Camargue: Day 3

My last day so up early to catch the 6.35a.m. Bus from town some miles north to Pont-Du-Gau. Here there are many roadside pools to investigate as well as the Parc Ornithologique. The latter opens at 9, so plenty of time for a wander. The pools didn't disappoint, with great egret, white stork, squacco and wood sandpipers being seen. A willow warbler called along with several cetti's and 2 hunting purple herons were noted in reedbeds alongside a ditch. I wandered north until I reached a small hotel for a croissant and coffee before taking a bus back to the Parc.
€7.50 was the entry price which was money well spent. After the caged birds, all injured in The Camargue and kept (black stork, short toed eagle, egyptian vulture) I wandered past pools of flamingoes and egrets. Over the bridge and on to The Reserve, with 8 hides. Good number of scrapes gave up superb views of common, wood and curlew sandpipers, black tailed godwits, more egrets but best of all, an adult night heron. A new addition to my photo library of the area. From one hide there were excellent views of a little egret, whilst another offered the chance for stunning photos of a wood sandpiper. All in all, excellent before the walk back to town. En route, a hoopoe, great egret and short toed eagle overhead (if distant.)
A rough estimate of bird species seen is 73, I shall add complete list when I get home tomorrow. Need to be at Nimes airport for a 13.20hrs flight, so shall have to get the 9a.m. Bus from town to Arles, then train to Nimes and bus to the airport. All time consuming unfortunately. Again, all photos added are from phone camera.
1 sunrise
2 flamingoes and black winged stilts
3 little egret
4 flamingoes
5 little egret
6 wood sandpiper, a little distant, but full frame on camera.
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