Camargue; Day 2

Superb day. Last night I arrived too late to hire a bike so, after coffee and croissants this morning, I took the bus 20 miles North and walked back. The route was one I have done before, only in the other direction. Plenty of dragonflies near Paty de la Trinity where I got off the bus. Birds were spotted immediately, with beeaters, swallows, house and sand martins over the road and track. This track ran east for 4 miles and along here many rice fields. One was recently ploughed and very wet. 1000+ black headed gulls, 40+ glossy ibis, common sandpipers, lapwings, cattle and little egrets all feeding. Overhead, at least 40 kites, black and red but no hoped for short toed eagles. I stayed here a while before moving on whereupon I came across a spoonbill in the next field. Plenty of fan tailed warblers, spotless starlings, house sparrows and a blue butterfly: a holly blue, I suspect. After a while I turned south and headed for the edge of Etang de Vaccares, the largest lake in the Reserve. Here gulls and flamingoes along with a whimbrel, a new Camargue bird for me. Several purple herons rose from fields before I spotted another new bird for me here, a squacco heron. Excellent and close enough to get reasonable photos. The temperature was now at least 35C when I stopped for my lunch of beer and fruit. I was having to eek out my 2 litres of water. More of the same birds before I left the track on to the road for the last few miles back to town. Black winged stilts flew overhead along with an oystercatcher. Little egrets were everywhere. I stopped for a large beer at the first bar I encountered before finishing back at my room. 8 hours of walking and my arms and legs were getting a little red!. Few photos showing the path, Camargue horses, insects etc. I came across several marauding bull packs and had to change direction!! Photos on camera.
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