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