Mark Etheridge (legend)

 A Tribute 

Mark Etheridge 

Photographer: Birder: Friend:

I recently had some upsetting and sad news my Birding Mate, Mark Etheridge had lost his battle with Cancer.

To say how gutted I feel is an understatement.

Mark was a very keen Birder, but also a fantastic Photographer and Writer, producing many monthly articles for our local Spanish GA Magazine. (What's in the Clot) Mark was up there with the Greats, he's gonna be such a big loss to our birding community.

I hope his wife Joyce will in time find time to heal.

Mark Etheridge

Remembering.

I will always remember this time and only recently when a Male Golden Oriole was right in front of us.

Golden Oriole has to be one the most difficult birds to see, let alone photograph, to say the least.

(the last year 2022 spring at Benejúzar )

 Our Golden Oriole was only a few meters away, perched, on an open branch, and Mark was squirming with delight in the back seat,  I had to tell him to calm down and stop jumping around, stop pointing, and to be quiet, he was so excited, to say the least. 

Hundreds of photographs later and the Male Golden Oriole was done, and this was our moment, and now with hindsight, and looking back, it's not the bird I remember, but how Mark was in ecstasy and getting his dream photos. Now it just puts a smile on my face, when I think of him jumping around, in the back seat. If you add up all of those very special moments in time, it doesn't add up to much, maybe only seconds but how lucky and privileged I was to be part of it and share some of those crazy moments we shared.

Golden Oriole

I'm gonna miss this guy. 

There were other funny times, we turn up to photograph Red-necked Nightjars (Night time Photography) and we both forgot our SD memory cards for the camera's doh! And that night the Red-necked Nightjars were all around us.

 Unbelievable.

Red-necked Nightjar from another session

Another time Mark forgot his Binoculars and this is the reason why our fictitious bird club (NBBC) No Bin's Bird Club. was formed.

Mark was nominated as the Grand Poobah (president) of our small but elite members of the NBBC. And it wasn't the first time he'd forgotten his bins and to be honest his camera was his most important item for him.

Nice guy, a decent birder and a Top Photographer.

R.I.P

Mark in the field looking for Rollers 2017
{legend}

We're all gonna miss him and knowing Mark

 he's probably up there taking photos of angel's 

Lots of love and peace 

to Joyce 

The plains of Petrola, Yecla and the Mountains of Alicante.

 

I spent a nice couple of days birding with Daniel Newton from Northern Ireland

With a few big target birds on his list.

Black-eared Wheatear

Monday 1st May

So an early start and we set off for the plains of Petrola, the target bird for today was Great Bustard. I was a bit concerned as thought the seasonal lakes would be dried up several months ago, and it turned out to be true, no water in any seasonal lakes except Petrola which was more swamp-like and smelling and  Laguna del Salobralejo which was buzzing with birds

Big bird list for the day

85 Species

Great Bustard took a little time to find, but in the end, we had fantastic views of these plains wanderers,

Corn Bunting 

Other highlights were Black Kite, Black Tern, hundreds of Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Golden Orioles, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Thekla Lark, Calandra Lark, Greater short-toed Lark, Sky Lark, Crested Lark, 10 + Wood sandpipers, loads of Yellow Wagtails, Whinchats, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, lesser Kestrel, Woodchat Shrike, Black wheatear, Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear. And so much more.

Yellow Wagtail

Greater short-toed Lark

I've not mentioned every bird seen just the highlights 

Whinchat

.,,

Mr and Mrs Whinchat

Tuesday 2nd May

Montnegra and Maigmo Mountain

Day Two

65 Species 

Crested Tit

Golden Oriole spoilt by heat haze

One of the must-see birds were the Trumpeter Finch which we found easily,  Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Black Eared Wheatear, Nightingale, Melodious Warbler, Rock Sparrow, Raven, Rock Bunting, Short-toed Treecreeper and Crested Tit. Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chough, Jay Woodchat Shrikes, Roller, Bee-eaters,  and loads more

Thekla Lark

So a very successful few days and all the target birds were fulfilled.

Calandra Lark

 nice to meet Daniel and hopefully and at some point we'll go birding again

Melodious Warbler

Black-eared Wheatear 

Thekla Crossbill?

Never thought I'd find a new bird for Spain

But the proof there above?

Just joking 

                                   

Have fun go birding

Blue Rock Thush 

Cheers bryan

On the trail of Trumpeter Finch (Montnegra)

 

Good Morning everybody.

Just an update on the Trumpeter Finch, well they're back. And we now know they've never gone far away, recent information has indicated they've just dispersed after breading, and are not frequenting the usual breeding sites. There has been sightings up until December of 2022.

And so on 14th March 2023, we observed only 2 birds 1 male, and 1 female we didn't spend too much time at one if the favorite sites, probably less than an hour or so, but they're back!

Other birds seen in the Valley we're Rock Sparrows, Rock Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Crag Martins, Barn swallows. 

heard in several areas Spectacled Warblers, and Crested Tit.

Not a big list but well worth the effort.

The mountains were in full glory today nice temperatures and a clear blue sky 

Where too next week let's see what happens

?

Cheers Bryan 

Sierra Espuña (1 586mt/5 203ft )

Sierra  Espuña

An interesting day in more ways than one, and thrown in the mix a few good birds. The main purpose was to see some of the Wintering Thrushes which was easy.

Frosty Pines

We went straight to the top of Sierra Espuña 1 586 meters up and arrived early,  as we travel up the temperature plunged, it was only 2 degrees in the sun, and much colder in the shadows there was a light snow covering and a heavy frost, I was well prepared for the cold but the coldness still got to me but having said that if you could catch some sun it felt good.

 Frosted view from the Mirador about half way up

It was amazing to see all the pine trees covered in frost and just like a Christmas card from Currier and Ives. As the sun broke over the mountains it caused a thaw throughout the pine forest, it started as a dip but soon sounded like a stream

Pine Frost

Ice Caves

Perfect Start

About 70 Mouflons were on the Plato by the Ice Caves, unbelievable they've still not completed the restoration work on the ice Caves with one still in progress,

 Mouflon

 Heard of Mouflon

 

 I managed to flush a few Ring ouzels, but they were easily disturbed, 

Ring Ouzel

On the Plato there was a small flock of Chaff Finch feeding on the ground and were joined by a small gathering of Cirl Buntings,( also known as Butterscotch Humbugs ) which were flighty, to say the least, one male refused to come from behind a thistle plant and I fail to get a clear photo If i only had a few more inches ( I've heard that before somewhere ) and the photo would have been in the can? But alas not today? There were at least 10 Cirl Buntings in that area and mobile.

Cirl Bunting

Cirl Bunting

Other Birds seen on the Mountain

Ring Ouzel, Redwing, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Jay, Crossbill, Siskin, Black Redstart, Robin, Crested, Coal, Long Tailed, Great, Tits, Rock Bunting, Raven. Kestrel, Iberian Red Squirrel, So not a bad list and some good views, first breakfast was looming and enough was enough, and headed down to.

Redwing

Iberian Red Squirrel

Ring Ouzel

Guadalentin Valley  

What a difference in temperature it was 26 degrees and I was peeling off several layers of clothing to cool down

Booted Eagle, Buzzards, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, probable Golden Eagle but by the time the Heath Robinson tripod got to stand up the moment has passed! Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpipers, LRP, Iberian Green woodpeckers, lots of the little stuff like Linnet, Gold Finch, Meadow Pipits, Serin, and Southern Grey Shrike.

Green Sandpiper

I've not mentioned every bird seen.

Have a great day 

Cheers Bryan

After a quick run around Santa Pola Salinas, lower La Marina, and Clot de Galvany, the cold bitter northerly wind didn't help matters our first stop didn't produce much with just a single Mediterranean Gull, it can only get better.

At the Salt tower 

A nice Grey plover showers well and Spoonbills pasted by and landed out of sight, Sandwich Terns were fishing and Slender-billed Gulls were on the water. Also saw Great white Egret, and a distant Marsh Harrier to be honest it was quiet, and not much moving and very little on the water

Grey plover

El Pinet

Was better with about 40 Black Tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, Green, and Redshank's little Stint, we moved on to lower La Marina, the big news about this area is that huge areas of scrub have been cleared and being prepared for planting it's a big loss of habitat and will surely have an impact for birds? And at the abandoned Monastery there was a group of Tree Sparrow, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Meadow Pipits, Little Owl,

Clot de Galvany

No sign of the Garganey which was present on the 17th but everything else is as it was see my previous blog for details

One Garganey don't make a spring

Hey apologies for not updating the blog recently, I've not been to well, and not bothered or inspired do anything.

But happily to report things are now fine. On a recent visit to Alacant around  the harbour there we're at least 3 Razor Bills and surprise of the day a Caspian Tern bombing around, the fantastic around  the World Yacht race exhibition which was totally amazing, and if it happens again I would recommend everyone to go. It's my second visit and it get better every year.

Today

And so today Trish and I went for a walk, and yet another 10.000+ steps and ended up at the Clot de Galvany 

 Pochard,

 Shoveler.

Much as expected all the usual of Wintering Duck, Shoveler. Red Crested Pochard, Pochard, White headed Duck, Teal. Marbled  Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Grey Wagtails, Crag Martin, Marsh Harriers, Cliffs, Cettis, Linnets with the red flush on there chest, Black necked Grebe, little Grebe, Cormorant, 

Loads of Black headed Gull and Yellow Legged .

Teal.

I said to Trish that what I really miss the most ( Isles of Scilly) is finding or seeing a good bird,  it's so difficult to find something out of the ordinary here in Costa Blanca and many hour have been spent searching?

Back to the Clot

 I said Trish one last scan and we're off, after scanning the Ducks and Gulls back forth again  and one duck popped out of the Reeds, a magnificent Summer plumage Garganey with that conspicuous eye strip

Garganey

Not a mega but it's only the 17th of January so things are moving and considering the fare weather over all of Southern Europe,  I'm not to surprised birds are on the move.

Directions 

From the new hide over looking the big water if you used the clock system I would say 10 or 11 o clock looking  to the left  most of the ducks are taken shelter from the wind on the left?

Good luck have fun

get out make some news

Cheers Bryan 

Car Thieves Are Back ?

 Be on your guard 

I've received information that Car Thieves are active again in and around our favorite Birding Venues, so please Don't leave any valuables in the car on sight or in the Car Boot, and to be on the safe side don't ever leave the vehicle out of sight. 

I've been robbed some years ago, luckily they only got my Banana sandwiches and my denim jeans, these TW..TS will take anything and damage the car.

And from the same reliable source at Vistabella Road a Black Stork and a Spotted Eagle two good bird's

Petrola, Mountains, San Felipe Clot de Galvaney .

Winters here?

A few mornings out and a day trip to Petrola -Yecla.

Santa Pola Salinas to San Felipe, a grey overcast day with drizzle, birds seen 10 + Great White Egret, about 20 distant Spoonbill, several Marsh Harriers, lots of Avocet, Bluethroat, big rafts of Great Crested Grebe, Audouin's Gull,  Slender Billed Gull, Sandwich Term, Cettis Warbler, Meadow Pipits, 

Marsh Harrier

El Pinet 

Little Owl

Not for the first time.

 Was completely lifeless, and lower Marine wasn't much better, a few Little Owls, Dartford Warbler, Hoopoe, Black Redstart, Common Buzzard, and Booted Eagle.

 Hoopoe

On route good views but brief of Spotted Eagle 

San Felipe

Red knobbed Coot

Water Pipits, European Snipe, Kestrel, Bluethroat, Chiffs, lots of Purple Swamp Hen, Glossy Ibis, Red knobbed Coot, Red Crested Pochard, Teal. Heard only Penduline Tit, Water Rail.

Purple Swamp Hen

Detour to Clot de Galvaney

I'd heard that the Little Crake had been seen again, but after an hour or so, I'd had lost the will to live, also there Common Pochard, Marbled Duck, Black-necked Grebe, Gadwall, Kingfisher, Long Tailed Tits, Marsh Harrier.

Petrola Area

Early Start and birding by 8.45 

It was as you'd expect cold grey and windy, not the best condition's for Birding, but undeterred we carried on a Golden Eagle fly past,  5 Common Cranes, Great Bustards these were not easy and took some effort to find. Thousands of Calandra Lark, a few Sky Lark, Corn Bunting, Mistle Thrush, Lapwing, Dunlin, and big flocks of Rock Doves.

Common Crane

Great Bustards

The seasonal lakes have all dried out after the incredible heat of this summer and only the first signs of them filling up again after the recent heavy rains. And this is probably the main reason why the Great Bustards have moved off/ away. To where I've not a clue.

I've mentioned before that Petrola hasn't been at its best for a few years, this visit hit rock bottom, the only birds on the water were a few Greater Flamingos and that was it.

 Around the water edges was a white foam that was roughly 10 meters wide and a few centimeters deep and completely covered the causeway,  it looked like snow blowing around in the strong wing. Not so good for birding!

white foam

From google an explanation of why?

The foam often appears during and after windstorms along the shoreline. the deep foam piles don't appear at fresh-water lakes, leading many to believe that the foam is said formation of foam is caused by surfactants, organic compounds similar to soap.

white foam

We cut our losses and headed to Yecla I thought it couldn't get any worse. Wrong. It was completely dead all that was seen was Black Redstart, Thekla's Lark, Crested Lark, and Black Wheatear,  heard only Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, we also bumped into Costa Blanca Bird Club at the same venue struggling in the high winds. But I think they had better luck than us.

Kestrel

Mountains 

It was blowing a gale, to say the least.

Blue Rock Thrush, Griffon Vulture, Chough, Short-toed Treecreeper, Crested Tit. Coal Tit, Crag Martin, Chaffinch,

Not the best birding days I've ever had but among the sighting, there were some good birds.

Go birding and make some news

 Cheers Bryan 

A very grey overcast day and not too many birds, and not much flying, but on todays list some birds that's worthy of a mention.

So John and I went to our furthest point (San Felipe) and Birded back to GA. Through the back roads and tracks and trails.

3 or 4 Spoonbill, 5 Bluethroat. A few Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Penduline Tit, 4/5 Kingfishers, there seem to been an arrival of Stone Chat and today we must of seen 20 + and a similar number of Southern Grey Shrike. The usual Marsh Harrier's showed up, and only 1 distant Booted Eagle, also a lone Common Kestrel.  An Iberian Green Woodpecker sat up on a post for a little while which was okay.

The usual suspects like Marbled Teal, Red knobbed Coot, big numbers of Little Egret, and Glossy Ibis and a large commotion of Common Coot, at San Felipe 

San Felipe is now drained of water and there's plenty of mud so a decent wader should turn up? at some point, I was hoping for a Spotted Crake or Jack Snipe, but not today.

And after quite a few miles, it was slow, to say the least,  saving grace was a Blue Rock Thrush across the road from the Monastery (La Marina) in a dead tree. And at El Pinet the best bit was the Tea and some Mcvities Biscuits  with only some distant views of Stone Curlew. It was porbably the quietest its ever been.

So no Swallow's today untill I got home when I watched a a load of  Common Swallow's heading south?

Plain Tiger butterfly, Scarce Swallow tailed seen.

And so a slow day for birds. Oh how I wish this October I was Birding on the Isles of Scilly, first for England's  Blackburnian Warbler,  found by my old mate John Judge, Pectoral Pipit, Red eyed Vireo, by Spider, ect and the morale of the story is effort, John Judge has Birded Bryher probably, for the last 25 years + in October, with little or no return  and the same for my other mate Higgo (legend) who only birds Bryher. all you need is the self belief that one day dreams can comes true.

Blackburnian Warbler
Bryher, Isles of Scilly.

I should take a leaf out of there book and believe that one day. John and I will get lucky? Fingers crossed?

It's a mega of megas so well done John Judge

Happy days

Cheers Bryan 

Three Amigos go Birding

Not expecting too much today, and with heavy localised rain forecast, surprisingly it turn out to be okay. And only a little spirkle of rain.

Nothing seen out of the ordinary today, and it's what you would expect for the time of year. The route was our normal one, across the Salinas then El Pinet,  and then inland via Lower La Marina, then to Vista bella road, and the back tracks to Santa Aguada. 

Santa Pola Salinas

Gadwall+10 a few Great White Egret, fly over Spoonbills, Whiskered Tern, lots of Sandwich Tern, Gulls seen Slender billed, Black headed, Medertranean Gull, Cettis Warble, they seemed too had a good breading  season as the we're calling from lots of places. and all the resedent usual suspects.

El Pinet

Greenshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover. little Stint, 20 +Stone Curlew, lots of Grey Heron, and throughout the day 8+ Southern Grey Shrike, and good numbers of Stone Chat, Barn Swallow's still hanging on.

Lower La Marina

Lots of Wood Pigeon, and lots Collard Dove, good numbers of European Starling, little Owl, Tree Sparrow, Blackcap, odd Kestrel. Including a luistic type Common Kestrel.

Road and tracks too Santa Aguada

  Booted Eagle, 5 and a double fingers for Marsh Harrier.

We we're hoping for a flooded field and the gods above smiled on us, and at the last chance salloon it happened, and for some crazy reasons we seem to leave the best for last, why can't we just skip to the good bits instead of chugging around?

In the flood field

200+ Glossy Ibis, probably the same in Cattle Egret, and in the field 14 Ruff including 6 Reeves, 10 + Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers a scattering of Linnet and Gold finch seen throughout the day.

A Nice Birding  morning and good to get out of the mountains and see some different birds.

Not many photos today but will post tomorrow

Have a great day.

Not mention every bird seen

Thanks to John and Michelle