Mar Menor roundup addenda

Hi all!

A quick note to add to the last roundup.  In the afternoon of Thursday 14th February, I did a small tour around the west end of the Mar Menor, seeing 7 Common Scoter from the 'marina de Carmoli' and went on to the 'Rambla de Albujon', where some friends were ringing Common Snipe (apart from ringing them, they were placing lightweight 'locators' on their legs, so that in the hope that some are recaptured next year, by downloading the data from the locators, it will be possible to find out where they have spent the interveening time).  Apart from the Snipe, they also caught a single Green Sandpiper and a male Ruff, possibly the first Ruff ever ringed in the region of Murcia.  While we were at the ringing site chatting, what should fly over us but the immature Pallid Harrier that was seen last month (and possibly in December as well)!  It headed off to the 'marina de Carmoli', so I headed over there as well and saw it flying distantly just before it got dark.

In the afternoon of friday, 15th February, we had the monthly waterbird census at the EDAR (sewage farm) at Cabeza Beaza (Cartagena).  There was nothing too out of the ordinary there but we did see good numbers of Shoveler (356) and Pochard (122), and 4 House Martins and 5 Swallows.

View at the EDAR Beaza, photo taken at the water outfall

Later, we called by the Mar Menor opposite the marina de Carmoli, where we saw 9 Common Scoter and the Red-throated Diver again (and me saying that I thought it had gone!).  At last light in the marina de Carmoli itself, apart from at least 4 Marsh Harriers, we had 2 ringtail Hen Harriers flying around together, to be joined by the ringtail Pallid Harrier!  Quite a sight!