Reserve Du Teich - France

A long weekend visiting friends in Arcachon near Bordeaux makes a visit to Reserve Du Teich (Twitter = @RO_Teich) essential, this place is amazing, the variety of birds is incredible, hardly anybody there and my favourite part...... dogs are not allowed!!

My last visit was back in October so I was looking forward to some sun walking around this time.  The visit started with some weird sounding Frogs, took me ages to realise what was making the noise.

 

First birds of the day where White Stork which nest at the reserve and are quite numerous.  It was great to see them with chicks in the nest.

 

White Stork

 

Even better was amazing close up views of Water Rail to the point they seem almost tame, the reserve has a very healthy population, when I walked around last October I counted no less the 20 birds calling. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see them with young.... and so close.

 

Water Rail

 

There were numerous waders out on the scrapes, plenty of Grey Plover, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt (also all with young/on nests), Spoonbill and 3 Spotted Redshank.

 

Black-winged Stilt - on nest

 

Black-winged Stilt - with chicks

 

Spoonbill

 

Black-tailed Godwit

 

Avocet

 

My target species for today was Bluethroat for which the reserve is famed, however it wasn't meant to be, another species which is abundant and almost impossible to not see is the Nightingale, I saw 5 today, the first 4 I had what would be consider great views in the UK, i.e. they were about 1 metre away showing quite well but still obscured. I then found another which gave great views but at a distance.  I wasn't quite prepared for the one sat out in the open by the entrance to the reserve, I observed for over 20 minutes but had to leave to catch my train, my usual photographic prowess doesn't do the experience justice though.

 





Nightingale

 

I was fortunate enough to get a lifer today in the form of Blue-headed Wagtail.

 

Blue-headed Wagtail

 

Plenty of other species seen around the site including Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, loads of Kingfisher, a couple of photos of other animals seen.

 

Coypu

Great Crested Grebe

Red Squirrel

Terrapin

 



 













Patch Gripped!!

I arrived early today in the vain hope of finding Woodcock, not that I expect to find them here, the habitat doesn't scream Woodcock - result was as per expectation - Woodcock = Nil.

I started by stopping of at the small River Arrow, I'm determined to find a Kingfisher here but one hasn't materialised yet.  This morning there was a Grey Heron feeding in the margins and single Moorhen.  I had a quick scan of the small flood plain but it was frozen over so nothing here.  I also had a quick scan of the rough ground which looks like it used to contain a factory or barracks but again nothing.

Next stop was Pophills Pit where the following was noted:

Greylag Goose - 109
Canada Goose - 7
Mallard - 10
Tufted Duck - 4
Coot - 22
Common Sandpiper - 1

The Greylag were quite restless when I arrived as soon took to the air heading in the direction of the Hidden Pit.  I think I need to sort a patch map with labels, especially as @NeilDuggan80 is birding it too, be easier to discern where we are talking about.

I headed over to the Main Pit where I had 2 Rook (Patch tick), 2 Goldcrest and 3 Chaffinch around the plantation.  There was a fair amount on the water which had defrosted from yesterday, I didn't count the Mallard, Tufted Duck or Coot today as wanted to do a circuit to take in the reed beds I was targeting Water Rail today too.  I noted the following on Main Pit:

Mute Swan - 7
Canada Goose - 27
Pochard - 6
Teal - ~40
Little Grebe - 3

Crappy Phone Scoped Teal

Whilst counting, yesterday's (I presume) Peregrine Falcon sped past about 20 meters from my head as it attempted to take a Blackbird, it was unsuccessful and flew over the Main Pit and across the field to the rear.

I took a walk over to the old reed bed where a couple of Jack Snipe flushed as I walked past.  I had some great views of 3 deer atop of a small mound, the morning was slightly misty, I attempted a few shots but I think the sensor on my camera is faulty as all images are either black or fuzzy and over exposed.

I took a walk across the Flooded Field up to the Hidden Pit, this flushed 23 Jack Snipe and a single Common Snipe which was todays 2nd patch tick, they must be sensitive to ground vibration as they all flushed from about 70 meters away and were all difficult to see due to the light mist.  I also had a single Lapwing and a pair of Skylark.

The hidden pond only contained a small number of Mallard and Tufted Duck.

I crossed over to the public footpath and followed it back round to the road, there are quite a few reeds along here, this was were I was looking for Water Rail but I failed only managing a couple of Moorhen and a lot of Red-legged Partridge that escaped the guns during the shooting season.

I arrived back at the car to see that Neil was on-site with John who is a former Warwickshire bird recorder.  Neil informed me that after he left, John found Woodcock, Tawny Owl and 6.... Water Rail.... WTF...  I specifically went for 2 of these and failed.... GRIPPED...!!  Neil had also had Goosander, a site first.

I popped back in the afternoon but they'd moved on, there were 23 Lapwing on the Main Pit scrape.  Canada Goose numbers had risen too.

Canada Geese on Main Pit