Getting the Year list off to a good start.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8iTTAb63pSt-z5b_fg0caTV9wK_HtHfIasIg25ch8J7Ccue-tB0unVzU2SevHQcVNxdBfrgecljY6MrGfBFrVTSJeWMYgealkiGEzxaD3SBYqiuqfZxjTt5zNnzqBQz4s9Fq9K7cugB2UiFBEYKlO81mNps4iHRxWi2AocSyz_mOyomgrRAqq4MAB=w640-h496) |
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).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhoqTQu3k5BOf2F_knh389Lk7_r1rsN3tmv5jtUrkde7IYOH8iN5E9b4qMUmQHAXY74_0LMj91IfVX-rfOgGjYHaVDVsSJaxwXWzs434sL3NX_w51Ct2828lmYCDxGGUa9p6t3YvOErPVr5sYGfSb58vM_qYrSrp6LDmAy8AVlgr8aL7huXrXONRs-f=w640-h516) |
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbv4u0TCM8N2Qr1gvlbqkc9cgLDQVj7MiXrRF2UTrUJ2gZY4gw4Jm-RUO8P9llLTT9cIfd3DFVF3eYjbLPPgcSz8lh4hlighWWuq2JVrwKDL5bbTTX5M0i_0fS4jCorv7W9aQzCgO-s7E7y1LpMxDV-G0waCtXSHy4fXUjs_u9Q1F8sDEVImnxvcYX=w640-h510) |
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).![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_zRm0zuUCGMTp2ANT5zyp9mwB3gA9b7R_nFoDteRxgP2WlAwu1L_Ur0oeSt_-UNs55suyn1tmCnzUCGRz5c4at6O5jYas74pvibYBuUWCftkZzgXaNEICL03kTlCHIhYmTbpuC-h4ZSyTi9h_HPYC0-U-dMww6GMJDViGy4wxJZBecZoVKcXahV5K=w640-h478) |
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).![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD7LesQFKWATHfrPcSZGcvCDgDo8cBDF3VBbjD_SLVwhHur8M6RuqOROh5uNGHu0-rC2vCZL6nx3JIM5ljK3hvASQhvNMCF2L2yu3NjinG9Guy2xy_QrNCfefNNj4n6H3hTz26MwJ8yKIl7EEDiv3p-1j0dFNaVSWIoyhdJv-HmWo62U_BtgalXSfy=w640-h478) |
Distant 1st winter Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_-6D8BtkGBCfH8l6cQBlbp-9WBSPjXF6RUi_oQDRotfnXqF6GDodJNurAb5D4cOOh3Okn-Jwr5B-1UuapGtAaPb3XMlPwJXrKNkJOWnIXDObp3hgWmo2UcRQFhamSQ6Vod0afRweyo94nr63ms4lFKk_4J2KkEo06L9S8W1HdVmktzCI7GTiFAIPS=w640-h414) |
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEHw1OU1slClVa-BehowuIh-LvhmlfoSanQ6ot-z_xwbtuL9lPa-6YFwmkT6S8q2l8Qdx5qPUr-Vk8sfW4oIAi1bYViT3yVmSc7qwb5Y1pRayD1QXh5s-aQKlmSmYHouhs4WHYHU71ForFVJZvq-TqdIImcOh_2b58oLk2MdnwY0H6wUuK9TbvA1ne=w640-h384) |
A Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) which was suprised to see me sat on the wall when it surfaced.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCS4KavrYvBdh_ShFhOBATdlN5XBWBFIVm-CsK8iLXtiep4SNHMXRUW_cvCtgg-VktGyn9Eg14Hvdbiyc41WSt7xQ4nxLe_w7DTRpQknzyG-1LxTIWK6lqa7oPuF3DncvHQhQr5mJn3QfoJp2vqaUPnr8HwUhKgPg6Su-uOkklUOy7fWprf9nId2YI=w640-h410) |
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjqcZ6PCDkcag7XKqDkJYcaLAJyLmpkWPGM3tJgPd0AAaGhu5Q-X61PQJUmmfKtjUJf07N50dKp5tUnrEXYTmo1wBlKDte5e-SZJm1lF8sZKVCGf0JaL2aSuHZsUivlFDRYO37LPzKgY-ZF0gOEsKfEAXoYP3nhQ6H1duGREsINwlXlF95UOlyHinu=w640-h460) |
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6fznHYgxEsssQ-RmZVg9HrLjezMO7Ssf3k6LCuTc9m859fh_EGqDea4xIE5a5XhzYU19WiPYYawFzQrIIWk7zRaaj7IgZzOxqKvPGon7KSEGo9k1ADCvFzxuSuHm72UporsPEz8JTcztpjzLAXRjGWtnklnKyYacRY3FcA1M5hHCo01vYBf2wKopx=w640-h512) |
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.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtuPkUcpeAH3aaqUwjAJKTjJzOU2GJB_FfaOtE5iwwYcakBJZMZQeqmSf8C5aSh-SdBnbKF7DEmA-c460wmF2K7SNzhv6u4sel9bC30OZLZDewgePcgycQNEr7Bz-joQ0toXFYoXufJJZWl3GKGss8Is_2hAhEjNbH7imChwG7gh8raQ6gQIvBn0Pp=w640-h396) |
Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) on t the river.
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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. ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizUAmDm6_KBjzauhdLqAqT_ImRr9-hxKqtAJrTtbRfRgGXEe7D-30uCFkUSG0lJ_Iabxm6lUZXfyJ48XIPLlAXrO4iIdiQgs6naUm7DXNEZ6_JK5ixLWHnnjjFWavktflwuzTk5bMYY5O24Le8RMVwA31syDbZtVJ43MepvCUEAMKNDCu9e3fThQ1j=w640-h488) |
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).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRslalNIwrycGxSEyHMjMgZNnxGKIpj_fiokV0aNmQDRTPrRVIhhebxR44ruuSTphNH_v26ck5GyPOna6NFToiA3QyBR8DZPcN1k7WQr1JiXnAxUmzKhJpCf-sh8yO41PjHB14GHJ9IjPKKYTzk1oxn6H82UgmDsUEOFBjZ-DbEQzJXBudP-GatAfF=w640-h384) |
Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) males. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggBXKzv_hm2bBJQSjCKZtwXIZLucRs2hNiudkumcO684MB5AuFdT393PcubLR9kTC4qhoTtEQCz-P-XLvU7SYFXuKX6NoDIxdSGL4CVqsI-kikWmZF7-F5DhYt8ucC13IquKWm1VLvhR8GPVPITf8JhHvyceH53DEu9c6O2dwN1LFIivrKTsQr_mEi=w640-h472) |
Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) on the lake.
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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.
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