Marismas del Odiel PNat, Espigón Juan Carlos I, Huelva Province, Spain.

Mega Rarity trip.

Dawn on the Odiel.

Before I went to the Pyrenees for a week the news broke of a Mega rare Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) but unfortunately I was not able to get there as I had too much going on getting ready for the trip up North.

Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus).

After a really good trip I was surprised that the bird was still around so on the Monday morning I was up at 03:00 and on site by 07:30 where I found Julian Thomas who had flown in from the UK for the bird already searching.

Looking up the river.

About 20 minutes later he said I have got a small Auk out on the main channel but sat with it's back to us but going on the size alone it could be nothing but the Murrelet and after a few minutes it turned as it drifted on the dropping tide and we had good views of the bird side on.

Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus).

The bird drifted quite quickly off down the channel on a quickly dropping tide but before it disappeared it fly up and passed us and then dropped back onto the water near a car park further up stream so the group that had now gathered relocated and from this new point we had good scope views but always into the sun unfortunately.

Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus).

Other species seen at this spot were Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Little (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Audouin's  (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) x5, Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) x5, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Unfortunately I needed to be back home for a delivery in the afternoon so I started to make my way back home, on the way out I picked up White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and then at a small roadside pool I added Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

As I drove back home I added Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).