Gabo de Gata first hide, Rambla Morales, Cabo de Gata Saltpans and back to Rambla Morales, Almeria Province, Spain.

A day with some good uncommon year ticks.

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) x2 and a Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) winter plumage.

I left home early and made my way round the northern route to Almeria and then down to the hide which over looks the Salinas at the northern end, here I started the day list off with Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).

Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus).

Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus).

Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus).

I drove through the village and out along the beach to Rambla Morales where I spent a while scanning the pool and the beach seeing masses of feeding Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and both Sand and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).

Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Around the margins I checked out the waders hoping to find the two reported Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) but only managed to see Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Ringed Plover, Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) and Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Whilst I was there I bumped into a Spanish birder who I think was Delfín González and he gave me some info on the Temmincks but whilst I was talking to he I added Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), good numbers of immature Greater Flamingo's, Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava flavissima).

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

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

My next stop was on the track along the back of the southern end of the saltpans where my second target of the day was a reported, a very smart Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus) which I soon found feeding on the waters edge along with lots of other wader and a good many Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei) which were feeding in large groups in the shallows.

Lesser Flamingo (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor).

Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum).

Other species seen included Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Dunlin, Little Stint, Sanderling, Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

After getting really good views of the lovely Phalarope I went around to the hide nearest the town on the seaward side where I added Lesser Flamingo (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor) which had been around for a few days along with Iberian Grey (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and a Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) immature.

My last stop of the day was near the Camping site inland from the Rambla Morales where Delfín had told me to check some small pools in the river bed and I was soon getting distant views of a couple of Temmincks Stints as well as Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and several Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) before I headed off home.