Cabo de Ajo and Faro de Cabo Ajo, Puerto deportivo and El Puntal in Laredo, Polder y Ría de Escalante, Observatorio de La Arenilla and Puerto de Santoña, Cantabria, Spain.

Watching a lively sea and then some Gulls and other bit later.

Ebird List for Faro de Cabo Ajo.

Ebird List for Puerto deportivo.

Ebird List for 

Ebird List for 

Video's of the sea are on my Facebook Page, Mick Richardson.

The Sun just lifting over the next headland.

I started the day up the coast at Cabo de Ajo where I had planned to do a few hour's sea watching, however the conditions were a tad lumpier than I had expected so spent most of my time there watching the sea and not seeing many birds.

Looking East.

and again.

On the drive there, I saw lots of Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Looking west from Cabo de Ajo to the lighthouse.

and the same again.

From the cliffs I did see 1x Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), lots of Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a very brave Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) which I kept seeing on the rocks below me between the huge waves covering area.

Cueva de la Ojerada.

In the surrounding bushes, I also was and heard Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail and down on the rocks near Cueva de la Ojerada where there was also a nice blow hole in the rocks I found another Linaria type species which still needs to be named.

Faro de Cabo Ajo in the sun when I first arrived.

I popped just up the road to have a look at the brightly painted Faro de Cabo Ajo, as I walked out towards it through the grassy fields I picked up Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Spotless Starling, European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and on some wooden poles around the area more Common Buzzard. 

Faro de Cabo Ajo through the sea spray.

Down by the Lighthouse I took a few photos and then sat on a bench and scanned the waves which were still big and added a couple more Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), European Shag (Cormorán Moñudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). 

After getting back to the car, I decided to head around to the Port at Laredao again after seeing that the two German guys had reported a 1st winter European Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) yesterday after I had left, I went straight down into the port today as I could see there were no gulls up on the seawall.

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

The Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula) was up on its usual roof but came down to mop up scrapes left behind as the fisherman left one by one, I also saw the usual Yellow-legged of the northern race lusitanius, a single Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) but had no luck with the European Herring. 

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Other species were Ruddy Turnstone, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Great Cormorant, European Robin, Black Redstart, House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis).

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis).

My next stop was back up at the end of the point at El Puntal where I again walked out to the beach on the estuary side, today it was sunny and there were loads of other people on the beach and out on the water, even though it was busy I recorded Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) before I headed to Polder y Ría de Escalante on the Santoña side of the estuary.

Looking across the estuary from El Puntal, better in the sun.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla).

Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla).

I arrived and scanned the area, the direction of the sun made things difficult, however I did manage to add Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata), a decent sized flock of Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) which did the decent thing and all took off and showed their nice white wing-bars, Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

On my way to Santoña I popped into the Observatorio de La Arenilla hoping for the Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) but couldn't find it, I did pick up Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and around at my last stop of the day, in Santoña near the Bullring.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Immature European Shag (Cormorán Moñudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

I walked the seawall and the along the prom for a way, the only new species was European Rock Pipit (Bisbita Costero / Anthus petrosus) which flew from the Bullring and then back again 10 minutes later.

Looking back across to El Puntal in Laredo.

Puerto deportivo and El Puntal in Laredo, Playa de El Regatón y Ría de Treto, Cicero, Polder y Ría de Escalante and Puerto de Santoña, Cantabria, Spain.

A dryer day than expected with some good birds, including my 350th species for the year.

Winter trip, day three. 

Ebird List for Laredo-Puerto deportivo.

Ebird List for Laredo-El Puntal.

Ebird List for Playa de El Regatón y Ría de Treto. 

Ebird List for Cicero. 

Ebird List for Polder y Ría de Escalante. 

Ebird List for Puerto de Santoña. 

 

Adult Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

Started the day by driving around to the Port of Laredo, on the way I made a stop for some breakfast and then went to have a look at the long staying Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula) which I had seen several times before with June being the most recent when I visited the spot with Deb and Ian from Australia.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) northern race lusitanius.

After I had parked I walked the big seawall, seeing several Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) of the northern race lusitanius along with Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and of course the Kelp / Cape which showed well for myself and two German guys that had come down especially for it.

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Kelp / Cape Gull (Gaviota cocinera / Larus dominicanus vetula).

Other species were few, I did see European Shag (Cormorán Moñudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

The estuary side of the point, with Santoña on the far shore.

After a while I drove on along to the end of the point where I parked and checked the Estuary side of the sandbank, here I found 650+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), 100s of distant Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) with 3 on the estuary and one on the sea later, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), White Wagtail and Climbing Groundsel (Senecio Angulatus).

The seaward side.

I walked around the headland to the seaward side where there was another Great Northern Diver but nothing else, so I moved on down to another spot about a KM or so along the estuary side of the point where I crossed some dunes to view the water again.

Red-throated Diver (Colimbo Chico / Gavia stellata) bad light, high ISO = crap shot.

From here I hit my 350 species for the year target with a distant Red-throated Diver (Colimbo Chico / Gavia stellata) which definatly looked better through the scope than the camera.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla).

Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla).

Other species seen were the Dark-bellied Brent Geese again, a single female Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Black-necked and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Northern Diver, and in the trees behind me Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula)and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Large-flowered Evening-Primrose (Oenothera glazioviana).

Linaria species.

On the walk back to the car I also saw Large-flowered Evening-Primrose (Oenothera glazioviana), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and a Linaria species before heading around to the opposite side of the estuary to Cicero where I had some lunch at the Mirador de Sollagua.

Looking over the estuary to Santoña.

A panoramic Photo from the boardwalk.

Whilst out on the boardwalk here I added Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), 3x Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). 

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

I moved on again to the hide overlooking Polder y Ría de Escalante where I saw 2 more Greater Flamingo, another Great Egret and a couple of Long-tailed Tits (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus) which were the only new species for the day.

Looking across the Estuary to the SE.

European Shag (Cormorán Moñudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and a Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

My last stop of the day was on the sea wall near the bullring in Santoña Port, I didn't see anything new, so I headed back to the accommodation via the supermarket and chilled for the night.

Cabo Mayor, Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo, Marismas de Parayas and Marismas Blancas in the Santander area and Observatorio de La Arenilla near Santoña, Cantabria, Spain.

A dip to start the day but some good birding anyway.

Winter trip, day two.

Ebird List for Cabo Mayor.

Ebird List for Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo.

Ebird List for Marismas de Parayas.

Ebird List for Marismas Blancas.

Ebird List for Observatorio de La Arenilla.

First signs of the Sun.

I left my hotel in Cueto and went a short distance out towards the coast where I parked near the Parque de Cabo Mayor, It wasn't really light enough for birding, so I sat and watched the sun come up a bit before I started to search for a Hume's Warbler (Mosquitero de Hume / Phylloscopus humei) but as there hadn't been any reports since the 7th I was not expecting to see it but as I was so close I decided to give it a go for a couple of hours anyway.

Faro de Cabo Mayor, with the hedge and trees down to the left.

I spent a very pleasant couple of hours or so wandering up and down a hedge made up of Hazel (Corylus avellana) and what looked like Bay (Laurus nobilis) which was in front of what looked like some rather large Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) trees, one of which was in flower and the many Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) seemed to like.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Down in the hedge and over head I saw and heard Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which came into the Eucalyptus trees a couple of times causing mayhem on both occasions.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) on the first visit.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) on the second visit after a failed attack on some Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapilla), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

One of the 4 Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

I also saw Bidens aurea, Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x1 and spoke to a young Spanish lady who asked about what I was looking for as she had been walking her dog in the same spot a week or so earlier and had seen several birders there, so I explained in my bad Spanish about the bird and showed her a picture on my phone.

Bidens aurea.

Common Daisy (Bellis perennis).

After giving a good try, I decided to move on and headed through Santander to the Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo where I parked and scanned the Bahía de Santander estuary not too far from the ferry terminal, it was fairly quiet, I did however find  Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), several Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and a single Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

On the other side of the industial area I checked a couple of areas of water but the sun made seeing lots of the birds difficult, I did see Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) which were all new for the day.

Marismas Blancas from the hide.

I returned to the car and got some food (a brilliant tortilla) and coffee in Café Bar El Polígono before heading to a spot I like to visit the Marismas Blancas a reed fringed, freshwater lake with a hide, I sat in the hide and added Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1.

Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata).

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).

My final stop of the day was a bit further east, near to Santoña at the Observatorio de La Arenilla, new species for the day included Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

The view from the hide.

Just before 16:00 I headed for Leonor's where I was staying, as I pulled in she was there to meet me and Juan turned up a few seconds later, Leonor showed me my room which very nice, so I unpacked and chilled.