Comillas, Ensenara de San Bartolomé and Santander Town, Cantabria.

A great visit to El Capricho de Gaudi in Comillas and then a look around the Santander area.

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

We returned to Comillas after remembering why we wanted to visit the town, we had a look around the town following a route given to us by the tourist office. 

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

On the beach I saw 3x Great Black-backed Gulls (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) along with Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), 3x Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and several Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and several Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) x3.

Later, once it was open we went to the very impressive El Capricho de Gaudi house. We spent nearly 3 hours there before heading towards and past Santander to a spot where due to the weather I had a walk on the estuary while Jayne read her Kindle in the car. 

Comillas.

During the hour or so I was there I saw 100s of Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) x8, a Spanish Lifer in the shape of 3 Velvet Scoters (Negrón Especulado / Melanitta fusca), Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and 2x Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).

Comillas.

On the mud flats there were also Eurasian Curlew (Zaoaito Real / Numenius arquata), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). 

Gaudi's Gateway.

On the landward side I recorded Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and as I walked back an Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) flew over carrying a very large fish.

Gaudi's sunflowers at El Capricho.

Later we drove into the city of Santander where we had a very nice lunch and later a walk along the seafront where saw Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and lots of House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). 

El Capricho.

Later we drove back to the hotel via Suances for some food again.

Jayne sat with Gaudi.

Eurasian Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Velvet Scoters (Negrón Especulado / Melanitta fusca) honest !!!!

A cheese board for lunch.

Art on the sea front at Santander.

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).