Suninfrance Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 St Bonnet La Riviere, Correze (19) - First sighting of the cranes this evening on their way to their winter home.Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessie Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 7.0 pm - just overhead - Nr Castillonnes, Dept 47 - large group of over 100 flying - and cooing at one another - headed from north east to south west into a beautiful sunset.Wonderful sight - but sad because it really marks the end of summer, and sunshine (even though we're enjoying a glorious warm sunny October) - but we all know the sun is setting earlier and earlier....sigh...Hope many of you catch sight of these wonderful birds - they are on their way - look and listen for them - and enjoy one of Nature's wonders........Chessie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia.c Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Just heard them passing over Hautefort.... Haunting sound.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogs Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I'm in Dept 46 (near Cahors) and haven't seen them yet, but don't want to miss them. I have seen them before and it's a magnificent site, this year I'd like to have the camera at the ready.Is there a way to track which way they're going, i.e. Dept wise as I have difficulty telling my north to my south LOL.Obviously I know they are heading for warmer climes but don't know which way that is from my location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneySuckleDreams Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 big flock just this very minute passed over head (in luxembourg) heading south Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Oh good, I've been waiting for them..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 [quote user="mogs"]I'm in Dept 46 (near Cahors) and haven't seen them yet, but don't want to miss them. I have seen them before and it's a magnificent site, this year I'd like to have the camera at the ready. Is there a way to track which way they're going, i.e. Dept wise as I have difficulty telling my north to my south LOL. Obviously I know they are heading for warmer climes but don't know which way that is from my location.[/quote] This link may help Mogs.....It shows the past migration route : :http://champagne-ardenne.lpo.fr/grues/e_synthese_migration_grue_06_07C.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keni Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Still waiting here in 87.....A couple of years ago they actually flew over on Christmas Eve - late in the year,but in the dark it was an incredibly eery sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 There's usually 600-700 (I haven't actually counted them myself! figures from the Bird/Nature Reserve) who over-winter on the lake near us - dept 65 Puydarrieux - and every day during the winter they fly overhead on their way to and from the lake to feed in the surrounding fields. Absolutely wonderful and very distinctive call they have.Haven't seen or heard any yet but I'd say compared to previous years it's a week or two early yetLou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted October 15, 2011 Author Share Posted October 15, 2011 Thanks for the web link Frederick. Very useful.Ours was just a small flock in the distance - heard them well before we could see them. We have visitors at the moment, who didn't manage to see them or hear them and now think we are completely barking mad - LOL. Can't wait for the next batch to come over and if we are really lucky we will have them circling over the house like we did in the Spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 You'll note that we're in roughly the same area but although this will be our 5th Autumn/Winter we've not seen nor heard them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 The site Frederick quoted also has up to date info on this year's observations:http://champagne-ardenne.lpo.fr/grues/point_sur_la_migration.htm#and figures for previous year's over-wintering:http://champagne-ardenne.lpo.fr/grus-grus/donnee_mig/point_mig.htmit seems my figures of 600-700 for Puydarrieux were somewhat off - more like 2.500 - 3.000 observed last year!!Lou(hope the links work) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martyng Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Came over us last night (we are right by the Dordogne river) - just a few I think - about midnight as I was trying to get to sleep! Woke the OH up - which didn't go down too well!!Made me think about how far do they go in a night - surely they don't try and land in their next stopping off point at night - do they? Unless they have night vision? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Strange, still haven't seen them and we have been outdoors for most of the day everyday, on account of the fantastic weather.Saw them for days on end going the other way earlier in the year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia.c Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Counted 20 red kites flying south yesterday morning. Never seen so many... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share Posted October 16, 2011 Had 3 lots go overhead last night and another flock tonight - sadly it was dark, so couldn't see them, but the sound was so recognisable. Will be on lookout for a daytime migration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Been waiting for these for weeks, ever since your first post here, Suninfrance.Seen them at last an hour or so ago. Two biggish flocks so should be more to come.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemonimo Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I didn't see them leave last year but...... they're back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keni Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Yup, working on the land today (24 degrees), 87440 - droves of them all flying north - superb sight. I have to stop work to watch them go over - apparently they have a 3 metre wingspan! The noise is wonderful. I only saw a batch heading south a month ago, so to see them coming home as well is wonderfulFirst batch I saw went overhead Monday. So, spring is coming![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 You do know how to cheer people up !.... Great news ......It is time to look at ferry crosings ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 Les Grues have arrived in 19 - flew over St Bonnet La Riviere this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pip24 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Tonight we were sat outside when we heard an unforgetable noise. The grues. We have seen them before in other years but not as many as tonight. Five flocks came over with about 100 plus in each flock, three minutes apart heading southwest. Last year the first ones we saw flew over on the 13th Oct so are they early this year ?.Maybe a sign of an early winter ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 I like tall birds with long legs [;-)]The grues are circling overhead, forming up into massive flocks. On the radio they said it was normal for this time of year but did not give dates compared to previous years.I think Autumn has definitely arrived as I had to scrape ice off my windscreen for the first time since early Spring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 They they say it is going to be a very cold winter this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 We haven't seen any here yet, but certainly the forecast for the next 10 days is much cooler. (Though still no rain.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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