Near Valdoviño, Lagoa da Frouxeira and Praia de San Xurxo in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.

A double Bunting dip but caught up with a few nice ducks.

Ebird List for Valdoviño. 

Ebird List for Lagoa da Frouxeira. 

Ebird List for Praia de San Xurxo.

 

I started the day with a 35 minute or so drive up to some fields near Valdoviño where I was hoping to see one at least of 2 reported Little Buntings (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla), on the way there I made a stopped at Bar A'Cotorela for coffee and food, the coffee was very nice and as they had no bread for a tostarda I had some Churros instead.

I had the coffee and these 6 short lengths of Churros, which certainly hit the spot and when I asked for the bill I questioned it and reminded the lady what I had had, and she repeated €1.60 which I could not believe.

Anyway, happy with my bar choice I continued on to the area of fields for the Buntings, as I pulled into the area I found another birder, Pablo García Rivas who was also looking for the same birds so after parking we wandered around the area checking out anything that moved.

Winter ♂ Common Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) one of quite a few seen in the fields.

We could see a good concentration of birds along a short track between two harvested fields so started to check through them finding Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).
After a while I walked back to my car and got the scope, as I walked back it absolutely threw it down so I spent a while sheltering under a tree where I saw a couple of calling Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) before it eased off, I returned to the spot along the track and we started to get views of several Common Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) which had been seen in the same spot as the target birds.

After some time we dropped into the harvested Maze field below us and scanned the trees from there and found more Common Reed Buntings but just then the heavens opened again so we decided to head for cover in our cars but by the time we had got there it had pretty much stopped again.

We returned to the Maze field adding Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) which was calling from one of the piles of brash dumped in the field, we were soon joined by Dorindo Pérez Fernández but as hard as we tried we couldn't find the Bunting so we returned to the track where we had been earlier and again found even more Common Reed Buntings as well as a flyover Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Other species seen included Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

At 12:00 Pablo and I left the site, I dropped from this site to the nearby Lagoa da Frouxeira but as I turned to go along the edge of the lake I realised I was going the wrong way along a one way road, so I did a quick U-turn and as I went back up the hill to find another way around I saw Dorindo coming down and warned him about it, he said that it must be very new as he was only here a while ago and it was two-way then.

Anyway, we headed to the beach end of the Pool where we parked and walked down the length of the pool to the hide finding Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Yellow-legged Gull, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), European Stonechat and Eurasian Magpie. 

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata).

As we cleared an area of wooded dune and could see the water again there were a good number of wildfowl including Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), a ♀ Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) and both ♂♀ Ring-necked Ducks (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris) but these were way out on the water.

♂♀ Ring-necked Ducks (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris) and a ♀ Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila).

♂♀ Ring-necked Ducks (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris).

As we walked to the hide we also saw Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Carrion Crow, Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird and European Robin.

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

From the hide we saw Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and a more unexpected big female Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) which Dorindo saw fly in and I had nice views of in the scope. 

The view from the hide.

and again.

On the walk back we added Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). 

Back near the cars we took a boardwalk out to view the sea and some rocks where we found Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola) and Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and on the way back to the cars ♂♀ Black Redstarts (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

I said goodbye to Dorindo and headed off to another spot that Pablo had told me about where he had seen 2 Snow Bunting (Escribano Nival / Plectrophenax nivalis) yesterday, I arrived at Praia de San Xurxo where after parking I walked out onto the beach finding 4 Eurasian Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and ♂♀ Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteño / Emberiza cirlus) which were new for the day as well as an Iberis species which still needs a name.

Iberis species which still needs a name.

As I was searching I noticed a storm approaching but too late so I sat behind a steep sand dune hoping it would protect me a bit, but I actually got absolutely soaked to the skin, so when it eased I made a run (well a quick walk) for it and went back to the hotel to get dried out. 

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.