Off Villaricos, Almeria, Spain.

Out on a Pelagic with a group of Almeria birders.

Ebird List.

 

Off we go.

Garry and I were up at 05:30 which was actually 04:30 due to loosing an hour for the change to Summer time so it was my second early morning start.

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

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

We drove down to Retamar where we had some breakfast and met some of the group going out on today Pelagic before heading up the coast to Villaricos and to the port.

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

We got on the boat and spent the next 6 hours out on a relatively calm see but the birding was fairly quiet and the most wanted species, the Atlantic Puffin ( Frailecillo Atlántico / Fratercula arctica) didn't show up.

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).

As we were leaving the port we had Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and further out we had some great views of European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus) x15+, as well as more distant views of Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda) x3, a single Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) x8, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x2, Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis) and a migrating Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

We returned to Port in the early afternoon and after saying thanks and goodbye to everyone Garry and I headed back down to Garry's car in Retamar and from there we headed to our homes after two really nice days birding.

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

I got back just after 17:00 and was absolutely knackered, so after getting sorted at about 19:30 I went to bed for an hours nap and woke at 04:30 but didn't get up until 06:15 and then headed out birding again. 

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

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