Rambla Morales and Cabo de Gata Saltpans, Almeria Province, Spain.

A late start but a Spainsh Lifer from America.

Rambla Morales Ebird List.

Saltpan Ebird List.

Two of the four White-winged Terns (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

After getting a phone call from good friend Juan Perez Contreras to tell me that a Wilson's Phalarope (Falaropo Tricolor / Phalaropus lobatus) that had been around for a few days was still there I set off within a few minutes and I was on site within 2.5 hours but I could not find the bird.

Wilson's Phalarope (Falaropo Tricolor / Phalaropus lobatus).

Wilson's Phalarope (Falaropo Tricolor / Phalaropus lobatus).

I did however see the first of four White-winged Terns (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus) feeding out over the lake and on the lake Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), a single Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), 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), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) and Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) were all seen.

Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina).

On the beach and around the margin I added Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica) x2, Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) and 4x Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

After carrying out several scans of the pool and the margins I could not find the bird so I rang Juan to see if he could give me any further information on the bird, he said he was only 10 minutes away and would meet me.

White-winged Terns (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus) x4.

White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

Juan arrived and he told me where he had seen the bird and showed me some photographs he had taken and they are used above (Thanks Juan), we both scanned the lake and after a while Juan picked up the bird a long way down the lake but we had decent views through the scope,

Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

We watched the bird for quite a while before we went down to the Salina's where we looked for but did not find a Lesser Flamingo (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor) which had been around for a while, however we did see Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Little Stint, Dunlin, Sanderling, Black-winged Stilt, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

I returned to Rambla Morales, on the way I dropped  Juan back to spend the rest of the afternoon with Beatriz and Chika, I sat down on the beach and scnned the lake again bit the Phalarope was still a good way back down the lake.

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

I spent another couple of hours sat on the sand adding Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sand (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava flavissima) before I headed back home.

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).