There Back
what a delight to see these masters of the skies are back and nesting in my house
its the sound of summer
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Pallid Swift |
At last a rewarding day Birding
Thursday the 27th of March
Early start and away and on the road by 7 o'clock and on route to Bonete and 1 hour 15 minutes later we were Birding, Calandra Lark was easy, and the odd Barn Swallow looped around, at El Bachilla, Good numbers of Rock Sparrow, also there a good number of Common Kestrels and also Lesser Kestrels, probably 13 + birds in the air at one time and close range. Squabbling over territory and the cracks in the farmhouse wall,
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hare |
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Northern Wheatear |
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Woodchat Shrike |
And Iberian Southern Grey Shrike, Stone Curlews, and Marsh Harriers, and during the day we saw lots probably (30+)
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Iberian Southern Grey Shrike |
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Marsh Harrier |
The plains of Corral Rubio and Petrola
Habitat
So after the recent bad weather, the seasonal pools are back but there is no way near the levels of 3 or 4 years ago, and they will dry up fast so if want to make the most of it and planning to go birding.
Go Soon.
Corn Bunting singing almost everywhere. Green Sandpipers, Kentish Plover, Red Shank, Greater Flamingos, Black-winged Stilts, Black-necked Grebe, Lapwing,
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Kentish Plover |
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Kentish Plover |
We stopped at the Estación for the little bustard but with no luck, we decided to make a quick dash for Yecla.
Which worked for us first bird seen was a Black Wheatear quickly followed by Black-eared Wheatear, a Blue Rock Thrush, another Woodchat Shrike, and a female Black-eared Wheatear, watched a Booted Eagles take out a baby Rabbit,
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Black-eared Wheatear |
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female Black-eared Wheatear |
a flock of 12 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse which I did initially dismissed as pigeons but as follow through the binoculars I was mistaken. A Red Kite popped up from nowhere and had a duel with Buzzard.
Clot De Galvany Santa Pola Salinas
Mainly Duck's at clot and we didn't venture far from the hides
Marbled Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwal, Ferruginous Duck, White-headed Duck, Red-knobbed Coot, Santa Pola Salinas Great White Egret, Sandwich Tern, 200 + Mediterranean Gulls, Slender Billed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Cetti's, Warbler, Grey Herons, Dunlin, Little Stint, Little-ringed Plover, Glossy Ibis, Reed Warblers,
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Marbled Duck |
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Black headed Gull |
Many thank to
Agha Verdits
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Little Owl I've Not Mentioned Ever Bird Seen |
Have fun make some news go birding
Cheers Bryan
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Penduline Tit |
A quick run around our local patch today
So we set off today at about 8:00
First stop there were lots of Greater Flamingos, lesser Black-backed Gulls lots of black winged Stilts, Ruff, Great white Egret, the odd Marsh Harrier,
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Greater Flamingo |
Great Crested Grebe, Cetti's Warblers were in good song,
El Pinnet.
About 150 Golden Plover, about a dozen Stone Curlew, and Grey Herons there were quite a few during the morning, things seemed to happening the once numerous Black Redstarts looked like they were thinning out and moving North, Cattle Egret, Little Egret with plumes, lots of little stuff Gold Finch, Serin, Greenfinch, Linnet all in song a sure sign things are moving, a few Tree Sparrow, at pallet Road, I've never understood why its called pallet road.
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Southern grey Shrike |
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Hoopoe's |
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Hoopoe |
Palm Farm Road and on route to San Felipe
More Marsh Harriers, Kestrels, a lovely male Black Redstart, at least 3 Booted Eagles, and Green Sandpiper's
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Black Redstart |
San Felipe
Waste of time it's more like a holiday park Camper Vans lots of people on electric bicycles a family or two and lots of children, having a picnic on the boardwalk under the canopy, people walking Dogs, what was there not much Red-knobbed Coot, European Snipe, Glossy Ibis, Purple Swamp Hen, Teal, Shoveler, Black-necked Grebe, Spoonbills,
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Black-necked Grebe |
The standout moment of the day was the Moustached Warbler, not just one but there were several singing from the reed bed on the route back and one bird showed well for a few seconds on and off, I must be getting slow with my big lens as I should have nailed it.
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Kestrel |
Clot de Galvany
Only went to old hide nothing on the water except little Grebe and Galdwall,
57 species for morning birding isn't bad,
I've not mentioned every bird seen
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Chiffchaff |
With migration just around the corner, it is time to get out there
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Having stretch |
I did manage to get to the Guadalentin Valley last week on arrive, got an engine warning so i headed back before something major happened
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Spanish Sparrow my only photo from the trip |
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Tonight's Moon |
Have fun
Monday 20th January
Nothing too much out of the ordinary its winter, but a nice selection of birds not bad for an hour.
Best bit 4 Ferruginous Duck probably the same birds from last year returning, they have been there a while now. White headed Duck now showing a blue bill spring is just around the corner.
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Ferruginous Duck |
The weather has been great mostly sunny with plenty of blue,
but cold at night. The coldest night was last week at -1 but during the day it's in the high 30s,
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Ferruginous Duck |
Lots of Teal, Red-knobbed Coot, Shoveler, Mallard, Common Pochard Gadwall, Little Owl, Southern Grey Shrike, Cetti's Warbler, Bluethroat, Robin, Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier, Long Tailed Tit, Little Bitten. Grag Martin, Stonechat, Linnet, Greenfinch, a few gulls probably yellow-legged, a few Black Headed, Audouin's Gulls.Cattle Egret.
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Cattle Egret. |
There's a problem at the Clot as there are many foxes at the clot I've seen 2 or possibly 3 individuals hunting I've also heard that at night they trying to shoot them. Also, I've met a Norwegian guy who told to me there are wild boars there and he was attacked by one.
The Eider Duck still Santa Pola Harbour.
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Eider Duck last month |
I caught a glimpse of the comet going over to the Western skies at sunset and also photos of the Moon recently and the snow on the Mountains
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Full Moon |
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Comet G3 |
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Snow |
Cheers