Unfinished Business

 

Another day in the life in the Valley Montnegra.

Nice early start and in place and Birding well before 8 o'clock, it was a refreshing breeze almost chilly.  It didn't take more than a few minutes and a Black-eared Wheatear popped up and then a Spotted Flycatcher showed close by on a fence.

Black-eared Wheatear

Spotted Flycatcher

The resident Blue rock Thrush put on a fabulous open-air concert, singing all the time while we were there, amazing.

Pavarotti

 The star of the show was a pair of Trumpeter Finches which dropped in briefly, this pair of trumpets are different from last week's sightings as they both have Leg rings.

Nice Trumpeter Finch, crap background.

 Also Black Wheatear, and Red-rumped Swallows. 

The trip around, and stopping at our favourite sites produced at least 3 Melodious Warblers.

Melodious Warbler Number 1

Melodious Warbler Number 2

 This bird was deep in a black hole and a dense reed bed. I don't know how I've managed to pull this photo out of the shadows but it can be done in Canon RAW.

 Also a few Nightingale. The big surprise of the day was at least 2 Orphean Warblers which were very mobile, sorry no photos.

Go birding, enjoy being out there in the expanse and make some news.

Cheers Bryan

But where next?

Of interest, the police have on the N332 have been Stopping UK drivers and unlicensed motorists and checking their papers at the Gran Alicante turn off.

They're Back

Another Mega of Megas.

What a day in the Valley of Montnegra, we just had to go back, some unfinished business. So we started with Black-eared Wheatear then a Spot Fly, Serin's, and a Blue Rock Thrush a few Rock Sparrows, Nightingale's sounding off in the bottom of the Ravine, Red-rumped Swallow overhead. Nice.

 Blue Rock Thrush

First Breakfast. 

A cup of tea and a slab of Lemon Drizzle and we watch and waited, and not so long though, to tell the truth.

Ohh, I forgot to say those nice little Finches with the big thick red bills have returned, only a few at the moment, but they're back!

Trumpeter Finch

I did think on our last visit to Montnegra

  A week or go or so, I heard them but it was a distant call and I wasn't 100 per cent? So I let it go.

 At some point, we'll soon be visiting the other known sites. 

Back to the Trumpets.

And at the very same moment, the Trumpeter Finch's showed well, at a few meters, bugger me an Orphean Warbler popped up. ( well you just couldn't write it could you)

Trumpeter Finch

Unbelievable.

 Well, we both (john and I ) didn't know where to look. I didn't know where to point the lens this way or that way.

  It was all a bit chaotic and Messy (sod's law) and I fluffed both birds. Brilliant views of both birds, but only a few photographs.

Orphean Warbler 

I've been looking for Orphean Warbler for a while and it's a new bird for my Spanish list. ( Nice to find your own bird and grab a photo ) 

Bonelli's Eagle

A Bonelli's Eagle circled close by. One of the same bird from a week or ago, and after looking at the photo I think it's got a kill in its talons. Rock Bunting and another Spot fly, and at least 2 Subalpine Warblers are seen briefly.  (Why are these birds so difficult to photograph) More Nightingales, and a pair of Common Kestrels.

It was 36 degrees and hot, most birds had headed into the shade, we thought it was a good idea, and we headed home.

Any day you get a tick in the book of life is good, I don't get many these days.

it's never a big list a Montnegra but it's quality that counts.

So today felt good.

Have fun

La Marina - Santa Pola Salinas

I was awake at 5 o'clock, looked through the bedroom window to a Heavy Sea Fog and visibility of only a few meters and our plan to stay local and bird our patch might have, to be a rethought. John, Michelle and I weighed up the options. We bit the bullet and hoped the fog would burn off quickly. 

We set off across our local patch Santa Pola Salinas, our first stop we couldn't see anything  but could hear plenty of Little Terns, by the time we reached the Salt tower the fog had lifted a little and a Purple Heron flew overhead, a few Yellow Wagtails we're seen, Whiskered Terns were common, 

The Standing Stones

It was now misty and burning off fast another pair of Yellow Wagtails and that was it, besides the residents breeding birds.

El Pinet

All the usual suspects there and good numbers of Avocets, Black-winged Stilt, Slender-billed Gulls, Sandwich Tern, the odd Kentish Plover,  15 Collard Pratincole, Stone Curlew, lots of Little Tern, and Common Tern, 2 more Purple Herons flyovers. Common Swift, Pallid Swift, House Martin, Red Rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow.

Avocet
Early days but already showing the sign of moulting and breading fatigue.

Lower La Marina

Happy Days

 A Mega moment of the day was a pair of European Rollers at about 5 meters. Perched on the top of the fence taking in the heat from the warming sun.

 It was almost an emergency stop." Well done John"

 ( John was a driver, for the Police rapid response team so his training kicked in ) 

European Roller

 I didn't spot them till late hence our closeness, we must have had this pair of Rollers for the best part of 15 minutes the birds were completely content with our close presence, even falling asleep in front of the busy cameras.  A massive moment, I don't think I (we) have ever been allowed this very honoured privilege to be so close and observe them so closely for so long, "simply a wonderful moment" and never to be forgotten. A few times they responded to the clicks from the camera shutter noise.

Unbelievable.

European Roller

 Also in the surrounding area 2 Great-spotted Cuckoo and a total of 7 Rollers in that area,  a few Bee-Eaters on wires and a few more Turtle Doves, Gull-billed Terns, and Stone Curlew and just a single Nightingale and a stunning flock of Green Finch. ( I don't know why they don't split this bird to Iberian Green Finch, as I think they are so much brighter and bigger) who knows they must have done the DNA test?

Turtle Dove

It's getting hot and with high humidity. 

It's a bit Sweaty and there are plenty of mosquitoes about.

Have fun

Make some news

 have a great week

Go Birding

Cheers Bryan

Maigmo Mountian

Today's plan 

A quick visit to Maigmo Mountain was very good for the amount of time that was spent there. 

Firecrest

Wren, Firecrest, Bonelli's Warbler, Woodlark, Treecreeper, Rock Bunting, Crested, Long-tailed, Coal, Great, Jay, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch. 

 Rock Bunting

 Rock Bunting

Heard only Robin.

So not bad for a few hours we're there was also a Giant bee which I didn't manage to get a photo off,  but I have a good memory off in my mind so I'll bee...... look the internet for an ID

 Rock Bunting

Petrola ..... Montnegra..... Benejuzar

Friday 29th April

 Interesting day in more ways than one?

 A day I thought would eventually occur at some point.  I / We would bump into each other.

You'd think the person in question would have a real go at me, for calling the person out ( A Stringer ) But No sheepishy asked where my Camera was?

I was a little bit abrupt and shrill ( I shouldn't of, I wasn't brought up that way ) The Camera in the car? "I said" then the silence, we just looked at each other for 30 seconds or so and nothing was said, 

  It was like something out of an old late 60s Western movie like The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Both eyeing each other up and down,  Lee van Cleef vs Clint Eastwood.  I can hear the whistles of the Theme music from the film. Anyway, the standoff continue and both eventually went our separate ways down the Dusty town.

You've got to laugh.

 There was a similar issue with Scotty Mc boatyface who fabricated sightings of birds and although an exceptionally good birder and had all the skills under the belt just couldn't help himself.

In the end, lost everything including his job as (Tour leader) and any credibility they had.

Back to Birding

Nice weather blue skies and fluffy white clouds. it only took 

5 minutes and we were on 35+ Great Bustard, 

A Crap photo I only took one shot and too far away 
Thinking I'll get a better chance later in the day
which didn't happen.

 15+ Marsh Harriers, 30+ Gull-billed Terns,  10 Whiskered Terns,

 Mediterranean Gulls,  Golden Orioles, 

Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle,  2 Black Kites, Lesser Kestrel's, Buzzard,  Bonelli's Warbler's there's plenty.

Black Kite
 Note the notch in the Tail

Note no notch in the tail and missing feather in the left-wing
just record shot for ID

Calandra Lark

Curlew Sandpiper's, 30 Glossy Ibis,  Common Sandpipers, loads of Calandra larks, Tree Sparrows,  20+Rock Sparrow,  Great reed Warbler's,  quite a few pairs of Yellow Wagtails.

And not forgetting the abundant unmentionables. If you name this bird you pay a forfeit and so the game goes on.

I've not mentioned every bird seen or heard

More fun tomorrow have fun.

Sunday 30th April

Today at Montnegra

An amazing twenty minutes of payback, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, no sigh again of Trumpeters Finch at the favoured locations. Or any of the other claimed sightings.

But at the moment. Fantastic view of  2 Bonelli's Eagles.

  One of the Adult Bonelli's flew off chasing / mobbing a Sub-adult Golden Eagle,

  We debated the ID of the 3rd bird which swang from Honey Buzzard.... to Common Buzzard and back again, towing and throwing which we debated time and time again? checking the camera screens and Collin's guide but I think we ended up with the right ID. It was a third Bonelli's Eagle unusual plumage some juvenile secondary still there, but anyway we sorted it in one way or another.

Bonelli's Eagle

Bonelli's Eagle

Trevor and Mark were delighted with the views we had. Mark managed some fantastic photos.

Some Nightingale's around and Red-rumped Swallows no sigh of any Sub-alpine Warbler's today.

Benejúzar 2 May

Karma

what goes around comes around.

We're out a lot of the time Birding and put plenty of time in, and now and again it's payday.

And so it was, one of those days.

Today we toss the coin and Benejúzar won,  Nightingale's every 50 meters, or so  Turtle Doves, Cetti's Warbler, Common Cuckoo's Purple Heron, and Melodious Warbler are going ballistic.

Melodious Warbler

Melodious Warbler

 Stand out moment of the day, Golden Orioles and plenty of them along the side of the river, together we must have seen more than 10 males and heard even more but only one female.

Golden Oriole

Golden Oriole

 We spent 30 minutes watching one adult male singing his Flutie head off completely oblivious to us in the car close by,  absolutely a Mega moment.

Golden Oriole

Golden Oriole

 I must have taken at least a couple of hundred photos most of the first 70 + or so were wasted as Mark having multiple orgasms in the back seat and gyrating trying to find the extension for his new toy.

Golden Oriole

 It's the biggest smile I've ever seen on Marks's face, you'd think just scored for Aberdeen.

No big deal plenty of photos to choose from

Unbelievable.

Turtle Dove

 And not a weather'S original insight, so Liquorice All Sorts had to do.

A quick dash to La Mata for Montague's Harrier and a no show, to be honest, we hardly saw anything of note.

Plan B

Hoopoe

Let's go get the Rollers a the back of La Marina "good idea"  and yet another Blank. With a few Turtle Dove and Bee-eaters, things perked up a bit, Trevor spotted a Male Pied Fly. And so we call it a day and headed off across Santa Pola Salinas along the N332 Trev said we're leaving it late for Montague's Harrier? 30 seconds later you've guessed it?  A Male Montague's Harrier drifted across the N332 right in front of us and over the top of the car (very Close).

Unbelievable and true

30 seconds earlier or later we would have missed it

karma

Mega Day 

Trevor's total 115 species in just 4 short mornings out and one long day at Petrola.

Not bad for a bunch of old cranky amateur Birders.

Combined birding knowledge of well over a 130 years

Gotta make more news

have a great day

Cheers Bryan