Lightning does strike twice

We planned to do our normal route we do this route often, as it's good indication of what's going on in the area?

Unfinished Business 

 The Great Spotted Eagle's favourite perch is where we decided to go and get some photos that I didn't take a week or so ago, more of that later.

And so our route across Santa Pola Salinas  produced a very nice Peregrine Falcon, 6+ Great White Egret, an amazing count of Widgeon 75+ a canteen of Spoonbills, 24+ a scattering of different Waders including Dunlin, Little Stint, Redshank, Turnstone etc,

 Turnstone

 at one of the Gull roost's there were good number Slender Bill, Black-headed, and Audouin's, Thousands of Greater Flamingo, hundreds of Avocet.

 Widgeon 

We headed inland to the Spotted Eagle Tree,  heading down the track and Bingo lightning does strike twice!   The bird was there, in the same tree, same branch, this time I took some record photos, terrible lighting almost straight into the sun but I think you get an idea of the size, and shape, still a way off but better and closer than going into El Hondo on a Saturday its a no brainer.

Spotted Eagle

Spotted Eagle

 Definitely a Werther's moment ?

but sadly no Werther's moments to suck on, so we had to make do with frangipane mince pies. ( it's a hard life )  John suggested San Felipe, ok let's go, "good call"  lots of Black-Winged Stilt,  quite few Snipe, 2 Greenshank, 6 Whiskered Tern, Wood Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, Water Pipits, Meadow Pipits, Other birds seen Blue Throat Marsh Harrier Booted Eagle, Buzzard, Skylark.

Wood Sandpiper

 Temminck's Stint

 Temminck's Stint

Not mention ever species seen

San Felipe

It was busy there lots and lots of campervans, people sunbathing, making lunch,  why oh why do they cycle around the boardwalk on electric bikes, also walking a yappy dog around, 

unbelievable

I know it's a visitor Centre but it's also a Bird Reserve

Very annoying!

Whiskered Tern

 Very Happy New Year to Everybody.

Glossy Ibis

Massive thanks to J E

Sub Ad Great Spotted Eagle

It's with regret is didn't lug the 12 + kilos of lens & camera down the track?

I'd mention on route to John, I've got a good idea where we should start looking for Spotted Eagle and the Common Cranes?

It was quiet as a graveyard hardly any birds flying,  No traffic? small birds keeping low and temperature at only 12 degrees. It felt colder in the brisk wind, and with the exception of European Starlings in their thousands and Crag Martin, there was very little else.

We arrived at the place, i'd thought would be as good as any to start the search?

And so as first breakfast was brewing, and thick slab of lemon drizzle was waiting, and I wander off down a track, but after 200mt or so I stopped!

A large raptor was perched in a dead open tree? It was a long way off.

I sort of guess what it was? It was big.

I Tracked back to John, first breakfast was put on hold, we grabbed the scope and quickly set off. Its the first time in a very long time for John to get a tramp on?

We work our way back down the track with john's Swarovski Telescope, and got closer and then closer, but still a bit distant but excellent views in the scope, we had great views no doubt it was a Sub Adult Spotted Eagle. Although it was back on to us for all the time it was perched up, we took turns viewing through the scope, we could easily see all the features needed to confirm the ID and even the pale patch in the mantle.

A Major Result

(Well for us anyway)

And now the search for Common Crane, 

 lucky for us being in the right place right time, 10 birds flew towards us over our heads and away!

1st flypast

 they flew a long way away and almost landed? But amazingly they turned around and headed back towards us

On their way back

 and eventually came right overhead yet again, we could hear the sound of their wing beats and the wind passing through them.  A moment to remember,  cronking as they went on their way as they struggled against the strong headwind.

It reminded me of a similar moment in time, with Trevor at Monfragüe with Griffon Vulture that was forever Magic.

Getting closer

Closer still?

Above us

 Unbelievable

I love it when a plan comes together.

Sorry about the photos there just crap. In my excitement,  I forgot to change the exposure setting, again operator error,  sometimes there very little or no time to react but just hope and press, must try harder?

Kama

Not a big bird list, Who Cares!!!! We see what we see 100 percent.  A few other raptors and waders were also seen

See John Edwards blog for a different view on today's events link below

John Edwards 

Have fun if you can 

Get jabbed

Cheers Bryan

No Shortage of Effort

Good morning everybody

Thanks to all for following Birding Costa Blanca Blog, now headings towards Thirty-five thousand hits, occasionally in the top 250 of 1000 fat birder watched websites? 

The most read blogs Plastic Birds and Fake News and Crested vs Thekla's Lark ID future 

 I'd like to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas a Happy New Year. 

Tuesday 7th

Today John and I thought we would check out as many places as possible, 6+ hours in the field "we covered some ground"

El Clot 

 A Kingfisher almost landed beside hide several times "fantastic fly past"  and the White-headed Duck 20+ were amazing. Plenty of Common Pochard. 

Common Pochard

 Since the heavy rain a few weeks ago, the water levels have risen, but there's now there are fewer wildfowl and no Flamingos, Marbled Duck, Gadwall, or Shoveller they could be on one of the other pools that are not visible, however, the water is now deep, and there's more than enough water to get these seasonal lakes and through the next summer and with more downpours predicted to come throughout the winter.   Is a Win-Win-Win? At some point, El Clot will turn up a good bird?

 Keep saying that? I just hope it's me who finds it?

Juv White-headed Duck

I am amazed how popular the clot has become, it is a holiday today, so there were many Birders there mostly with camera and lens,  that's great! as I previously mentioned the more eyes the better.

Ad Eclipse White-headed Duck

Also, there are Titty things and Bluethroats, Linnet, Greenfinch, Serin, which are now starting to sing? on the nice warm days.

Urba Nova Salt Pans

Nice place for a Tea stop? it can be good here occasionally, today just a few wintering waders, and a stunning Stonechat.

Stonechat

Inland

The Dry Areas

Booted Eagles, including one dark phase,  Buzzards, Marsh Harriers  (8) an unidentified  Falcon, Golden Plover (14) Water pipits, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover (6) Mega flocks of European Starling and Glossy Ibis, Common Cranes (3)

One of Three Common Cranes 

Glossy Ibis

I've not mentioned every bird seen.

Bluethroat
with rings 

For a different view of today's birding visit John Edwards excellent blog, Notes from a Birder and Writer.
Coming  soon a photo review of this year and mostly unseen images I always keep some images back for this review

 Click the link below

 John Edwards blog

Have Fun

Cheers Bryan 

John Miles RIp

Just found out that legend John Miles, Musician, Compose, Singer Song Writer, died on Sunday, at only 72, so sad for his family and friends an exceptional Singer Song Writer and amazing Musican meet him once at a concert with 10cc when I was on the bill, I love that song "Music"  nice guy.

John Miles 

link below just watch

John miles

RIP

John Miles

Feliz Navidad

Tuesday 30th

Sierra Espuna 

Why do I feel disappointed after we found an Alpine Accentor? As we drove along the Long And Winding Road road ( Good name for a Song ) leading up to the summit, we were gaining height and John was driving slowly and taking time as not to miss anything, and as we passed a rocky outcrop an Alpine Accentor was hopping around on the rock, I had a clear view and knew instantly what it was! And called it, we travelled another 20 meters or so before we stopped and pulled off the narrow track,  we quickly jumped out of the car, but we never connected again with the bird despite a concerted effort. 

Dooh

I really hate it when we lose a bird, all I want to do is share the bird,  its so important for me to get everybody on the bird, and prove that what is claimed is proven! It's makes me I have major doubt about other claimed? sighting without collaborative proof???  importantly there's never any photos to prove other than some very old fake historical photos!!!! Nicked from other web sites

More Fake news to follow

Alpine Accentor
 from the Pyrenees 2017

After a very early start to get to the top of Sierra Espuna, and full of optimism of what we might potentially see?

( Don't build your hopes up? )

It gets worse?

On route to the Ice Caves.

It's a bit of a hike to get there and we were all double insulated against the cold, (I was overheating?)  Having at least two layers of everything on, when a white van passed us by, as we plodded along the snowy and frosty track to the Ice Caves?

I thought nothing of it, and presumed it was a Park Ranger?  half an hour later we arrived at the Ice Caves.

  I said were up Schitt's Creek

      More bad language followed........

 It was like a Masa building site, but much worse with heavy lifting equipment, dumper trucks, a JCB digger, half a dozen vehicles including the white van, major scaffolding all around the ice caves, and Tons of building blocks, all surrounded by a high-security barrier (why)

 Fieldfare

7 workmen making a substantial noise, (I thought they were singing Heigh-ho, Heigh go it's of to work we go ) A generator and cement mixer chugging away! and radio pumping out Feliz Navidad,  that all I needed to listen to!

You couldn't write it, could you? You just couldn't?

And not a Thrush in sight! and the winterberry, trees / bushes are covered in fruit just waiting to be eaten.

And so this historical site was a washout? If only there was some birding news about this site and the renovations and disruptions?  We could have easily saved about 4 hours of travel time there and back and better spent our time birding elsewhere.

Gutted and Unbelievable

 All was not lost though? We did a Boris /  Cumming's and goings and went to plan B? We did connect with Ring Ouzel, Mistle Thrush, and Fieldfare,  lots of the Titty things and a few Creepers, 2 Golden Eagle and a Peregrine Falcon, Jay, Crossbill, Mouflon, Iberian Grey Squirrel, and Hare, heard only Firecrest?

Crossbill

Crossbill

 Masa building Site

We did head down to Guadalentin very briefly and picked up Spectacled, Dartford, Sardinian Warblers, but time was against us so we headed off home.

And so if you thought it's a good idea to visit the ice caves for the Winter Thrushes don't bother, try next winter of 2022-2023 when the renovations will be completed? for different view on today's birding see John Edwards blog link below

John Edwards

Not mention ever species seen just the more interesting ones

Where next?

Have a fun day

Cheers

Bryan