A day of Gull hunting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigUoh7J6hiR6ZlGDy-06IAy2Qx-4j_huA-IoS8F5xoW_9rYFtMFfCrtIuKYbfNstlGNsMcvT0U15mN87ats0udBhkMOgaB2PY7UzyaF8NDuKL0DFL9CzAXF4i7hDVS4hf3pLyQ0qCELI/w640-h462/13th-Jan-21-1.jpg) |
Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis). |
I started by driving down to the beach along the Rio Salado at Conil de la Frontera where there had been a 1st winter
Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis) for a few days, I arrived before dawn but walked out to the far side of the bridge over the rio.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmgSJbx87pznn-DBtC-rPD_YiPZ3f4gdOkIVw94JJHZSFqWT7uzDPx_tJdV3lktcrihRJv0iV05eA2UHa7mq1f5tnQ1c9isnIr3LKz3EJH6-eU53LkcxMFBs0m26IBihCn-TM75FsPmI/w640-h490/13th-Jan-21-2.jpg) |
Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-2uJrolCcycvhKJEQuzzOvAfKbbTWqQCFWWrSWnXPrEJ3MS467QwdOA0BzNcwc2ZGqBGcKaOgCPcHlks1hSNYqgCNuXX1lLKhwCLqhQwu9DzwMirTul4hOBYQEKKcipsMKKMcVKihGU/w640-h514/13th-Jan-21-3.jpg) |
Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis). |
As the light started to come I picked up
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), a few
Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) started to arrive and soon I had my first sighting of the
Ring-billed but it was still quite dark so the shots are not great but better than nothing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZGrXgH0wxn4qOta_TESRGrX5i58Os69tVGGgstIGlkyeJajKquIskif3eGw5aW9CirU5Nmimo97f5xoFzRZ0sLNd3TkV9E6xO78bCCajv9w4TDoWh4zJJIYsfBv55gSG-x6rxh8l5-g/w640-h550/13th-Jan-21-4.jpg) |
Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsd7ZwArfJVwjFfpkeG8g-0fdQoHyNfJTA5p_cS4WNadJh6HpLTIPbvzIv45UZk6xKXGKYdMLrkS-P2uDy84s2Gb5dyoYY4WwvF4FGbU8y0TF-dN0LM5FqtdI6L8fLKgy9NpGm9ipDgJ0/w640-h576/13th-Jan-21-5.jpg) |
Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
Unfortunately yet another tosser with a dog flushed everything off the river including the gull but it returned and then flew off strongly North.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprKlY8WNNepo3rT9MRnXY7HkacZaXIEpNPTDypAoS2m3yFG1tNBJbnIJ4s0F7wjIquvsjgDpA20b2HnilQW7SPdpUVulZx8npP-bdBoxP8Qu6fcOMrtmWZXDpFKtIyA-aYJ9bMPamzZ8/w640-h490/13th-Jan-21-22.jpg) |
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Jjs4274N7daF0-y5XIs37OLgR_Bmv93lmD7ttHuwk9OD_qV24quE36UpzCUmabS6d0X_FP5oztC_jMvGal5FialeqbLR_bL0icxpt-sSNGHg8EibTg5ZRbghLZzCrhIG2GI1zP0ndlw/w640-h636/13th-Jan-21-23.jpg) |
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus). |
In the same area I also found
Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and
Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina),
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba),
Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and a
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kWrj0aag9Mq2TUC3iHDDJnjkdiyzT9zeIszcRvljm1jOg-ZB2Xgp7ZPWeH-OsFuyLyVFGAzh2Y0cTZpncszxs40nQCdYiTFerbZn615a_ceKX7Q8adAYHggGA50cslOCKjk9L-hyHpk/w640-h542/13th-Jan-21-21.jpg) |
Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBARrnNqU65M-kTNmKOjc883CtbG5dA4WzV7scHgn6ufK3EE7lP0A3iqf4gYnZ8OXVAWcfWVRRcqJnyN78OZwqV_XByBHmj7HN6Hp0f_6lhO3N8Vn2TZK2uPr7tgfXFEq8TqkE-gEfqR0/w640-h442/13th-Jan-21-20.jpg) |
Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
The Gull didn't return and I wanted to spend as much time later at Chipiona so I headed back North seeing Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) on the way, then calling in at Costa Ballena where I again had some nice views of the Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus) again.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4NFprZIE8_-IH6zBJKL-K_CZvQxaxULKOOMsUJNjt9YtYLZcw1jnfJWJbkUEn51LqEL1CYv35hoy7HNnjhbyX58CcdboQfzX_swjF7zM-C52jKu-M51tvfijsQz7WiQTTxUyYLnmAM8/w640-h394/13th-Jan-21-8.jpg) |
White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala). |
Also there I had Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Mediterranean, Lesser Black-backed and again the Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) which was roosting on the same grass area as yesterday when they were flushed by a dog, again I walked passed the roosting Greenshanks (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) but just then a photographer stepped out from behind a building near to the gulls and again they all flushed up so I only got some flight shots of the Common Gull as they all disappeared off up the canal, I am just jinxed I think.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgSiZ3hWf7skH_YWoPO2RqNx2G7gAI0Z2XDuLcLc69KVmq1HsWuw4oFWaYghOkt53AN1CqjfgC1ow8WX9Rhp0D43yz-ej1kmP-iYIWGiY94DBaupT6TUCSSxdmzwQLC9vpW0tX7pN2O4/w640-h468/13th-Jan-21-6.jpg) |
Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIWbZiauMJVMAoniUgMi9zi8XpARrGzcVC-D-tcRaEdelYIJsB9Y_dM8jc591XpRgZ7RoJ8Lqwoq_YKAkGKm9yEBq29of3q90SXv1GYEQgkmdoTrKpvmIk9NokxcljVRa5oOglcdLQbo/w640-h430/13th-Jan-21-7.jpg) |
Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula). |
I also had
Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra),
Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus),
Grey Heron,
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and both Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and
House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) over head.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_7ffHNRRKDvvcIiE2vF0i3Niv5rk4FgqpPz5KvLG-76AI-8ntwXd4Z1k97IGtuDdanO3ux8xtZJwdKQeIpD9YMTKJszTWLALewAsx-ZY9Fjh3Hgy2uCFtqPkL9rA5b6fedPgOPEsv7k/w640-h422/13th-Jan-21-10.jpg) |
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XWaM_TvROu4jbeGQt_SP_KOboBGhFjrccTWceFmHY-F-eZwkrxXwZKb-FvTVtXEcMdiW-d25DAQJjx_S0Pi8JJ3IaAoCPbUtlf1Jw9fa1hx5FuHhFDo9ovHy8FgKoZQG9PnYVdEHMQc/w640-h438/13th-Jan-21-9.jpg) |
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba). |
I passed by Chipiona and went out onto the Playa Montijo where I looked for Waders, Gulls and Terns but it was quite, however I did find
Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus),
Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and
Grey Plovers,
Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo /
Calidris canutus), Sanderling and several Caspian Terns.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgEd5Z0UUawKkT3FAYnZTanPqdOawOWeLHRPOM4U0YNgn-yiLPaXOLcG_mpcw_fpUauI0rCCnuhHeKFtV0wohGB6V0SyZoGRiq-cz2DZy9NuqgAQx4okUUJv8bmr8KC6mXEls2QjWJzQ/w640-h410/13th-Jan-21-18.jpg) |
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) with a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) sitting down.
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The next stop of the day was at Colorado Pools, I parked and scanned the three pools, there were some Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) in a group of Tamarisk trees, White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) on all the pools and a couple of
Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) as well as
Eurasian Coot,
Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and
Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1P7BR0EXkBrK2dqOA7RjKizfaNzjKWDQ__W7dkIOfQB28s6FeM5V2ly-IMPf1BdSqbGvpXMfZ7nDwpE9KWj4gknxlVBlcNb82alO7eVXXZJDnD_dpIUp8fCSMPb7b5xPxSHOuJDmEQeQ/w640-h464/13th-Jan-21-19.jpg) |
Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
I moved on to Bonanza Saltpans but they were even quieter than last time I visited but I still found
Sanderling,
Kentish and
Ringed Plovers,
Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus),
Dunlin,
Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta),
Greater Flamingo's, a pair of cronking
Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax),
Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna),
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and a singing
Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) which was just behind the car but as hard as I looked I could not see it, eventually it hopped up from behind a small plant and perched for a second before flying off.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsM5pYKyoNyPidYZjcqH2IuJyPBM_kVBuWoB_1EKNMe9y1HVkeVk-rmAyXxB_aSx51uFnOIf8Kpow0jwFr2oMyAuZeVbG9p6E7ZvtjWgzVxONRbVhIFcEUi3u9CjKorTZM3LzWMDDHlpA/w640-h288/13th-Jan-21-24.jpg) |
Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia). |
I decided to return to Costa Ballena to see if the
Common Gull had returned but it had not so I checked the top pool finding a
Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and
Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEc2eY4xy5bB7nXIo_vFSzPLskUQc3x1h1kgoIsIo7daYGXlZnMlpks82vrEKcWPWINeqqaIeey_rslWfBaBpzJaymHkyIy5EuO6AGFC2L8qLQhYBoEsx67Opb21YYJrZyy_dPqcUZP3U/w640-h512/13th-Jan-21-25.jpg) |
Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus). |
I spent the rest of the day wandering around the port and the beaches of Chipiona, in the port there were Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed, Audouin's, Med and Black-headed Gulls, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Common Sandpiper, Great Cormorant and Grey Heron. ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbOWHndJ0GIRs3XJ9j9kLyq7YD_2C9GTqlO-0tMY-yJnpwEkJ2jXzU9dF3dLh6U63_TarYR471yP7vtsndcOTuWv8ul-4_oZeA1_r2CYNhOgM64sa_nV8j7XDAHLVRoW9J90bQMt5Bxk/w640-h364/13th-Jan-21-14.jpg) |
Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) roosting on the Jetties.
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I checked the beach looing through the Gull flock there for a reported
Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and I soon found a bird that I thought fitted the bill so I got some shots before it flew off.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsmJy3osIE7nqMBbVZY54Nvf4eD1bFeKyzoqtovqGxWPfIFpIC5qH3ylmmCcuwJLmAjaOY34mYHP_McymPHmhryAQvy_sdRsb__A_QmPHOX_Tm_d-oD30bbp9dSYKO2LKbbHXXScrvE8/w640-h440/13th-Jan-21-17.jpg) |
Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).
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Not being a gull expert and this species and
Yellow-legged are difficult so I asked around once I was home and posted the Pictures on social media and sent it to friends and over all consensus came back as it is a
Herring Gull which is a new species for me in Spain.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7NllcHTfARonirKN8VlDJQ4nWemZDRg9s_DAvI8-jNMJplfYbekcc_Kruqdm5WyX4N-HDyNBJqQMDqglwyRZl3tWeQsRd0m-uF6dj0mdpzbu8fJxjzMEsKPCUZfJATFVSvxiyNhlR-E/w640-h380/13th-Jan-21-16.jpg) |
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) 1st winters and adults. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuXrCHlVIGlJyYRB7C_FcKiIT4NnVZogNfWEqiEHD4Fsj5NVMFnvBcPDMXRhWgq5L3W-leEODAuO7u15GL43hrzZHL_YWr0mlj38N9ftgKyrb0C6szk4LuaiPl7TNT37koAdGfqNozHk/w640-h442/13th-Jan-21-15.jpg) |
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) 1st winter. |
I returned to the Port to see if this gull had dropped in but I did not relocate it again but I did see
Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor),
Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus),
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis),
Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto),
House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and just before I set off for the hotel a couple of
Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YOQ6GFlJIvfI5938ibKOTRzJxZ7g0cHnww5rekzoo0GE1Ex48bpLn3p9ohIeGkxojQFzhDV-61rBKIVQvH7iYSJYsY1H6dQTsMbyWJbgv6Xi2O3csMT7pO1ybBCft2aGYjLSRkMy_uQ/w640-h412/13th-Jan-21-12.jpg) |
Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpcn6nub2rdrX75OxymIYWX1IczNbf892f05Anr_SSaRzR4KZQhuwQ2FNu_OqmwTaG8mv_ujf_aeyQpP77jWHl_1KAs4r-yIN8ZSjBI42Vv2Bjws1G4KsRSA4bYgrSN0aILT0xCQpDK4/w640-h552/13th-Jan-21-13.jpg) |
Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIf4PY0RlSwtMOfxVI45XfhdA6644xhrwMvfQEwdhaDDnzqu81xKe9Lj-Qg5vtGnyZIhE_E7Mg6jHC97MwimMEeFVjUEwtqFfj7RAqqRyqPgqez87UMgtKS5DUtV6MtYbcq5zhs8KiSc/w640-h404/13th-Jan-21-11.jpg) |
Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus). |