Observations from December 2009 to February 2010Original Title (non-English) OBSERVATIONS DE DECEMBRE 2009 A FEVRIER 2010 [French]

摘要

After that of 2008-2009, this new cold winter was characterized by continuous snow-cover from mid-December to the end of February. Although these conditions were the reason for the departure of many water-birds and of other species unable to cope with the snow-cover, they did not bring about a major arrival of overwintering birds from Nordic countries. Among the species at the limit of their winter range, there were still left in January-February a small number of Little Egrets Egretta garzetta, Red Kites Milvus milvus, Marsh Harriers Circus aeruginosus, Northern Lapwing Vanellus Vanellus, Black Redstarts Phoenicurus ochruros, Common Stonechats Saxicola torquatus, Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos and Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla. By comparison with previous winters, there were notably large numbers of Woodlarks Lullula arborea and Firecrests Regulus ignicapilla. There was an exceptionally early sighting of a Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica on February 1(st). Few rare species were noted: three visits of the Great Northern Diver Gavia immer, a Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis at the end of February, five sightings of a Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus, two sightings - of which one was overwintering - of a White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, a brief visit by a Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius, and a Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis in February.