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Saturday 1 January 2022

Santoña and Santaner areas, Cantabria, Spain.

Getting the Year list off to a good start.

Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).
I set off too early yet again and arrived at the Ría de Escalante near to Santoña half an hour before light but still managed to get a few species in the dark including Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope).
Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula).
As the light came up I got the scope out and walked to the observatory and scanned the river, the tide was out but down in the channel I could see two immature Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and then the female Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula), the main bird I had come to this spot to see put in a brief appearance before it disappeared up river. 
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).
Other species added to the year list here were Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), loads of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were heading out from their roost to feed up river, a singing Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).
Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena).
My next stop was at the Hide but I didn't actually go in but walked along the path towards the bridge where I scanned the channel and had distant views of a winter plumage
Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena), 7x Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).
Distant 1st winter Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).
Distant 1st winter Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).
I returned to the car and then drove around to Santoña where I parked near the Bull Ring as I was hoping for one of the wintering
Rock Pipit (Bisbita Costero / Anthus petrosus) to come in but they were playing hard to get so I went out on to the sea wall and scanned the estuary finding Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), around 500 or so Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and whilst I was scanning a couple of Rock Pipits flew over me calling and landed on the wooden structure around the top of the Bull Ring before dropping down inside. 
A Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) which was suprised to see me sat on the wall when it surfaced.
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).
I walked down to the Fish port but as it was a holiday all the boats were in port and there were very few gulls around so like at the last spot I went out onto the sea wall and scanned through the gulls out there finding Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and the 1st winter Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides) resting up on a sandy island as well as a few Shags (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) sat on the buoys where the smaller boats were moored and a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which was fishing from some rocks at the base of the sea wall.
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).
I crossed the road and went further up stream as I had seen a good number of distant grebes from the port, I sat down on the wall along side the river and scanned the birds seeing
Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), another Great Northern Diver which surface to find me there and was none to happy for a moment but soon just carried on fishing and in amongst the 15 or so Black-necked and 10+ Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) I found a smart looking Slavonian / Horned Grebe (Zampullín Cuellirrojo / Podiceps auritus) but it always stayed distant.
Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).
My next stop was a few Kms up the coast at a pool by the Casa de las Mareas where I gave the year list a good boost with Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) but there was no sign of the Ring-necked Duck (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris) or the two Caspian Gulls (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans) reported a day or so ago.
Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) on t the river.
I drove around to the far side of the Estuary and out to a spot along a track called Calle Santander where I parked and went up onto the Dunes where I scanned the now full channel, after a while I found the two
Velvet Scoters (Negrón Especulado / Melanitta fusca) and as I continued I found two Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator) and the male Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) which I usually see from the hide all in a row on the sea just a 100 meters apart. 
Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Other species seen here included Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) males.
Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) on the lake.
I drove back around to the hide to give the Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis) another go but again I dipped so I decided to the back via Marismas Blanca but I could not find the Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) and only added a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) before heading back to Porrua.

Friday 31 December 2021

Punta de Jarri, Llanes, Asturias and San Vicente de la Barquera and Senda Fluvial del Nansa, Cantabria, Spain

Sea watching followed by two walks, one on the coast and one inland.
Ebird List for the Sea Watch.

My view West along the coast from Punta de Jarri.
I started the day by popping just down the road to Punta de Jarri where I took the scope and the chair and spent an hour and a half seeing what was passing, by far the commonest species was Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) with 336 all moving west as were several Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda), 2x Manx (Pardela Pichoneta / Puffinus puffinus) and 26x Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), 5x Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and 2x Great Skuas (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua).
Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Other species seen in the area included
Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), 2x Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Once I was back at the car I rove down to have a look along the river at San Vicente de la Barquera where a
Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser) had been seen a few days earlier but I did not find it, however during my walk along the river I did see Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Again I returned to the car and went just a short way inland where I saw a sign for a walk called the Senda Fluvial del Nansa where I followed the river and then retraced my steps back to the car, along the route I saw Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla) and a female Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula).

Thursday 30 December 2021

Laguna de Covadonga, Pico's de Europa and Punta de Jarri, Llanes, Asturias, Spain

A morning in the mountains and then some sea watching in the afternoon.
Ebird List for Covadonga area.
 
The view from Mirador de La Reina with the fog still in the valley.
I started out along the coastal motorway heading west and then drove inland hoping to get up to the mountain Lakes in the Covadonga area of the Pico's, the last time I had tried the road up to the spot had been closed to private vehicles and they were charging €9 per-person to take you up in a bus and as it was totally covered in low cloud we decided not to bother.
Lago Enol.

This time as it was winter there were no barriers so I drove up, the road was interesting and tight at times which was made even more interesting on the way back down with the amount of traffic coming up and lots of drivers working on the theory that driving on the right is just an idea and not manditory.
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus) in the car park.
On the way up I stopped at the Mirador de La Reina where I got great views right down into the fog filled valleys below which I had just driven through, at the view point I saw a single Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and just a little further up the road the first of quite a few Alpine Choughs (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).
I arrived at the car park just below the Lago Enol, the first of the mountain lakes and found more Alpine Choughs and as I walked up the hill I also found a muddy beaked
Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) which was picking around in one of the many mole hills.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
On the lake I only saw a few Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra), 2x Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which was flushed up by a herd of goats and their two guard dogs, it flew up on to the nearby cliff calling loudly all the way.
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
On the road side back I found a very nice little Narcissus species which I still need to put a name to along with
Shrubby Gromwell (Lithodora fruticosa), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) over head.
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
I dropped back down to the car and then drove up to the higher
Lago de La Ercina where a few Alpine Choughs showed very well, I walked down to the lake but there were too many people around for my liking so I soon returned to the car and started to drive back down and not a minute to late as the number of cars coming up was massive so I got out of there and headed back to the coast.
Lago de La Ercina, which is a stunning spot that I will revisit when its not a holiday.
I arrived at a spot on the Western edge of Llanes were I walked out to th Punta de Jarri and set up the scope for a couple of hours sea watching which was more productive than expected.
Santuario de Covadonga.
Out on quite a rough sea I saw a 1000+ Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), 92 Auk species which I think were all probably Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda), 4x Manx (Pardela Pichoneta / Puffinus puffinus) and 7x Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and lots of Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

As I walked back down to the car I saw a nice male
Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and on a road side pool as I drove back to the appartment I saw a single Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Wednesday 29 December 2021

Santoña and Santaner areas, Cantabria, Spain.

Catching up with a few year ticks and getting 5 of the 6 targets.
Ebird list for Santoña Port.
Ebird List for Observatorio de La Arenilla.
Ebird List for Polder y Ría de Escalante.
Ebird List for Playa de El Regatón y Ría de Treto.
Ebird List for Marismas Blancas near Santander.
 
Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).
I left the Apartment in Porrua quite early and I was in Santoña port before first light so I had a coffee and then walked down to the Northern jettie where I set up the scope and started to scan the estuary out towards the sea where I soon saw the first of quite a few Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer), in this area I had at least 5 birds including one that came in quite close but the light was not good at all and I only managed some grainy shots.
Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).
In this area I also had a flyby 1st winter
Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides) come over the Bull Ring and then off over the town back towards the port where later I also saw the 2nd winter which had been around for some time.
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).

Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).



Before I reached the Fish Port I also recorded Lesser (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which was sat on a smaller jetty and by the Bull ring a couple of  Rock Pipit (Bisbita Costero / Anthus petrosus) which came in off the grassy islands in the estuary and dropped into the building.
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).
I reached to port but there were very few Gulls about except for a few up on the roof of the fish factory, in amongst these I found the 2nd Winter Iceland Gull but there was no sign of the reported Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).
Bumblebee Species.

Peacock (Aglais io).

From the jettie by the port I scanned the Estuary and soon found
Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla) which were right on the other side of the estuary but closer I could see and hear Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) immature.
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) immature.
I returned to the car and drove around to the Observatorio de La Arenilla where I wañled along the paths in both directions, walking towards Santoña I only added Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) but in the other direction I had a great time seeing Slavonian / Horned Grebe (Zampullín Cuellirrojo / Podiceps auritus) and Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis) both for just the second time in Spain, Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) and 10x Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) which were another year tick, also new for the day were Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) immature.
Just up the road I made another stop along the Polder y Ría de Escalante where a few weeks ago I saw a female Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula) but the tide was a lot higher today and there was no sign of the bird during my short stop but I did see another Great Northern Diver which was quite close in below me, other new species included Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) x2, White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) x2 and 3x Woodpigeons (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) along the crags behind the spot.
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
Again I moved on again but this time I went right around to the far side of the Estuary to see if I could find two reported Velvet Scoter (Negrón Especulado / Melanitta fusca) and after a couple of stops along a sandy track called Calle Santander I found them out in the channel beyond the stone barrier. In the same area I also saw several more butterflies, most were Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and more Peacocks but there were also singles of Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua).
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) x2.
Common (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).
My final stop of the day was on the way back to Llanes at Marismas Blancas, a freshwater lake just off the motorway near Santander, I was hoping to catch up with a female Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) which had been around for a while. I soon found the Scaup but it spent most of its time asleep, other species seen were Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) heard only, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), 100's if not 1000's of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were arriving to roost, good numbers of Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) which were forming murmurations, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and 2x Common Gulls (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) which were picked out of the gull flock by Javier Pi Vallina who had arrived with his father Javier, I only managed some bad digiscoped shots.. 
Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) male.
I spent a very pleasant couple of hours chating and learning about the area whilst we waited hoping for a
Eurasian / Great Bittern (Avetoro Común / Botaurus stellaris) to fly over the reeds but we were not lucky.