HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT - IN ENGLISH OR IN FRENCH?

Champagne - famous for its vineyards, less so for its birds (Photo: About-France.com)

MOST unusual request at Birdfair: 

Birder, author and tourism guru Keith Betton asked his  audience if they would prefer him to speak in English . . or French.

The response may have surprised him.

"In French!" they exclaimed.

"Je suis Keith Betton et . . . ,"he duly began.

Crypic or what? Keith Betton at Birdfair

Very quickly thereafter, Keith  reverted to his native language and gave a fascinating presentation on the birds of the Champagne region, focusing on the areas around Le Lac d'Orient and Chantecoq.

The star lakeside species is probably the crane where, a few years ago,  flocks famously  numbered no fewer than 206,000 birds - half the European population  - on one early-November day.

This year's crane festival takes place between October 19-27.

Hides and observation points are plentiful, allowing excellent opportunities to watch and photograph the antics of these spectacular birds, plus a wide range of other waders and waterfowl, including smew.

Away from the water, the forests and environs are full of impressive species including golden orioles, bee-eaters, short-toed treecreepers, hawfinches, crested tits (a different race from their counterparts in Scotland) and three species of woodpecker not found in the UK - black, grey and middle-spotted.

Champagne's raptors include honey buzzards and white-tailed eagles.

There are lakeside cycling and walking routes, plus exquisitely-beautiful towns and villages where tastings of champagne and other wines are regularly held.

Keith was asked if he had brought along any champagne  for his audience to sample.

"As a matter of fact, there was some earlier," he replied. "And very nice it was, too."

The speaker is co-author with Mark Avery of  Behind The Binoculars (Pelagic Publishing)

* More Birdfair reports to follow