Day 50 and Out of Lockdown

Day 50 and

Out of lockdown

And so today I had my first walkout in 50 days and you can guess where I headed to for some birding, it been that long since I've been out birding my focus wheel on my bins had gone stiff.

So I set off about 8 o'clock not expecting to see much but it felt good to get out birding.

I've never been so pleased to see a Purple Heron drift by,  and in one binocular view I had almost all the Herons, Grey, Purple, Squacco, Night, little Bitten, little Egret, and Cattle Egret, 

Bee-eaters flew overhead with a good number of Pallid Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, and Barn Swallow, on the water Marbled Duck, Red-crested Pochard  

White-headed Duck, Pochard, Whiskered Tern, Purple swamp Hen, Mallard Duck, quite a few male summer Little Grebe a single Common Sandpiper.

Great reed Warblers cracking off here and there, as well as Nightingales in full song, and Water Rails squealing away, surprise bird was at least 5 Bonellis Warblers doing their little rattley contact song, moving through to higher ground no doubt, and 2 Melodious Warblers singing there heads off.

Also seen 5 Woodchat Shrike, Iberian green Woodpecker, 1 Turtle Dove, Stone Curlew, 20 Mediterranean Gulls,

Small birds seen.

Linnet, Serin, Green Finch, Gold Finch,  Sardinian Warblers, Fan-tailed Warbler, Crested Lark, 

Having not been out it looks like everybody got the same idea and are getting out, joggers, cyclists, dog walker, etc, 

Anyway nice to get out and see some birds,

Next time I'll have the camera with me.

Cheers Bryan

Day 26 Lockdown

Day 26

Well here we are 8th April and it looks like we could wipe out all of April, and maybe most of  May before we get out of self-isolation.

I am still amazed at how people in the UK are still ignoring the advice

Some families are still going on holidays with the kids as the kids are not in schools ? Madness

In London i am seeing packed train people not staying 2 meters distant between each other,

Come on wake up  UK

Has Boris Johnson got it Wrong for UK

Day 10
Lockdown
I feel safer here in Spain than UK

Good morning everyone

THE MADNESS

I'm getting fed up with the UK's Dither and Delay

It is unbelievable,  to watch the UK Sleepwalking into the biggest crisis ever.  I don't understand the UK's stance of voluntary distancing it is clearly not working.  What the UK government needs to do is lockdown and do it now.  Boris Johnson, the UK government and advisors should have implemented a nationwide lockdown quite a few days ago.

The Dither and Delay is Unbelievable.

Mothers Day
Que For Snowdonia 

Watching the TV, I keep asking my self why oh why there's no proper lockdown.
It' will cost lives?

More Dither and Delay

Boris, you've got it Wrong your to hesitant 

Get a grip! Your dreams of being another Winston Churchill has gone up in smoke.

Richmond park yesterday

 Dithering will cost lives.  It might well come back and bite Borris in the Ass, it may even cost him his job? For the Dither and Delay.

So common sense should be applied
Although common sense is not that common
Lockdown now

And @ Alicante Airport click the link below

 Support For the Spanish Health Service Alicante Airport Spain

Cheers
 BT

If Your Going Through Hell Keep Going

Day 7
lockdown

The shocking centre of the COVID 19 Crisis

I've not been far today just a trip to the bins, I was a bit shocked by the above filming but also from the comments of Reporter and the Doctors,

What the reporter said, was that all you can hear is the sound of ambulance sirens all day and night taking people to the hospital!

Here's a Facebook link from last night of police and others from Madrid showing support for the hospital workers.

Click and the link below into you browser to view 

Police and Ambulance services show of support in Madrid

 UK Now's followed the rest of Europe in shutting down and not before time, Boris Johnson should have done it a week ago?

Have fun

Bill Gate predicted this pandemic in 2015

Day 6

Lockdown 

Interesting prediction 

2015

Bill Gates

Recession Looms Day 5

Torrevieja

Last night the Army moved in, the local police are stopping cars and fine them if more the one person is on board without good cause!
And if I am reading the signals right we are heading headfirst for the worst economic world recession we ever had. At our local Lide supermarket they are not taking coins and paper money as payment? This might be gossip but it did come from a mate.

British Tourist have been order to return to the UK by March 24th.

There's some gossip the our lockdown may continue for longer than the initial  15 Day period??

Funny video above press play to view

Have fun

Cheers BT

Tuesday day 4 lockdown

Day 4 lockdown

Well only day 4 and confined to barracks, trying to keep busy and doing all those shity little jobs that I've kept postponing to do for ages,  I've sneaked out to check the pools and gardens that I look after for my clients. Not seen anybody on my rounds. It's completely dead of people.

but mindful of the police are going around and hand out fines, yesterday 199 people fined for not being out with good cause! There's no panic buying after the initial surge and people are now acting responsibly, plenty of food in the Supermarket.

It looks very likely were in for the long haul. 

I think I can do 15 days no problem and keep busy for that amount of time, but  to fill up for another 15 days might be a problem, which there predicting or longer might be a problem 

I thought back over the New year that the images of all those Chinese JCB preparing to build Hospitals in 7 seven day it was only going to get worse 

But I never though it would come this bad to Spain, Italy, and UK

And here we are only 3 / 4 months since first outbreak

In big trouble

No birds to report

Cheers Bryan 

Lock Down

Lock Down

Well, I made it back to Spain on Saturday. The Rugby was cancelled, why oh why didn't WRU  cancel some days before???

 All the Scotts had already travelled to Cardiff???  Bus's had already arrived Full of our Celtic Mates. The Bar, Pubs and Hotels in Cardiff were full with the welsh and Scotts fans enjoying themselves.  So what did it achieve Cancelling the game as all the supporters were in Cardiff anyway.

A Right Cock up.

Thanks, WRU.

  Since the lockdown in Spain, nobody's able to get in or out, more or less you can't go anywhere, just to the Supermarkets, walk the dog, (I don't have one) go to the Rubbish bins. Or Doctors or Farmacia.

GRAN ALACANT  is like a ghost town and with everything shut down.   The police are enforcing strict movement ( and are handing out fines for people not obeying the rules ) It looks like no birding for months, except for what I hear or flies over's close to my casa.

Latest news it looks it could be August before it levels out? Oh my God, ITS now the UK's TURN TO BE LOCKDOWN. GET PREPARED it's not nice, Italy is in the front line and they have been warning of what's to come for us in Spain and. the UK.

With 250.000 UK Deaths Predicted, IT getting Scary.

GOOD LUCK 

EVERYBODY
BT

No Bins Bird Club

Well it's been an odd few weeks since the New Year, it now looks like there could be a pandemic, on the way.  "Hopefully not"  I've not been birding much and to tell you the truth I've only really been birding the Clot De Galvany and with nothing very much out of the ordinary to report, I thought it's not worth the time and effort to write up.  As i didn't want to report no news.  John Edwards and I did manage a morning's local birding and the highlight was the Greater spotted Eagle and a singing  Iberian Chiffchaff which was good.

Great spotted Eagle

Some things of note at the Clot there was a Ferruginous duck that was very distant but that was a few weeks ago.

Last week at the clot, 1st of March there was a few Swallows, Sand Martin, House Martins, and Red-rumped Swallows and a very nice Garganey which disappeared into the reed not to be seen again?

The No Bins Bird Club has been hit with some ill health not surprising as we are all getting on a bit, but happy to report were all on the mend, and are now ready to go Birding and make the news.

This week my Birding buddy Trevor arrived and was in need of a birding fix.

Sunday 8th March

Santa Pola Salinas

Nothing mega to report, but some nice birds to be seen, an Ospery flypast with fish in talons was nice, plenty of Black-tailed godwits mostly in summer plumage. Good numbers of Ruff,  about 12  Widgeon, 2 Penduline Tits was a surprise find.  Also Yellow wagtails, and Blue Throats. Quite a few Mediterranean Gulls in full summer plumage. The final tally for our 5 hours was 58 species.

 Blue Throat

Montnegre

Our target for today was the very elusive Trumpeter Finch, last time we visited Montnegre was late September and we didn't connect with these star birds and it led me to believe at that time they were just a summer visitor to this area, and today Monday 9th March we heard a few calling, then I flush 2 birds which flew away, shortly after,  2 more birds arrived from a different direction, which makes me now think that they are very probably,  a resident in this area. Although scarce in numbers. An obliging Red-legged Partridge showed well

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

Some great overhead views of Chough, a few Blue Rock Thrush and Black wheatear, Rock Sparrow, Peregrine Falcon, and a probably Tree Pipit, which I'll need to check the photos. Crested, Great, and Long-tailed Tit was seen, also Short-toed Treecreeper and Griffon Vultures.

Yecla
Tuesday 10th
It's not a big list,
but it's not about the numbers, it's about quality and also the views you get?
And so today we were a little late arriving due to the major road works and rerouting of the main road and a missed turning twice,
Star Bird of the day was a Golden Eagle x two with good views,

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle Mobbed by Buzzard

 Calandra Lark, Crested, Thekla's Lark, Rock Sparrow, Tree Sparrow,

Calandra Lark

Thekla's Lark
not 100 percent on this bird?

Thekla's Lark

  Lesser Kestrels around the breeding Barn, Stone Curlew, Raven, Little Owl, Sand Grouse heard in different locations but no views.

San Felipe
Wednesday 11th

Little-ringed Plover

Red-knobbed Coot

Marbled Duck around about 30+ birds, Teal, Snipe, Little-ringed Plovers.

Marbled Duck

Teal

 Red-knobbed Coot, Water Pipit, loads of Fantail warblers, and a explosion of white Wagtails.

White Wagtail

Water Pipit

  Penduline Tits, Cettis Warbler, a few Barn Swallows, Black-necked Grebe.

And later at
  Sante Agueda

 Great spotted Eagle

The Great spotted Eagle put in a prolonged appearance, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle,  2 Blue Throat, Little Ringed Plover, Water Pipits, Black Cap, and so we finished up about 12 o clock

Rock Dove

And that's was the end of Trevor's birding visit. Tomorrow I'm off to the UK to watch Rugby in Cardiff, fingers crossed.

 I can't stop thinking what's going on in Wuhan and Italy with the covid 19 virus
Hopefully, our politicians have been listening to the news? I've got a funny feeling this is going to turn very nasty over the coming 6 to 9 months or even longer watch out?

Everybody

Have fun

Cheers BT

The Good The Bad and the Ugly Site Review

Trevor's back 

So we're birding

For this review, I'm going to highlight the places/areas that we've been too, and not getting into a list of birds seen over last week or so, but more importantly is it's worth the time and effort involved in getting there.
And are there any birds?

I'm going to include some photo taken from this week at the sites mentioned and also a few photos taken from my catalogue from previous visits to show the potential.

Santa Pola Salinas

Spoonbill
2018

Always worth a look, you can never overlook this place and the surrounding areas.  It's not the easiest place for parking and getting off and back on the road.

 But you can build a big list. If you spend time there going through the birds, best bring a telescope as it a big area of water.

Definitely worth a look.

San Pedro

It can be good,  lots of water. In the past had some really good birds.

Wilson's Phalarope
2018

 This week's visit,  Black-tailed godwits, Spotted Redshank, Dulin, Ruff,  Little Stint,  Grey Wagtails,  Kingfishers,  M Pipits, W Pipits,  Grey Plovers on the beach, and plenty more resident birds, as you'd expected for a winter visit.

Definitely worth a look you never know?

Montnegre

It was very disappointing in fact it was crap. Only thing to report was 13 Griffon Vultures despite a thorough going over.

In the winter nothing much goes on here birds wise. Its like the
Land time forgot. But I do like to check it out,  just in case.

A very beautiful place, but never the less, spend your time somewhere else if time is precious.
 But a must-see-visit place in the spring and summer for Trumpeter Finch.

Trumpeter Finch
from this summer
2019

Sierra Espuña

Hawfinch
 2018

Siskin
I thought this was a Serin when I photographed it but NO
 Picnic area
2019

All though Sierra Espuña has been taken off the itinerary on some webs site and guides books to visit. I believe it's a very big mistake not to go there, as this area does have its moments. its about an hour and a half drive + to get there from Santa Pola.
It's a great place to bird with plenty of options.

Great-spotted Woodpecker

record snap 2019

Ring Ouzel

2019

On this visit Great-spotted Woodpecker, Ring Ouzel,  Firecrest, all the Tits, and Crossbill, Siskin, Dartford Warbler,  Cirl Bunting, Treecreeper, Jay and more.

Golden Eagle
Sierra Espuña 2018

 There is one area near a Restaurant and picnic area which has a mixture of different types of trees,  Fig, Almond, Olive, Pomegranate which acts as a magnet for many birds.

Crested Tit
 Picnic Area 2019

As it's mostly pine forest everywhere else.
 There is also a small water fountain which attracts birds, and its worth waiting there, using the car as a hide, give it some time and see what drops in for a drink?
Definitely worth the effort going there but avoid the weekends.

Firecrest
At the water fountain
2019


Yecla
This has been one of our favourite places to go for years and can be brilliant with a big species list for this small valley. Good birds seen there have been Rock Thrush,  Lesser Kestrel
Golden Eagles, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Golden Orioles, Red Kites, all the resident Larks, both Sand Grouse, Bustards, Black-eared Wheatear and loads more.

Rock Thrush
2018

And after me, Building Yecla up, as a place to visit was probably the worst its ever been,  maybe because it was cold and windy conditions with light rain.
With nothing moving at all.  And after 6 hours on-site, The highlight of the day was around 600+ Calandra Lark and Sand Grouse calling,  that was the best of it.

It is worth going there? A definite Yes despite it failing so very badly this time.
Yecla normally repays you for your effort.

Sierra Escalona

This place had fallen out of favour in recent times, as it was the place to go and
see a distant Eagle Owl perched on a tree.  The tree has now disappeared and so has the Eagle Owl. The ridge which runs along for miles can have Golden Eagle and other raptors soaring along its ridge but not on this visit.
  There is a circular route around through Cabezo Dela Plata which looks perfect for something to turn up?  The reality is, its crap,  nothing going on anywhere.  I've seen a few high up Golden Eagles and Chough going through this mountain range on previous trips but that about it.
It's not somewhere I would recommend,  its a long trip out, and so much further away than you think and no reward for effort. Thumb down for this place
Recommend to give it a miss
crap


Bonete. Higueruela, Corral Rubio and Laguna Salada de Pétrola.

These areas have more or less given us a big returned for our efforts, With the exception of Petrola lake, it's not performed well for the last few years maybe it's the water quality? I've commented about this before on my blog?

 Getting there and the distance involved is major. Is it worth it? Yes.  If you want little Bustard and Greater Bustard it the best place to go too and has the potential to turn up anything.
  miss out Petrola lake for now and spend time searching elsewhere.

Lots of birds can be seen all the year-round.  In spring the
the seasonal lake can be amazing for waders, but timing is most important.  Most birders are happy to connect with the Bustards,  Great Bustard is easy to see, I've only once not connect with these birds.
little Bustard are a little harder as much depends on the height of the crops, and time of year.

Hen Harrier
record shot 2019

To days visit almost first bird out of the box was a lovely Male Hen Harrier, followed by a total of 15 little Bustards and shortly after 25+ Great Bustard.  It was good around here with lots of different birds.  I asked Trevor if we stayed longer in this area what else do you think we would see?
So we both agreed to leave. And give Yecla the benefit of the doubt, and travel 54 kilometres down the road.
  Fingers cross hopefully we've made the right choice.

45 minutes later we're birding Yecla.  Thousands of Calandra Larks and good numbers of Sky Lark,  when Trevor called Great Bustard its the biggest group of flying Great Bustard I've ever seen maybe 60 to 80 birds "impressive" and close.

   Great Bustard
Just a quarter of what was flying

Then the birding moment happened from absolutely nowhere a Spanish Imperial Eagle appeared, "it was close"  I couldn't get my words out so i blurted out some bad language which ended in Eagle.

Spanish Imperial Eagle

My instinct is to get the photo so that's what I was up to, clicking away when all of a sudden,

Spanish Imperial Eagle

 Trevor called "F***ing hell"  more bad language followed ending in shit there's 2 of them?  I know It's hard to believe but it was joined by a third bird. All Spanish imperial Eagle.

The proof

3rd Spanish imperial Eagle
Yecla smashed  IT

And in the same moment, the sound of Sand Grouse filled the air,  I looked behind and watched 50+ Pin-tailed Sandgrouse land in the field. maybe It was because of the Eagles?

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

 Trevor continued to follow the Imperial Eagles over the mountain ridge till they disappeared.

Spanish imperial Eagle

Not having any Werthers sweets, to celebrate this major birding moment we had to make do with Christmas mince pie.

So Yecla paid off big time, it's not the first time we seen Spanish imperial Eagle at Yecla but to calm 3 is absolutely mind boggling and crazy.  Glad I've got the photos to back it up.



Have fun
Cheers BT