Pont de Gau Ornithological Park

My favorite day in Provence was the day Walt and I went to the Camargue - a region of wetlands outside of the town of Arles. The area is known for its herds of wild horses and for being an excellent place for birdwatching. The horses have been mostly tamed, but over 400 species of birds still migrate to the area each year.

Our destination was the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park. In 1949, André Lamouroux operated a small zoological garden on the site, but when his son René took over in 1974, he got rid of the cages, planted thousands of trees and shrubs, and created islets to attract species of birds. In the 90's, René's three sons joined the team at the park so it continues to be a family business.

Well-maintained paths meander past lagoons filled with hundreds of flamingos. The park is also a habitat for other species of birds and animals, but it is the flamingos that command the most attention.

Some of the walkways pass quite close to the flamingos. They don't seem to care.

Did you know that a group of flamingos is called a flamboyance?

Watching the flamingos fly is amazing. They run along awkwardly flapping their wings until they are moving fast enough to rise in the air. They also have to do a bit of running to slow down when they land.

The park seems to be fulfilling its mission as stated on its web site - "keeping people sensitized to the protection of Camargue and of nature in general."