John and Sharon, Day Five.
I parked and crossed the bridge and went straight on through the reed channel seeing a Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and on a small pool between the first two hides Cassilas and ViejaI had a fleeting look at a Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) which shot across the near margin and in to some reeds. I met Sharon and John and we went back to the spot but did not see the bird again as two guy from the Environmental agency were testing the water and throwing in some sort of chemicals????
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Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola). |
We went back to the first hide where I saw
White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala),
Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis),
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra),
Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus),
Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and in between this hide and the next we had a fly over male
Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and a winter plumage
Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) on the deeper part of the wader scrape.
Once we were in the hide in front of the wader scrape we picked up
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus),
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and a
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) which was sat in on of the usual dead trees but little else so we continued on down the track towards the sea watch point.
On the pool / old river we found a single
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) x1,
Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) x8 and
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x5,
Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) x2, a couple of
Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a male
Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) which was hunting between the bushes next to the track.
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Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis). |
In the bushes between the scrape and the beach we had
Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris),
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis),
Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae),
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala),
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and in the sky a couple of
Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).
On the beach we scanned the sea and picked up
Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus),
Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus),
Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and
Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis),
Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) x5 and on the shingle a couple of
Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
We retraced our steps back along the track towards the scrape hide picking up a couple of migrating
Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus),
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus),
Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra),
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus),
Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), once there we added
Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) before heading around to the main hide picked up a calling
Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus),
Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and
Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos). Along with
Vagrant Emperor (Emperatriz emigrante / Anax ephippiger),
Banded Groundling (Brachythemis impartita) and
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
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Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria). |
Around at the main hide we saw
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea),
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata),
Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra),
Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia),
Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
From here we headed back to the car and then went have some lunch before visiting Zapata at the far side of the airport. We drove along the entrance channel and then under the runway and down to the river. Along the channel we had
Yellow and
Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea),
Kingfisher,
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta),
Common Sandpiper,
Little Ringed Plover,
Eurasian Coot,
Common Moorhen,
Serin, a female
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and both
Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Along the river we also had several dragonflies including
Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria),
Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and
Lesser Emperors (Anax parthenope),
Orange-winged (Trithemis kirbyi) and
Violet Dropwings (Trithemis annulata),
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii),
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea),
White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes),
African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna),
Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus),
Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and
Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
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Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis). |
Before going to the airport we went to the sea front and added a few more species to the trip list including
Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii),
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus),
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus),
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba),
Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula),
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), more
Monk Parakeets and another
Vagrant Emperor. Next we went for a coffee and then to the airport.