Woodchat Shrike - lanius senator
Continuing on the same theme this week, Elena and I met Bob Wright at the Rio Velez this morning. We spent a pleasant couple of hours rambling the riverbank and picked up 35 bird species along the way.
This is one of a pair of Woodchat Shrikes that were interacting together and are therefore probably breeding in the locality. There have been more numerous this year than I remember from previous years.
Last summer I recall being surprised by the abundance of Pied Flycatchers, which until then I had seen only occasionally . Hopefully this increasing trend is continuing and they are already showing up in some numbers this month.
This is one of a pair of Woodchat Shrikes that were interacting together and are therefore probably breeding in the locality. There have been more numerous this year than I remember from previous years.
Last summer I recall being surprised by the abundance of Pied Flycatchers, which until then I had seen only occasionally . Hopefully this increasing trend is continuing and they are already showing up in some numbers this month.
Pied Flycatcher - ficedula hypoleuca
This one perched on the reeds just long enough for us to take a few pictures, unlike the Reed Warblers that were more often heard than seen. We did see one on the opposite riverbank but it was too far off for a photograph. Pied Flycatchers are known to hybridise with Spotted Flycatchers which is a distinct possibility in this case as it does appear to be a cross between the two.
Collared Pratincole - glareola pratincola
Birds of the day were undoubtedly the party of six Collared Pratincoles that were resting on the mudflats near the rivermouth. Presumably just a stopover on their way north but always a pleasure to see.
Chameleon - chamaeleo chamaeleon
It was encouraging to see this chameleon clinging to the reed stems. We do see a few every year but not so many that they could be labelled as commonplace. This one was in fact quite high up and fairly exposed to predators from above, but perhaps there is more danger from the heron family so height might be an advantage.
Sanderling - calidris alba
Sanderlings were quite numerous along the mudflats, only outnumbered perhaps by the many Dunlin with whom they often associate.
A single Curlew Sandpiper could be picked out from the crowd as it was in its lovely russet-coloured summer plumage. There was also a pair of Wood Sandpipers wading around with the Redshanks, but surprisingly no sign of the Black-winged Stilts today, I wonder where they went?
A single Curlew Sandpiper could be picked out from the crowd as it was in its lovely russet-coloured summer plumage. There was also a pair of Wood Sandpipers wading around with the Redshanks, but surprisingly no sign of the Black-winged Stilts today, I wonder where they went?
 Wood Sandpiper - tringa glareola and Redshank |  Curlew Sandpiper - calidris ferruginea |
Cettis Warblers were making lots of noise as usual, competing with the Nightingales that are really prolific lately, and are a delight to the ear.
 Cettis warbler - cettia cetti it is not often one is treated to the sound of three great songsters almost simultaneously, but while I was listening to the song of a nearby Blackcap, a Nightingale started up from the overhead power cables, and then both were drowned out by a Cetti which suddenly let rip from the riverside scrub. Quite a chorus.  Collared Pratincoles - glareola pratincola |  Nightingale - luscinia megarhynchos  Collared Pratincole - glareola pratincola Here´s another look at the superb Collared Pratincoles. These birds are officially classed as waders but unusually amongst this class they hunt their insect prey on the wing, just like hirundines or bee-eaters. They are fast and highly skilled flyers. |
