What's flying in Marseilles 2015

[Charles Nicol]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ejuc-Vc7U[/video]

Ayez un bon un

[Chris Jackson]

Thank you, Charles, for the Aznavour birthday wishes.
I am a fan of your singing name-sake.
Chris

[LancsRover]

A belated "Happy Birthday" Chris, was it a "special one"?

I was in the Bassin d'Arcachon in September 2007, whilst "doing" the west coast, the same year I retired.
The weather was sunny all the way down to the Picos de Europa in Spain, where it rained for 3 days, so we came back to sunny France.

Have a great 2016 Chris and no doubt will we speak again soon,

Regards Russ

[Chris Jackson]

Thanks, Russ.
It was my 55th, and I have mixed feelings about the passage of time.
Let's hope 2016 will be a good year for us all.
The weather held out for us in the area of Arcachon (we were based in Lège Cap Ferret).
I have a new Nikon D5200 camera which I must learn to handle, and which will no doubt require an assortment of excessively expensive lenses. I will not get rid of my trusty Panasonic FZ150 which may turn out finally to be a better all-rounder.
Apart from swans, these birds below were the only other wildlife we saw on and around the Bassin d'Arcachon. I still have to put a name to them:

Here are the famous Oyster farmers' cabins on stilts, on Bird Island:

Speak again soon.
Chris

[LancsRover]

Yes Chris, you don't want to wish your life away, but retirement is the best job I've ever had (By the way I'm 65 next month).
I too have just bought a new camera, 2 days ago, a Canon EOS 1200D with double lens kit, a 18-55mm and a 75-300mm, so I've a lot of reading and practice ahead of me, being technically illiterate I think my Samsung bridge will still be in use for a while yet.
I'm awaiting a minor op. so I can't get away to Spain yet, I'm getting itchy feet with all this rain about in Lancashire, would you like any Chris?

All the best, Russ.

[Paul Wetton]

I think the gulls could be Lesser Black backed an adult and a juvenile going by bill size and the yellow legs of the adult. Plus the second shot is a Coot.

[Chris Jackson]

Thank you Paul.
That's cool, because even with a field guide in the hand, it is near impossible for a novice like me to distinguish between a juvenile of one gull species and the adult of a similar species. The bird learning curve promises to be more difficult than that for butterflies.
Thanks again,
Chris