow and shrubs grow along the river banks. These woodlands are rare amongst all the agriculture bordering the local rivers. These oases are great for birds, especially the bird we were looking for, the Black-crowned Night Heron.   

By early afternoon, we had found a small group of Night Herons. Their behaviour, actively hunting food during the day, probably indicated that they were just migrating through this area, although they can sometimes be seen feeding during the daytime.

Once hidden away, we achieved good views of their movements. 

All five birds were showing their breeding plumage.

As well as the Night Herons, we observed, Grey herons, and Great white Egrets.

Male Serins were also evident, singing from the trees, hoping to attract a female mate!

We had to continue our journey, leaving these beautiful Night Herons.

Purple Herons nesting at the Laguna de Pitallas.

With perfect spring weather in late March, we visited the Laguna de Pitallas. This time, our hope is to see Eurasian Bitterns. A few years before, Pitallas had produced two flying Bitterns on a stopby.

Alas, there would be no sightings for us, but we were treated to the spectacle of Purple Herons building nests in the extensive reed beds.
Here are a few photographs of that day.
  

Corn Buntings were singing in the warm sun.

Migrating Marsh Harriers searching for a meal.

The graceful Purple Herons.

Their striking colour gave camouflage as they landed back at the nesting sites, crashing into the reeds!

Going down.

 Already starting to disappear into the reed cover.

  

Further out, on the reeds, a fourth pair are busy constructing their nest.

Black Necked Grebes in silhouette.

Yellow Wagtails search for food as they pass north during their migration.
This Male bird is a variant from Central Europe, a Flava, but could be a Bemma from the Northern Kirghiz steppe. It is challenging to determine.

This one is a Lutea from the Southwest of Siberia.

They are, however, all Yellow Wagtails.

Common Cranes (Grus Grus) resting near Petit-Bersac, Dordogne, France.

At the end of February, thousands of common cranes fly north over our area of France.
 The Skeins fill the skies with their excellent verbal calls (the call of lost souls). Unlike their autumn southern migration, they may rest in the fields for a day or two if the conditions are right.
As you can see from the last post, the conditions were excellent for the stopovers this year.

They came in their thousands.

Passing over local landmarks as they prepared to land.

Behind them, in the trees, can be seen the local heronry. Grey Herons have already started to take up residence.

In the rising sun, a juvenile sought a lost family.

They flew between the fields in search of food.

Then, the moment was right for their onward journey. Cranes rise up through the trees.

Their passage migration continued North.

Un regard d’hiver.

A glance at Winter.

A collection of photographs captured throughout January and early February.

Sunrise over the Dronne River valley.

The mist is concentrated as the sun warms the air.

The sun had set on another beautiful day.

Pink vapour trails as the aircraft flies south into Spain.

The rain had arrived by mid-January.

With such heavy downpours, it took very little time for the water to engulf the fields.

Our local rivers, the Dronne and Brousse, could not cope with the deluges and burst their banks.

The Moon over La Brousse.

Skeletal reflections.

Amazing abstract skies.

Winter had almost ended, and Common Cranes (Grus Grus) headed North to their breeding grounds.
Our flooded fields were the perfect night stop on that long journey. Today it is four! Wait until the next post!

The Emirates Spinnaker Tower.

Standing like a Space Rocket, dwarfing the Portsmouth skyline, the Emirates Spinnaker Tower.

Caught in the early morning light.

Watching over this busy Port.

All ferries come and go to and from the Isle of Wight.

Gulls and Kittiwakes followed our wash as we departed for France and home.