France in Focus

This jay has been a frequent visitor. He has been chased away by a pair of blackbirds, presumably as he was hoping to pinch their eggs ...

Ringed Ouzel.

hope this works as first time posting a photo on here, not to good as it was very nervous, they nested in our garden in the spring.
Couldn't believe our eyes but on doing research found that there are many in the Pyreenees, not far as birds fly.

Lovely - keep 'em coming.

Nice one, Doug ! I've never seen a ringed ousel but I'm not sure he comes to Brittany.
I was thrilled to see this chap, a Blackcap, in the garden. It was fortunate that my camera was to hand at the time !

Ooh well caught - they're lovely birds but really timid so you must be very quiet on your feet to have got a shot of him.

It was through the window !! Not ideal, but better than nothing. I didn't dare go out for fear of scaring him off !

Blaze, we have blackcaps nesting here and hear a couple most of the day very stridant, black redstarts nest in our barn each year and swear at us when we go in.
In doing my research into ringed ouzels there was a report of them being in Brittany.
I had many an email conversation with the chap why runs the ringed ouzel society in Yorkshire as he wouldn't believe we had them here, saying that they were albino blackbirds which we also have here at times.

At last today the hoopoe's have returned, for the first time all fields around us are seeded with tournesol and the farmer had for two months bird scarers going off, frightened many away, now they are back, perhaps the cattle egrets will be next.

Caught in the pond.

Fabulous shot