Camargue Day 1

A flight from Luton at 6.20 meant leaving home at 3.30a.m. All went smoothly and I was on the bus to Nime before 10. From here, a bus to Arles and then another to Saintes Maries de la Mer meant I was in The Camargue by noon. From the bus to Ste Maries I saw glossy ibis, cattle egret, a harrier sp (probably montagues) black winged stilts and a solitary gull billed tern quatering fields as they do.
I found me room, dumped the ruckksack and went for lunch as I couldn't get into my room until 2. The town was busy so, after a steak, I changed and wandered along a new path for me. Common sandpipers, black headed gulls, sandwich terns and crested larks were common but in amongst all these were little egrets, slender billed gulls, little terns and more gull billed. All too distant for a photo but super to see. A cirl bunting called overhead, my first for the area. After following the path for 4 miles (in flipflops) I turned back, stopping to id dragonflies. Red veined darters were everywhere along with a few lesser emperors, and a blue bodied insect that I think is probably a scarce chaser, but not good enough views to confirm, yet. Sure there were other forms of darter, too. Spend more time on these tomorrow. Red veined shown below. Now, off for a meal and an early night. Also, plan to hire a push bike for the 27 mile ride to the reserve HQ at La Capeliere tomorrow. I hope to up and out early to avoid the heat. Today 33C and tomorrow is going to be hotter. Other photos: room view and a few distant flamingoes. All photos presently taken on phone. I shall add camera ones when I return.
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