The brute I wanted to see, second time lucky.
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Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla) immature.
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With even more information from local birder Cosme Damián Romay Cousido about a good spot to look for Barrilete, the American Herring Gull (Gaviota Argentea Americana / Larus Smithsonianus) which had been returning to this area for winters since 2007 some 14 years.
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Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus). |
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Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus). |
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Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus). |
I set up my chair, Scope and supplies and sat down for a six and a half hour stint of Gull watching, to start with it was cold and I mean cold so within half an hour I had lost all feeling in my feet and fingers. |
Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) on their way into the fish farm. |
After getting the blood flowing by having a walk into the sun I settled back down and soon found an immature Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla) which was flying in from the sea and then sat on the far shore.
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European Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus). |
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European Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus). |
I also recorded
Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus),
Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), an almost adult
European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and masses of
Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), several hundred Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), 70+
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos),
Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos),
Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
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Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus). |
After another defrosting walk I sat back down and I was watching a
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) when the Guardia pulled up and I thought they were going to ask what I was doing but the one guy spoke good English and just asked why I didn't sit in the sun at the other end of the road as I looked frozen and they weren't wrong. After explaining that I was looking for Gulls and they like the beach opposite they laughed and went on their way leaving me dithering and wishing there was a cafe close enough to get a coffee. |
Barrilete the adult American Herring Gull (Gaviota Argentea Americana / Larus Smithsonianus). |
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American Herring Gull (Gaviota Argentea Americana / Larus Smithsonianus). |
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American Herring Gull (Gaviota Argentea Americana / Larus Smithsonianus). |
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American Herring Gull (Gaviota Argentea Americana / Larus Smithsonianus). |
I sat back down and did several more scans through the growing Gull flock and then I found the one I had hope to find, Barrilete the adult American Herring Gull which was quite a brute of a bird size wise but being so clean looking it had a nice look to it |
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata). |
Other species seen during the time there were Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti),
Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius),
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata),
Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax),
Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla),
Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).
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Pink-footed Goose (Ánsar Piquicorto / Anser brachyrhynchus). |
After seeing Barrilete I packed the kit back into the car, turned the heating up full and moved down the road to the Cemetery where I had seconds of the Pink-footed Goose (Ánsar Piquicorto / Anser brachyrhynchus) before heading back to the Accommodation.I ended up seeing the American Herring Gull after getting help from Cosme who also looked at my picks and confirmed the Gull Identifications for me, Thanks.
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