Santander and Santoña, Cantabria, Spain.

Back on Dry Land and some Birding on the North Coast.

Ebird List for Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo.

Ebird List for Marismas de Parayas. 

Ebird List for Marismas Blancas, Astillero.

Ebird List for Ría de Escalante.

Ebird List for Quarry.

Ebird List for Puerto de Santoña.

Ebird List for Observatorio de La Arenilla. 

Ebird List for Charca de Gandarias. 

 

The first of several Coffee's.

We arrived in Santander at 08.00 and due to being right up on the top deck of vehicles I was surprised to be having breakfast at Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo on the far side of the Port by 08.50.

Looking back over to the Ferry Port.

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

AY:TJ

I then went just around the corner and parked on the front looking back over the water to the spot where we had just landed, on the water there were good numbers of Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), a single Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda), as well as Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) x2, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) x2, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) x13, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) x12, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) x2, Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus).

Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula).

I popped back into the bar again for another coffee as it was so nice to get a decent one after being in the UK for 5 weeks where the coffee is far from good, anyway once I had finished a second coffee I got the bin's out again and checked the two pools along side the Airport, I started with the tidal part where I found lots of birds including an adult winter Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Mute Swan, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Grey / Red Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius).

Grey / Red Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius).

Grey / Red Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Just a short way along the road I checked the freshwater pool where I heard a squealing Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and around the margins Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus).

Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus).

Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus).

I returned to the car, then the bar and then made my way around to the freshwater pool at Marismas Blancas in El Astillero, I was hoping to find a Grey / Red Phalarope (Falaropo Picogrueso / Phalaropus fulicarius) which had been reported on Ebird for a few days and not long after arriving I was watching it paddling manically around at the shallower end of the lake.

Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

I saw many of the duck species already seen but added Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) along with Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a second adult Little Gull.

Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

I next drove around to the Marismas de Santoña and made my first stop in the area at the Ría de Escalante where I stood by the observatory and scanned the river, fields and woods behind me adding Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), 100+ Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), 6x Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and a flyover Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

Across the Marismas de Santoña.

After a while a Spanish Birder turned up and told me about a wintering Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) in a nearby quarry so I went and gave it a go for a couple of hours but did not have any luck, I did get Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and good views of two Peregrines but nothing else so I moved on.

Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).

Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer).

Slavonian / Horned Grebe (Zampullín Cuellirrojo / Podiceps auritus).

I drove around to Santoña where I checked out where my Hotel was for the next two nights before going to the Puerto de Santoña, set up my scope and spent some time scanning the Estuary, right in front of me there were the first two of several Great Northern Divers (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) and further out on the mudflats hundreds of Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla) were feeding, reports say there were nearly a 1000 birds in the area.

Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) immature.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

As I continued to search I had a winter plumage Red-throated Diver (Colimbo Chico / Gavia stellata), a distant Slavonian / Horned Grebe (Zampullín Cuellirrojo / Podiceps auritus), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) male.

Back around on the road out of town I made the next stop at the Observatorio de La Arenilla but it was closed for repairs so I set the scope up and scanned the river and mudflats finding the long staying male Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) as well as 2x Red-breasted Mergansers (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola) and another 2x Great Northern Divers before moving just down the road to check some small road side pools, here I found Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) which were new for the day / year List.

Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

I returned to the car and then went to the hotel and checked in before heading out later to find something to eat and have another coffee.

Onboard the Galicia somewhere between Portsmouth and Santander.

A nice calm crossing of the Bay of Biscay.

Phare de Kéréon off the French Coast near Breast.

After a fairly decent nights sleep I was up early and spent a while on the Laptop before venturing out on to the deck with the Bin's to see what was around, by far the commonest species seen was Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla) with around 100 birds passing.

Phare de Kéréon.

Other species were Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda) and as we came between the Island of Ushant and the French mainland near Breast I added Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and out in the Bay there were also several Pod's of Common Dolphin's (Delphinus delphis).

Getting close to another night at sea.

 

Heading for Home.

Starting to make my way home.

I spent the morning with my Mom and John getting a few last bits before I started to make my way back South, I loaded the Car and after saying Bye to my Mom and John who had been great whilst I was over and had put up with me for over 5 weeks I drove south to Portsmouth where I was going to get the Ferry back to Santander in Spain.

On my drive down I picked up Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and as I approached the port I added Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and several Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla).

I checked in early and then spent quite a while waiting to be boarded but once onboard I went straight to my Cabin and relaxed and slept well.

Whitemore Hay, Tucklesholme Nature Reserve, Barton / Branston Gravel Pits and Chasewater, Staffordshire, UK.

Another days birding with Sharon and John.

A Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) in the frost.

As usual with my trips back to the UK they get rushed at the end so I was very pleased to have another day out birding with good friends Sharon and John so I drove over to their place where we had some breakfast before heading up the A5 and then the A38 to Whitemore Hay area.

Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

We parked along Barley Green Lane where we checked the frost covered hedges for some reported Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), as we searched we saw Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and then a group of around 18 Tree Sparrows flew into the Hedge and then into the trees surrounding a nearby garden.

Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

John walked back to get the car whilst Sharon and I walked to a parking spot a bit further along the road, from here we walked around the fields and gravel workings on what was the old road, as we went we added Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), a large flock of 38 Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) and several European Brown Hares (Lepus europaeus).

Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

We continued on adding Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) and good numbers of Yellowhammers (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella) and a few Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus).

Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

We turned around after a while and walked back towards the car finding Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and a distant flyby Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella).

Yellowhammers (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella).

We reached the car and after a very welcome hot coffee  we headed for Branston Gravel Pits, on the way we checked a flock of Mute Swans for a couple of Bewick Swans (Cisne chico / Cygnus columbianus) but without any luck, as we continued on we picked up Rook (Graja / Corvus frugilegus) and Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) and during a very brief visit to Tucklesholme Nature Reserve Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser).

Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella).

Yellowhammer (Escribano Cerillo / Emberiza citronella).

We arrived at Branston and we walked out to a couple of the pits, we saw Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), 2x Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) and a calling Common Treecreeper (Agateador Norteño / Certhia familiaris).

Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

We decided to head for Chasewater and to a spot there were we saw a large Tit flock which included Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Willow Tit (Carbonero sibilino / Poecile montanus) both new for the day and out on the main lake from the area called the balcony we had the Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer) and Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) that had been around for a while.

Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser), Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

We walked down to the Swag and back again seeing Tufted Ducks, Goosander and adding Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Common Gulls (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus) and just before we were about to leave we got a call that the adult Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides) had just flown in and landed a little way back down towards the Swag so we went down and were soon watching the bird in amongst the large assembled Gull flock. 

Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) male.

Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) female.

After getting views of the Gull we headed back to Sharon and John's and then I headed back to Albrighton for my last night.