January 23rd
Today was a great day spent birding with Mike, a British birder now living in the Netherlands. Mike is an experienced birder with an impressive global bird list, so it’s always a significant achievement to spot a new species and add another tick to the Book of Life.
We planned to hit all the local hotspots to give Mike the best chance to add to his already extensive list of Spanish birds. With such a solid list already, adding new species was going to be a challenge, but we were up for it!
We didn’t start early, as overnight rain (which hadn’t been forecast) left things a little damp. But we set off at 9 o’clock towards Santa Pola Salinas. The sky was partly cloudy, and with the forecast calling for full sun, the day was looking promising.
Santa Pola Salinas
Our first stop was productive, with a good mix of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Audouin’s Gulls, and a near-full summer-plumaged Mediterranean Gull. We also spotted Black-headed Gulls, Slender-billed Gulls, and a few distant waders. At our next stop, we had distant views of Great White Egrets and around 20 Spoonbills, with Marsh Harriers gliding over the reed beds.
El Pinet
Unfortunately, the water levels were too high due to the recent rains, and there were hardly any birds around. Mike had hoped to spot a Little Owl, which we did manage to find at Lower La Marina Tracks, along with a few Meadow Pipits and a Southern Grey Shrike. It was a bit slow, but we kept going.
Palm Farm Road
I suggested we try Palm Farm Road. Historically, this area has been great for birding, although it hasn’t been as productive lately. Reluctant to skip it, we decided to give it a go—and we were glad we did. Out of nowhere, a Great Spotted Eagle appeared, putting on an incredible show as it was mobbed by a Booted Eagle and a Marsh Harrier. I didn’t even attempt to get photos; I was too caught up in the spectacle. We jumped back in the car and chased it down the road, and unbelievably, the eagle turned back toward us for a few more minutes of viewing before drifting away. It’s always a treat to see such a massive bird of prey. We also spotted a large flock of Skylarks—more than 100 in total.
On the way to San Felipe, we managed to get a few glimpses of Zitting Cisticolas, a species Jeff had on his list to see.
San Felipe
San Felipe didn’t disappoint. As usual, we spotted Red-knobbed Coots, Marbled Teals, Snipes, Green Sandpipers, and Water Pipits. We also enjoyed an impressive aerial display from a group of Craig Martins, with a single House Martin in the mix. At St Aguada, around lunchtime, the sun finally came out, and we managed to catch sight of a Little Stint and what was probably a Temminck's Stint. A quick stop at the Bellavista Hide revealed a massive flock of Greater Flamingos—probably a few thousand—and some Cormorants.
Clot de Galvany
Our final stop was Clot de Galvany, where we spotted a variety of species, including:
Red-crested Pochard
White-headed Duck
Ferruginous Duck
Gadwall
Teal
Shoveller
Sparrowhawk
Grey Wagtail
By around 4 p.m., we decided to call it a day.
It was a wonderful day of birding, and I’m grateful to Jeff for the company. The highlight, without a doubt, was the Great Spotted Eagle. It’s been a while since I’ve seen one, and I had forgotten just how massive these birds are.
I haven’t mentioned every bird we saw, but overall, it was a memorable day.
Happy birding,
Cheers, Bryan
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