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Welcome to the Association OPEN DOOR


The Association Open Door exists to encourage the practical exchange of cultural information
and experience between French and English-speaking people residing permanently or part-time
in the Limousin and surrounding areas.






Bird walk


Surprise visitor !

Conditions weren’t ideal for the latest ornithological excursion around the St. Pardoux commune on
May 11 th . Recent rain and dull grey skies meant that birds were largely heard but not seen. A recent
prolonged period of cold northerly winds had also delayed many migratory birds from making their
journeys towards Britain and Northern Europe.

However many of the usual ‘suspects’ were in evidence as a dozen detectives set out from the mairie
at 8.15 – Great Tits, Chaffinch, Black Cap, Blackbird and a few House Sparrows. As we reached the
pine woods by the commune’s gite our French guide, Max Richer, picked up the sound of France and
Britain’s smallest bird, the Goldcrest – or was it a Firecrest, the two distinguishable by the colour of
the stripes on their head? In either case, they were impossible to see high up in the Douglas Firs.

Shortly afterwards a pair of Bullfinches were spotted in the same location as last year, prompting
much discussion as to which of our Northern European birds is the most handsome! Other soundings
during the morning included Cuckoo, Turtle Dove, Song Thrush, Jay, Greater Spotted Woodpecker,
Black Woodpecker, Chiff Chaff and the Melodious Warbler – a bird which imitates the song of others
such as the Wood Warbler and Garden Warbler.

Lunchtime in the Salle Polyvalente featured an exhibition of some of Alastair Riley’s, increasingly
famous, silkscreen paintings, a bird-identification quiz devised by his partner Louise with one of his
paintings as the prize – won by Chrissy Smith. The Association has also purchased a game to help
children to identify birds and bird song - which tested most of us – and this can be used at the library.

New visitors arrived for the afternoon walk starting from the Etang de Bourdeau and this proved
much the same as the morning walk until a small, unplanned, detour took us down to an un-named
etang in the forest. There Max spotted a lost migrant probably heading for the coast of N. France or
Britain – a Common Sandpiper. The bird was happy enough to get some rest and search for food in
the muddy shore of the etang before continuing his journey and we were all able to get a good look
through Max’s long-range lens.

The day was rounded off with sightings of a Grey Heron and an Egret which treated us to a fly-past at
the Etang de Bourdeau.

We’re encouraging members to report bird sightings in and around St. Pardoux-Morterolles – there
are many varieties not necessarily found on the route that we’ve covered – Siskin, Green
Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare etc and just two days after our walk, member Hilary Douglas
spotted a Dipper in the Ruisseau de Pic just below Augerolles. Send your sightings with the date and
the location to Peter (peter.edmondson@orange.fr)

Common Sandpiper (Chevalier Guignette)


Une belle surprise !

La météo n’était pas vraiment favorable pour notre dernière sortie ornithologique à St Pardoux le 11
mai.A cause de la pluie et du temps gris nous avons plus entendus que vus les oiseaux. Le récent
épisode de froid a dissuadé certains migrateurs de partir vers le nord.

Nous étions une douzaine de « détectives » au départ de la mairie à 8h15 sur les traces des
mésanges charbonnières, pinsons ,fauvettes à tete noire ,merle et quelques moineaux. Près de la
foret de pins ,à coté du gite ,Max Richer a entendu le chant du plus petit oiseau de France et de
Grande Bretagne :le Roitelet.

Un peu plus loin 2 bouvreuils nous attendaient à la meme place que l’année dernière ! D’autres
chants :le Coucou ,la Tourterelle ,le Geai, le Pic épeiche ,le Pic noir ,la Grive ,le Pouillot Véloce ,la
Fauvette Polyglotte qui peut imiter d’autres Fauvettes…

Lors de la pause de midi ,à la Salle Polyvalente , nous avons pu admirer les sérigraphies d’Alastair et
participer a un quizz (préparé par Louise) pour identifier de nombreux oiseaux . Chrissy Smith la
gagnante est repartie avec une Sérigraphie d’Alastair .Un petit jeu proposé par Open Door (identifier
les oiseaux en français et en anglais, écouter leur chant.etc ) Ce jeu sera disponible les mercredis à
Bourganeuf !

Accompagnés par de nouveaux arrivants en début d’après midi nous avons rejoint l’étang Bourdeau
en continuant le chemin nous avons découvert un petit étang et là……un Chevalier Guignette
,tranquille au bord de l’eau .Chacun a pu l’observer grâce à la lunette de Max.

En revenant aux voitures près de l’étang Bourdeau ,envol d’une Aigrette et d’un Héron.