Yes, I know it's not the greatest time of year, but would love suggestions for possible birdwatching locales near Paris and Firenze - realizing it will probably be the guys who live there all year around or a very lost, very late migrant.

Thanks,

QuinnAdams

I've got the two "where to watch birds" books at home. I'll check and get back to you

Quinn,
I'm not sure if a 2-3 hour drive is within your definition of "near Paris," but the Baie de Somme in Picardie is pretty amazing for birdwatching. I was just there and visited the Parc Ornithologique due Marquenterre. www.baiedesomme.org

http://www.zoneumidetoscane.it/files/welcome.html

Also this:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

Hi to Sheila, hausfrau and nessundorma and many thanks for these great suggestions. Hausfrau, I don't think 3 hours is too long a trip and this looks quite amazing! As do the various locations in the info from nessundorma! So many birds, so little time! Thanks again!

QA

where are you from, QuinnAdams? (Sorry I was so late home last night, I hadn't the energy to go and look out the books. I'll do it tonight, honest)

Hi Sheila,

We're from San JuanCapistrano, CA -- half way between Los Angeles and San Diego, and prior to that from the Washington DC area. Sorry to be so long in replying -- working too much, working too late!

Ummm. same reason I haven't replied. I'm adding this so I can remember tonight.

Are you bird experts then? Is there a site where I can look up birds that I want to identify? There's one in my garden (Antwerp) I have never seen before, and I tried searching but haven't found it yet.

Tulips, in my case "expert" would be overegging the pudding. "Mildly knowledgeable" might be closer to it.

However, you could try

http://www.surfbirds.com/asksurfbirds/askbelgium.html

Or describe it and I'll see what I can do.

However, reverting to the OP..

Paris- books says Bois de Boulogne, and Bois de Vinecennes; Chanfroy Plain Nature Reseve and Trois Pignons Forest at Fontainebleau; L'Etang vieux de Saclay NNR at Saclay (near Versaiiles); Ville-d'Avray Lakes and Fausses Reposes wood west of Paris ; La Courneuve Country park east of Paris; Cretail Lake south east of Paris.

It'll not shock you to know the watery ones are best in winter.

There is NOTHING in the Italian book about Florence. NOTHING.

If you want more details on any of these, email me and I'll fax some stuff through.

That's a great site Sheila! Still can't find the bird though. I think it must have escaped somewhere and doesn't belong here. It's black, a bit larger than a blackbird, with a curved yellow and red beach, and when it flies away the underside of the wings (not completely, just the tips) is red. We were joking that its beak is the color of the Belgian flag.

That's a beak of course, not a beach.

Mmm. I'm struggling with this.

http://dwb.wildlife.fotopic.net/p28693228.html

Why you would have one of these in your garden, I don't know, and the bill doesn't curve much.

Either of these?

http://www.pbase.com/chezzy/image/41541263

It's not one of those. I'll keep my camera ready in case I see it again!