Crag Martin is one of the species that I had been keeping an eye open for but not yet encountered on this trip ... a cultural interlude put that to rights ...
But first ... on departing the Gruissan area we spent a few days in the cork oak woodland near Llauro ... Black Redstarts gave some better views than the earlier birds that had perched up on high ...
... but the Bonelli's Warblers that were singing from the low oaks were just as reluctant to show themselves as before ...
... equally shy in this same habitat was Crested Tit ...
... early mornings had Woodlark singing from the tops of spindly conifers before they started performing their high up song flights that made them tricky to locate ...
The song of Western Subalpine Warbler was an immediate alert to their presence as they worked their way through the foliage ...
... a few Dartford Warblers flitted through and Serins, Nightingales and Cirl Buntings provided a soundscape ... a lovely Golden Oriole flew over and lingered briefly on the edge of some woodland ...
Then heading further south we went up the Tech valley and to the Spanish border at Col d'Ares ... it had a northern European feel with Tree Pipit and Redstart although a distant Griffon Vulture put paid to that illusion ...
We stayed for a while lower down in the valley at Arles-sur-Tech in the company of Firecrests foraging the bushes of the campsite ... and decided to pay a visit to the lovely Abbey that brightens up this rather dour little town ... a beautiful tranquil building complete with cloisters that had breeding Crag Martins ... well worth the 3 Euros ...
... following a late afternoon thunderstorm a Griffon Vulture escaped the mountain cloud by circling a low ridge ...
Returning to the coast we investigated the rocky coastline near Collioure ...
here the Sardinian Warblers were much more showy as they perched on the low clifftop bushes ...
... Melodious Warblers were also more visible in this habitat ...
... and Nightingales that had earlier on sung only from deep cover perched out in the open ...
... and showed close by along the track ...
... a Hoopoe was also a little more obliging ...
But one species in particular comes to mind on Mediterranean rocky coastlines ... and a pair of Blue Rock Thrushes appeared on cue ... the male sang from an exposed promontory ...
... and the female appeared ...
... with the male joining her on an old fortification ...
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