Birds

The main avian species in our immediate area (positively identified by sight or by call at various times of the year) are:
Grey Cuckoo
Hoopoe
Black Kite
European Buzzard
Red Kite
Sparrowhawk
Hobby
Kestrel
Barn Owl
Little Owl
Tawny Owl
Dunnock
Yellowhammer
Carrion Crow
Jay
Magpie
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Siskin
Swallow
Long-tailed Tit
Eurasian Nuthatch
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Garden Warbler
Willow Warbler
Golden Oriole
Grey Wagtail
White Wagtail
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Marsh Tit
Blackbird
Redstart
Black Redstart
Robin
Wheatear
House Sparrow
Wren
Rock Dove
Grey Heron
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Night Heron

A little further north, we have also seen Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles and Hen Harrier. As species are seen and identified they will be added to this list.

Three Black Storks drifted over our patch in a SSW direction early in October on their annual journey to Africa as did a few Black Kites some days later then nine Red Kites on 22nd October. I think we may be in a migration corridor.

	We are well blessed with European Buzzards in the immediate area, even having the odd one perched in our old oak tree at the bottom of the field.There are at least three groupings in separate woodland areas and their call is one of the more common background sounds in the area.They can also be seen from time to time resting in our Oak tree – perhaps looking out for Ermintrude (see below)
	And it’s not just Buzzards. Although there are none nesting in the immediate area, we do enjoy the occasional visit from a Black Kite
	Three clutches of swallows hatched in one of our outbuildings during the course of the summer of 2006 (and every year since) and the constant to-ing and fro-ing of parents and calls of young pre-fledging was an almost constant feature of the summer.On fledging the young remained close and active for some considerable time until, in mid- September, all the swallows disappeared – presumably to their pre-migration gathering place (which we have yet to find).Young swallows frequently come into the house through open doors and windows. Mostly they just come in, turn around, and fly out again; but, occasionally, one stays a bit longer. This one was in my study for about twenty minutes – quite calm – and eventually found its way out again.
	The Chiffchaffs have bred in the same trees and bushes as the sparrows and, as they are still about in numbers in late-October, I think they are here for the winter.We have put out feeders (one of which the Great Tit has found).
	The humble House Sparrow shares the elder tree with the Chiffchaff quite happily. So far (late October 2006) none of them, or the Black Redstarts or Robins, which frequent the same tree, has spotted the feeders. However, with free-range chickens close by, with the food supply that entails, they will probably only use the feeders when they really need them.
	We have, of course, at least one pair of kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) in the area. This male sat on the electricity pole here for most of the morning.
	Great Tits have taken up residence for the winter and are making good use of the various feeders.
	… as are the Blue Tits,
	… and the Robins, who arrived at about the same time.
	A group of almost a dozen Yellowhammers arrived at the same time as the snow.
	This juvenile Dunnock spends a lot of time hopping around on the ground looking for the small insects that make up most of its diet.Here the poor thing is covered in drizzle, whilst I was inside in the warm, photographing it  through double glazed French doors.
	Another visitor to our feeders is the pretty little Nuthatch. Not seen much in the summer, this little fellow was also pictured whilst I was inside in the warm, photographing it through double glazed windows.
	At long last, we know who is responsible for stripping the bark from our oak tree – it’s the Great Spotted Woodpecker who, incidentally, is also rather partial to fat balls!
	A rare visitor. We have only seen a cock Linnet twice in more than two years. Lovely song, though. Makes you want to pick it up and follow a van.
	Seen only once, this Night Heron flew across the étang de Lachenal and perched in a tree opposite us on 2nd May, 2013. The Night Heron is mostly only present around large rivers: the Allier and Loire. It is very rare in your part of the Combrailles.

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Mammals

Not 100% Wildcat but Dad is and Mum is feral The Wood Mouse enjoys the birds’ food in summer … … and seeks winter shelter inside the house!	e have a small number of bats around the hamlet. I’m not 100% sure to which species they belong, as it is always too dark and too fleeting a view, but I believe them to be Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus – Pipistrelle commune).There is a Wild Cat (Felis silvestris – Chat forestier) in the area. It is unmistakeable because of its stocky build, its colour and markings and its bushy, ringed tail. There is also a group of cats living in the barn next door that are, as far as we can tell, pretty much feral and the wild tom has visited (see image).A regular patron is the Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus – Mulot sylvestre) also known as Long-tailed Field Mouse. This diminutive rodent can often be seen, either singly or in pairs, helping itself to the food we put out for the birds or just occasionally, in winter, scuttling around indoors! The Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus - Rat surmalot), also unavoidable in rural areas, is also rather partial to peanuts put out for the birds.Other mammals include Pigmy Shrew (Sorex minutus – Musaraigne pygmée) and Short-tailed Field Voles (Microtus arvalis – Campagnol des champs), brought in for us by our late cat, and Moles (Talpa europaea – Taupe d’Europe) – rarely seen but oh, so active in our patch!We have also seen a Southern Water Vole (Arvicola sapidus – Campagnol amphibie) in the banks of the pond, and we believe we have seen a Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus – Rat musqué) scampering around the pond area.August 2009 we saw our first Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus – Lièvre brun). Sadly, it couldn’t wait for me to run indoors and get a camera!
	We spotted an Ermine (Mustela erminea – Hermine) hunting among the tussocks at the back of the house in mid-January 2007. Being mostly snow white against a dark background in an area that is well populated with buzzards may, however, be seen by some as a high risk strategy! Especially as one buzzard was sat in our old oak tree watching her. Sorry about the poor quality image – it was the best I could manage.For no reason other than that it suited us we decided she was female and named her Emintrude.
	A welcome nocturnal visitor to our garden is the Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus – Hérisson d’Europe). We are hoping this creature will help cut down our slug population!

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Reptiles

	The Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis – Lézard des murailles) is present in large numbers and varies in size from about 3cm to 20cm including its tail. It is insectivorous and does its best to help us wih the fly and wasp population during the summer. The Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis – Lézard vert), Common or  Viviparous Lizard (L. viviparus – Lézard vivipare) and Sand Lizard (L. agilis – Lézard agile) are also seen quite commonly.
	We were graced, well after dark early in June 2007, with a visit by a pair of Common Toads (Bufo bufo – Crapaud commun).Whilst cutting the grass in early June, I had occasion to handle an Agile Frog (Rana dalmatina – Grenouille agile) that was sauntering in the path of my blades. We popped it into the pond. No picture, though.
	The European Grass Snake (Natrix natrix – Couleuvre à collier) can be seen occasionally, thoroughly harmless and quite pretty. Also in the area are Smooth Snakes (Coronella austriaca – Coronelle lisse) – pictured here very young. It was between 15cm and 20cm in length; about the size of a large  earthworm. At hatching they are beween 15cm and 19cm.We have also seen a couple of Slow Worms (Anguis fragilis – Orvet).

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Insects

	The Great Green Bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima – Grande Sauterelle verte) is, with other crickets and grasshoppers, very common
	The Saddle-backed Bush Cricket (Ephippiger ephippiger-Éphippigère des vignes) gave me a bit of a hard time in its identification, as it is apparently variable in size, colour and some other features.This specimen, seen at Vulcania, was about 20-25mm in length.
	We spotted this Hummingbird Hawk-Moth (Macroglossum stellatarum – Moro-sphinx) in the flower pots outside the window of our séjour at about 4:30pm.
	Of the many bugs and beetles that make up the smaller wildlife in the garden, this shield bug (which seems not to have a proper English name but whose scientific name is Holcostethus vernalis) is possibly one of the most unusual. Quite content to be photographed at very close quarters, it finally flew off with a buzzing flight not unlike the wasps and hornets for which I reserve a particular hatred.
	There are many buterflies on our land, but probably the most stunning is the Purple Emporer (Apatura iris – Grand Mars changeant)
	I was also rather taken with the Jersey Tiger Moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria – Ecaille chinée)
	I saw this and was fascinated by it. I thought it to be some kind of fly, although at first I thought it might have been a moth.In the event, it turns out to be a Bee-fly (Hemipenthes morio – Hemipenthes morio)

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