PYRENEES BIRDS
Mountains to Med M2M
Pyrénées-Orientales
Discreet, 'soft' minimum-impact wildlife observations.
Experienced guides. Mountain refuges. Filming assistance.
17 years experience of Nature Obs & Conservation in the Pyrenees.
All year round programmes/field-trips.
Access & support of local experts/mountain guides.
Accommodation.
Contact: Richard PRIME
e: contact@pyrenees.site
66220 Fenouillet
17 years experience of Nature Obs & Conservation in the Pyrenees.
All year round programmes/field-trips.
Access & support of local experts/mountain guides.
Accommodation.
Contact: Richard PRIME
e: contact@pyrenees.site
66220 Fenouillet
Our stay short stay in Fenouillet was the highlight of our holiday in France this spring and we cannot recommend Pyrennes Bird Watching highly enough. The gite was perfect, excellent value and in a beautiful setting which was the perfect spot for setting off to explore the surrounding countryside. We were met with a warm and friendly welcome from Richard and his dog. He took us for a walk along ancient country pathways that led to an area where he had set up camera traps so that we could see the footage of all the animals that passed this way at night. We then made plans for the following two days. Our 12 year old son wanted to see birds of prey and learn more about their behavior and and habitat and he was not dissapointed. Richard drove us around many promising sites all the while imparting his knowledge of the local fauna and habitat and taking great care to teach ethical and responsible wildlife observation. We were so excited to see many griffon vultures in their natural habitat and the biggest thrill: a bearded vulture flying low right over our heads. We also drove out to the mediterranean coast to see the flamingoes on a lagoon near Perpignan and spot other water birds from a hide on the waters' edge. Richard has an infectious love and enthusiasm for the natural world. His knowledge is very much rooted in the landscape and community of the area where he lives and works with its long, rich history of people and place. He helped us to understand the complexities and subtleties of conservation in the area and the importance of teaching others about the natural world around us. We saw and learnt so much in just two days and came away more confident in our ability to watch the wildlife in this area by ourselves. We will definitely be going back.
Hannah, May 2024.
Hannah, May 2024.
The Pyrenees
Stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees are an immense barrier and yet provide diverse habitats and protective enclaves. From wet, lush green forests to near-desert conditions, with plains bordering the high peaks, the Pyrenees offer a huge, fascinating variety of birds.
You might like to read some of the comments from recent guests:
Richard and Yvett warmly welcomed us to Le Courtal, a peaceful haven for wildlife with a lovely view towards the hilltop village of Carla-Bayle. When we visited in late May orchids were in flower and we were able to pick cherries for breakfast.
Richard’s knowledge about the Pyrenees and his passion for birds, particularly raptors, made him an invaluable guide. On one birding trip, we had amazing views of bee-eaters at a nest site and clear views of booted and short-toed eagles. On another occasion, he took us up into the Pyrenees where we reached snow and saw a lammergeier fly across the valley and land on a ledge; we then watched it feeding through Richard’s telescope. We walked on a short distance and were treated to a stunning view of a golden eagle which glided slowly across a cirque. The richness and diversity of the region’s wildflowers added to the day’s enjoyment, especially seeing a bank of trumpet gentians in flower and a field of white asphodels.
Wendy. May 2018.
Richard and Yvett were superb hosts. Yvett cooked us a great meal each evening and we enjoyed chatting and getting to know them over dinner. Their gite is set in a beautiful valley, again alive with birdsong. Although it sadly wasn’t warm enough to sit out to eat, their garden is clearly an idyllic place in which to relax on warmer days or evenings and I could happily have sat there with my binoculars attempting to spot the many birds that we could hear in the trees round about, including cuckoo, nightingale and golden oriole.
I would thoroughly recommend both Richard as a birding guide and Le Courtal as a wonderful relaxing place to stay.
Jill. May 2018.
Richard worked really hard to find all the birds on my list of 'most wanted'. In six days we saw virtually everything I hoped to see and consequently had an impressive list of species seen by the week's end. Comfortable accommodation , good food and hosts too, particularly important for a single traveller as I was. Great experience. Easy to recommend.
Martin. June 2018
