Stayed again in the Pyrenees to watch Tour de France over Tourmalet but did get loads of birding in around it. Highlights being:

Portsmouth-Bilbao:
- Great Shearwater (lifer!)

Jaca:
- Black Redstart
- Serin
- Rock Sparrow (lifer!)
- Bee Eater (lifer!)
- Kestrel (nesting!)
- Tree Sparrow

Riglos/Aguero:
- Griffon Vulture
- Black Kite
- Red Kite
- Egyptian Vulture (lifer!)
- Subalpine Warbler (lifer!)
- Crag Martin

Col du Portalet:
- Rock Thrush
- Chough
- Alpine Chough
- Golden Eagle
- Water Pipit

St Lary-Soulan (and surrounds):
- Red-backed Shrike (exactly where I left it!)
- Whinchat
- Corn Bunting
- Linnet

First half's photos on my blog for those interested in that sort of thing.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 16th of August 2012 11:16:48 PM

Stayed in St. Lary Soulan, in the High Pyrenees, near to the Bielsa tunnel to spain in the Aure valley. IT was really a family holiday, so no 'proper' birding, but its amazing what you find on walks and even just about. A seemingly small tally of 58 birds, but with 10 lifers for me (Griffon vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Lamergeir, Snowfinch, Melodious Warbler, Rock Thrush, Honey Buzzard, Nightingale, Firecrest, Alpine Chough and Water Pipit) that's not so bad!

The route we took from manchester to the Pyrenees was to Portsmouth, ferry to St Malo and drive from there. This got us Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Cattle Egret, Little egret and black shouldered Kite.

In town loads of good stuff, most common being Serin, Black Redstart, Blackcap, Melodious Warbler, Grey Wag, White Wag, Collared Dove, Firecrest, Blackbird, Chaffinch and House Sparrow. Crag and House martin are aplenty,with Alpine Swift present only really in the mountains, although a few closer to town. Red and Black Kite are by far the most common raptors. I had red backed shrike, too!

Headed up on the cable car on a number of occasions to watch the vultures from above, yielding good views of all 3 species, as well as Golden Eagle. Up there in the meadows is exceptionally good for butterflies, my highlights being Dark Green and Pearl Boardered Fritillaries, Silver Spotted Skipper, Holly and Common Blue, Swallowtail, Marbled White and Mountain Ringlet. Loads of huge mountain grasshopper too.

We did head out to the Tourmalet, and I can only subscibe to how good the views of snowfinch at the top are. This late in the summer they are no longer nesting (obviously), so trying to locate them is quite difficult, but once found they are easily approached. I found some in the meadows opposite the famous cyclist statue, and also on the scree as you approach from Lourdes. Also alpine chough here.

We headed up into the hills a few days, and although we didn't do any peaks, we did do around 2000m of assent one day! Most hillsides have a huge flock of Alpine and Normal Chough roving about it, although they're not so easy to get close to and photograph. Water Pipit everywhere, which I think are a great improvement on meadow pipit, as are le marmot, huge burrowing rodents (see my flickr) and on one occasion even a stoat. We didn't get Alpine Accentor when there, but did get Rock thrush.

All in all, its a brilliant area for birding, even if you're just out with your family the whole time! All my half way decent shots are on flickr, and i'll send Ian some of the better ones!