Belles Mares et Un Étang Délicieux

The title means "Beautiful Ponds and a Delicious Swamp."

   Berry and I had croissants and coffee for breakfast. I added a cup of hot tea with milk because I like hot tea with milk. We packed our belongings and loaded into the car. We were ready to bird.

   In a pond in the French countryside, we observed the Longtailed Duck (Clangula Hyemalis) which was a Life Bird for us. We also saw the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia Decoct).

   One of the best places all day for really interesting birds was at a full life crucifix, wooden cross and a white something savior. We paused before the statue along a country road, in order to avoid a large truck. Almost immediately Berry saw the Red Legged Partridge (Alectoris Rufa). After a while Robert came up with a pair of Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula Pyrrhula).

   We drove back and forth, admiring the French countryside, zigzagging the area to search for birds. As we drove, we caught a lot of birds by surprise. The House Sparrow (Passer Domestics) is ubiquitous. The Carrion Crow (Corvus Corone) is so frequent to produce ennui. A black and white House Martin (Delichon Erbium) swooped in and out of the trees.

   Suddenly and all at once, we rolled up to a great pond. Waterbirds, diving ducks, dabblers and flitting warblers. It was great fun.

Birds seen at that nice Pond

• Common Eider Somateria Mollissima)
• White Fronted Goose (Anser Albifrons)
• Smew (Mergellus Albellus)
• Common Moorhen (Gallinula Chloropus)
• Common Teal (Anas Crecca)
• Tufted Duck (Aythya Fuligula)
• Northern Shoveler (Anas Clypeata)
• Eurasian Widgeon (Anas Penelope)

   For lunch we went to "Les Trois Lanternes" in Étaples, France. Robert had a ham and cheese galette. Berry had an Omelette Paysanne with mushrooms and ham. That restaurant is Michelin-rated. Very, very good food.

   We spotted the Grey Heron (Ardea Cinerea) beside some water in a cool swamp. There were Common Moorhens (Gallinula Chloropus) in that swamp. In the pond in the middle of the swamp was a large Mute Swan (Cygnus Olor) . And on the road inside the swamp, we identified a male and a female Chaffinch (Fringilla Coelebs).

   Sometimes in the rain, we raced to the Apple store in Le Havre, France. Then we checked into a hotel. There was an Australian lady whose husband had been taken off of a cruise ship and put in the hospital in Le Havre to get stents in his heart. So, imagining being in that situation, we invited her to dinner. The meals were forgettable, but for dessert Berry and I shared a cherry tart. Our dinner guest had a piece of lemon meringue pie. We hope her husband gets out of the hospital soon and is feeling better. When we go birding in Australia, we will surely have friends there.

Robert and Berry

Pictures courtesy of wikipedia