Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

01/05/2008, 11:47 mooky Joined on 12/12/2005 79 Posts 239 Golden oriel I have just heard the wonderful sound thats says the golden oriel is back again. Same first hearing date as last year.    Report

02/05/2008, 8:29 Frogslegs Joined on 23/08/2004 Deux Sevres Posts 281 Re: Golden oriel Yes they arrived last week, each year for 7 years they return and tend to nest in the same trees. Lovely sound along with the hoopoes.    Report

02/05/2008, 9:33 trees 2 Joined on 28/04/2008 Posts 65 Re: Golden oriel What does one sound like? I've camped in a wood in the Charente, no more than 30km from our house in 87, and been kept awake by nightingales. Meanwhile, at the house, we have tits, chaffinches and a pesky Black Redstart that makes a noise like someone rubbing dried  leaves together I hardly EVER hear blackbirds and can't remember the last songthrush I heard.......and whatever happened to skylarks and yellowhammers? I would have thought that the Haute Vienne pasture land would be PERFECT for skylarks............    Report

02/05/2008, 12:32 Jane and Danny Joined on 23/08/2004 near Cahors, 46 Posts 700 Re: Golden oriel Golden Oriole - listen to the call on this RSPB page Hoopoe on this page Now practice and repeat... Danny specialist flute repair    Report

02/05/2008, 13:39 chris pp Joined on 30/08/2005 Vienne '86' Posts 1,679 Re: Golden oriel "" hardly EVER hear blackbirds and can't remember the last songthrush I heard.......and whatever happened to skylarks and yellowhammers? I would have thought that the Haute Vienne pasture land would be PERFECT for skylarks."" Pasture isn't really very good at all for skylarks, it's too lush, remember that a skylark has to find it's nest so a habitat which is poor and sparsely covered is more favourable. I see loads of them and crested larks as well although they do have a problem with the reduction / eradication of "set aside" land. Where there is cereal cultivation this is often ideal. Four pairs of Song thrushes in our "garden", the males are high in their trees shouting outside all day long, same for Blackbirds, no shortage on my patch. Yellow hammers are a slightly different issue and are on decline in France but you will still see them where the habitat structure is right, same for Corn bunting. On the other hand, no shortage of Cirl buntings and as for Black caps, we have seven pairs nesting this year at the last count. Nice one Mooky, lovely song, lovely bird - just a bit hard to see once all the leaves are on the trees. Chris   http://www.planetepassion.com Association Planete Passion - French Wildlife in the English Language    Report

02/05/2008, 15:04 Patf Joined on 23/08/2004 SW Gers Posts 2,101 Re: Golden oriel And they fly very fast. You just see a flash of gold swooping from one tree to the next, if you're lucky.    Report

02/05/2008, 16:34 sweet 17 Joined on 05/08/2006 charente maritime Posts 2,045 Re: Golden oriel  Jane and Danny wrote: Golden Oriole - listen to the call on this RSPB page Hoopoe on this page Now practice and repeat... Danny Thanks for the link, absolutely brilliant!    Report

03/05/2008, 14:45 Frogslegs Joined on 23/08/2004 Deux Sevres Posts 281 Re: Golden oriel Well, our first summer renting the gites, our guests kept asking me "what bird is that"? even though we do enjoy birdwatching.....I had never heard this one! It sounded more like a an exotic caged bird, we presumed it had escaped! The following year the same bird song arrived in May, so with binoculars ready we investigated further, and delighted to see two yellow birds larger than a blackbird!    Report

04/05/2008, 13:32 Mauhoum Joined on 14/11/2006 Pyrenees Atlantiques Posts 29 Re: Golden oriel Golden Oriels are quite difficult to see, as they tend to live right at the top of tall trees. Now and then you'll see them flying from tree to tree and occasionally on the ground, as I did once while out on my mountainbike. It didn't notice me until I was about a foot away, such a beautiful bird, very exotic! I work in the vines, and hear them all day long, as well as Hoopoes.   Tony Skating away on the thin ice of a new day!    Report

France Forum » French Culture » Wildlife/Nature... » Golden oriel

(Quick links) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password About This Forum (READ ONLY) |- About This Forum Moving |- Finding/Owning French Property |- Making the Move From Outside the EU |- Long-Term Letting |- Employment Vacancies in France Legal and Finance |- French Legal Issues |- French Finance Building and Renovation |- House Renovations |-- Working with Wood Living |- Earning a Living |- Driving |- French Education |- Pets |- Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection |- French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone |- Health |-- Changes to Healthcare Entitlement, CPAM, CMU and Cartes Vitales |- Swimming Pools in France Owning/Running a Business |- French Artisans |- Gite Owners |- Hotel and Restaurant Owners |- B&B/Chambres d'Hôtes Owners Leisure and Pastimes |- Gardening |- Sport, Leisure and Pastimes |- Shopping |- French Antiques, Arts & Crafts |- Photography |- Motorcycling in France |- Books and Literature |- Getting Married in France |- Pregnancy and Birth French Culture |- French Food and Wine |- French Culture |- French Language |-- French Language FAQs and Useful Links |- Wildlife/Nature/Environment |- French History Travelling to/from France |- Travelling to/from France |- Latest Good Value Deals to/from France Holidays |- Holidays General Discussion |- The Complete France Post Bag |- The Lighter Side |- Other Topics |- Forum Technical Support |- Useful Links About France/French Living Regions |- HOTEL SEARCH |- Central |- North East |- North West |- Paris Ile de France |- South East |- South West |- East |- West |- Corsica and DOM-TOMs