Cold mists morning.
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| Sun Rise. |
After I had scraped the first frost of the winter off the car I set off towards the Laguna and then onwards to work at the Hotel Eslava. The dawn was just breaking on the water as I arrived but it was already light enough to see the 16 Greater Flamingo’s (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber) that were still present, all the adults left as soon as the hunters arrived and just a single Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) remained. As things brightened up the waders became identifiable and they included 5x Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), 4x Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), 43x Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), 1x Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).
The Green Sandpipers started to get some what distressed and took to the air when a female Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) dropped in onto the mud bar which now divided the lagoon. It was merely interested in the water on this visit and she was soon on her way back out over the fields.
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| Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). |
On the muddy margins White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bistita Común / Anthus pratensis) and Crested Larks (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) all fed. In the reeds and on the wire I added Cetti’s Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops). On the lagoon most of the birds were alert as 2 female Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) passed slowly over. Also on one of the pylons were the 2 resident Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) still to make a move on this cold morning.
2 comments:
Have you seen this Mick? Looks as though there's concern that the proposed Antequera airport would trash the Herrera lagoon
http://www.theolivepress.es/2010/10/08/flight-path-battle-for-flamingos/
Cheers, Linda
Hi Linda.
Thanks for the Info. I have been talking to a Spanish lad that I work with in Antequera and he has info that states that the airport will not affect the Laguna and he is trying to fing some online link for me to post. The latest problem is now a circular rail line for testing and servicing the high speed trains is in the planning stages and may put the laguna under threat yet again.
Mick
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