Bird watching holiday accommodation in Roussillon, South France
Roussillon in southern France is a great region for birders
The PeachValley Gite and B&B accommodation is surrounded by a very wide
variety of bird habitats all within a hour's drive.
For Golden Eagles, Vultures and other mountain
birds head west to the highest Pyrenean mountain peaks. For Flamingos,
Marsh Harrier and other saltwater loving birds head east
to the Etangs (lakes) on the Mediterranean coast. This coast is on one of
the North-South migration routes, so in spring and autumn it is possible to
see many unusual migrating birds.
The Roussillon, Pyrenees Orientales region is rich in natural habitat and
we are lucky to have a number of large nature reserves close by. Even the
hills & plateau that we can see from the panoramic windows of the B&B
sitting and dining area are soon to be designated as a nature reserve under
the Natura 2000 European initiative.
Not only is the area rich in bird life, there is an abundance of reptiles,
bats and flora. We have our very own reptile expert in Mathew, aged 13, who
finds them all extremely exciting and will enthusiastically seek them out
to show off to our interested guests - see guests book
for August!
To give you an idea of the birds you can expect to see in the Pyrenees Orientales
region, we have recorded all the birds that we have spotted just from the
Gite, B&B and garden since we moved in April 2002. Most birds are regular
visitors although some have just been passing through on migration.
Here is the up to date list (it is still growing!):
| English Name | French Name |
| Black Redstart | Rougequeue noir |
| Blackbird | Merle noir |
| Blackcap | Fauvette à tête noire |
| Blue Tit | Mésange bleueIn addition |
| Bullfinch | Bouvreuil pivoine |
| Chaffinch | Pinson des arbres |
| Cirl Bunting | Bruant zizi |
| Collared Turtle-dove | Tourterelle turque |
| Common Buzzard | Buse variable |
| Cormorant | Grand Cormoran |
| Crossbill | Bec-croisé des sapins |
| Dipper | Cincle plongeur, merle d'eau |
| Firecrest | Roîtelet trple bandeau |
| Garden Warbler | Fauvette des jardins |
| Golden Oriole | Loriot d'Europe |
| Goldfinch | Chardonneret |
| Grasshopper Warbler | Locustelle tachetée |
| Great Tit | Mésange charbonnière |
| Greater Spotted Woodpecker | Pic épeiche |
| Green Woodpecker | Pic vert |
| Grey Wagtail | Bergeronnette des ruisseaux |
| Hawfinch | Gros-bec |
| Hedge Sparrow (Dunnock) | Accenteur mouchet |
| Heron | Héron cendré |
| Herring Gull | Goéland argenté |
| Hoopoe | Huppe fasciée |
| House Martin | Hirondelle de fenêtre |
| House Sparrow | Moineau domestique |
| Jackdaw | Choucas des tours |
| Jay | Geai des chênes |
| Kestrel | Faucon crécerelle |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Pic épeichette |
| Linnet | Linotte mélodieuse |
| Little Egret | Aigrette garzette |
| Long-tailed Tit | Mésange à longue queue |
| Magpie | Pie bavarde |
| Mallard | Canard colvert |
| Mistle Thrush | Grive draine |
| Nightingale | Rossignol philomèle |
| Nightjar | Engoulevent d'Europe |
| Nuthatch | Sittelle torchepot |
| Pied Flycatcher | Gobemouche noir |
| Raven | Grand Corbeau |
| Redstart | Rougequeue à front blanc |
| Redwing | Grive mauvis |
| Robin | Rougegorge |
| Rock Bunting | Bruant fou |
| Rock Sparrow | Moineau soulcie |
| Serin | Serin cini |
| Short-toed Eagle | Circaète Jean-le-Blanc |
| Siskin | Tarin des aulnes |
| Sparrow Hawk | Épervier d'Europe |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Gobemouche gris |
| Starling | Étourneau sansonnet |
| Tree Creeper | Grimpereau des bois |
| Tree Sparrow | Moineau friquet |
| Turtledove | Tourterelle des bois |
| Willow Warbler | Pouillot fitis |
| Wood pigeon | Pigeon ramier |
| Wood Warbler | Pouillot siffleur |
| Woodchat Shrike | Pie-grièche à tête rousse |
| Wren | Troglodyte mignon |
| Wryneck | Torcol fourmilier |
In addition to the birds we have seen in the garden, you can expect to see
in the surrounding area Golden Eagles, Vultures,
Choughs, Crested Tits, Rollers, Honey Buzzards,
Bee eaters, Alpine Accentors, Tawny Owl (heard only), Purple
Heron, Grebes, Black & Grey wagtails and lots more birds, too
numerous to mention.
For either Gite or B&B accommodation in the Roussillon area please contact
the resident English speaking owners of the Peach Valley gite:
Tel: 00 33 4 68 05 96 44
6 Cami Ral, 66320 Rodès, France.
Email us at
enquiry@peachvalley.co.uk
Ver 0.9562 Last updated 23.01.2004 Copyright © PeachValley Holidays 2003, 2004
