Here are 25 photos from last Saturday’s visit to Vaugrenier Departmental Park, a 102-hectare expanse of wooded meadows, oak forests and a five-hectare pond in Villeneuve-Loubet, a French Riviera town located 17 miles west of Nice, and 5km north of Antibes.

I wrote about Vaugrenier Departmental Park (Parc Naturel Departemental de Vaugrenier) in more detail last January when I consolidated four visits into one post. (That’s more of a visitor’s guide; check it out if you make it to the area.) I’ve been back four times since –in each season but still not nearly enough– but didn’t manage to keep up with posting. I’ll work on that.

I spotted 20 different species, just shy of my personal best of 22 from a visit in early March, and photographed nine; eight of those are below. The highlights?

First, a brief sighting of a Water Rail’s behind as it quickly scampered out of my gaze. But no photos.

And second, spending some time to watch and appreciate Black-headed Gulls, which always tend to be very photogenic here against the the backdrop that the reeds and pond create. The afternoon light and shadows were a little tricky here but I do like how the details of the various feather formations really show well.

Great Cormorants always rule the roost here, year-round. And a few always spend a lot of time ruling from branches of this fallen tree which is just a few meters away from the pond’s hide. Their feet are magnificent.

For the body of water-curious, this is Vaugrenier Pond.

Next up, a pair of Eurasian Moorhen, the first on the pond and the second in a more secluded smaller pond where the Water Rail was hiding.

And below a few more shots I managed to nab, beginning with a Rose-ringed Parakeet which are quite prolific. I wrote about their wanderings in Southern France here.

And finally, this Common Darter that swooped in for a landing near the hide and stayed put just long enough to snap this photo. I love the red rectangular spots on each of their wings.

Personal report tally at the PND Vaugrenier as of 7 November 2026:

44 species in eight visits.

• Black Redstart – 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• Black-headed Gull – 7 Nov 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• Carrion Crow – 5 Jul 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026;
• Cetti’s Warbler – 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Common Buzzard – 7 Dec 2025;
• Common Chaffinch – 29 Apr 2026; 7 Nov 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Common Chiffchaff – 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026;
• Common Firecrest – 5 July 2026;
• Common Kingfisher – 5 July 2026;
• Common Sandpiper – 29 Apr 2026;
• Common Snipe – 30 Dec 2025;
• Common Wood-Pigeon – 7 Nov 2026; 5 Jul 2026; 8 Mar 2026;
• Eurasian Blackbird – 7 Nov 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 30 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Blackcap – 7 Nov 2026; 5 Jul 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 7 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Blue Tit – 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Collared-Dove – 7 Nov 2026; 5 July 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 23 Aug 2025;
• Eurasian Coot – 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Green Woodpecker – 8 Mar 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Jackdaw – 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Jay – 11 Jan 2026
• Eurasian Magpie – 7 Nov 2026; 5 July 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 23 Aug 2025;
• Eurasian Moorhen – 7 Nov 2026; 5 July 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025; 23 Aug 2025;
• Eurasian Nuthatch – 7 Nov 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Eurasian Wren – 7 Nov 2026;
• European Greenfinch – 30 Dec 2025;
• European Robin – 7 Nov 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• European Starling – 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• Goldcrest – 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• Gray Heron – 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• Gray Wagtail – 7 Dec 2025;
• Great Cormorant – 7 Nov 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025;
• Great Tit – 7 Nov 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 23 Aug 2025;
• Green-winged Teal – 7 Nov 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• House Sparrow – 7 Nov 2026; 7 Dec 2025;
• Long-tailed Tit – 5 July 2026;
• Mallard – 7 Nov 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 7 Dec 2025;
• Mediterranean Gull – 23 Aug 2025;
• Mute Swan – 8 Mar 2026;
• Northern Shoveler – 30 Dec 2025;
• Rock Pigeon – 7 Nov 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025; 23 Aug 2025
• Rose-ringed Parakeet – 7 Nov 2026; 5 July 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025; 7 Dec 2025; 23 Aug 2025;
• Water Rail – 7 Nov 2026; 30 Dec 2025;
• Western Cattle-Egret – 7 Nov 2026; 29 Apr 2026; 8 Mar 2026;
• Yellow-legged Gull – 5 July 2026; 8 Mar 2026; 11 Jan 2026; 30 Dec 2025

Photos from Villeneuve-Loubet, France, shot on 7 November 2026.