Somme Estuary ~ 2-9 April

My 3rd visit to this area less than an hour's drive to the south of Calais so I thought I'd do a quick summary of my favourite sites in the area. Happy to email over more info for those who want it. The area is doable as a day trip by using the channel tunnel, but I'd recommend at least a couple of days to explore this area properly.

Le Crotoy/La Bassée Pools

Pools to the west of the D4 just north of Crotoy. A pavement / cyclepath runs on the south-east side (along the D4) of the pools. Birds on here are relatively used to footfall and so are approachable and often afford excellent views. Great White Egrets, Spoonbills, Cattle Egrets & White Stork and present year round. Black-winged Stilts breed and in autumn can be numerous. This is also a regular stop over point for Spotted Crake in autumn when water levels allow. 

During Spring, Little Gulls & Garganey stop over sometimes in decent numbers (a flock of 16 of the latter on the 6th April 2015). Mediterranean Gulls are regular, and Bearded Tits are occasional in the reedbed at the back. The entire area looks good for migrants. The larger quarry pools to the east of the D4 often have congregations of terns and are no doubt worth checking in spring and autumn.

Other: there is a large population of Muskrats.

Little Gull (w/p)

Little Gull (s/p)

Garganey

Muskrat

Great White Egret 

Spoonbill

Marquenterre 

A large nature reserve to the west of Rue. A strange network of hides offer great views across the many scrapes, pools and marshes which hold a good number and variety of the common waders. White Storks nest around the park. There is a resident Crane and a pair of plastic Whooper Swans near the visitor centre. A hide overlooking heronry offers good views of Storks, Spoonbills, Egrets & Herons nesting side by side. Black-winged Stilts, Black-necked Grebes, Bluethroats & Night Herons all breed, the latter can regularly be found on a pool close to the visitor centre, or flying over at dusk. Smew overwinter, and Ferruginous Duck & Marsh Sandpiper are regular migrants. 

The car park has breeding Crested Tit and Firecrest. 

Other: Wild Boar and Mouflon in the forests surrounding the car park. 

Night Heron

White Stork 

Boismont

A small, active landfill site to the south of Boismont holds large numbers of White Stork and impressive congregations of large-gulls (the latter especially on the fields driving up to the site). Turtle Dove & Blue-headed Wagtail breed. 

Crecy Forest

A large impressive forest to the north of Abbeville and east of Le Crotoy that holds breeding Black and Middle-spotted Woodpecker. Roads criss-cross the entire site and the best tactic seems to be to drive around pulling into the numerous laybys and listening out. Melodious Warblers and Nightjars are numerous in forest clearings, and Firecrest & Crested Tit are found all over (neither species are restricted to coniferous forests here). 

Other: Wild Boar are common on the forest rides at dawn and dusk. Red Squirrels occur throughout.

Red Squirrel

Crested Tit

General: Serin and Black Redstart are common. Yellow Wagtails flocks often contain 'British', Channel & Blue-headed, particularly during times of migration.