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France

Disneyland Paris to the Alps

5-16 August 2019

Observers: F. S. Simpson,

L. Simpson & J. F. Simpson

Introduction

After our staycation in 2018, and my Lapland birding trip in June, this was our family summer holiday and, in accommodating all interests, took us from the chaos of Disneyland Paris to the relative wilderness of the Alps. Following four nights at the Santa Fe hotel, we road-tripped to Val-d'Isère and back over a week, camping and looking for grasshoppers and crickets. The alpine grasslands have a great diversity of orthoptera (compared with Britain) where species such as the Wart-biter are relatively common and others on the edge of their range in Britain are less particular in their habitat requirements. This trip report is a short reminder to myself of some of the species encountered. I concentrated in obtaining sound recordings rather than photographs and all images are just record shots taken with a mobile phone camera. All-in-all it was a great experience for our four year-old and he loved everything from the Eurostar from St. Pancras, meeting Mickey, toasting marshmallows by campfire, to spotting Marmots in the mountains.

Val d'Isère, France

Highlights

Wood Cricket, Southern Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket, Common Wart-biter, Grey Bush-cricket, Bicolor Meadow Bush-cricket, Purple Meadow Bush-cricket, Common Mountain Bush-cricket, Small Alpine Bush-cricket, Italian Grasshopper, High Mountain Grasshopper, Common Mountain Grasshopper, Green Mountain Grasshopper, Small Gold Grasshopper, Large Gold Grasshopper, Large Banded Grasshopper, Club-legged Grasshopper, Alpine Thick-necked Grasshopper, Orange-tipped Grasshopper, Wing-buzzing Toothed Grasshopper, Common Straw Grasshopper, Ladder Grasshopper, Locomotive Grasshopper, Lesser Grasshopper, Bow-winged Grasshopper.

Black-necked Grebe, White Stork, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Lammergeier, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Black Woodpecker, Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Crag Martin, Water Pipit, Alpine Accentor, Marsh Tit, Nutcracker, Chough, Alpine Chough, Red-backed Shrike, Italian Sparrow, Snowfinch, Rock Bunting.

Itinerary

Day 01       05/08/18     London St. Pancras > Lille > Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France
Day 02       06/08/18     Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée
Day 03       07/08/18     Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée
Day 04       08/08/18     Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée > Camping Les Prés, Grez-sur-Loing, Seine-et-Marne
Day 05       09/08/18     Camping Les Prés, Grez-sur-Loing > Camping les Premiers Prés, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte-d'Or
Day 06       10/08/18     Camping les Premiers Prés, Savigny-lès-Beaune > Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie
Day 07       11/08/18     Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Day 08       12/08/18     Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Day 09       13/08/18     Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Day 10       14/08/18     Camping Les Richardes > Camping Domaine de la Dombes, Saint-Paul-de-Varax, Ain

Day 11       15/08/18     Camping Domaine de la Dombes > Camping Le Parc de Paris, Villevaudé, Seine-et-Marne

Day 12       16/08/18     Camping Le Parc de Paris, Villevaudé, Seine-et-Marne > Marne-la-Vallée > Lille > London St. Pancras

Days 1 -4                                                                                                                             
Monday 5 > Thursday 8 August 2019
London St. Pancras > Lille > Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, Île-de-France

Disneyland Paris
Few birds were noted for obvious reasons but the small areas of water, trees and plantings held House Martin, Swift, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Cormorant, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow, Moorhen, Coot, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Mallard, Magpie, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Tern, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Ring-necked Parakeet, Great Tit, Starling, White Wagtail, Blackcap, Swallow, and Sparrowhawk.

Orthoptera were heard from dusk, particularly on the walk back to the Santa Fe hotel, including Large Conehead (Ruspolia nitidula), Great Green Bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima), European Field Cricket (Gryllus campestris), House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) & Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera). We saw Jiminy Cricket too (he's actually a grasshopper).

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris

Toucans and Macaws on the Disney Parade, Disneyland Paris

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) surveying the crowds, Disneyland Paris

Fireworks, Disneyland Paris

Hotel Santa Fe, Disneyland Paris

Saguaro and Agave silhouettes, Hotel Santa Fe, Disneyland Paris

Hotel Santa Fe, Disneyland Paris

Some of the 90 or so House Martin (Delichon urbicum) nests on Chessy Station, Marne-la-Vallée Disneyland Paris

Day 4                                                                                                                              
Thursday 8 August 2019
Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée > Camping Les Prés, Grez-sur-Loing, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France

Camping Les Prés, Forêt de Fontainebleau [48° 19' 1.44" N  02° 41' 49.00"E]
After the final day at Disney we headed ~80km south to Grez-sur-Loing on the southern side of the Fontainebleau Forest, arriving at 20:30h. A warm evening at 26°C. Campsite set in oak parkland. Great Green Bush-crickets were singing everywhere, particularly from the trees.

Disneyland Paris, France

Day 5                                                                                                                              
Friday 9 August 2019
Camping Les Prés, Grez-sur-Loing > Camping les Premiers Prés, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte-d'Or, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Camping Les Prés, Forêt de Fontainebleau [48° 19' 1.44" N  02° 41' 49.00"E]
A crowing Cockerel woke me up at 04:47h. Later at 05:02h, a Tawny Owl called until a light rain shower quietened things down. We eventually got up at 06:30 and heard a brief song from a Short-toed Treecreeper, calling Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon and Robin. The church bell from the nearby village was sounding on the hour.

Tower of Ganne, old bridge and Loing river, Grez-sur-Loing, France

Loing River, Grez-sur-Loing [48° 18' 59.01" N  02° 41' 39.27" E]
Walked to the village over the old bridge to pick up some breakfast which we ate on the south bank overlooking the bridge and tower while Kingfishers and dragonflies zipped by. Searching patches of grassland along the bank revealed Steppe Grasshopper (Chorthippus dorsatus), Lesser Marsh Grasshopper (Chorthippus albomarginatus), Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus), and Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus).

Drive south...
The day was spent driving south through endless cereal fields to reach a campsite south of Dijon, stopping only to pick up food supplies for the next few days and an extra sleeping bag from that well-known and ubiquitous outdoor goods retailer. Yes, Decathlon is like a day out in itself for Jack who has to try every, scooter, skateboard, bike, trampoline....still, the air-conditioning was welcome. We arrived at dusk only to find the campsite no longer existed. After a few calls we managed to find one that would hold the gates for us arriving after dark.

Forest layby, 2km east of Tanlay, Yonne, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté [47° 51' 03.16" N  04° 06' 48.34" E]
Stopped for a picnic lunch here. The grassland held Common Straw Grasshopper (Euchorthippus declivus), Bow-winged Grasshopper (Chorthippus biguttulus), Lesser Grasshopper (Chorthippus mollis), Large Gold Grasshopper (Chrysochraon dispar), Brown-spotted Bush-cricket (Tessellana tessellata), Lesser Marsh Grasshopper, Meadow Grasshopper, and Field Grasshopper. Several pale morph Common Buzzards were seen in this area.

female Common Straw Grasshopper (Euchorthippus declivus), Vau d'Arvau, Tanlay, Yonne, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France, Aug 2019

Camping les Premiers Prés, Savigny-lès-Beaune [47° 04' 07.02" N  04° 48' 08.36" E]
Set up the tent in the dark and toasted some marshmallows on the stove. A Woodland Grayling (Hipparchia fagi) settled on a nearby trunk as we pitched the tent. There was an intense chorus from numerous Great Green Bush-crickets in the oak trees. It was novel for me to find them at height too as I normally hear them low down in scrub in southern England. A European Antlion (Euroleon nostras) flew into the tent, probably attracted by the light.

European Antlion (Euroleon nostras), Camping Les Prés, Grez-sur-Loing, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France

Day 6                                                                                                                              
Saturday 10 August 2019
Camping les Premiers Prés, Savigny-lès-Beaune > Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Camping les Premiers Prés, Savigny-lès-Beaune [47° 04' 07.02" N  04° 48' 08.36" E]
On waking, we could hear various woodpeckers calling at dawn - Black Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker.  At breakfast, our four year-old spied a Great Green Bush-cricket on the tent. On closer inspection it was a female with a spermatophylax. This is a special type of spermatophore containing additional gelatinous material which is eaten by the female after mating, possibly containing nutrients that help egg development or to prevent the female consuming the ampulla before the sperm have completely transferred. The intense singing the previous evening had paid off for one male at least. A look around the oaks also revealed Western Bonelli's Warbler, Nuthatch, Crested Tit and Blue Tit. As we packed up a Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) settled nearby. We continued south-east towards the Alps, noting Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel and Raven on the drive.

female Great Green Bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) with spermatophylax, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Côte-d'Or, France, Aug 2019

Val-d'Isère
Eventually we reached Val-d'Isère on the edge of Vanoise National Park close to the border with Italy, passing through the chalets and skiing accomodation to the open campsite of Camping Les Richardes on the east side. The setting was quite spectacular and, as I was begining to get fed up with driving, I was having thoughts of just staying here for a few days rather trek all the way down to 'Mediterranean' Alps. For the next few days the roar of the Isère river provided the sonic backdrop, with calls from Crag Martins and Alpine Marmots (Marmota marmota).

Val-d'Isère, France, Aug 2019

Walked down the valley into the town finding Black Redstarts on the chalets and Crag Martins darting around the higher ski hotels. The river held Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail and Dipper, and Alpine Chough were heard from the distant ridges. After dinner, returning in the dark, almost every roadside flower basket held nectaring Convolvulus Hawk-moths (Agrius convolvuli) with dozens dancing along the main street from pot to pot. The extended proboscis looked extremely long - probably around 100mm. Note: originally tweeted incorrectly as Privet Hawk-moths.

Reached the Alps. Dozens of Privet Hawk-moths (Sphinx ligustri) nectaring along the main street of Val d'Isère this evening. pic.twitter.com/2ZwuguzrEF

— Fraser Simpson (@fssbirding) 10 August 2019

Day 7                                                                                                                              
Sunday 11 August 2019
Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, > Col de l'Iseran, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère [45° 26' 47.74" N  06° 59' 30.04" E]
After a cooler night than the previous days at lower altitude, it looked like it was going to be another hot day. I was pretty excited to get up and find new grasshoppers and crickets! Redpoll, Goldfinch, White Wagtail and Collared Dove were noted at the campsite and a big, white Mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo) butterfly flew through as we were setting off.

alpine grassland, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

female Small Alpine Bush-cricket (Anonconotus alpinus), 2527 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

Drive up towards the Col de l'Iseran [45° 26' 22.5" N  07° 00' 42.4" E]
We stopped high up at around 2500 metres, where the road tracks south, approximately 3km from the col at 45° 26' 22.5" N  07° 00' 42.4" E. The alpine grassland in this area had a super abundance of orthoptera, and I could have spent days up here. But I still needed to get well away from the noise of the road and find shelter from the wind if sound recording was to be an option. Species identified: Club-legged Grasshopper (Gomphocerus sibiricus), Small Alpine Bush-cricket (Anonconotus alpinus), High Mountain Grasshopper (Melanoplus frigidus), Common Mountain Grasshopper (Podisma pedestris), Green Mountain Grasshopper (Miramella alpina), Alpine Thick-necked Grasshopper (Aeropedellus variegatus), and Ladder Grasshopper (Stauroderus scalaris).

The images below show two colour morphs of the same species - brown and green colour polymorphism in two male Club-legged Grasshoppers showing the charateristic enlarged anterior tibia.

male Club-legged Grasshopper  (Gomphocerus sibiricus) Val d'Isère, Alps, France

male Club-legged Grasshopper  (Gomphocerus sibiricus) Col de l'Iseran, Alps, France

female Club-legged Grasshopper  (Gomphocerus sibiricus) Col de l'Iseran, Alps, France

female Small Alpine Bush-cricket (Anonconotus alpinus), 2527 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019  

male High Mountain Grasshopper (Melanoplus frigidus), 2527 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019 

Common Mountain Grasshopper (Podisma pedestris), 2527 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Alps, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019 

Col de l'Iseran [45° 25' 01.62" N  07° 01' 50.23" E]
The highest point at the pass was very exposed and the vegetation was noticably sparser. Changing the focus to birds we eventually found two Snowfinch, Alpine Accentor and Wheatear. The calls of Alpine Chough echoed around the mountain landscape and two Griffon Vultures cruised over.

Pont Saint-Charles, Val-d'Isère [45° 27' 17.7" N  07° 02' 14.3" E] 2081 metres
Stopped lower down near the tree line. Another great area with orthoptera everywhere. A Lammergeier was soaring and more Alpine Chough and Alpine Marmots were heard. High Mountain Grasshoppers and Common Wart-biters (Decticus verrucivorus) were common here. Species identified: Small Gold Grasshopper (Euthystira brachyptera), Wing-buzzing Toothed Grasshopper (Stenobothrus rubicundulus), Orange-tipped Grasshopper (Omocestus haemorrhoidalis), Common Mountain Bush-cricket (Antaxius pedestris), Locomotive Grasshopper (Chorthippus apricarius), Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus), Ladder Grasshopper, Small Alpine Bush-cricket, Common Mountain Grasshopper, and Green Mountain Grasshopper.

male Ladder Grasshopper (Stauroderus scalaris) Val d'Isère, Alps, France

male Locomotive Grasshopper (Chorthippus apricarius), Val d'Isère, Alps, France

female Common Wart-biter (Decticus verrucivorus), Val d'Isère, Alps, France, Aug 2019

male Green Mountain Grasshopper (Miramella alpina), 1850 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Day 8                                                                                                                              
Monday 12 August 2019
Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère [45° 26' 47.74" N  06° 59' 30.04" E]
Big change after yesterday's blue sky mountainscapes. It pretty much rained all day so we stayed within the shelter of the tent, playing games and feeding the sparrows between showers. Most of the sparrows looked very much like Italian Sparrows (Passer italiae), with some showing features suggesting some hybridisation with House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Around six Crag Martins and eight House Martins were feeding over the campsite when the rain ceased and two flocks of Crossbills passed over the forest slope to the south. The highlight occurred at 16:10h when a Lammergeier/Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) cruised overhead.

Italian Sparrow (Passer italiae) or possible hybrid with Passer domesticus, Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, France, Aug 2019

Day 9                                                                                                                              
Tuesday 13 August 2019
Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère > Bonneval-sur-Arc > Bessans, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Mountain slope on north side of Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère [45° 26' 59.38" N  06° 59' 55.77" E]
After a cold, dry night, I went out early to try and sound record the alarm calls of the Alpine Marmots. Their burrows are all over the hillsides but getting close wasn't that easy. They tend to run or go to ground at a fair distance. Marmots produce short, piercing, bird-like sounds, repeated in bouts of multiple whistles. A family group of Rock Buntings was located with the male producing brief (0.11 seconds), downslurred, high-frequency calls at 6.5-10.2 kHz. Early morning is a good time to locate insects when they are sluggish or less active and I managed to pick up a Grey Bush-cricket (Platycleis albopunctata), without much effort.

Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

female Grey Bush-cricket (Platycleis albopunctata), 1850 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

Valley between Bessans and Bonneval-sur-Arc [45° 19' 53.17" N  07° 00' 56.40" E]
After breakfast we drove up to the Col again and over, down in to the next valley between Bonneval-sur-Arc and Bessans. On the drive we noted Alpine Chough, Crag Martin, Green Woodpecker, Red-backed Shrike, Chiffchaff, White Wagtail, Apollo and many fritillaries. From the Chapelle Notre Dame des Grâces, we started on the trail La Goulaz before tracking off north-west to the eastern slope of the valley at 45° 19' 49.3" N  07° 01' 27.4" E. Species identified: Italian Grasshopper (Calliptamus italicus), Bicolor Meadow Bush-cricket (Bicolorana bicolor), Roesel's Bush-cricket (Metrioptera roeselii), Large Banded Grasshopper (Arcyptera fusca), Ladder Grasshopper, Common Mountain Grasshopper, Meadow Grasshopper, Common Green Grasshopper, Common Wart-biter.

Valley between Bonneval-sur-Arc and Bessans, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Valley between Bonneval-sur-Arc and Bessans, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

male Large Banded Grasshopper (Arcyptera fusca), 1750 m, Bessans, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

egg-laying female Common Wart-biter (Decticus verrucivorus) with ovipositor in ground, Bessans, Alps, France, Aug 2019

Niobe Fritillary (Argynnis niobe) Bessans, Alps, France, Aug 2019

Grassy southern slope above Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère [45° 26' 42.35" N  06° 59' 28.45" E]
On return, I had time before dinner to check the grassland here. A Nutcracker called briefly from the forest and a group of Crossbills flew over. Orthoptera found included Mottled Grasshopper (Myrmeleotettix maculatus), Locomotive Grasshopper, Green Mountain Grasshopper, Club-legged Grasshopper and a striking Purple Meadow Bush-cricket (Metrioptera saussuriana).

female Purple Meadow Bush-cricket (Metrioptera saussuriana), 1850 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

female Purple Meadow Bush-cricket (Metrioptera saussuriana), 1850 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

female Club-legged Grasshopper (Gomphocerus sibiricus), 1850 metres, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

The temperature quickly cooled in the evening and we headed into town for dinner, enjoying a warming, creamy Tartiflette.

Day 10                                                                                                                              
Wednesday 14 August 2019
Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie > Camping Domaine de la Dombes, Saint-Paul-de-Varax, Ain, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Grassy layby near Bonconseil [45° 35' 05.23" N  06° 44' 32.94" E]
Departure day from the Alps. We stopped in a grassy layby near Bonconseil as Jack was getting car sick. Despite the noise from the stream of traffic, I persisted in getting sound recordings of Bow-winged Grasshopper and Lesser Grasshopper during occasional lulls. Field Grasshopper was also present at this site. These three species are very similar morphologically but each has a distinctive calling song that makes them seperable.

Camping Les Richardes, Val-d'Isère, Savoie, France

layby near Bonconseil, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

female Bow-winged Grasshopper (Chorthippus biguttulus), Bonconseil, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Aug 2019

Camping Domaine de la Dombes [46° 05' 1.56" N  05° 09' 14.05" E]
The drive to the next campsite north of Lyon was uneventful with only a Honey Buzzard of note. After the coolness of the mountains we were back in the heat again at 27°C. The Dombes region has around one thousand ponds and lakes dating back to their creation in the 15th century for fish farming. This campsite was located around the tranquil Étang de Moulin. There wasn't much open grassland around but I did find Blue Band-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens), Field Grasshopper and Great Green Bush-cricket. The woodland around our pitch held Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Crested Tit, Nuthatch, Blue Tit and Great Tit. A Black Kite flew over.

Étang du Moulin, France

A walk around the southern area of the lake towards dusk produced a Night Heron which was calling while I was sound recording a singing Wood Cricket (Nemobius sylvestris) in the leaf litter. I don't enjoy these dilemmas but stuck with the cricket. Also noted Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper and Mallard. Once settled in the tent, a distant male Tawny Owl was calling around 23:00h.

Lisa woke me up at 23:50 and flicked away what she thought was a spider. I could feel it landing on me and on switching the tent light on was delighted to find a Southern Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema meridionale) resting on my arm. Good things come to those who wait.

Southern Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema meridionale), Etang du Moulin, France

Mottled Shieldbug (Rhaphigaster nebulosa), Etang du Moulin, France

Day 11                                                                                                                              
Thursday 15 August 2019
Camping Domaine de la Dombes > Camping Le Parc de Paris, Villevaudé, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France

Camping Domaine de la Dombes [46° 05' 1.56" N  05° 09' 14.05" E]
Another cockerel woke me up before daybreak so got up for a full circuit of the lake. Despite being late summer there was a fair amount of bird activity. Highlights of the walk were Black-necked Grebe, Purple Heron, Great Egret (2), Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Firecrest and Night Heron (2). The two kilometre circuit produced counts of 10+ Marsh Tit, 20+ Nuthatch, 3 Short-toed Treecreeper and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Also noted: Crested Tit, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Wood Pigeon, Carrion Crow and Red Squirrel (3). Shortly after leaving the campsite we observed a White Stork standing on a pylon. Long drive north to Paris.

Etang du Moulin, France

Camping Le Parc de Paris, Villevaudé, Seine-et-Marne [48° 54' 45.52" N  02° 40' 14.61" E]
Final evening and as I was pitching the tent I found a Southern Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket (Phaneroptera nana), moulting from final instar to adult. Dark Bush Crickets and Great Green Bush-crickets provided a relaxing soundscape at dusk after the long drive north from Lyon. Also Meadow Grasshopper and Field Grasshopper around the tent.

Southern Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket (Phaneroptera nana), Villevaudé, Paris, Île-de-France, Aug 2019

male Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus), Villevaudé, Paris, Île-de-France, Aug 2019

Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus), Villevaudé, Paris, Île-de-France, Aug 2019

Day 12                                                                                                                              
Thursday 16 August 2019
Camping Le Parc de Paris, Villevaudé, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France

Returned to Chessy station for the early train home after noting Green Woodpecker, Jay, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie and Collared Dove around the campsite. 

All photographs © 2019  F. S. Simpson

Fraser's Birding Website · fssbirding.org.uk`

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