Carrion crow

As for jackdaw.

Cattle Egret

Amazingly, I had to wait 4 years to add this species to my village list, when 3 approachable individuals were seen picking over a recently excavated building plot, 18/12/04 - this followed a night of severe NW gales. Singles seen since around the village throughout the rest of the winter and regularly around the outskirts of Beziers. Single in flight 21/12/05. 11 seen in the kennels of a pack of hunting dogs, 30/11/07, picking at the remains of meat bones! Subsequently, up to 7 birds seen in the yard of the local chicken abattoir, were no doubt exploiting a similar food source. Sightings have since become much more regular, reflecting the increasing population in this part of France. On 31.01.10, a flock of 7 flew into our garden, where they spent some 45 minutes, feeding!

Cetti's warbler

Present in suitable damp areas in village surrounds. Presumed resident, song heard from April, and again from October.

Chaffinch

Present in large numbers in the fields during the winter. Some may stay to breed.

Chiffchaff

Resident breeder, readily visiting gardens outside the breeding period. Sings from February onwards.

Cirl bunting

Abundant resident which will readily visit gardens. Sings throughout much of the year.

Coal tit

One in the garden on several dates in Oct 2005 and beyond was, remarkably, my first for the area.

Collared dove

Common resident.

Common buzzard

Common throughout the autumn/winter/spring period, presumed birds from the surrounding hills moving to lower land to hunt the fields. Much smaller numbers in summer. A gathering of 10 thermalling birds on 21/11/04, in fine, sunny weather, were perhaps late migrants.

Common Crane

This much anticipated species became a reality on 5/03/03 when a flock of 20 passed low over the village, calling and heading NE to their breeding grounds. Manifique! A southbound flock of 11 did the same in reverse on 20/11/05.

Cormorant

8 flew over the village on a day of low cloud, heading N.E., 30/03/03 and a group 0f 17 were noted in the same month in 2005. Their behavior suggested they were true migrants

Corn bunting

Resident in small numbers. Can be difficult to find. A group of 5 on 26/11/04 was unusual.

Crag martin

Small numbers found on village edge in times of passage, in amongst the house martins - need to looked for! 3 over the village 27/02/08 were presumed migrants. Can be found in most months in sheltered areas in the Region, particularly river valleys, where they probably spend the whole winter.

Crested lark

Present in small numbers in the cultivated areas around the village, particularly on the eastern side, but much less common than woodlark.

Crossbill

This species occasionally arrives in late summer, presumably having "erupted" from continental Europe. They were particularly noticable in 2008 and 2009 - late August 2009, for example, saw birds, max.4, around the garden edge on several dates.

Cuckoo

Seen and heard from about the 2nd week in April( first 1/04/03). Appears to favour the outlying hills.