Kites - Simon Dupree and the Big Sound

The Portsmouth based band were later to become

 GENTLE GIANT

also the title of their first extremely well structured album.

 See the world in the palm of his hand,

Giant steps that will cover the land!

Our final full day in Luc - Armau as the weather continues to hold and the morning was spent idling in the garden looking for 'wild-things'. The

 HUMMING-BIRD HAWK-MOTHS

 are still in residence

 and the GRAPES continue to swell.

I'm sure at the claim of Kites the reader would not be surprised given our location, the only question being Red or Black Kite? Both are common here but thus far neither have been spotted, but late afternoon, after our day out, there was to be a change to that but by no means what might have been expected. The story continues later........

 First outing of the day was to the nearby,

homely and most friendly

LE PETIT LARMANOU RESTAURANT

 another firm favourite with Hugh and Janet.

 We all started with the hearty Vegetable Soup,

 then for me there was once again no resisting the local

CANARD, for starter the Foie Gras

followed by Confit of Duck,

 while the ladies opted for OMELETTE

 and Hugh the COQ au VIN.

 Bon Apitit

 The FIG FLAN was almost as good as Janet's (home made) before 

left home but was lacking that golden yellow Custard.

A very pleasant midday meal with charming mine host and

a Air France Airline Pilot and his Lady who were fellow diners.

 was the next port of call and a short walk

 along the lakeside.

Not exactly brimming with birds, Mallard, Coot, Common Snipe, 

Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Chiffchaff along with

Great Spotted Woodpecker were all in attendance but there 

was much besides.

 BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELLE

 were not only as the name suggests but also numerous

 while there were also a few of these bright orange SLUGS,

but there was a surprise in store!

 On a mud bank in the centre of the lake

 there appeared to be a large Rodent foraging.

COYPU

LESSER BURDOCK

GIANT GREEN BUSH-CRICKET

and what could well be a
MIGRANT HAWKER DRAGONFLY
Butterflies were in abundance and included both Small and Large
White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, Brimstone,
Meadow Brown, Comma

SILVER WASHED FRITILARY,

 WHITE ADMIRAL,
far brighter

SPECKLED WOOD

than we find in UK

and maybe best of all

WOOD WHITE

One of my little foibles after a shower is to lie on or in the bed and muse on the past day, that is where I was as Hugh called me to report KITES seen in the far distance. Up and dressed in just seconds I joined him at the window and was totally excited at the prospect of his identification being correct. No need to doubt this as he has seen many in India and together we encountered a few in Sri Lanka. That might eliminate Red Kite but not what is undoubtedly the most common in the world, Black Kite! Well have you decided which it might have been? and if you had opted for either of these you would have been wrong. No, there quartering the fields and flying from treetop to treetop where a pair of

 BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE

photographed (centre) at great distance from the bedroom.

 The 'pair' seemingly 'food-passing'?

A brief interlude to view ROE DEER.

 Due to the terrain we were unable to approach

 closer than about half a mile,

but what a spectacle! Here are a few facts.

Distribution map from the 1976 edition of Heinzel, Fitter and Parslow, 'The Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa ans the Middle East' showing their range to be limited to the south-western tip of Portugal. Since then they have colonised central Spain and the south-western extremes of France

In Europe only breeds in Spain, Portugal and south-western France. The first pairs in Spain were found in the 1970's while in France the first pair successfully bred in 1990 [Mebs & Schmidt 2006]. The Black-shouldered Kite is therefore only a recent "addition" to the European avifauna. 

 This is the only more recent map I could find, and as can be seen

increased distribution has been limited to say the least. However,

on a world-wide scale this species is not considered vulnerable!

The European breeding range of the Black-winged Kite expanded between 1970 and 1990. However, the species remains rare and the breeding population is estimated to number less than 2,000 pairs. The intensification of agriculture through the introduction of new crops and irrigation and the abandonment of less productive areas are all affecting the species.

 Here is how this magnificent small Raptor really looks.

Black-shouldered Kite

 surely Europe's rarest breeding Raptor?

VIVA-LA-FRANCE

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