In this video, we present a compilation of images of some of the waterbird species found in the Ilon marsh, a site we have been monitoring for over 25 years.
Shy and discreet in the vegetation, the Sultana, the Water Rail, the Great Egret, and the Bittern are dependent on wetlands, particularly reed beds.
These birds are generally difficult to observe and little known to the general public. The use of a camera trap has made it possible to capture these precious images while disturbing these sensitive species as little as possible.
The Sultana has been present at the Ilon site for over 15 years. However, evidence of its reproduction is rare. In this video, you will see an adult followed by three young birds in the middle of October! The reproduction of this species at such a late time of year is surprising but not exceptional.
The bittern, a species threatened with extinction in France, winters every year in the Ilon marsh. In 2024, we heard male birds singing on the site for the first time in over 30 years, indicating that they most likely reproduced there.
The camera trap was set up from fall 2024 to winter 2025 by our Civic Service volunteer Romain Barthel.