To France - Maggie Reilly and Mike Oldfield

 Only moments before 'going to post' did it dawn on me to change the headline to this BEAUTIFUL song which just epitomises our trip. Want one of the greatest 'songstresses' that ever lived to 'Blow Your Mind'? 

Click the Link

'Never Going to Get' - To France 

 Taking on water, sailing a restless sea
From a memory, a fantasy.
The wind carries into white water,
Far from the islands.
Don't you know you're
Never going to get to France.
Mary, Queen of Chance, will they find you?
Never going to get to France.
Could a new romance ever bind you?

Rock Trivia

SHAME THEN THAT OLDFIELD NEVER 'CREDITED' REILLY ON THE ALBUM SLEEVE!

All good things come to an end, as is the case with the South of France. This time tomorrow we will be back in a slightly 'warmer' Dorset so with travel playing a large part in today's proceedings we'll end the trip with a

pictorial run-down of the bird species seen during our trip. Please note, some of the images are from the archive!.

 GREEN WOODPECKER

A single seen on day one, then absent until our last day when

c5 were seen. Others were heard occasionally.

 BLACKBIRD

At all locations and seen on every day not even a guesstimate 

made regarding numbers. 

 BLUE TIT

not as plentiful as might have been expected c3 in total.

 CARRION CROW

undoubtedly the most common Corvid in the absence of

Rook! A couple of hundred must have been seen over the period.

 CHAFFINCH

Warms your heart to see what could be described as 'swarm'

proportions of flocks all over the place.

 Until the last day the most common Dove - see Wood Pigeon.

 COMMON BUZZARD

Again at all locations mostly solitary birds, no count kept.

 COMMON SNIPE

One 'flushed' while searching for the 'Best Bird' of the trip!

 COMMON COOT

A few at both lakeside locations maybe amounting to 2 dozen.

CORMORANT

As with the above but not as numerous, just c8 in all.

 DUNNOCK

'Calling' birds heard on a couple of occasions otherwise only

a single recorded.

 GARDEN WARBLER

Most unexpected species of the trip. Some might say should be in Africa with the rest, but with 'tardy' Reed Warbler and Whinchat at Portland Bill who's to know what is lurking in the hedgerow?

Although we are a 'little' further south than the Bill, c2 were found in the back garden.

 GREAT CRESTED GREBE

c6 seen at one lake and c2 at the other.

 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

A common garden bird, seen or heard at most other locations.

 GREAT TIT

Like its cousin above a bit 'thin on the ground' only c2 seen.

 GREY HERON

At waterside and grassy locations c11 seen.

 HOUSE SPARROW

Seemingly not so common at this time of year a few in farm yards

and private houses.

 JAY

In threatening competition with Carrion Crow in the numbers game ,

difficult to know just how many with at one site c9 together.

 JACKDAW

c15 seen, widespread and often alone.

COMMON KESTREL

Seen everywhere but not counted.

LAPWING

Small feeding parties encountered in 3 different fields

on 3 separate days amounting to a total of about 50?

 LITTLE EGRET

Far less numerous that Cattle Egret only a single seen all trip.

 LONG-TAILED TIT

Just one feeding group of c17 on the final day.

 MAGPIE

Good (or BAD dependent on how you view them) numbers all

over the place, one flock comprising c15 individuals.

 MALLARD

Nearly saw as many 'on our plate' as we did in the field,

a total of c8.

 MARSH HARRIER

On day one 7 were counted but not seen subsequently.

 MEADOW PIPIT

They didn't show until the final full day and even then didn't reach

double figures.

 NUTHATCH

The single frequenting the garden daily was the only representative.

 COMMON PHEASANT

Talking of 'single representatives', just a lone cock bird was seen.

It is the height of the shooting season here and while most attention

is given to Wild Boar there is doubt that any huntsman would want

one of these to live to see the next day.

 PIED WAGTAIL

Daily, numerous and wide spread.

ROBIN

Ditto!

 SKYLARK

c2 were seen on the first day, then not again until the last when a

flock of an estimated 60 were buzzing around close to home.

 SONG THRUSH

Occurring on the same days as the above but only as singles.

 SPARROWHAWK

Just the one when we visited the Canard Shop.

 COMMON STARLING

Certainly no 'murmuration' in fact only small numbers on a daily basis.

 STOCK DOVE

Only a single sighting of c5 individuals on day 2.

 STONECHAT

A single male on the final day was all seen.

 TAWNY OWL

The 'singing' bird that greeted us the first evening, nor any

other was encountered again.

 TEAL

About 50 birds conveniently 'flushed' by a Motorbike Brigade did at least give opportunity to see most that were hiding in the reeds on the final afternoon.

 WOOD PIGEON

Total counts were lower than Collared Dove up until the last afternoon, when flocks of what must have been 'thousands were seen feeding in stubble fields.

WREN

Just a few were heard but I don't think either of us 'clapped eyes' on one?

BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE

GRIFFON VULTURE

43 SPECIES in total - we're HAPPY! - Hope You Are Too?

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Kites - Simon Dupree and the Big Sound

I will fly a yellow paper sun in your sky
When the wind is high, when the wind is high
I will float a silken silver moon near your window
If your night is dark, if your night is dark
In letters of gold on a snow white kite
I will write "I love you"
And send it soaring high above you
For all to read

Kites - Simon Dupree and the Big Sound

The Portsmouth based band were later to re-brand as Gentle Giant

Our final day in Gascony was one of dark skies, cold, gloom, fog, biting wind otherwise it was lovely. Despite the condition we were out again at first light in search of more 'goodies' to enjoy and bring to you. Collared Dove continued to outnumber Wood Pigeon 5 to 1 until we rounded this bend in the road and what brightness remained was blocked out by 'thousands' of

 WOOD PIGEONs

 The fields here are predominantly Maize and along with this Grain
Storage Area appeared to be a magnet to these birds.
On one previous trip out we had both thought that we had seen a

 BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE
but there was little doubting about the bird preceding us down
this country lane.

 It soon went to 'perch' and was thought likely to be one of the

 pair that Hugh found here back in August.
While this one remained on a spindly branch another was found

 close by with its back to us and while we were not desperately

 close to either, this one put on a fine performance.

 The closest we could get without flushing them was on an all too

 narrow ledge of field at the top of a steep bank and to make matters

 worse the Maize had not been cropped.

 However, this delicate and 'rare' Raptor hereabouts put on a

 fine performance twisting and turning in every direction.

 Further down the road we found a production facility for one, if not

 'the' favourite favoured food item for us in France.
A DUCK (Canard) FARM.

 Not thought part of that, this MUSCOVY DUCK was found
wandering along the roadway!

Some way-side shots included this lovely Donkey and Cart
tableaux in one small village plus,

 MILLET and

 GRAPE production a little further on.

 Perhaps not exactly Palomino Ponies, we at least know Janet will
be pleased to see this shot. Then the first of about a dozen

 RED KITE

 appeared with c4 of its mates.

 All appeared to be favouring a newly ploughed field

 which must have thrown up an abundance of

 'invertibrate' food stuff.

 FANTASTIC VIEWING
Then we reached the tiny village of

 which on a different day may have been considered 'pretty'.

All along its length and breadth these strategically planted (pollarded)
WILLOWS gave a real Christmas look to the place.

The UNKNOWN WARRIOR

 guarded the gateway to a fog-bound CHURCH

 and this is where I found my first 'CONKER',
Horse Chestnut, of the year.

 OLD WELL

 in the VICARAGE GARDEN

 and still the GARLANDS continued.

 PETIT ARMANOU
is where the Dampney's traditionally take Sunday Lunch, so who
am I to get in the way of that. 

 Perhaps no need to go through our selection from the menu as  the

hot and hearty Vichyssoise was all that differed from our usual
(and most enjoyable) Pâté de Foie Gras and Confit de Canard,
 Mousse au Chocolat along with a local Red Wine.

 Finally, and still on the subject of Fois Gras, we came across this

GOOSE FARM
don't think I really want any detail about what goes on over there!

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