Peggy R: Garden group visit to the Bird sanctuary

Not a mosquito dared bare its fangs in the Pont de Gau bird sanctuary as the courageous core of the garden club tramped through -- on the short route -- enjoying the beautiful water birds and their young families all along the way.

Okay, mosquitos don't have fangs....but none attacked us with any part of their anatomies, and the reason for this was clear: it was TOO HOT.

However, that did not stop our group from walking, sighting, and taking pictures of the birds. And trying to identify them.

(What was that fluffy white bird with the golden crest and a nestful of babies?

My guess is that it was a cattle egret in all the glory of its mating plumage....anyone else want to hazard an identification? Unfortunately I do not have a photo of this one because it was only well-visible through binoculars and my camera just doesn't zoom.)

Maggie, Jayna, Elisabeth and Anne.  Not pictured:  Peggy R

At the end of our tour, we had a well-deserved rest in a deliciously cool small restaurant nearby, sipping cold "gris de gris" over lunch. And after lunch we did the tourist thing, buying local apricots and sea salt. A wonderful day, all in all -- and nary a mosquito bite to show for it!

Photo credits:  Peggy R

Maggie sent the following photos:

Elisabeth, Peggy R, Anne, Maggie and Jayna