Corral Rubio Bonete, Petrola

Thursday 10th March

The forecast was good for the visit to the plains of Corral Rubio Bonete, Petrola,

We've only missed Great Bustard once in all the years that we've been coming up here since 2002 and that was in the high heat of August, when they spend a lot of time hidden away under the olive trees groves, but today we came close to drawing a Blank and with only one Great Bustard seen during the day, I have no idea where the rest are hiding, as we covered all the know favourite areas and we did the miles.

Little ringed Plover

We did cock up twice in quick succession,  we had 2 encounters at close range with Black bellied Sandgrouse a group of 6 and the an 8 which took flight after a few moments and no chance for a photo, also a single Pin tailed Sandgrouse seen, 

Marsh Harrier

5 Greylag Geese showed distantly on lagoon of Corral Rubio which was a good find as we don't get to see Geese very often on the eastern side of Spain, other bird seen Black necked and little Grebe, White headed Duck, Gadwall, Pochard, Shoveler, Teal, Shell Duck, shed loads of Marsh Harriers, Buzzard's and Kestrel. Calandra lark and Sky Lark and the odd Black Redstart.

 Greylag Geese

Corn Bunting, everywhere and sounding off.  Waders seen LRP, Wood Sandpipers, Green Sandpipers, Snipe,Avocet, lots of Lapwing, Black tailed Godwit, 21 Ruff including 6 Revee the odd mounting Water Pipit and Black headed Gull.

 Black Restart

Lagunas de Petrola.

On the great lake?  was completely devoid of any birds normally there are good numbers of Greater Flamingo there, and other Waders, Grebes and Duck,  But not a single bird? mind blowing?

Green Sandpiper

Of interest

 after our resent soaking around the Costa's we were expecting the water levels in the seasonal lakes to be high around Corral Ruibo, Bonete, and the tracks across the plains to be muddy but not so, it already looks like these lakes will dry out well before the summer. As it look like they've not had the heavy rain the coastal areas received. 

Marsh Harrier

So with the exception of the Ruff and displaying Calandra Lark (some male ruff in breading plumage) there was little sign of bird migration, the only sign of spring was lots of speckled White butterfly and Clouded Yellow, compared to the coast areas where Barn Swallow are back, and Black Restarts are move through

have a great day

Cheers Bryan