Slender Billed Gull An earlyish start on Friday morning traveling down to Cabo de Gata in company with Bob Wright (Membership Secretary), Ellie Wallbeck (Treasurer), Gerry Collins & Pat & Eric Lyon for the March ABS Field Trip, led by Bob.
We called in at Las Norias/Roquetas de Mar on the way & here I picked up my main target bird for the trip, the elegant Slender-billed Gull. I hadn´t seen this species in two years so was delighted to see several of them on the lagoons at Roquetas, amongst many other species of course.
We called in at Las Norias/Roquetas de Mar on the way & here I picked up my main target bird for the trip, the elegant Slender-billed Gull. I hadn´t seen this species in two years so was delighted to see several of them on the lagoons at Roquetas, amongst many other species of course.
Tawny Pipit On our way into the main entrance to the marshes we unexpectedly came across a superb Tawny Pipit in clear view on a roadside bush. I dashed off a couple of shots but in my haste I forgot the camera was in auto exposure mode, perfect for the sky but not for the pipit. Here is the best I could do with the underexposed bird
White Headed Duck Other interesting birds here included Glossy Ibis, Oyster Catcher, Great Crested Grebe, White Headed Duck, Red Crested Pochard, Garganey, Red-knobbed Coot, Purple Swamphen, Marsh Harrier and many more that I have probably forgotten. A full list can be seen on Bob´s excellent Axarquia Birder blog.
Meadow Pipit
Sometimes birding is as notable more for what you don´t see than what you do. Today for example there was a singular lack of small birds about, none of the passerines one might expect on migration. No Woodchat Shrikes, no Warblers other than Sardinian, Buntings except Corn, Finches except Green, Tits except a couple of Greats. I didn´t see a single Stonechat all day, just one Black Redstart, a few Chiffchaffs and House Sparrows. Even hirundines were scarce even though the weather was warm and sunny. I believe the migration is late this year.
Stone Curlew At Cabo de Gata we had a quick look along the River and checked a couple of hides on the Salinas before checking into our excellent Hotel Brisa Blanca. Elena and I were fortunate to catch sight of a Great Spotted Cuckoo in a tree near the river. On the Salinas the most abundant wader appeared to be Avocet, I stopped counting at fifty. Flamingos were also plentiful and a variety of waders included Little Stint and Oyster Catcher.
Kentish Plover Next morning as Bob and Ellie were organising the ABS members at breakfast, Elena and I slipped away and added a few more species to our list from the previous day, including Golden Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, good sightings of Stone Curlew and some stunning Black Necked Grebes on the river, in full breeding plumage.
Black Necked Grebes On the way out of Cabo de gata we called in at Torre Garcia where we had seen the Dotterel in January, but as expected they were gone. We did spot the first Southern Grey Shrike of the trip here however.
Southern Grey Shrike It had been a good couple of days birding but I look forward to returning here perhaps when there is more evidence of the Spring migration. A few more small birds would be very welcome.
Black Necked Grebe
