BIRDING TRIP REPORT
LOIRE-ATLANTIQUE and FINISTÈRE, FRANCE
24 JULY- 7 AUGUST 2010
by Andrew R. Williams
INTRODUCTION
This is a birdwatching trip report following a family summer holiday to two regions of northwest France. The two centre holiday enabled me to explore a few important birding sites which I had not previously visited.
ACCOMMODATION
The holiday was booked through Brittany Ferries and, at both centres, we stayed in chalet-camping style accommodation on camping sites which had good family facilities and pitches for touring vans and tents.
The accommodation for the first week was at Camping L’Océan in Le Croisic, Loire-Atlantique (http://www.camping-ocean.com/fr/bienvenue/; Brittany Ferries page for Camping L'Océan). This site is well-placed for access to the extensive coastline around the peninsula of Le Croisic, including a couple of minutes walk from the beach, and is within walking distance of the port and town (although not of a supermarket). The pool is excellent for children of all ages, although the site was rather cramped and noisy until midnight. This site allowed me access to the birding potential of the nearby salt pans of Guérande, the Brière Marshes and also, about an hour’s drive away, the Gâvre Forest.
For the second week we stayed at the Yelloh! site near Le Guilvinec in southern Finistère, Village La Plage (http://www.villagelaplage.com/en/village.htm; Brittany Ferries page for Yelloh! Village La Plage). This site was excellent, with superb facilities and location, adjacent to a large, under-populated beach and extensive sand dunes. Although close to the coastal lakes (etangs) of Trunvel and St. Vio, this site also showed great potential for good birding in the dunes and on the beach on the doorstep, particularly in autumn.
SITES VISITED
Le Croisic (Port, Pointe and campsite)
The headland, although largely urbanised, is beautiful and somewhat spectacular. The most impressive aspect, birding wise, is the awesome seawatching from the Pointe du Croisic or any of the beaches along the peninsula. In the afternoons and evenings, enormous numbers of both Gannet and several shearwater species were flying in constant streams, or, in the case of Gannet and Cory’s Shearwater, accompanying returning fishing boats. On one occasion I, along with some LPO recorders, counted 63 Sooty Shearwater in a 20 minute period, along with Balearic, Cory’s and Manx, although other species may have been overlooked.
During the day, Mediterranean Gull were present in most groups of Black-headed Gulls.
Common Tern were a constant presence, patrolling the shore and port area.
There was a single, one-footed Common Gull at Le Croisic.
Sandwich Tern, including juveniles pestering parents, fished around us as we paddled in the sea on an almost empty beach.
Below: A typical Le Croisic gull roost, with Common and Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gulls.
Our campsite itself had conifers which attracted Serin, Crested Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper.
I explored the Parc de Pen Avel, at the eastern edge of Le Croisic, in the hope of turning up a Hoopoe, Golden Oriole or some such, but found only breeding Green Woodpecker, Crested Tit and common woodland species.
Salins de Guérande
A huge area of actively used salt-pans, enclosed by the peninsulas of Le Croisic and Pen Bron. The area is geographically spectacular and of great general interest but I was disappointed by the lack of birds at the time of my visit. I explored the pans extensively, both on foot and by car but found 98% of the pans to be literally birdless. I suspect that during migration they would be more productive. There were only two pans that had anything other than a single Little Egret or Black-headed Gull. One was on the entry to Le Croisic itself: there is a roundabout between Batz-sur-Mer and Le Croisic. Taking the right fork here there is parking immediately on the left with the large salt-pan immediately adjacent. This pan had a single Black-winged Stilt for most of the week and the occasional Common Sandpiper or two. The best salt pan was one that is fairly central and accessed either from Batz-sur-Mer, taking the road from near the railway station across the pans, or from the village of Saillé. The pan is near the junction of these two roads and held 10 Avocet, 3 Black-winged Stilts and 2 Common Sandpiper on both times I visited. I saw Marsh Harrier here on a couple of occasions.
Grand Marais de Brière Mottière
One of the largest wetland areas in France. The marshes are huge and not crossed at all by roads, although you can drive around the perimeter and dip into them at various points on foot, boat or bicycle. I only visited them for one day, but could easily have spent 3! I first explored the area around La Chaussée Neuve which I got to via St. André-des-Eaux. This spot is a beautiful place to take the family, having a visitor centre with café and toilets and kiosks from which you can charter a boat and guide to take you out onto the marsh (I didn’t do this as it required a minimum number in the party), or take pony rides. Here was the only place I heard Savi’s Warbler singing and I also saw an adult Whiskered Tern, 3 Marsh Harrier and 2 Black Kite.
By far the best place I visited on the Brière was the nature reserve at Rozé, around the eastern side of the marsh. To get there I drove around the southern edge of the marshes on minor roads (through landscape very reminiscent of the Somerset Levels) and, on reaching the N171 at Trignac, headed up to Saint-Malo-de-Guersac and onto the D50. Just as you leave this village you reach a roundabout (which has a small sign on one of the exit roads saying ‘Rozé’). Turn left here and then immediately bear right over a small hump-backed bridge (which has a no through-road sign just beyond it). I parked round to the right, opposite a row of houses adjacent to a rhyne and walked back and down the track with the no through-road sign. This track is described and well-mapped in Coghlan. It is possible to drive along this track and park right next to the small visitor centre (the French people visiting the reserve had all done this) – there is plenty of room to park and turn around. There were very few people visiting (probably less than 10) even though it was a glorious day in August. The centre was unmanned and I did not have to pay an entrance fee (although information boards suggested that on other days there were organised walks and activities for which you would pay). As I walked down the track, nine White Stork circled over the marshes ahead and forty-two Black Kite rose from the field just across the canal to the right and circled above me.
There is a pleasant circular walk (which would take about 25 mins if you weren’t stopping to bird along the way) which visits 5 proper hides, a couple of screens and a viewing platform. Whiskered Tern were very obvious, constantly catching food in open water and feeding waiting fledged juveniles on fence posts and the edges of pools.
Black Tern were also present in good numbers and largely in summer plumage, although they remained more distant and I did not see any feeding young at this time.
I walked anticlockwise from the visitor centre and the first hide gave excellent views of 25 Spoonbill, Sacred Ibis, terns and a couple of Little Ringed Plover.
Also here were 15 Greylags, a Black-winged Stilt and this Common Sandpiper.
A little further on I flushed a juvenile Cuckoo which had been sitting on an information board.
Whilst I photographed this, a Camberwell Beauty flew by and didn’t give me a chance to get any good shots or change lenses. I saw another around the other side of the reserve.
Here I had glimpses of two different Savi’s Warblers. Marsh Harrier quartered the marshes at regular intervals, but kept distant.
The Pierre Constant tower hide gives extensive views over the marshes and allows a perspective on the size of the area. Here I had Zitting Cisticola, Reed and Sedge Warblers, terns, Sacred Ibis, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier and Black Kite. Heading further along the loop takes in two further hides, the first of which gave views of more terns, 2 Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper...
...and Little Ringed Plover.
Forêt du Gâvre
I went here looking for woodpeckers and, although it took me a while, I did get 5 species in the end. This large beech, oak and pine forest took me about 70 minutes to reach from Le Croisic. I reached the centre, an area where all the roads crossing the forest meet, called Rondpont de La Belle Étoile (although there is no actual roundabout), at 8am and, on entering the carpark with the WC, I flushed a Honey Buzzard that had been on the ground. Having the forest to myself, I waited quietly in a nearby clearing and picked up Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (which was feeding in leaf litter), Nuthatch, Crested Tit, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and several common woodland species. I then explored most of the roads slowly in the car (as there was literally no one about) but turned up only Green Woodpecker, although I could hear Black Woodpecker calling regularly.
Having spent about 4 hours here, I decided to head back but made one further stop at a forester’s track just southeast of the Rondpont on the road to Blain. The entrance to the track was awash with butterflies like those below: Swallowtail, Queen of Spain Fritillary and Silver-washed Fritillary.
A slow walk along this track then gave me my 3 missing woodpeckers: this Middle-spotted Woodpecker (which was calling to another), as well as a Great Spotted and a flushed Black Woodpecker. This area was very noisy with the calls of all these woodpecker species and I also picked up Bonelli’s Warbler skulking in the shrub layer and singing Melodious Warbler – an absolutely glorious place which I had all to myself!
Dunes and Plage du Steir, Le Guilvinec
This was the area immediately around our campsite in Finistère.
The beach had at least six Mediterranean Gull,
about 120 Sanderling, Oystercatcher, 1 Whimbrel on occasion and these summer-plumage Turnstone.
The dunes had Cirl Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Stonechat, White Wagtail, a small Starling roost, a lot of juv. Willow Warblers, occasional views of several Bee-eater, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Turtle Dove.
I reckon these dunes could turn up good migrants in the autumn.
Dunes du Steir
A good spot to check was a small area (to the east, near the house with the pirate ship in the front garden) where seaweed removed from the beach had been piled up and attracted invertebrates which in turn attracted a lot of the above species. I was determined to turn up Bluethroat, Yellow Wagtail, Tawny Pipit or Wheatear here but failed to do so.
Seaweed pile, Dunes du Steir
As well as Crested Tit, our campsite had a family group of Firecrest which moved through the various conifers and willow trees.
Etang de Trunvel
The wrong time of year to visit this site for birds (of interest, I only had Common Tern, Marsh Harrier, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler), but the insects were pretty good, including this Red-veined Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer and numerous butterflies, including a Swallowtail.
I also watched this Coypu swim the entire length of the lake.
Etang de St. Vio
I preferred this site over Trunvel as it gives much closer access to the reed bed and water for photography. The tower hide also gives excellent views of the surrounding landscape. There was a family group of Cirl Bunting around the tower hide. Here I also had views of 12 Bee-eater which flew over the far end of the lake.
This Jersey Tiger moth was even more spectacular in flight.
The track running along the edge of the lake gives the potential for close views of wildlife, such as Water Rail, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Bearded Tit, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and grebes. A meadow between the lake and the Maison de la Baie activity centre was planted with a vetch-type legume which attracted numerous butterflies like this Clouded Yellow.
There were several Odonata species, including Red-veined Darter, a hawker species and this Common Blue Damselfly.
SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES SEEN (109 in total)
1. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Grèbe Castagneux – one at Etang de Trunvel.
2. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Grèbe Huppé – several at the Etangs in Finistère and at Rozé, Brière.
3. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus Puffin Fuligineux – Pointe du Croisic: a count of 63 on 29.7.10 but seen every day that week.
4. Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus Puffin des Anglais – from the ferry and a few with Cory’s and Balearic Shearwaters from Pointe du Croisic.
5. Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus Puffin des Baléares – Pointe du Croisic: with Cory’s Shearwaters during last week of July.
6. Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea Puffin Cendré – Pointe du Croisic: several with Balearic Shearwaters during last week of July.
7. Gannet Morus bassanus Fou de Bassan – from the ferry and several hundred from Pointe du Croisic – following fishing boats.
8. Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Grand Cormoran
9. Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis Cormoran Huppé – occasional. One juv. swimming in Bénodet harbour.
10. Little Egret Egretta garzetta Aigrette Garzette – common.
11. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Héron Cendré
12. White Stork Ciconia ciconia Cigogne Blanche – 9 in flight over Rozé, Brière.
13. Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Ibis Sacré – group at Rozé from the furthest hide; singles on the beach at Le Croisic.
14. Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Spatule Blanche – large breeding group at Rozé.
15. Mute Swan Cygnus olor Cygne Tuberculé – a couple at Rozé and also at Etang de St. Vio.
16. Greylag Goose Anser anser Oie Cendrée – about 15 at Rozé from the first hide.
17. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Canard Colvert
18. Garganey Anas querquedula Sarcelle d’Été – one at Rozé.
19. Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus Bondrée Apivore - one flushed as I drove into the carpark at La Belle Étoile, Forêt du Gâvre.
20. Black Kite Milvus migrans Milan Noir – common. 42 counted in the air together over the field across the canal from the approach track at Rozé.
21. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Busard des Roseaux – Rozé; salt pans at Guérande; Etang de St. Vio and Trunvel.
22. Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Épervier d’Europe
23. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Buse Variable – only two seen in the whole two weeks, one at Guérande and the other at Gâvre.
24. Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Falcon Crécerelle
25. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Râle d’Eau – two at Etang de St. Vio.
26. Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Gallinule Poule-d’Eau
27. Coot Fulica atra Foulque Macroule
28. Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Huîtrier Pie – small numbers at Le Guilvinec.
29. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Échasse Blanche – one on the salt pan to the right of the roundabout on entry to Le Croisic (just before the Intermarché – also Common Sand on this pan). 3 on the Guérande salt pan with the Avocet described below.
30. Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Avocette Élégante – 10 on one particular salt pan at Salins de Guérande: take the road from Saillé across the pans and you will come to a cross roads. Go straight over and after about 400m, the road bends left and there is room to pull over on the right for views over the pan to the right. Also a couple of BW Stilt and Common Sandpiper here.
31. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Petit Gravelot – a couple at Rozé, from the centre hide on the northern track.
32. Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Grand Gravelot – 7 on the beach at Santec, near Roscoff.
33. Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Vanneau Huppé – large group at Rozé.
34. Sanderling Calidris alba Bécasseau Sanderling – about 120 on the beach at Le Guilvinec in a range of plumages, first week of August.
35. Snipe Gallinago gallinago Bécassine des Marais – two at Rozé from the northern hide.
36. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Courlis Corlieu – two in flight over Le Croisic.
37. Curlew Numenius arquata Courlis Cendré – occasional at Le Croisic and Le Guilvinec.
38. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Chevalier Culblanc – at least 3 at Rozé, from the northern hide.
39. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Chevalier Guignette – two at Le Croisic, on the salt pan; two on the salt pan with Avocet described above; several at Rozé from the first hide and northern hide.
40. Turnstone Arenaria interpres Tournepierre à Collier – summer plumage group on the Plage du Steir.
41. Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus Mouette Mélanocéphale – at least 6 on the Plage du Croisic; the most frequent gull on the Plage du Steir.
42. Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini Mouette de Sabine – one adult summer-winter flew up the harbour from the sea at Benodet but could not be relocated.
43. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Mouette Rieuse – abundant at Le Croisic.
44. Common Gull Larus canus Goéland Cendré – one at Le Croisic.
45. Herring Gull Larus argentatus Goéland Argenté
46. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Goéland Brun
47. Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Goéland Marin
48. Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicencis Sterne Caugek – common, breeding at Le Croisic; occasional at Le Guilvinec.
49. Common Tern Sterna hirundo Sterne Pierregarin – common, breeding at Le Guilvinec.
50. Black Tern Chlidonias niger Guifette Noir – breeding at Rozé, continuous presence during my visit, but often a little distant.
51. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Guifette Moustac – breeding at Rozé giving excellent views, especially from the area around the visitor centre; also one adult at La Chaussée Neuve.
52. Stock Dove Columba oenas Pigeon Colombin – a couple in a field near Le Guilvinec.
53. Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Pigeon Ramier
54. Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Tourterelle Turque
55. Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur Tourterelle des Bois – seen in flight over Dunes du Steir on a couple of occasions. This one photographed north of the dunes, between Plomeur and Penmarc’h.
56. Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Coucou Gris – this juv. photographed on the track near the visitor centre at Rozé.
57. Swift Apus apus Martinet Noir
58. European Bee-eater Merops apiaster Guêpier d’Europe – up to 12 seen in flight in Finistère at Etang de St. Vio and Dunes du Steir. These record shots taken at Dunes du Steir. I could not find the disused quarry where they breed, mentioned in Coghlan.
59. Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Pic Vert – common (heard almost everywhere I went!) – breeds in Parc de Pen Avel in La Croisic.
60. Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius Pic Noir – very hard to see, but heard constantly at Forêt du Gâvre. One flushed on a track about one mile south of La Belle Étoile roundabout.
61. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Pic Épeiche – one at Forêt du Gâvre.
62. Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius Pic Mar – two at Forêt du Gâvre.
63. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor Pic Épeichette – one in the carpark at the Rondpont de la Belle Étoile, Forêt du Gâvre.
64. Skylark Alauda arvensis Alouette des Champs
65. Sand Martin Riparia riparia Hirondelle de Rivage – breeding colony towards the west end of Plage du Steir; also common around La Croisic.
66. House Martin Delichon urbica Hirondelle de Fenêtre
67. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Hirondelle Rustique
68. Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus Pipit Maritime
69. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Pipit Farlouse – seen only at the seaweed piles, Dunes du Steir.
70. White Wagtail Motacilla alba Bergeronnette Grise
71. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Troglodyte Mignon
72. Dunnock Prunella modularis Accenteur Mouchet
73. Robin Erithacus rubecula Rougegorge Familier
74. Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Tarier Pâtre
75. Blackbird Turdus merula Merle Noir
76. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Grive Musicienne
77. Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti Bouscarle de Cetti – most commonly heard at Etang de St. Vio, but also at Rozé.
78. Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Cisticole des Joncs – omnipresent around the coast and marshes.
79. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinoides Locustelle Luscinoide – one heard at La Chaussée Neuve; two seen at Rozé.
80. Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Phragmite des Joncs – Rozé.
81. Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus Rousserolle Effarvatte - Rozé, Chaussée Neuve, Trunvel.
82. Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta Hypolais Polyglotte – one seen along forest track at Forêt du Gâvre, south of Rondpont de la Belle Étoile.
83. Whitethroat Sylvia communis Fauvette Grisette
84. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Fauvette à Tête Noir – only one male seen on the forest track mentioned above.
85. Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli Pouillot de Bonelli – one seen in the carpark at the Rondpont, Forêt du Gâvre.
86. Chiffchaff Phylloscopus colybita Pouillot Véloce
87. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Pouillot Fitis
88. Goldcrest Regulus regulus Roitelet Huppé
89. Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus Roitelet à Triple Bandeau – breeding in and around Camping Village La Plage at Le Guilvinec; also present at La Croisc in the Parc de Pen Avel and in Forêt du Gâvre.
90. Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus Panure à Moustaches – Etang de St. Vio.
91. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Mésange à Longue Queue
92. Marsh Tit Poecile palustris Mésange Nonnette – one at Forêt du Gâvre.
93. Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus Mésange Huppé – present at both camping sites and at Forêt du Gâvre.
94. Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Mésange Bleue
95. Great Tit Parus major Mésange Charbonnière
96. Nuthatch Sitta europaea Sittelle Torchepot
97. Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla Grimpereau des Jardins – in the campsite at La Croisic and also Forêt du Gâvre.
98. Jay Garrulus glandarius Geai des Chênes
99. Magpie Pica pica Pie Bavarde
100. Jackdaw Corvus monedula Choucas des Tours – uncommon: only at Roscoff and two in a field near Le Guilvinec. (Also: No Rooks seen).
101. Carrion Crow Corvus corone Corneille Noire
102. Starling Sturnus vulgaris Étourneau Sansonnet
103. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Moineau Domestique
104. Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Pinson des Arbres
105. Serin Serinus serinus Serin Cini – one in a pine tree, calling, at La Croisic; one singing on a TV aerial in Le Guilvinec town centre.
106. Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Verdier d’Europe
107. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Chardonneret Élégant
108. Linnet Carduelis cannabina Linotte Mélodieuse
109. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus Bruant Zizi – family groups at Dunes du Steir (around the war memorial) and at Etang de St. Vio (around the tower hide).
LINKS
Brière Marshes Official Website: http://www.parc-naturel-briere.fr/
LPO - Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux: http://www.lpo.fr/
REFERENCES
Coghlan, S. (2003) A Birdwatching Guide to Brittany; Arlequin Press, Chelmsford. ISBN 1900159864.
Dubois, P. J. (2004) Where to Watch Birds, France; Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0713669802.
Svensson, L. (2009) Collins Bird Guide 2nd Edition; Harper Collins, London. ISBN 9780007268146
EQUIPMENT USED
Canon 400D with Canon 400m f5.6/L
Macro lens: Canon EF-S 60mm f2.8
Black-winged Stilt photo taken with Kenko C-AF 1.4x Teleplus converter
All photos © Andrew Williams 2010 - Do not copy or use them without my permission.