Caps et Marais d’Opale Regional Nature Park

Natural Park · France

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Photo © W. Bulach

Photo © W. Bulach — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the low hills of the Boulonnais soften into a mosaic of wet meadows, hedgerows and wooded slopes, a patchwork of Atlantic-influenced countryside unfolds across the Pas-de-Calais hinterland. This is a landscape shaped by water and grazing: sluggish streams and drainage ditches thread between damp pastures, willow-lined banks and dense bocage, while beech and oak woodland cloaks the higher ground and small ponds and marsh hollows hold standing water through the year. Under a temperate oceanic climate with no dry season, rainfall is spread evenly across the months, so the ground stays green and the wetlands remain wet even in high summer. That constant moisture supports a rich web of life: breeding and wintering waterfowl and waders on the open water and muddy margins, birds of prey quartering the hedgerow country, woodland songbirds and small forest mammals in the canopy and undergrowth, and amphibians and dragonflies around the ponds and ditches. It is a working, human-scaled countryside where farming and wild habitat interlock rather than compete.

For the wildlife photographer and the birdwatcher, the appeal lies in that intimacy and variety within a compact area. Early mornings in spring and autumn bring soft, low light across the wet meadows and mist over the water, ideal for atmospheric images of waterfowl and waders, while the hedgerows and woodland edges offer close, patient observation of songbirds and the raptors that hunt them. Seasonal change is the real draw: spring and autumn migration concentrate birds on the wetlands and fields, and the mild, damp winters keep water bodies open and productive when much of Europe lies dormant. Access is gentle and rewarding, with footpaths, lanes and viewpoints letting visitors move quietly between pasture, marsh and wood without disturbing the wildlife. Bring waterproof footwear, a long lens and time to sit still — this is country that rewards slow, quiet observation over a checklist.

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Branta bernicla

Branta canadensis

Branta leucopsis

Bar-headed Goose

Anser cygnoides

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Tadorna ferruginea

Aix galericulata

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Red-crested Pochard

Aythya fuligula

Somateria mollissima

Melanitta nigra

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Reeves's Pheasant

Syrmaticus reevesii

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Red-legged Partridge

Cuculus canorus

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Rallus aquaticus

Gallinula chloropus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Pluvialis squatarola

European Golden Plover

Pluvialis apricaria

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Lymnocryptes minimus

Gallinago gallinago

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Tringa glareola

Common Redshank

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Calidris alpina

Purple Sandpiper

Calidris maritima

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias hybrida

Sterna paradisaea

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Larus cachinnans

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus hyperboreus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Black Guillemot

Northern Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

Ciconia ciconia

Northern Gannet

Pygmy Cormorant

Microcarbo pygmaeus

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Gulosus aristotelis

Plegadis falcinellus

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

Western Cattle Egret

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Griffon Vulture

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Rough-legged Buzzard

Common Kingfisher

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

European Green Woodpecker

Falco tinnunculus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Corvus frugilegus

Lophophanes cristatus

Poecile palustris

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Riparia riparia

Hirundo rustica

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Cetti's Warbler

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Hume's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus humei

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Pallas's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus proregulus

Phylloscopus trochilus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Aquatic Warbler

Acrocephalus paludicola

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Acrocephalus palustris

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

Locustella luscinioides

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Common Blackbird

Turdus torquatus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

Luscinia svecica

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Passer domesticus

Prunella modularis

Motacilla cinerea

Anthus pratensis

Anthus trivialis

Anthus spinoletta

European Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosus

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Fringilla montifringilla

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Serinus serinus

Eurasian Siskin

Emberiza calandra

Emberiza citrinella

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Spatula querquedula

Melanitta perspicillata

Melanitta fusca

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Coturnix coturnix

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Porzana porzana

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Black-tailed Godwit

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Calidris canutus

Calidris pugnax

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Calidris minuta

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Sternula albifrons

Chlidonias niger

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Stercorarius skua

Red-throated Loon

Sooty Shearwater

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Pandion haliaetus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Western Barn Owl

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Middle Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocoptes medius

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Falco columbarius

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Bohemian Waxwing

Bombycilla garrulus

Poecile montanus

Bearded Reedling

Panurus biarmicus

Lullula arborea

Galerida cristata

Eremophila alpestris

Radde's Warbler

Phylloscopus schwarzi

Phylloscopus fuscatus

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Red-flanked Bluetail

Tarsiger cyanurus

Desert Wheatear

Oenanthe deserti

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Anthus campestris

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

Acanthis flammea

Loxia curvirostra

Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicus

Taiga Bean Goose

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Tundra Bean Goose

Anser serrirostris

Cairina moschata

Marmaronetta angustirostris

Ferruginous Duck

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Mergellus albellus

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Long-tailed Jaeger

Stercorarius longicaudus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arctica

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinus

Balearic Shearwater

Puffinus mauretanicus

American White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Circus macrourus

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla

Short-eared Owl

Eurasian Wryneck

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Melopsittacus undulatus

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Iberian Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus ibericus

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

Acridotheres tristis

Richard's Pipit

Anthus richardi

Emberiza cirlus

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Lepus europaeus

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Myocastor coypus

European Garden Dormouse

Eliomys quercinus

Muscardinus avellanarius

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

Clethrionomys glareolus

Ondatra zibethicus

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

Rattus norvegicus

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Geoffroy's Myotis

Myotis emarginatus

Soprano Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pygmaeus

European Badger

Mustela erminea

Halichoerus grypus

Harbor Porpoise

Phocoena phocoena

Eurasian Wild Boar

Eurasian Water Vole

Arvicola amphibius

Short-tailed Field Vole

Microtus agrestis

Microtus arvalis

Common Pine Vole

Microtus subterraneus

Eurasian Harvest Mouse

Micromys minutus

Eurasian Pygmy Shrew

Brandt's Myotis

Myotis brandtii

Myotis dasycneme

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Common Whiskered Myotis

Myotis mystacinus

Natterer's Myotis

Myotis nattereri

Leisler's Noctule

Nyctalus leisleri

Nyctalus noctula

Nathusius's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus nathusii

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

Brown Long-eared Bat

Plecotus auritus

Gray Long-eared Bat

Plecotus austriacus

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Mustela nivalis

European Polecat

Mustela putorius

Common Minke Whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Megaptera novaeangliae

Panglobal Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

White-beaked Dolphin

Lagenorhynchus albirostris

Common Fallow Deer

Alcathoe Whiskered Myotis

Myotis alcathoe

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