May Mediterranean birdwatching weekend in the south of France
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May Mediterranean birdwatching weekend
Narbonnaise regional park

Part two - North

Tour code: BLKM3-19

This trip is developed in partnership with the Narbonnaise regional park. 

Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise

Friday 3rd to Monday 6th May 2019

Long weekend birdwatching to see coastal and inland Mediterranean species.

4 days / 3 nights • Local expert guides • From 630€ per person • Group size 6 - 10

Discount available for any group of 6+ participants booking together.

This trip is the 2nd of two weekends to discover the birdlife of the Narbonnaise regional park.

Find out about the 1st weekend discovering the southern part of the park.

If you would like to join both trips we can help you organise the 4 days in between!

Option 1: Four nights on the Canal du Midi with a vineyard visit & wine tasting session

Option 2: Four nights in Narbonne with a day's 2CV hire and vineyard visit & wine tasting session

Email us to find out more.

Eagle owl - Birding Languedoc

Eagle owl

Black-eared wheatear Birding Languedoc

Black-eared wheatear

Bonelli's eagle

Great spotted cuckoo

Hoopoe

Woodchat shrike

Spring migration & summer visitors...

A long-weekend discovering the amazing birdlife of the northern sector of 

the Narbonnaise regional park, south of France

Resident local guide Karline Martorell will introduce you to a wide variety of
Mediterranean bird species as we catch late spring migration,
arriving summer visitors and some interesting resident species. Our target species include:

Eagle owl, Bonelli's eagle, Black-eared wheatear, Sardinian warbler, Orphean warbler,

Subalpine warbler, Tawny pipit, Thekla lark, Hoopoe, Golden oriole, Bee-eater,

Roller, Woodchat shrike, Blue rock thrush, Rock thrush,

Flamingo, Slender-billed gull, and many more...

Scroll down to below the map for the detailed programme!


Enquire now

  • May birdwatching weekend


    Programme

    Friday

    Transfer from airport to accommodation

    Welcome drinks & dinner


    Evening outing to try and spot Eagle owl

    Saturday

    Coastal lagoons and

    the Aude river plain

    We start today with a couple of spots around the Pissevaches lagoon for opportunities to see Flamingo, Cattle egret, Purple heron, Black-winged stilt, Red-crested pochard, Slender-billed gull, Little gull and various terns, waders and reed-based passerines 

    resting on migration.

    We have a good chance of seeing the Lesser kestrels as we picnic in Fleury d'Aude.

    On the banks of the River Aude, and in the (sometimes flooded) meadows and vineyards we should find Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Woodchat shrike and hopefully Roller if they are back.

    A little bit further inland, flood plain and steppe habitat can provide sightings of Little bustard, Great spotted cuckoo, Woodchat shrike and just possibly the very rare Lesser grey shrike. 

    Sunday

    Narbonnaise marshes, former salt pans and reedbeds

    After a peek at the White stork nest and the Grey heron at the heronry and hopefully Purple heron on the nest, we will then move on, if the prevailing north westerly wind is blowing, to follow the spring migration on the edge of the Ayrolle lagoon where we can watch migratory birds as they skim the low over the water. Birds to spot include: Montagu’s harrier, Bee-eater, White and Black stork and occasional rarities such as Pallid harrier.

    If the wind is not favourable, we can have a look around the Ile St Martin to spot Hoopoe, Orphean warbler, Black-eared wheatear, Dartford warbler and Sardinian warbler and explore the Gruissan salt-pans for waders and shorebirds. 

    We may end the day with a change of habitat at the Rec d'Argent, looking for Blue rock thrush, Crested tit, Rock sparrow and possibly even roosting 

    Eagle owl...

    Monday

    Departure after breakfast

    Birdwatching and sightseeing on our way back to the

    airport for departure.


    "Enjoyed a fantastic 10-day trip earlier this summer to this region and saw some spectacular wildlife, including amazing views of Bee eaters, a first for me. Nicely close to some gorgeous estuaries, with plenty of arid mountainous scrub and coastline; not sure of the final 'list', but well into the hundreds! Also at the heart of Cathar country, so interesting to combine the rich wildlife experiences with visits to fabulous castles and other heritage sites of international repute. Awesome holiday!" C.Hasler (visited Feuilla late May - early June 2016)

    What's included and what's not...

    INCLUDED

    • Transfers from / to Carcassonne airport
    • High quality ensuite accommodation
    • 3 nights Dinner B&B and 2 packed-lunches
    • Pre-dinner drinks and wine with dinner
    • Expert local guides
    • English speaking tour leader

    NOT INCLUDED

    1. Flights 
    2. Cancellation insurance
    3. Personal medical and repatriation insurance
    4. Drinks other than with meals
    5. Personal expenses
    6. Lunch on the last day

    We pick up from the following flights into Carcassonne


    From

    Manchester

    Click on links below for flight info...

    From
    East Midlands

    (other options may be available...)

    From London Stansted

    Recent changes to Ryanair cabin bag rules:

    The new "Priority & 2 Cabin Bags" option costs £6 per sector

    allowing you to carry on board a small wheelie case AND a small rucksack or handbag.

    This means you can avoid putting your spotting scope in "check-in luggage" that may well be thrown into the hold!

    You can select the Standard fare and click confirm - the "Priority & 2 Cabin Bags" option is on the following screen.

    Printing your return boarding pass (without access to a printer while you are away):

    Paying for a selected seat, allows you to check-in & print outbound and return boarding passes before you leave home. 

    Pricing and enquiries

    May Mediterranean birdwatching weekend

      Friday 3rd May to Monday 6th May 2019   

      Long weekend birdwatching to see coastal and inland Mediterranean species.  

      4 days / 3 nights • Local guides • From 630€ per person • Group size 6 - 10 • Tour code: BLKM3-19

    Enquire now...




    Tour leader: Philippa Benson

    Like many Brits, I have a keen interest in nature and will never tire of learning about the amazing birds and wildlife of the Languedoc.

    After living here for nearly 15 years, I now have a good working knowledge of where the best spots are for birds, flowers and other species and I enjoy sharing these with interested visitors.

    My background in project management and hospitality combined with being fully bilingual are useful skills for organising and hosting tours, and I have a particular focus on customer service!

    Karline Martorell: expert local birding guide

    Drawn to wildlife conservation from very young, Karline studied Biodiversity Analysis and Surveying Techniques. She continues to be an active naturalist, with a particular interest in birds, reptiles and amphibians. Passionate about birds, Karline volunteers for migration counting and bird ringing. A few wildlife trips abroad have helped widen her knowledge base and she currently works for a consultancy firm specialised in ecological impact studies, doing birdlife and herpetology surveys.