Playa Amoladeras, Rambla Morales, Salinas-Observatorio 3, Salinas-Observatorio 0 and the back track in Cabo de Gata Park Natural, Almeria, Spain.

A days birding around the Desert like areas in Almeria.

Ebird List for Playa Amoladeras.

Ebird List for Rambla Morales.

Ebird List for Salinas-Observatorio 3.

Ebird List for Salinas-Observatorio 0.

 

Playa Amoladeras just after sunrise.

I was up and out early and having breakfast near Almeria just as the sun was rising and then not long after that I was on the Playa Amoladeras, I came to the beach from Torre Garcia and was going to drive all the way down to a pull in just passed the Búnker de la playa de la Almoladera but a couple of Motorhome drivers had got bogged up to their axles in sand so I was forced to walk.

European Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) on the way in.

European Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) on the way in.

I reached the area near the Bunker and I started the search for some target species, soon I had found 2 European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) but later 4 cyclists flushed the flock and I counted at least 57 birds, Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and then the first of the species I had come for popped up on the Bunker, a fine looking Desert Wheatear (Collalba Desértica / Oenanthe deserti), the third I have seen in Spain and all within a couple of KMs along this beach.

My first view of the Desert Wheatear (Collalba Desértica / Oenanthe deserti).

Desert Wheatear (Collalba Desértica / Oenanthe deserti).

After getting nice views of the Wheatear I decided to do a walk across to the other track and then back towards the Torre cutting back across to the beach track at the next track back, as I did this I saw a couple of Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Curruca undata), 8x Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) which I could see and hear off in the distance, Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Desert Wheatear (Collalba Desértica / Oenanthe deserti).

Desert Wheatear (Collalba Desértica / Oenanthe deserti).

I walked back towards the car but at each point where there was a walk through to the beach I checked it out finding Common Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Richards Pipit (Bisbita de Richard / Anthus richardi).

Richards Pipit (Bisbita de Richard / Anthus richardi).

Back near the bunker I thought I heard the call of a Richards Pipit (Bisbita de Richard / Anthus richardi), another of my targets that had been around for a few days but I couldn't see it, I heard it again and on the third occasion I managed to see it as it was being chased by a Thekla's Lark.

Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Looking West from the top Track.

After a while I managed to relocate the Pipit but it was quite distant but identifiable and it called a few more times as it flew passed the Bunker, I returned there and saw the Wheatear again and then the Pipit reappeared on the bank behind the bunker and showed well but still distant.

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus).

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

European Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

European Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).

After watching both birds for a while I decided to head off and go around to Rambla Morales but I couldn't get there either as there were workers laying pipes along the beach, hopefully its not to steal the water out of the Rambla pool but I can't think of any other reason ?????

Rambla Morales.

Male White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).

I took another track, parked and walked the rest of the way in finding Fagonia cretica on the way and as I sat on the beach I saw Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Kentish Plover, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Sanderling, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), at least 2x Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Alaudala rufescens) and  Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Fagonia cretica.

I went back through the town and the along the main road out to the Lighthouse, I turned off and parked at the Salinas-Observatorio 3 where I added Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and in the grassland nearby at least 10 Eurasian Dotterel (Chorlito Carambolo / Eudromias morinellus) which were distant and very shimmery in the heat haze.

Some bad shots of Eurasian Dotterel (Chorlito Carambolo / Eudromias morinellus) through a very strong Heat Haze.

Eurasian Dotterel (Chorlito Carambolo / Eudromias morinellus).

Eurasian Dotterel (Chorlito Carambolo / Eudromias morinellus).

Out on the scrubby areas along the roadside I also saw Fleshy-leaved Thymelaea (Thymelaea hirsuta), Silene littorea, Sweet Alison (Lobularia maritima), Seaside Daisy (Asteriscus maritimus), Winged Sea Lavender (Limonium sinuatum) and Sand Lotus (Lotus creticus).

Silene littorea.

Sand Lotus (Lotus creticus).

Reichardia tingitana.

I returned to the town and then went around to Salinas-Observatorio 0 but it was fairly quiet and I only added Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) to the day list before I headed off to check in at my accommodation for the night.

Seaside Daisy (Asteriscus maritimus).

Winged Sea Lavender (Limonium sinuatum).

Later I went back out and parked on the track around the back of the main Salinas where I scanned the area for Harriers coming into roost but only managed to see 3x Western Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) so I returned to the accommodation, defeated by the number of Mosquito's mainly.

Iglesia de La Almadraba de Monteleva o Iglesia de Las Salinas.