Sunday, 29th April 2012

Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden

Weather: Sky 2/8 cloud, wind SW F2-3, temp.15ºC.  10:15 – 11:40.

A later start and a brighter day today, so I decided to make it a 'photographic' day - ambling around and trying to take photos of anything I could get close enough to.  Walking into the lighthouse garden there were 3 Spotted Flycatchers together, and a Woodchat on the fence.  Further into the garden, a female Common Whitethroat, but that was it.  In the ‘Sirio’ gardens next to the car park, there were a couple of Melodious Warblers, one very photogenic, and a couple more Woodchats, 2 Willow Warblers and a Robin.

The first bird I saw in the garden, this Spotted Flycatcher

 Followed by this Woodchat Shrike

Just to show I've nothing against the commoner residents, A House Sparrow!

 A rather photogenic Melodious Warbler

Another shot of the same bird, showing quite a large pale wing panel

And another - but this time showing a rounded head and brown legs - definitely Melodious!

Species seen/heard

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii)

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Robin (erythacus rubecula)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Marchamalo Salinas (La Manga)

Weather: Sky 2/8 cloud, wind SW F2 - 3, temp. 15 - 19ºC.  11:50 – 13:25.

On the way back from Cabo de Palos I called in firstly at the La Manga side of the Salinas (below the go-kart track).  There were no waders, but over the mimosa grove there was a continuous passage of Pallid Swifts, Swallows and House Martins.  In the mimosas themselves, I flushed a Turtle Dove and had 3 Spotted Flycatchers, a single Woodchat Shrike and Willow Warbler. On the open fields beyond the mimosas, a Short-toed Lark was singing.

I found all the waders round at the ‘Playa Paraiso’ side of the Salinas.  In the westernmost lagoon, a group of 15 Curlew Sandpipers, many in breeding plumage, 6 Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 13 Sanderling and in total 62 Little Stint.  In nearby lagoons were 45 Shelducks, 18 Slender-billed Gulls and 35 Avocets.  There was no sign of the Flamingos seen yesterday. 

  

Seen on every visit these days, one of several Kentish Plover

Not so common, Sanderling are normally only around for a few days

 The mixed group of waders are quite flighty - here seen Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Kentish and Little Stint

The Curlew Sandpipers are quite colourful at this time of year

The Little Stints aren't bad either

 

Species seen/heard

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)

Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus Himantopus)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Redshank (Tringa tetanus)

Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)

Bee-eater (Merpos apiaster)

Monk Parakeet ((Myiopsitta monachus)

Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis)

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)

Marchamalo Salinas (La Manga) & Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden.

Weather: Sky 3 - 7/8 cloud, rain later, wind SW F2, temp. 19ºC.  17:30 – 19:25.

In the afternoon I went back to the Salinas (the mimosas area), just to check if anything else had dropped in (and also, because there is a good group of Taray trees there which I have found to be the favorite habitat for Wood Warblers on migration, to see if they had arrived yet as they should be here any day now).  I drew a blank with the Wood Warblers, but new in were a male and female Pied Flycatcher.

As I was over that way, I decided to have another look at the lighthouse garden (even though it’s Sunday and the place likely to be overrun with tourists).  In the 5 or so minutes it took to get there, a menacing dark cloud came over, and many people were running for their cars.

In the garden itself, there obviously had been some movement, as I had in total 6 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Pied Flycatcher, a male Subalpine Warbler (the first for a couple of days), a Common Whitethroat, Nightingale, Woodchat Shrike, Willow Warbler and 2 Melodious Warblers.  I didn’t manage to cover the whole area as it started to rain (and didn’t look like it was likely to stop anytime soon) so I decided to get back to the car and home.

 Definitely a day for Spotted Flycatrchers today

 And in the afternoon, a few Pied Flycatchers as well

Saturday, 28th April 2012

Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden

Weather: Sky totally overcast, no wind, temp.16ºC.  08:30 – 09:35.

Maybe it was the overcast conditions, but today seemed to be really hard work to find any birds apart from the residents.  Birds of note were a female Golden Oriole glimpsed for 4 seconds (at least it was with the bins); a single Willow Warbler, a couple each of Melodious Warblers and Robins; the rear-end of a Common Redstart as it dived into a bush, and I heard the sub-song of a Nightingale!  Other migrants seen were a dozen Swallows, 8 Swift/Pallid Swift (impossible to tell which with the cloud covered sky) and 2 Common Terns over the sea.

The only Willow Warbler seen today - the Spring passage's almost over

In the photo of the Melodious Warbler, note the insect it is eating – I think an ant or flying ant and I’m not sure it liked the taste of it (mind you, can’t be much fun having formic acid squeezed over your taste buds - presuming birds have taste buds - a bit like your first ever curry being a madras).

 Melodious Warbler - not so sure about what it's eating

Adult Audouin's Gull on one of the rocky islets in the Med.

Species seen/heard

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii)

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Rock Dove/Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia)

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

Swift/Pallid Swift (Apus apus/pallidus)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

Robin (erythacus rubecula)

Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Marchamalo Salinas (La Manga)

Weather: Sky 8/8 cloud, wind SW F0 - 1, temp. 18ºC.  09:45 – 11:10.

On the way back from Cabo de Palos I called in firstly at the La Manga side of the Salinas (below the go-kart track).  Waderwise, there was much the same species as on previous days although the number of Curlew Sandpipers had dropped a bit (to 15).  In the mimosa trees there wasn’t a lot to see, just a Spotted Flycatcher, Turtle Dove and a pair of Woodchats, and 3 Iberian Wagtails along the path.

I then went round to the ‘Playa Paraiso’ side of the Salinas.  Here there were much more waders (24 Black Winged Stilts; 44 Little Stints; 5 Sanderling; Greenshanks, Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, Avocets), and quite surprisingly, a group of 8 adult Greater Flamingos, the first I’ve seen there for some time.

Male Kentish Plover - possibly on of a breeding pair 

Sanderling in a group of Little Stints

Black Winged Stilt waving hello!

Species seen/heard

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)

Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus Himantopus)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Redshank (Tringa tetanus)

Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

Swift/Pallid Swift (Apus apus/pallidus)

Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)

Friday 27th April 2012

Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden

Weather: Sky 8/8 low cloud, wind SW F0-1, temp.14ºC.  08:15 – 09:10.

A very grey day today, almost dark! This morning things were like I expect them to be in a couple of week’s time – almost no migrants, just the breeding birds.  Seen on my walk this morning, just 6 Willow Warblers, a single Common Whitethroat and Woodchat Shrike and a couple of male Common Redstarts.  All the rest of the migrants (and the Great Tit that’s been around for the last 2 days) had gone.

A quiet morning this morning, jut a few Willow Warblers amongst the migrants

Little Egret seaching for breakfast on a rocky islet

 

In the bay between the lighthouse and La Manga, 2 Shag 

Species seen/heard

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

Rock Dove/Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia)

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

Robin (erythacus rubecula)

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Marchamalo Salinas (La Manga)

Weather: Sky 7/8 cloud, wind SW F0 - 1, temp. 15ºC.  09:15 – 09:50.

The waders were much as in previous days but with lower numbers, with 21 Curlew Sandpiper and 8 Redshank.  The Mimosas area was also relatively quiet, with just 3 Turtle Doves, 2 Willow Warblers and a Spotted Flycatcher around.

Over the open fields to the west of the mimosa area, a single Short-toed Lark was singing, and from my car on the way home as I was coming into Los Belones, something big and black.  When I got my bins on it, it was a Carrion Crow – something very rare in these parts (in fact the first one I’ve seen this year).

  The only flycatcher seen this morning, this Spotted Flycatcher

Species seen/heard

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

Redshank (Tringa totanus)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Thursday, 26th April 2012

Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden

Weather: Sky 1/8 cloud, misty, no wind, temp.13ºC.  08:00 – 09:40.

There has obviously been a small overnight fall as on my way around the garden area I saw 14 Willow Warblers, 3 Turtle Doves, 3 Redstart, 4 Woodchats, 5 Subalpine Warblers, 6 Northern Wheatears, 2 Short Toed Larks, 6 Common Whitethroats, 3 Pied Flycatchers, a single Robin and the first Melodious Warbler I’ve seen this year that didn’t come out of a ringing net.

Apart from these, the only other bird of note was the Great Tit, still singing in the same place as yesterday.

 Two juvenile Shag swimming around the base of the lighthouse

One of 5 Subalpine Warblers seen this morning

One of the lightrhouse gardens residents, Crested Lark

 Another resident, always on the lookout for an easy meal (tired incoming migrants), Kestrel

One of the 3 Pied Flycatchers seen here today

Species seen/heard (and numbers)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) -1

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) - 1

Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) - 2

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) – c 60

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) - 3

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis) -1

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) - 8

Rock Dove/Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia)

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) - 3

Swift (Apus apus) – 5

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) - 2

Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) - 2

‘flava’ Wagtail (Motacilla flava) - 1

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba) – 1

Swallow (Hirundo rustica) - 4

Blackbird (Turdus merula) - 7

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) - 6

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) – 3

Robin (erythacus rubecula) - 1

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) – 6

Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans) – 5

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) - 5

Melodious Warbler (Hippolaispolyglotta) - 1

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) - 14

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) - 3

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) - 1

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) - 4

Great Tit (Parus major) - 1

Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) - 15

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) - 11

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) – 2

Marchamalo Salinas (La Manga)

Weather: Sky 1/8 cloud,  wind SW F1, temp. 16ºC.  09:45 – 10:25.

On the way back from Cabo de Palos, a quick call into the Salinas.  The waders were much as in previous days, with 32 Curlew Sandpiper, 6 Redshank and a Greenshank.  The area of Mimosas however was buzzing.  Singles of Woodchat Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher, Short-toed Lark, Common Redstart, ‘flava’ Wagtail and Whinchat, and 4 Red Rumped Swallows, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Willow and Subalpine Warblers, 5 Common Whitethroats, and 9 Pied Flycatchers, 4 of which were males.  Not a bad tally of birds for such a small area.

This was definitely the day for Pied Flycatchers

With 9 seen on or near this fence

Mustn't forget the other migrants though, like this Whinchat

 

Species seen/heard

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Redshank (Tringa totanus)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

‘flava’ Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica)

Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis)

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Serin (Serinus serinus)

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)

Wednesday, 25th April 2012

Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden

Weather: Sky 6/8 cloud, no wind, temp.12ºC.  07:30 – 08:55.

Another day with a slight passage of migrant birds at the lighthouse, the most numerous being Northern Wheatears (17) and Common Redstart (4), with a supporting cast of 3 flyover ‘flava’ Wagtails, 2 Woodchats, 2 Robins and singles  of Subalpine  and Willow Warbler, Common Sandpiper and Spotted Flycatcher.  Of interest (to me at least) was a male Great Tit seen and heard calling – not unheard of here but pretty unusual.

A couple of the 17 Northern Wheatears seen today

 

Another new arrival - Spotted Flycatcher

Species seen/heard

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

‘flava’ Wgtail Motacilla flava)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

Robin (erythacus rubecula)

Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans)

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

Great Tit (Parus major)

Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Serin (Serinus serinus)

Marchamalo Salinas (La Manga)

Weather: Sky 6/8 cloud,  wind SW F1 - 2, temp. 15ºC.  09:00 – 09:30.

On the way back from Cabo de Palos, I called in for a quick look at the Salinas area.  On the Salinas themselves (which are drying out rapidly), there was a group of 24 Curlew Sandpipers, a few of which were in their red breeding plumage.  Also a pair of Kentish Plover – presumably they’ll stay to breed.  Also, another ringed Slender-billed Gull, ringed as a pullus in Roquetas del Mar (Almeria).  With regards to small birds I only had time to have a quick look along the fence between the Salinas and the Mimosas area, but did see a Woodchat, Northern Wheatear and had a ‘flava’ Wagtail fly over.

 Part of the group of 24 Curlew Sandpipers

The male of the pair of Kentish Plover

 

Species seen/heard

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Kentish Plover  (Charadrius alexandrinus)

Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus Himantopus)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Redshank (Tringa tetanus)

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)

Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii)

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

‘flava’ Wagtail  (Motacilla flava)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)

EDAR Cabeza Beaza, Cartagena

Weather: Sky 5/8 cloud, wind SW F3-4, temp. 18ºC.  17:00 – 19:00.  With Diego Zamora Urán, Antonio Fernández-Caro Goméz.

This afternoon was the monthly count at the EDAR (sewage farm) at Cabeza Beaza, just outside Cartagena,  The level of water in the two large lagoons today was even lower than last month, giving large muddy margins and so again there were a lot of waders taking advantage of this.  Notable amongst the ducks was a single male Red Crested Pochard, and among the waders 2 Temmincks Stints, 4 Wood Sandpipers and high numbers of Black-winged Stilts, Common Sandpipers and Little Ringed Plovers.  Other birds of note seen, were the  8 first-year Greater Flamingos (presumably the same birds as last month), 7 Audouin’s Gulls (one with a colour ring which we could read, which was ringed the 12th June 2008 at the Laguna de La Mata (Alicante) as a pullus), and 8 Turtle Doves around the banks of the lagoons.

Species seen/heard

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

Pochard (Aythra ferina)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii)

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)

Coot (Fulica atra)

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Redshank (Tringa totanus)

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Swift (Apus apus)

Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

House Martin (Delichon urbicum)

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

Rambla de Albujon, Cartagena

Weather: Sky 5/8 cloud, wind SW F2-3, temp. 17ºC.  19:20 – 20:20.  With Antonio Fernández-Caro Goméz.

After the Beaza census, Antonio and I decided to have a quick look at the Rambla de Albujon, where apart from hearing Quail calling, we had a Group of 15 Collared Pratincoles fly over.  In the rambla itself, 3 Great Reed Warblers could be heard, and a pair of Mallard with 2 ducklings were seen.  There was also still a Common Snipe still there, and on leaving the area I had two Bee-eaters fly over.

Species seen/heard

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola)

Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Quail (Coturnix coturnix)

Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)