La Punta, Castropol in Asturias and Miño in Galicia, Spain.

Moving out further west, calling at Castropol on the way.

Ebird List for La Punta, Castropol.

 

The sun just about getting through the cloud at Castropol.

I packed the kit and headed off west towards Galicia and then to my Hotel in Miño, on the way I called in at La Punta near Castropol where a Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena) had been reported for a few days. 

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) heading out to feed.

I arrived to find a birder already there, but it was still not very light and he had not found anything, so I got the scope set up and started to scan finding good numbers of Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and the first of a couple of Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).

One of Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).

As the light got better things started to move around more and Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus), Eurasian Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), several 20+ flocks of Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes) and European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena).

As time went on birders came and went but the original guy and I stuck it out and as the tide started to drop we picked up the Red-necked Grebe feeding busily along a newly exposed sandbank some way off, while we watched it through the scopes it came a little closer or in reality the dropping tide pushed it out into the channel, but it was always distant as the photo's show.

Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena).

I had nice views of the bird so decided to go and find some coffee and continued my drive to Miño, on the way the weather went through some changes, started in sun, changed to drizzle, then heavy rain which turned to sleet and then full on snow which was settling on the fields and verges. 

I found my way to Miño and after finding a bank I went and checked in at the hotel La Terraza for the next 5 night, as the evening went on the rain got worse and the wind started to sound quite nasty but after catching up with things on the laptop I had a good (by my standards) nights sleep. 

Desembocadura Río PIles and Parque de Isabel la Católica in Gijón, Asturias, Spain.

An 8 Gull day.

Ebird List for Desembocadura Río PIles 1.

Ebird List for Desembocadura Río PIles 2.

Ebird List for Desembocadura Río PIles 3.

Ebird List for Parque de Isabel la Católica.

 

This was taken a couple of minutes before 09:00 and actually looks a lot lighter than it was, street lights are still on.

I got up and headed to the bar for some breakfast, forgetting it didn't open until 08:30 as it was Saturday, a bit of a pain, so I decided to head straight over the spot I have spent most of this part of the trip in Gijon.

A while later in the morning.

It was always my plan to just spend time around the town, as it held lots of good memoried from happier times, but to be honest I didn't get far from the Paseo Muro de San Lorenzo as that's where the Gulls concentrated.

I arrived just before 09:00, but the light was still low enough for the street lights to be on but as the morning progressed it turned out to be a very nice day weather wise, Gull wise and company wise as I was lucky enough to spend different parts of the day with some of the local Birders including Ignacio (Nacho) Vega again, Javi Alonso Almeida, Juan Carlos Rodriguez Robles and Dingo + others.

2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

During the morning session I started by the bridge checking the birds there which were having a great time splashing around bathing in the fresh if not muddy looking water coming out of the Rio Piles, they included Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

1st winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Further down the walkway I again stopped when I heard a calling European Rock Pipit (Bisbita Costero / Anthus petrosus) which had flown up from the rocks and did a couple of circles before flying off to the east.

1st winter Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) HN353.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) J=V.

I checked through the birds on this side of the Rio, seeing 1st winter and adult Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) as well as a couple of birds with rings including HN353 on a Lesser Black-backed from somewhere in Germany and another Lesser Black-backed J=V from Cardiff in Wales.

1st winter Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).

1st winter Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).

After a while Nacho arrived and as we checked the birds and chatted we were lucky enough to see a 1st winter Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans), just before Nacho had arrived I had seen this bird bathing on the River but lost it before I had got a photo but was sure of the ID, so I was very pleased when he turned around and called it again on the sand a bit further up stream and closer which allowed for some decent shot, well by my standards anyway.

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba yarrellii). 

Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba yarrellii). 

In the same area we had Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba yarrellii). 

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

After a while Nacho had to head off so I did a walk-up around to El Rinconín finding lots more Ruddy Turnstones and at least 5 Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).

At this point I decided some late Breakfast /early Lunch was required, so I turned around and headed back towards the town as I had enjoyed some Coffee and food in a lively little bar called Terra Angels but on the way Javi waved me down onto the beach where he was watching a very smart 1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus), a species I really like to see and had missed so far this year, Thanks Javi.

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

Eventually I dragged myself away and went for the coffee and had a nice chat with a Spanish lady in there about the town, she was from Santa Fe near Granada originally but had lived in Gijon for most of her adult life, very interesting, so much that I found I was sat there with her for nearly two hours and I needed to get back to the beach as It was getting close to prim Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis).

Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator).

By the time I came out of the bar it had clouded over and was spitting with rain, I did a bit of a detour on the way back via the park and the Rio Piles where I found one of the Red-breasted Mergansers (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator) feeding in amongst a group of Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) which I thought was a bit odd.

Anyway I reached the bridge by the each and before I crossed the road to the beach side I had a scan at the few Gulls I could see from there and was surprised to see what I thought was the target so I walked to the crossing was soon on te first ramp with another couple watching my 8th Gull species of the day and the 10th for the trip.

1st winter Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis).

1st winter Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis).

1st winter Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis).

Nacho turned up after a few minutes, we all spent another 30 mins watch this bird before I decided to head back to the car and head off, So I said goodbye to Nacho, who it had been great to meet and then took the car along the river and parked near the first foot bridge and crossed through the park back to the bar as I had realised that I had left my cap in there earlier, which I collected and then checked the area around the two pools finding Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula cabrerae) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

A really grainy shot of the Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus).

I returned to my hotel and got sorted ready for moving on further to the west in the morning.

Desembocadura Río PIles in Gijón, Asturias, Spain.

A lazy morning keeping out of the rain, with some more Gull watching later.

Ebird List for Desembocadura Río PIles.

 

Gijon, through the sea spray.

I started the day by rolling over as I could hear the rain outside, I eventually got up went over the road to the bar for a coffee and then came back to my room and caught up with some laptop stuff. 

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Later I did head out to Gijon to have a look for the Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis) Ignacio had seen yesterday afternoon but even though I stuck it out until 17:00 I didn't manage to get the bird, these always tomorrow, hopefully. 

Adult winter Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

KJZ ??? Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) with damaged ring.

As I walked up and down the Prom during the morning between 11:00 and 14:00ish I picked up the usual Gulls, Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) as well as 2 Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator) which were in the bay when I first saw them but a few minutes later they flew past me and inland up the Rio, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

3rd Winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Adult Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

AU2C Adult Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

AU4V Adult Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

2nd Winter  Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

3rd Winter  Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

K.DVW Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus graellsii) from Texel in the Netherlands.

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus graellsii).

Just after 14:00 I went into Pura Vida Beach Club Bar where I had a couple of coffees before heading back out again just after 15:00 finding most of the Gulls were now on the beach on the far side of the Rio, so

Adult Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).

Adult Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

3rd Winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

1st Winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

I walk around there and spent some time scanning the ever-changing birds, the only new Gull find was an Adult Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) as well as a single Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and both ♂♀ Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba yarrellii).

Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii) ♂.

Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii) ♂.

Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii) ♀.

After a while I notice that Ignacio Vega was on the next platform along, so I went up and joined him for around an hour but as hard as we tried we couldn't find the Target, Ignacio had to head off so I started to make my way slowly back to the car and then made my way back to the Hotel.