Day three and I wasn't sure that we could maintain the standard, at least the weather was still excellent. Clear blue skies and warm sunshine. Each morning before the group assembled I spent twenty minutes or so sitting by the war memorial, observing the phenomenal amount of hirundines. On one building I counted at least thirty House Martin nests and more under construction. Swallows and Swifts were also numerous and I had fly overs of Hoopoe, Marsh Harrier and an inevitable Hobby. Black Redstarts sang and there was a constant background noise from the Rooks and Jackdaws.
Étang de Bellebouche
On the way to the hide I came across this rather striking beetle, post holiday research suggests that it is a Bee-wolf Beetle, Trichodes apiarius
The hide is sited opposite to a mixed heronry, Purple Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets were all in evidence. Much toing and froing by birds with large sticks in their bills suggested that nest building was still under way, or maybe just bond reinforcement by the exchange of a "gift"
One Purple Heron pair had a pair of fairly advanced chicks so it would appear that timing is not particularly tight for these breeders.
On the way out we had a close fly-by of a Purple Heron which I managed to capture.
I finished with another insect - a rather nice female Broad-bodied Chaser.
Foret de Lancosme
Whilst our mini bus was more than comfortable given the heat this may have been a more sedate and cooler mode of transport.
I guess that stopping to photograph roadside orchids was somewhat simpler with a mini bus.
We managed to find some fresh Common Spotted Orchids, one with a bonus beetle in the frame which I think is a Black and Yellow Longhorn, Rutpela maculate
Another find was an Early Spider Orchid, unfortunately very close to its sell by date. We mused that the dry weather conditions had brought the orchids into bloom earlier and that we were a tad late for perfect specimens.
Another Greater Butterfly Orchid, a Green-winged Orchid and Lax flowered Orchid were more roadside finds.
We had our picnic lunch in the forest clearing at the Chapelle Saint-Sulpice. Yet again I found myself dropping my lunch and chasing after a butterfly, this time a Swallowtail, which despite the heat did stop and pose for a few shots.
Sorry about the number of photographs but it is a stunning subject and this one had both its tails intact!
After lunch the pace slowed somewhat and we went in search of dragonflies, success in the form of a Broad Scarlet, a female that preferred to hang from the seed heads of the grass.
Sainte Clotilde
Finally a search for a scarce butterfly, the Woodland Brown, a life tick for me. Unfortunately I learnt something of its habits, just as it had rested near the woodland floor it rocketed back up on the trunk of a tree where it remained.
Subsequent sightings of this wonderful butterfly were the same - resting up a tree.
