The last part of the year in UK and Spain.
Part Three.
 |
Sharon and John.
|
I had a few days in the UK after returning from Australia and I was pleased to get out with Good friends Sharon and John for a bit of birding locally, during the day we had views of Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) at Belvide, three species of Egret together at Doxey Marsh, Stafford, Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Great (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) x2 and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x2 and a Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) in amongst the Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).
 |
| Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Great (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) x2 and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) x2. |
 |
| Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus). |
I returned to Spain a few days later and was eager to check the fields to see if the Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) flock had arrived, during the first few day the numbers went from 3 up to 26.
 |
| Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax). |
 |
| Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax). |
In Early October I was out birding with Sharon and John again along with their Granddaughter Caitlin and we had a great time locally, on to Gibraltar and out West in Cadiz Province.  |
| Hooded crow (Corvus cornix). |
 |
| Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus). |
 |
| Sharon, John and Caitlin. |
Highlights were a Spanish Lifer for me, a Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) and other good species included
Common / Garden Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus),
Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus),
Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens),
Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus),
Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis), Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii),
Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).
 |
| Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita). |
 |
| Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus). |
 |
One of the Rally cars.
|
The rest of October was fairly quiet except for a dip over at Barbate in Cadiz Province with Ricky Owen when we went looking for an American Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Americano / Pluvialis dominica) which had been around for a few days but we timed things wrong as the last stage of the Rally of Andalusia was running right along the edge of the site and was producing lots of noise and disturbance.  |
| Sabine's Gull (Gaviota de Sabine / Larus sabini). |
 |
| Sabine's Gull (Gaviota de Sabine / Larus sabini). |
 |
| Sabine's Gull (Gaviota de Sabine / Larus sabini). |
I Started November up at Santi's in Santo Domingo de Silos, I didn't see much bird wise but we had a few nice walks, visits to the Gregorian Chants and beers down the village with Maria.
Later in the Month I was due to meet up with friends Miguel Olvera and Dave Grundy for a nights Mothing at Charca Suarez but on the way I picked up a much wanted Spanish lifer with an adult winter Sabine's Gull (Gaviota de Sabine / Larus sabini) which had been around for a couple of days after being found by
Ignacio Barrionuevo, later we had a good time at charca, quiet Moth wise but with a few interesting species.
 |
| 10013 Eucania joannisi. |
 |
| 10535 Crimson Speckled (Utetheisa pulchella). |
Just before the end of the month I had another Spanish lifer, a group of three
Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata), a little bit plastic but still nice to catch up with them. |
| Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata). |
 |
| Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata). |
December started with another fairly local Spanish Lifer when a Grey Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius) was found by James Cookney, next day I met Juan Perez down at Charca where we had a few nice species including Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda),
Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) and Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).
 |
| Grey Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius). |
 |
| Grey Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius). |
Later I again headed off North on my way up to Santander for my crossing to the UK for Christmas via Santi's in Santo Domingo de Silo where we again visited the Monasterio for the Chants where I was pleased that we bumped into Maria again and we all went for a drink afterwards.A couple of days later I headed off north again and spent a couple of days birding around Santoña before I caught the Ferry from Santander, birds seen included Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer), Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima), Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla),
Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus), Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla) and
Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).  |
| Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla). |
 |
| Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer). |
 |
| Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima). |
 |
| Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda). |
 |
| Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
 |
| Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus). |
I reached the UK at Portsmouth and then drove North to my Mom's in Shropshire, a journey which should have taken just over 3 hours, so 7.5 hours I was very pleased to eventually reach Albrighton after the M27, A34, M42 and M6 all being shut due to roadworks.
No comments:
Post a Comment