Sierra Morena, Andújar, Jaén Province, Spain.

Day two with Friends and Friends of Friends looking for the Lynx.

Ebird List for La Lancha, 33 Species.

Ebird List for Embalse del Jándula, 24 Species.

Not a bad view even when the Lynx is not showing.

Kiersten, Richard, Anne, Barbara, Derek and Myself had an 07.30 breakfast before heading out to the main area for the Lynx but took the drive out slowly seeing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and a field full of Spanish Fighting Bull (Bos taurus taurus).

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica) the natural Lynx alarms.

Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Just as we were about to arrive at my favorite spot I looked down to the left and below us and was amazed to see a male Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina) so we were out as rapidly as possible and had good views as the Lynx crossed a couple of tracks and disappeared into a bush and was not seen again.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Cinereous / European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

We continued on to the spot where I have been lucky on several occasions and set up the seats and waited to see what came in, birds seen in the next 6 hours included Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), Cinereous / European Black (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), a female Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).

Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla).

Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium).

Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Other species seen by me included Bath (Pontia daplidice), Western Dappled (Euchloe crameri) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros), 8256 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata), Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Mouflon (Moflon / Ovis orientalis), Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus triandus), Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Common stork's bill (Erodium ciconium), Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus), Iberian Milk-vetch (Astragalus lusitanicus) and Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum) and others in th group also had an Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) and a dead Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) which had unfortunately been run over.

8256 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata).

At some point during the morning we were joined by Annette and Sean (Friends of Kiersten and Richards) who were coming up for just the one night.

Barbara, Kiersten, Anne, Richard and Derek.

Just after 16:00 we notice a car load of people go rather quickly along the road but they didn't say anything so we packed our kit up and decided to head down to the Embalse del Jándula but a few bends on we came across the car load of German Lynx watchers who passed us and their friends including a number of the people I got onto this mornings male watching another Lynx on a distant ridge which we enjoyed for a while. 

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Even though we got views of the animal I was just a tad pissed off that they couldn't be bothered to give us the nod when they drove passed us after I made sure they all saw the one we found earlier in the day.

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina) the second distant view.

After the Lynx had disappeared over the ridge we dropped down to the embalse and spent some time on the road over the Dam where we added Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) as well as 2 more Blue-rock Thrush but this time they were males, Red-billed Chough, Griffon and Cinereous / European Black Vulture, Sparrowhawk, Little Owl and several Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

As we returned to the car we were surprised to hear two calling Tawny Owls (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) and a couple of Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) which were new to a few of the group.

Looking South along the Rio Jándula from the Dam.

We headed back along the track towards La Caracola adding Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) on the way.

Embalse del Jándula.

Later we had a few beers and a meal again with a drop of Red Wine.

North to Sierra Morena, Andújar, Jaén Province, Spain.

The first day of a trip to search for the Lynx.

Ebird List for Área recreativa del Encinarejo.

Rio Jándula up stream.

I set the alarm early and as I loaded the car I started the trip list off with a calling Eurasian Eagle Owl (Búho Real / Bubo bubo) in the Olives around the house, once I was sorted I set off and a couple of hours later I pulled into the Área recreativa del Encinarejo where I walked / hobbled down to the river as my back was still giving me a great deal of Stick.

As I walked and stood on the bridge I saw Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common (Urraca / Pica pica) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Rio Jándula down stream.

After a while friends Barbara and Derek Etherton arrived and at that same moment the target Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) started to call from the top of a dead part of a tall Eucalyptus tree before flying to a smaller lower tree on the opposite side of the road giving us nice views.

We again spent some time checking the area and added White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) x2, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), a single Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and a fly over Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

We returned to the car and drove up to the far end of the river near the Presa de El Encinarejo where we spent a while stood on the bridge scanning the river finding Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Several plant species were also seen including Eruca (Eruca sativa), Field Marigold (Calendula arvensis), Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium), Angel's tears Narcissus (Narcissus triandus), Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla) and a Gagea species.

Gagea species.

We headed back towards Los Pinos and then out to towards the Lynx area but only as far as a a double Firebreak where we had a very quick scan before a band of very heavy rain came through and we gave up and headed for La Caracola.

Later more friends arrived, Kiersten, Richard and Anne and we had a couple of beers before we had a meal and a bit of Red Wine.

Huétor Fields, Balsa de Regidor, Cacín Valley and El Temple, Granada Province, Spain.

A days birding with Roberto and Anne.

Arroyo Vilano in flood.

We started the day out on the fields near Huétor Tajar where we parked at my usual spot after driving through a rather swollen Arroyo Vilano, the Montifrio area must have got more rain than we did.

As we walked the fields we picked up Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x25 or so, Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) x2 and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

We drove out across the fields on our way around to the Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) area adding Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) before we parked and scanned the fields just North of the town finding 9+ Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), a single Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Our next stop was at the man made Balsa de Regidor where we scanned the pool adding Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and a surprise immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) male.

We continued on and after making a quick call at a nearby pharmacy to get me some painkillers as I had pulled my back earlier we made a stop at the crags below the town of Moraleda where had good but distant views of a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and just a little way along the road we had several Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) up on a wire.

Our next stop was further down the valley amongst the Pine trees that line the main irrigation, here we found Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and further towards the Embalse near the dam we walked again and had a small flock of Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and heard Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

Just up the road we checked the Contra-embalse de Bermejalis but it was fairly quiet but we did find White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) x2, Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) male.

We dropped further down the valley to check the gorge but it was getting rather windy and we only added Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) before coming back up the valley and having lunch next to the Rio Cacín near the village of Cacín, here we saw Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) before crossing the ridge to Ventas de Huelma where we stopped for a coffee before we headed out on to El Temple.

As we drove around the site we picked up Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and a large flock of around 300+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

We started to head towards Granada City where I was dropping Anne and Roberto off but not before we popped into a semi-abandoned Cortijo where we picked up a couple of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) before finishing the day.

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Moth Records for the 8th Feb 24.

15W Actinic on the terrace.

3 Moths of 3 Species.

Any corrections PLEASE send me a comment on the post, thanks. 

6775 Phyllodesma suberifolia.

As usual I set the light up on the terrace but as the weather was pretty abysmal all night I was not expecting much and I was right 3 Moths of 3 Species which included 6496 Evergestis isatidalis x1, 6775 Phyllodesma suberifolia x1 and 9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow) x1.

9460 Spodoptera exigua (Small Mottled Willow).

Huétor Fields, Cerro Hacho and Huétor Loop, Granada Province, Spain.

Around the local Patch.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields, 29 Species.

Ebird List for Cerro Hacho, 11 Species.

The Lucerne fields.

I headed down to the fields at around 10:30 and did the walk out passed the Walnut Trees and along the track to the goat paddock, things were generally quiet but I did see my first Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) of the year as well as Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and a good number of Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

The Lucerne Fields.

Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I popped down town where I did a bit of shopping before heading up to Cerro Hacho where I did a short walk as the area has been churned up by lots of on going forestry work, as I walked I saw Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Also seen were around 50 spikes of Giant Orchids (Himanthoglosum Robertiana), 1000s of Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia) flowers and lots of Almond Tree (Prunus dulcis) blossom.

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Giant Orchid (Himanthoglosum Robertiana).

Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia).

Almond Tree (Prunus dulcis) blossom.

As I drove back to the house I checked the old Olive trees where I picked up a couple more Little Owls and several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Britain.

Out with Sharon and John again.

Ebird List for Pole Mere, 28 Species.

Ebird List for Battlefield, 2 Species.

Ebird List for Venus Pool, 54 Species.

Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) at Pole Mere.

Sharon and John came over to Albrighton and we headed out along the M54 and A5 to Pole Mere a place none of us had been before where we were looking for a male Green-winged Teal (Cerceta americana / Anas carolinensis). 

Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope).

We arrived and walked down to the hide were we started the day list off with Greylag (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) out on the water but there was no sign of the main target unfortunately.

Venus Pool from the main hide.

Venus Pool from the main hide.

Away from the water we saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and a distant Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which flew over the fields where most of the geese had gone to feed.

Egyptian Goose (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

Egyptian Goose (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca).

We had given the Teal a good try but decided we would cut our losses and head for Battlefield on the outskirts of Shrewsbury where I had my first Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) for Shropshire which had been my original birding patch.

Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

There were 7 Western Cattle Egrets as well as 2 Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) in the flock and in the same area we had Rook (Graja / Corvus frugilegus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and whilst here we met a couple more birders who gave us some extra info about birds at Venus Pool and also put me on the Shropshire Whatsapp group which will be good for future visits.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

From here we went to Venus Pool, one of my fairly regular birding spots twenty years or so ago, we started in the main hide below the car park where we saw lots of the species we had already seen but added Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) which was a new species for Shropshire, Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), a female Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and another Little Egret.

Egyptian (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca) and Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis).

After a while we decided to go for a walk around the field nearby where we were told there had been a flock of around 30 Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), as we walked new species for the day included the first of 3 Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and then we had part of the Corn Bunting flock fly up and quickly drop back into the weedy field.

Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

As we continued on around the field edge we added a European Green Woodpecker (Pito Real euroasiático / Picus viridis), Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas), Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and at the point where we could see out over the fishing lake we saw Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and a fly over Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).

Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

We walked back along the roadside edge of the field and then at the first corner we dropped down to the river seeing a distant European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) a couple of fields away, down by the river we saw nothing new bird wise but found some Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis).

Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor).

We returned to the car park again seeing a Goldcrest (Reyezuelo Sencillo / Regulus regulus), and after getting a coffee / tea we walked back down to the main hide again where we spent the rest of the time before dusk adding Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and European Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and as the light dropped the first of two Great Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) dropped in.

Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis).

Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Sharon and I walked back to the car while John chatted in the hide and whilst he was there 3 Little Egrets and another Great White. 

Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna).

We made our way back to Albrighton where we said bye after another really good days birding, thanks to you both and look forward to our next trip out birding.

Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).