3rd Dec 1988 - Pointe d'Arcay

The Pointe d'Arcay Nature Reserve is regarded as one of the most important wetlands for waders and wildfowl on the Atlantic coast of France. It comprises a sand bar which has grown southwards across the estuary of the River lay. The bar is now mainly forested with maritime pine, although there are also some areas of scrubby heathland and open grass. The whole reserve is also of considerable interest for plants and terrestrial birds, and is probably an entirely undisturbed terrestrial ecosystem.

In winter there are considerable numbers of pintail, mallard, teal, shoveler, wigeon and shelduck, and a few brent geese. Spoonbill and avocet are seen from time to time and waders are particularly well represented. In summer hoopoes and shrikes can be seen along the fringe of the woodland and many smaller birds of interest are found in the scrubby areas. Since 1951, when it was first protected, much research has been carried out into the feeding behaviour of its migrant birds.

In view of its undisturbed nature, it is not surprising to find that a permit is required for visiting the reserve. However, it is said to be possible to see the high tide wader roost by walking along the beach to the Pointe, but first you have to find the beach and then you walk for about 3 km. As the tide is already well up when we arrive, we don't think we'd get there in time even if we knew the exact way.

A tidal creek to the east of the reserve is deserted of water birds, but there are plenty of passerines in the surrounding scrub. About a hundred goldfinches sounding more like a flock of starlings. They are feeding on knap­weed, plan­tain and grass seeds, and every so often fly to the top of a nearby bare tree, then return to feed again. There are also green­finches and chaffinches and a single bramb­ling. A serin sits in a shrub eating
seeds off a nearby grass stem, and a male black­cap lurks in a privet bush.

We find a better watching place on the eastern side of the next creek where a sea wall begins. Birds seen from here include fifty avocets, plus dunlin, redshank, curlew, godwit, and hundreds of oystercatchers.