Somme Estuary

Having visited this area a number of times I thought I'd do a quick summary of my
favourite sites. Less than an hour's drive to the south of Calais, the area is doable
as a day trip by using the channel tunnel, but I'd recommend at least a couple of
days to explore this area properly.
Le Crotoy/La Basse Pools
Pools to the west of the D4 just north of Crotoy here. A pavement /cyclepath runs on the
south-east side (along the D4) of the pools. Birds on here are relatively used to footfall and
so are approachable and often afford excellent views. Great White Egrets, Spoonbills,
Cattle Egrets & White Stork and present year round. Black-winged Stilts breed and in
autumn can be numerous. This is also a regular stop over point for Spotted Crake in late
summer/autumn when water levels allow.
During Spring, Little Gulls & Garganey stop over sometimes in decent numbers (a flock of
16 of the latter on the 6th April 2015). Mediterranean Gulls are regular, and Bearded Tits
are occasional in the reedbed at the back. The entire area looks good for migrants. The
larger quarry pools to the east of the D4 often have congregations of terns and are no
doubt worth checking in spring and autumn.
Other: there is a large population of Muskrats.

Spoonbill

Marquenterre

Marquenterre
A large nature reserve to the west of Rue. A network of very strange hides offer great
views across the many scrapes, pools and marshes which hold a good number and variety
of the common waders. White Storks nest around the park. There is a resident Crane and
a pair of plastic Whooper Swans near the visitor centre. A hide overlooking heronry offers
good views of Storks, Spoonbills, Egrets & Herons nesting side by side. Black-winged
Stilts, Black-necked Grebes, Bluethroats & Night Herons all breed, the latter can regularly
be found on a favoured pool close to the visitor centre, or flying over at dusk. The visitor
centre staff are helpful, ask if Alexander Hiley - an English birder who is now an assistant
warden at the reserve - is available to help. Smew overwinter, and Ferruginous Duck &
Marsh Sandpiper are regular migrants.
The car park has breeding Crested Tit and Firecrest.
Other: Wild Boar and Mouflon in the forests surrounding the car park.

Boismont

Boismont
A small, active landfill site to the south of Boismont (marked on map)holds large numbers
of White Stork and impressive congregations of large-gulls(the latter especially on the
fields driving up to the site). Turtle Dove & Blue-headed Wagtail breed.

Crecy Forest
A large impressive forest to the north of Abbeville and east of Le Crotoy that holds
breeding Black and Middle-spotted Woodpecker. Roads criss-cross the entire site and the
best tactic seems to be to drive around pulling into the numerous laybys and listening out.
Melodious Warblers and Nightjars are numerous in forest clearings, and Firecrest &
Crested Tit are found all over (neither species are restricted to coniferous forests here).
Other: Wild Boar are common on the forest rides at dawn and dusk. Red Squirrels occur
throughout.

Sailly Bray/Bonelle
An exceptional site with Blue-headed Wagtails, Golden Oriole, Grasshopper, Savis and
Marsh Warblers & Bluethroat all breed.

Bluethroats are best seen along the road just to the north of a duck pond in Sailly Bray
(marked in blue on the map below). The road to the west of this offers good views of the
marshes, and the scrub to the north in Bonelle (accessed by a road marked in red) holds
Marsh & Savis warbler.

General: Serin and Black Redstart are common. Yellow Wagtails flocks often contain
'British', Channel & Blue-headed, particularly during times of migration.Natterjack toads
are common on the dunes in the whole area. Kentish Plover can be found on quieter
sections of beach, and Mediterranean Gulls are common.
Note: local hunters are often rather hostile towards birders (since they often protest to
shorten their hunting period). Whilst I have never seen/known them to confront people,
they regularly beep the horn whilst driving past, particularly along the D4 next to La
Basse.