The other day we had to go up to Blois and as we drove through the fields around Azay le Ferron we noticed a flock of about 80 Eurasian Cranes (Fr. Grues cendrées) feeding. These will be overwintering or even resident birds, but they were in their full breeding plumage and looking splendid even in the low light of a dismal winter day.
Unfortunately I only had my phone with me, so this is the best photo I managed.
Several thousand cranes overwinter in the Brenne and they are one of the most spectacular species you can observe in the winter. If you come across these unmistakable birds, be as discrete as possible so as not to disturb them. They spook very easily.
They are one of the biggest birds in Europe, standing over a metre tall, with wingspans of over two metres. They weigh about 5 kilos.
Every morning they head out to feed in the fields, often favouring fields that have had a crop of maize. At dusk they will return to their 'dormitory' at the Etang de la mer rouge, in the heart of the Brenne. They are spectacular in flight, forming great V shapes in the sky, and trumpeting to each other as they fly.
1 comment:
The Northward migration officially started on the 1st of Feb with clear Nortward movements.... North Africa into Spain, Spanish holiday makers into France, French layabouts into Germany....
Sad thing is that we no longer get any reports on Grus-Grus for Centre-Val du Loire.... guess the people who used to do it got bored and/or moved elsewhere.
You do need to get a telephoto clip-on for your phone.....
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