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France Nord Pas De Calais

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus ŠAshley Beolens http://www.beolens.co.uk/digiscoping/

The region consists of the Departments of: Nord & Pas-de-Calais. The traditional Provinces of: Artois & Flandre.

top sites

Baie de Somme

Good marshland habitat with a nice Reserve (Mercanterre) local speciality include Spoonbill and Bluethroat.

Canche Estuary

The dunes and slacks to the North of the mouth of the Canche river down Etaples way is a superb area, which is hard to find, and is likely to be of equal interest for it`s plants and insects.

Cap Gris-Nez

One of the best Sea Watching spot in Europe also good for passerines (visible migration and Falls)

Jetée du Clipon

(Dunkerque) - The best sea watching spot in France.

Oye-Plage & Platier d`Oye

Oye-Plage and Platier d`Oye just East of calais consists of wet scrapes and scrub-covered dunes which are good for Little Bittern, Black-Necked Grebe, breeding Kentish Plover and migrating summer visitors.

Raismes NE of Valenciennes

The forest and lake at Raismes NE of Valenciennes great for Honey Buzzard, Osprey, and lots of woodland goodies including Black Woodpecker.

River Slack Valley

The valley of the little river Slack just inland from Ambleteuse holds Bluethroat, Black Kite and Garganey and Bee-Eaters bred for a couple of years in the late 1990s.

Romelaere Lake and Rihou/Clairmarais Forest

Romelaere Lake and Rihou/Clairmarais Forest E of St Omer - is like a French Stodmarsh - it has breeding Night heron, Bluethroat, lots of Golden Oriole and breeding Honey Buzzard.

Rumacourt/Ecourt

The lakes and woodland at Rumacourt/Ecourt NE of Cambrai are good for Bluethroat, Great Reed Warbler, Black Woodpecker & Purple Heron.

Sailly-Bray & Ponthoille

The wet fields and dykes around Sailly-Bray and Ponthoille down Rue way, inland from the Marquenterre reserve, absolutley reliable for Bluethroat, and Savi`s warbler, too.

Tardinghen Marsh

Tardinghen Marsh and beach, just West of Calais is an area of scrubby dunes and reedy ponds, ideal for lots of migrants spring & Autumn.

contributor

Peter Wells
Top Sites
p.wells@zen.co.uk

useful reading

Books, CDs etc

For guides to France n general, or more than one region see the Fatbirder France page...

clubs

Association Le Clipon

http://www.leclipon.com/uk/index.htm
Welcome on the official website of the Association Le Clipon: a website devoted to seawatching at la Jetée du Clipon, Dunkerque, Northern France...

French National Sea Experience Center

http://www.nausicaa.fr/
NAUSICAA, the French National Sea Experience Centre, is much more than a mere aquarium; it is a unique place where visitors can discover the marine environment. At once entertaining, educational and scientific, the Centre derives its originality from its main focus on the relationship between Man and the sea.

reserves

Côte d`Opale Regional Nature Park

http://www.parcs-naturels-regionaux.tm.fr/fr/decouvrir/parcs.asp?op=parcs-identite&id=8
The Côte d`Opaleor Pas-de-Calais Coast to English speakersfrom Wimereux to Sangatte, was the first site to be classified a grand national heritage site 1987, under the name of the two capes site. This cliff forming the edge of the Boulonnais hills is mercilessly excavated by a fierce ocean current and loses several dozen meters every century. Opposite the white cliffs of Dover...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you cant find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page give them a try!

Cross Channel Birding - John Cantelo

http://www.birdtours.co.uk:80/tripreports/france/Calaise3/crosschannelbirding.htm
The Calais/Boulogne area harbours some very interesting species and has superb birding sites (despite many areas being heavily shot over). For birders based in south-east England the area makes a very good day trip, but a long weekend is really needed to explore all the sites mentioned. Visiting two or three sites in one day is usually quite enough...

tour operators

Birding Pal

http://www.birdingpal.org/France.htm
Local birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...

mailing lists

ornitho59-62

http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/ornitho59-62/
To post to list:ornitho59-62@yahoogroupes.fr
List contact:ornitho59-62-owner@yahoogroupes.fr
To subscribe to list:ornitho59-62-subscribe@yahoogroupes.fr
Liste d`observations ornithologiques et naturalistes de la Région Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Association Le Clipon

http://www.leclipon.com/uk/index.htm
Welcome on the official website of the Association Le Clipon: a website devoted to seawatching at la Jetée du Clipon, Dunkerque, Northern France.