Wednesday 15th June (Lac du Orient)


Mr. Kite looked out of The Joint window into the Forest d' Orient. A Cuckoo sang, a Wood Pigeon cooed and Mr. Kite felt weary. He looked for the Cuckoo but could not see it.

Mr. Kite had a lazy breakfast and then set out for a trip around the lake. With clouds bubbling Mr. Kite expected to get wet but he was prepared for the worst and rode along in shorts and a T-shirt. A race with a few French Tour de France entrants sped the morning along before he settled into bird-watching mode. Coots, Mallards and Herone cendre were soon spotted. Looking into the reeds Mr. Kite thought he had a glimpse of a Little Bittern; it was a little bird and well camouflaged.

Anyway Mr. Kite was enjoying his tour around the lake. Eventually the sun appeared and Mr. Kite felt very happy as he lounged away the hours looking at green frogs, Coots and Sand Lizards. Sitting quietly by a swamp Mr. Kite had the pleasure of watching two Black Kites sitting in a rotten tree surveying the surroundings for things to eat. Now their beaks did look dangerous as they opened and closed them at intervals.

With the wind increasing Mr. Kite was near the end of his trip so he cycled into the forest hoping to watch a woodpecker or two. Now today Mr. Kite was lucky because a woodpecker landed where Mr. Kite was looking. This was not a big woodpecker or a small woodpecker. It was a medium sized black and white bird with a red cap and pink rear; and a short pointed beak. This was a Middle Spotted Woodpecker; a lifer for Mr. Kite. Mr. Kite watched this bird picking bits of tree and tossing them away for five minutes.

After a good day watching birds Mr. Kite returned to The Joint for a tipple of Kwak. Cheers from the warm sunny terrace of Camping de l'Epine aux Moines.