Duck Central El Clot

A visit El Clot With Gareth, John, and myself we had a nice morning birding it was cloudy with a cold wind most of the quacker had there head under wings but we managed to pick out a few of the more interesting quack's 2 Fudge Duck's about 10+ Widgeon, In amongst the plentiful Ducks.  Lots of Hirundines still present and plenty of Grag Martin up there in the mix.  1st Kingfisher at the Clots for a few weeks. There a new arrival a, very smart male Marsh Harrier, and with 4 females to chose from maybe they'll breed? There was an interesting Gull which after I checked it was only a second winter yellow-legged Gull.

The work continues to go on at the old Reed hide which now doesn't have any reeds and is now a rather large deep hole in the ground.

We moved to the popular hide where there is lots of Marbled Duck there, but not much else different.

On to urbanova salt pans, I still feel this place had potential, but today just a few waders, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover and Dunlin, Grey Wagtail, Water pipit.

And now the lockdown is starting to ease we might start looking further afield can't come too soon for me there only so much you can say about the Clot and the quackers present.

Update John spotted a Garagany but waited to check the ID guides before confirming later.

Make some news

Have a great day

Cheers Bryan

Its Arrived..........................................Migration

El Clot Infrared Filter

A funny old start to this morning birding at the El Clot, cold wind and cloudy, same old quackers, a couple of Grey Wagtails,  Marsh Harrier's now 4 in number. No sign of any Fudge Duck today, but they can disappear for hours. Heard only Stone Curlew and little Bitten. By mid-morning the skies were alive, thousands of hirundines so many I can only guess, just everywhere over the waters of the Clot,  good views of House Martin, Barn Swallow, Sand Martin, and Grag Martin, much higher a few Pallid Swift, 

Chiffchaff

Grey Wagtail

Not much of a photo but all those little specks are hirundine's

I did  venture out on Tuesday morning it was more of a recce, searching other possible birding areas, bird of the day was Osprey followed closely by the sheer number of Greater flamingo more like Lake Nakuru Kenya than Santa Pola Costa Blanca, a few other bits and bobs but nothing out of the ordinary.

Hope you've had a great day

Cheers BT

Not 1 not 2 not 3 but 4

A quick visit to El Clot too check out the quackers, everything is much the same there? And around about the same number of quacks,  except for Fudge duck which now 4 in number paired up and displaying with luck we might have a new breeding bird for the Clot wouldn't it be nice to see some little fudgeling's paddling around.

3 of 4 Fudge Duck
bird furthest left might be a hybrid Pochard x Ferruginous Duck
looking at the head Shape? It looks a little Bigger, body shape as well is not quite right?

 Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) is a medium-sized diving Duck

Ferruginous Duck
This photo from 2018 taken at the Clot

Their breeding habitat is marshes and lakes with a metre or more water depth. These ducks breed in southern and eastern Europe and southern and western Asia. They are somewhat migratory, and winter farther south and into north Africa.

Pochard

The work continues at the use to be Reed hide they've dug down at least 2•5 meters it looks like there's going to be some shallower areas and the raised areas higher, there's truck after truck moving earth away, whoever responsible thanks

 should be good when it's done. 

Young male Pochard

The only thing of note was there seemed to be more heavy hooters around ( Great Tits ) calling there heads off, nice to hear on a fine spring-like day it sound like there having fun.

Avocet

Have a fabulous day

Cheers BT

El Pinet

Good morning 

Today we visited El Pinet and searched for Eric the Terick Sandpiper, I had a bet with Michelle, I said  I'd strip off and run around naked if we got to see the bird?   I was pretty sure I was on a safe bet and we wouldn't see Eric? And Michelle was praying it wasn't there as well.

We spent 4 hours around the El Pinet area and Salinas scoping every bird that was identifiable even the distant blobs.

Some other birds seen over n332 nice full summer plumage Mediteranean Gulls, Audouin’s Gulls looking very smart, Kentish Plover, the usual canteen of Spoonbill, at the standing stones. All the usual suspects there.

And at El Pinet

About 15 + Black-tailed Godwit, a few Ruff,  lots and lots of Dunlin (150+) little Stint, Redshank and Greenshank, Avocet about 100, Little Egret with summer plumes.

 Star bird of the day which walked right in front of us giving absolutely stunning views of a rather shy and nervous bird that often heard but seldom seen 

it was like it was on stage giving a performance well done Michelle for calling it.  The Werther's creamy caramel came out, it was a moment.

Water Rail

Water Rail

And despite the predicted no show of Eric the Terick Sandpiper it was a rather nice morning out and a possible new member of the NBBC ( No Bins Bird Club )

Gareth a fellow welsh man and Swansea city supporter ( we won't hold that against him ) we'll be in touch.

Have a great week everybody

Black Wheatear

The Black Wheatear is still displaying around my house

Our 1st bird of the day

Some of you may of notice that I've now had to reluctantly include a watermark on my images, it's because my images keep turning up on web site/ blogs publications and newspapers etc. 

I've really not got a problem with anybody using any of my photos, a credit would be nice. it's also a bit of compliment, that they steal, because they can't actually achieve it for themselves and so that quite a nice feeling, copying is the ultimate form of flattery,  What's really pissing me off is that some web site's embellishes there blogs/web site's and publication with images that's clearly not there own. And use it to Promote themselves and their web site with images which is not achievable for them in the real world.  So they steel, That's not right. It's lying

And it's so easy to check out the Guff,  just Google the image, 

it don't take much to see the bluff

Stop the steal

Get up get out and look up

 Good morning

This morning I've seen my first Barn Swallow of the year, just a single bird,  but a bit of a nudge that springs have almost arrived, also Raven, and Black Wheatear. Has anybody else seen the reported? Terick Sandpiper reported for the 11th at El Pinet, does anybody have a / or even distant blurry photos?

So I thought its a good opportunity to dig out one of my old photos from the Isles of Scilly of a Terick Sandpiper from 22 years ago April 1999. to show what one looks like, unmistakable with that turned up bill. 

Eric the Terick
from 22 years ago photo still looks good
just where the time has gone?

 

Good news for El Clot?

Thursday 11th February

As we are confined to barracks during this latest phase of Covid 19 it difficult to make any fresh bird news so it's more or less the same bird sightings for the Clot De Galvany. It was great to meet up with John and Michelle and we had the hide to our selves for most of the time.

All the ducks previous reported are still present but number are at least half that of a week ago maybe some have moved over to the other 2 lakes which we can't view? Good to see the Widgeon Duck are still there in numbers, 6 + plus males and few females scattered around. The fudge Duck is still there but a pain in the ass to find?

Gadwall

 Number of Gadwall have gone up about 40 birds the male are displaying and there's more Red-crested Pochard and the only new addition to the bird list is 2 reed buntings which Michelle found.

At the Reed Hide which has been a major waste of time for years, except if you like looking at reeds? is having a major makeover, (about time) big earth-moving machines are In there. There's reed cutting tree cutting etc going on.

As it happens I got lucky a speak to one of the Wardens ( who could speak really good English ( shame on me and my poco Spanish ) The plan is as I understand, is to make it more like or similar to the popular hide? They plan to dig out the channels to make it much deeper which should stop some of the reed growth as the reeds don't like to be in too much depth of water, some of the raised areas are meant to stay?  So it's mostly good news? And anything that encourages birds is OK with me. I did ask about the other lakes and the water levels, I asked if they had any plans to reflood as the water has dropped by a meter, the warden told me that there are no plans to re-flood and those lakes are a natural occurrence? Even though the warden said this, I have my doubts as the water seamed to come from nowhere and a new hide built and about  20 pairs of Marbled Duck introduced?  So it's likely to return to a marshy type area again, which is a great shame as its been brilliant there, all this summer, we've had no significant rain since the last winter of 2019/ 2020 so I'm hoping that it lashes down before the summer arrives and fills up the lakes, spring is here and summer doesn't feel that far away, going by today's weather it's all ready here.

Black Redstart

I might have to do the rain dance before not too long 

We could do with some of the UK's rain

Please send some

Thanks in advance

Have a great weekend

Cheers BT

Photos later

Spot the Duck

For those who are old enough to remember the popular game Spot the Ball, normally on the sports pages in the back of the newspapers, you'd have to mark a cross on the spot where you thought the hidden football was, a bit like pin the tail on the donkey, so this what it like at the Clot De Galvany, Spot the Duck, with hundreds of wintering wildfowl there its no easy job to pick out a rarity in amongst all the other Duck

Spot the Duck

The Widgeon are still around but I could only find 3 today ( there are several other large lakes where the rest could be ) all the other Duck are still present see my previous post,

Ferruginous Duck

Today two new arrivals 2 lovely chestnut-coloured pale-eyed male Ferruginous Duck. I thought that Ferruginous Duck might turn up at the Clot. Fudge Duck always seems to be in close association with Common Pochard and their lots at the Clot. I'm also thinking that a Tufted Duck might turn up at some point. And as we are in lockdown till mid-February I'll be visiting the Clot De Galvany a few times throughout the coming weeks.

Black necked Grebe

Other birds seen today, little Bitten, Water Rail. Kingfisher. And with barmy temperature of 27 degrees today and full sun, spring feels like it's just around the corner White-headed Duck are now showing an all blue bill so they ( The W, H, Duck ) are thinking the same, springs not too far away? But I'll bet we'll get another cold spell at some point

White-headed Duck

Sardinean Warbler

Have fun and a great weekend

Wolf Moon from last night

Cheers

BT

Duck Soup

A quick visit to the El Clot today to check out the waterfowl.  I also went last Saturday but came away because I thought I was hallucinating,  there was a large Spanish bird group there, hardly any of them were wearing masks and every seat was taken and sat far too close to each other. ( I wasn't happy ) The tour leader looked like Groucho Marx with cigar, binoculars, and pacing around with his hands behind his back and there was also a lady who had an uncanny resemblance to Harpo? It was all a bit surreal and crazy?  am I going Animal Crackers,  I thought I'm out of here, maybe I had to much wine last night or not enough? Anyway, I didn't feel safe and left.

Groucho Marx 

Harpo Marx

 Back to Birding today

60 + White-headed Duck a couple of hundred Common Pochard, and Shoveler, 10+ Gadwall, and the highlight of the day 15 to 20 Widgeon, 10+ Marbled Duck, Red-crested Pochard, and Teal, Black-necked  Grebe, Great-crested Grebe,  a few Greater Flamingo, and a Marsh Harrier being a pain in the ass flushing everything.  all a long way off and on the far side.

Wigeon

I only took a short telephoto lens so only record photos today?

Have a great day

Cheers

Bryan

Good Bird for the House List

I  just returning to my house when on the roof was this Black Wheatear there's always a pair kicking around, so rushing in the house, cursing unlocking all the bloody doors in a rush to get the camera thinking it will never stay I hurried back out, it was still there click click click went the shutter the Black Wheatear was performing for the sound of the shutter "great I thought" maybe 50+ photos later "oops" no memory card in the camera shit!

Rushed back in the house, eventually found a card no way this bird is gonna stay, on the way back out, I slipped on the steps stumbling down, theirs no way it's gonna be there after all this time, so I glanced up and bugger me it was still percher on the rooftop

50 click later it moved off no damage to the camera after my stumble only a sore bum and my pride, I must try to not get to excited. 

And with Covid on the rise in Costa Blanca John and I have agreed its probably best for the moment not to be birding together till the end of the month and see how Covid pans out? so I'll be Birding solo my local patch El Clot for now.

 Have fun

Cheers BT

Good Name for a Band

Tuesday 12th January

Good morning everybody 

I'm a little slow posting this blog due to other commitments.

3 degrees this morning and cold with clear sky's, that's freezing for Costa Blanca. The forecast is hopefully plenty of birds, finger's crossed?  I'm always hoping to find something rare and with storm, Filomena now blown its self out, dumped a load of heavy snow through most of Spain and a massive temperature drop, hoping It's going to have the right effect and push a few birds further south?

Snow on the Mountains

Santa Pola Salinas

So to start a few Black-tailed Godwits, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Great white Egret, Audouin's Gull, lots of Slender-billed Gull, Lesser black-backed Gull. The normal canteen of Spoonbills (20+) all roosting with there head up their ass in the icy cold wind, and with a small number of  Reed Bunting's it was a promising start.

Ruff

We're still trying to catch up with Tonn the Great spotted Eagle, we heading for his favourite area. It's not such a big deal not to connecting with the big one, as we're finding other birds as we search. On route a field of Golden Plover (37) with a few Lapwing and a flyover of a Merlin, 

Golden Plover

 Santa Aqueda 

we spent some time scanning for Tonn and the usual raptors few past it was cold on the platform the highlight was a cup of tea and a thick slab of Trish's constipation busting fruit cake and the resident Iberian Southern Grey Shrike perched in his favourite tree.

Iberian Southern Grey Shrike

San Felipe

The recent heavy rain has made most of the paths and tracks impossible to walk on.

( lots of sticky mud ) So we stayed close to the car park and boardwalk, to be honest, its the best area and that's because there's some muddy margins and areas of stubble. No need to go any further for now just watch this area It will turn up something?

 A Jack Snipe bobbed up and down, it's only the 2nd time I've seen a Jack Snipe in Spain, so this is a good bird to connect with. 

Jack Snipe

Thanks to Darren Wilson CBBC

 Read my first Spanish encounter with Jack Snipe 2017 review  below

Suddenly my attention was grabbed by a small white-sided wader drilling in the mud I knew before my binoculars got to my eyes what it was, I shouted to Trev, "Jack Snipe" we quickly put the scope on it to confirm the ID, and off like a rocket! like Usain Bolt back to the ******* car for my camera, cursing all the ****** way there and back my stupid decision making, leaving the camera behind, I arrived back, I shouted is it still THERE! "No" Trev replied but you should have been here 30 seconds ago it was right in the open, it's gone now!! he said!  ( I think Usain Bolt would have been proud of me as I set a new World Record for the car and back )  more bad language followed, followed by more, now they're a bit of history about this bird "Jack Snipe." Trev and I have been searching for many winters with no success and just bad luck not connecting with it, although not a mega ( although it feels like ) it's a Spanish tick for both of us. The Jack Snipe did re-emerge and I got a record photograph but it was more than three times the distance away.

Jack Snipe from Isles of Scilly 2004 A regular winter visitor

Back to today's Birding

  Also, their Little Stint, Water Pipit, several Purple swamp Hens, showing off and posed for a few headshots and photos. Can you just imagine one turning up in the UK and what havoc it would cause, underrated and beautiful? 

Purple swamp Hen

 Squadrons of Glossy Ibis flew past in a V formation. Impressive, how'd they know to keep the distance and drag to a minimum? Not one Kingfisher today and only a few Crag Martin I've read on the internet that Crag Martin have been dying in there thousands due to lack of food and cold.

I have to mention Hoopoe, these flying pinky zebras, are fearless and so tame at least 6 today, and 3 of them refused to move an inch, and almost got run over, and one thought about getting in the car

Unbelievable.

 John and I had a Werther's sweet caramel moment to celebrate the solo performance.

Tree Sparrow

                                                                                      

Tree Sparrow

 The mega Serin flock is still in the same field but also there Tree Sparrow at least (15+) the same route home we passed by the field of the Golden Plover and they'd magically turned into Lapwing with a few Golden Plover could it possibly be a magic field? who knows but if it is magic could I be granted one wish,  I'd wish, for American wader, please.

For a different take on today's birding see John Edwards blog link below

John Edwards

Sardinian Warbler

Have a great day

Cheers

BT