Grey heron standing in the shallow water of the marsh at Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Camargue, not only flamingos: wildlife photography at Pont de Gau

The Camargue is a land of contrasts: vast expanses of salt and water, white horses at the gallop and a sky that changes colour by the hour. But for lovers of wildlife photography, this region of southern France is above all an extraordinary bird sanctuary. The Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau, between Arles and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, is the privileged gateway to this world: paths through the marshes, well-positioned photography hides and a variety of species unmatched in Western Europe. The Camargue is not only a nature reserve: it also has the largest salt pans in Europe, where life struggles to exist.

The Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau: a paradise for birdwatching

Pont de Gau is not the classic zoo with aviaries: it is a park where the birds live in freedom and the trails are designed to get close to the animals without disturbing them. The numerous hides along the paths allow you to observe and photograph the species from close range, even without an extreme telephoto lens. The shallow water of the salt pans, the reedbeds and the islands of vegetation create different microhabitats, each frequented by different species. For birdwatching in the Camargue the best period runs from April to July, when nesting is in full swing and the morning light is ideal. I visited the park in mid-July: the number of subjects was impressive — there was not a single minute without something to frame.

Black-winged stilt with red legs searching for food in the mud of the salt pans in the Camargue

The species beyond the flamingos

The pink flamingos hold sway, but the true richness of Pont de Gau lies in the multiplicity of the other species. I photographed little egrets hunting in the shallows, grey herons motionless as statues, black-winged stilts (Himantopus himantopus) with their slender coral-coloured legs, elegant avocets with their upturned bills, moorhens among the rushes and black-headed gulls in their dark summer plumage. Every hide offered a different scene. The black-winged stilt, in particular, is one of the most photogenic subjects I have encountered: its elongated proportions and black-and-white contrast make it perfect for wildlife portraits against a clean background.

White stork with a red bill half-hidden among the lush vegetation at Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Little egret preening its plumage among the marsh vegetation at Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Bird with a dark summer head among the marsh vegetation along the banks of Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Little egret perched on interwoven dry branches in the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau

Pair of grey herons on the nest among the branches of a tree at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau

Grey heron with half-open wings on the nest among the branches of a tree at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau

Elegant avocets with upturned bills searching for food in the shallow water at Pont de Gau

Moorhen walking on the mud among the glasswort at Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Little egret fishing in the shallow water among the reedbeds at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Glossy ibis with dark plumage and a curved bill in the shallow water at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau

Two pink flamingos with crossed bills during a territorial confrontation in the marshes of the Camargue

The pink flamingos: the show-offs of the Camargue

Flamingos are the symbol animals of the Camargue, and at Pont de Gau they do not disappoint. Heedless of the human presence, they come close to the walkways, offering continuous photographic opportunities: they peck in the mud filtering out crustaceans, they squabble over territory beating their wings, they line up in almost choreographic geometries. Unlike many reserves where they stay hundreds of metres away, here the working distance is minimal and allows close-up compositions even with moderate focal lengths.

Pink flamingos in a line feeding in the glittering water at Pont de Gau with ducks in the background

Group of pink flamingos feeding with curved necks and reflections in the water of the Camargue

Group of pink flamingos fighting over territory in the water at Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Pink flamingos filtering food in the mud with intertwined necks at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau

Pink flamingo with spread wings feeding among the reedbeds at Pont de Gau in the Camargue

Pink flamingo in flight with open wings against the blue sky over the Camargue

Equipment: why the Olympus OM system is ideal for wildlife

For this reportage I used an Olympus (OM System) with the Zuiko 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO lens, which in the Micro Four Thirds format is equivalent to a 24-200mm on full frame: a compact, lightweight kit (under 1 kg), ideal for long walks without sacrificing quality. The advantage of Micro Four Thirds for wildlife photography is the 2x crop factor: a relatively short lens offers the reach of much longer and heavier focal lengths. The 12-100mm f/4 covers an extremely versatile range — from environmental landscape to close-up bird photography — and its stabilisation, combined with that of the camera body, allows handheld shooting at surprisingly long shutter speeds. For those who want to travel light without giving up professional quality, the OM system leaves nothing to envy in far bulkier and more expensive kits: the images in this gallery are the proof.