Mar Menor roundup

Hi all.  Here is a roundup of what’s been seen in and around the Mar Menor during the last week.  The weather this last week has been fairly stable, a bit windy at the beginning, but otherwise sunny and warm (up to 24ºC) during the day every day.  Perfect birding weather in fact!

On Tuesday, 11^th November, an early morning visit to the lighthouse gardens was quite productive, with a fair number of winter visitors being seen.  On the sea, there were Gannets, Cormorants, a single Shag, and Balearic and Cory’s Shearwaters heading south.  In the gardens themselves, Starlings, Sardinian Warblers, Robins, Meadow Pipits, Black Redstarts, Goldfinches, Linnets, Greenfinches, Stonechats, Blackbirds, single Blackcap and Chiffchaff, and flying overhead, Crag Martins.

The following day also early in the morning, at the Arenal at Los Nietos, on the Mar Menor, good numbers of both Great Crested and Black Necked Grebes (more than 20 of each), and my first two Common Scoter of the year.  In nearby fields was a flock of 36 Stone Curlews keeping themselves well hidden (as they do).

 Stone Curlews on an abandoned field

From there I went to the old EDAR (swage farm) of El Algar, where the flock of Lapwing had now built up to 10 birds, and there was also Grey Wagtail, Hoopoe, Chiffchaff, with a Booted Eagle flying around and Common Buzzard perched on a post.  In the afternoon on the Mar Menor beach at the ‘marina de Carmoli’ some friends had the first Short-eared Owl of the autumn.

 Hoopoe, not an infrequent sight in winter

On Thursday, 13^th November at first light, while driving along the road between Los Nietos and Los Urrutias, I came across the Osprey that has been hanging around the area recently.  I tried for a photo, but the Osprey was off before I got a chance.  When I got to my destination, the marina de Carmoli, of interest were a female Sparrowhawk, a couple of Marsh Harriers hunting, a couple of Curlews and three Skylarks flew through.

This was our monthly ‘duck-count’ day at the EDAR (sewage farm) in Beaza (Cartagena), and setting off early in the afternoon, I once again went via the Mar Menor, where in the water I had a group of four Shoveler, and stopping at the parking at the ‘desembocadura de la rambla de Albujon’ beyond Los Urrutias to scan over the Mar Menor, I had for the second time this day, the Osprey fly along the Mar Menor, and over to investigate me.  This time I was ready with my camera!

The Osprey that seems to have taken up winter residence

Carrying on along towards Cartagena, I stopped off in the industrial park of Los Camachos where there is a large farm reservoir that can be seen over from the side of the road.  Although the nearby EDAR is private with restricted access, this reservoir is like a miniature version of it, and you quite often see the same species on it, although in smaller numbers.  Here, of note were a single male Pochard, four White-headed Ducks and eight Black-necked Grebes.

Moving on to the EDAR itself, although we haven’t had the official numbers back yet, what stood out were a couple of male Tufted Ducks (rare here in Murcia) and a total of 334 White-headed Ducks (not a bad number for a species that only a few years back was considered to be on the edge of worldwide extinction).

Friday 14^th November, at first light I was back at the Cabo de Palos lighthouse gardens again.  Here there were much the same birds as on my previous trip here, with of note, Chiffchaffs up to six, also a flock of six Meadow Pipits around the base of the lighthouse, five Black Redstarts, and there were definitely more finches around (Serins, Linnets and Greenfinches). 

On my way back from the lighthouse, I called into the Salinas at Marchamalo where there were 16 Greater Flamingos, a couple of Spotted Redshanks, Greenshanks, Slender-billed Gulls, and round at the Playa Paraiso urbanization side, four Little Ringed Plovers, a couple of Little Stints and seven Dunlin, plus around the bushes Fan-tailed Warblers (Zitting Cisticola), Black Redstarts, Chiffchaffs and a flock of around 70 Serins.

 Once again, typical sights for the time of year - here Greater Flamingo ...

 ... and winter plumaged Spotted Redshank

On the morning of Saturday 15^th November, I resumed my search up in ‘monte Cenizas’, Atamaria (towards Portman, behind the golf course) for the Yellow-browed Warbler and a few other species (Goldcrest, Wren), spending just over four hours there.  But of these I only found one – Wren, which is a winter visitor to this part of Spain.  In total I saw three birds and heard another two.    Other birds of interest seen were plenty of Chaffinches, Robins, Black Redstarts, Crested Tit, Firecrest, Dartford and Sardinian Warblers and Black Redstarts.

 Only found in the winter in this part of Spain, Wren

  Also a winter visitor, Firecrest ...

 ... and another which can commonly be heard singing, Chiffchaff

 One of the woodland residents - Long-tailed Tit ...

 ... and another.  Here we don't get Blue Tits, just this Crested variety

 Also in the woodland glades flying in the warm sun, plenty of Red Admirals

From there I made my way over to the Mar Menor, stopping off at some farm reservoirs ‘en route’, picking up a group of three Ferruginous Ducks, Southern Grey Shrike and Booted Eagle.   

On a farm reservoir were three of these little treasures - Ferruginous Ducks

 

I called in once again at the old EDAR Elgar, but this time drew a blank - the only bird there was a single White Wagtail. 

Carrying on to the Mar Menor, on the sea were a group of three adult Mediterranean Gulls, plus plenty of Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, the large flock (of about 400 birds) of Cormorants and a single Sandwich Tern.   

Wandering along the beach back towards Los Urrutias (just in case there may be a Short-eared Owl in the saltings) I had a group of nine Curlew, a couple of Slender-billed Gulls and three Fan-tailed Warblers (Zitting Cisticolas).  Eventually reaching the sailing club at Los Urrutias at about 4 in the afternoon, I had a rapid sighting of the Kingfisher that has taken up winter residence, and looking down the beach towards Los Nietos, at Lo Poyo I could see the Oystercatcher which also seems to have taken up winter residence.

My last call of the day was to spend the last hour of light watching over the harrier roost at the marina de Carmoli, to count the harriers as they came in.  This time numbers were small with only four Marsh Harriers, but also flying around briefly were a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier, and another smaller ‘ringtail’ with an orange-brown body!  This would normally be put down as ‘Montagu’s/Pallid’ – but considering the general paucity of records of Montagu’s in this part of Murcia, and considering the date and the fact that an immature Pallid overwintered here last winter, I would say it’s more likely to have been a Pallid.  Maybe the coming weeks will tell.

Also seen on the Saturday morning, was a Griffon Vulture sat on a traffic sign close to the ‘marina de Carmoli’.  I didn’t get to hear about it till the evening, but it seems like it may have been one blown east by the winds of previous weeks, and be looking out for something dead to eat!  Definitely a bird to keep an eye out for.

 Griffon Vulture watching the traffic!

Photo copyright Antonio Fernandez-Caro Gomez

 

Sunday 16^th I made an early morning visit to the ‘Arenal’ at Los Nietos in the hope of coming across a Short-eared Owl.  In this I was unlucky, but I DID come across a group of five Richard’s Pipits, which promptly flew off towards Los Urrutias, never to be seen again.  I presume they were a migrating group, as another one stayed and actually allowed me to get reasonably close!

 

 In 8 winters of trying, probably the best photo I've got of Richard's Pipit

Other birds seen here were Stonechat, Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting Cisticola), plenty of Crested Larks, Skylarks, Slender-billed Gulls, Sandwich Terns, Serins, Greenfinches, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Monk Parakeets and Crag Martins.  

 Another coastal common winter visitor, although more often heard than seen, Dartford Warbler

I walked as far as Lo Poyo where there were a number of waders feeding, including the Oystercatcher I had seen the previous day, Grey and Ringed Plovers,  Dunlin, Turnstones, and single Little Stint and Kentish Plover.

 Normally quite a rarity in Murcia, this year Oystercatchers have been very visible

From the Arenal, I went to the furthest extreme of La Manga, the Encañizadas.  Although arriving quite late in the morning for this location (i.e. when there are plenty of walkers, cyclists and general noise-makers about), I still managed to see a good variety of birds, including 35 Sandwich Terns, 2 Great (White) Egrets, 3 Spoonbills, a group of 8 Pintail asleep on the water, Dartford Warblers, Southern Grey Shrike singing in the sunshine, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, and in amongst all the Yellow-legged Gulls, at least two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

 The best place to see Bar-tailed Godwit - at the Encañizadas at the end of La Manga

Also the best place for Black-headed Gulls and Sandwich Terns

My last trip out of the last week was yesterday evening, when as I found myself close to the ‘marina de Carmoli’ about half an hour before dusk, I thought I’d stop for a while and see what entered the harrier roost.  In the half an hour I waited, I had Sparrowhawk, Booted Eagle, 8 Marsh Harriers and a single ringtail Hen Harrier, but no sign of the ‘Montagu’s/Pallid’ of the couple of days before.

And that’s all for now folks, so till my next post, happy birding!!

Ciauu

Who turned the heating on!

More visits to the lighthouse gardens at Cabo de Palos have still failed to give the normal passage migrants.  As at today (Tuesday 8^th April) I still have to see my first Woodchat Shrike or any type of Wheatear there (and these are birds that are pretty obvious to see if they’re about), although I’ve seen them in other places.  And someone's turned the heat on - daytime it's definitely shorts weather now even if it does get pretty foggy at night.

On Wednesday 2^nd April while taking my walk around the gardens and cliffs there, I was accompanied for part of the walk by a Whimbrel!

 This Whimbrel accompanied me through the cliffs area

Going from there directly over to the ‘Arboretum’ in Calblanque (to the left of the big car park after dropping down towards the beach from the information centre) I was surprised to see a single Pied Flycatcher – about a week before I normally see them.

In the afternoon of that day I went inland, searching for Cuckoos.  No luck with them, but in the ‘Sierra de Plata’ (northwest of Sucina) I had good numbers of Alpine and Common Swifts, a couple of Red-rumped Swallows and a smart male Black-eared Wheatear.

The following morning (Thursday, 3^rd April) in the lighthouse gardens, there was a bit of movement after overnight rain/mud, and I had 3 Chiffchaffs and singles of Blackcap (female), Common Redstart (female) and my first Common Whitethroat of the year. There also seemed to be a lot of Blackbirds about.

 Called the equivalent of 'lookout' in Spanish (Mirlo), it's not hard to understand why

Going round to the ‘Arboretum’ at Calblanque again, apart from all the normal finches there (Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Serin and Linnet), I had my first Bonelli’s Warbler of the year.

Back at the lighthouse gardens in the morning of Friday (4^th April), the female Redstart remained there and a few definite Pallid Swifts plus some unidentified Common/Pallids went over, and I had a single Chiff/Willow. 

From there I went over to the Salinas at Marchamalo and took a walk along the edge of the Salinas, towards the ‘Playa Paraiso’ urbanisation.  Here there are many tamarisk bushes, a favourite with some of the warblers (if they’re there!).  Flying over I had Swift/Pallid Swifts, House Martins and Swallows, but again not much in the way of the smaller warblers – three Fan-tailed Warblers (Zitting Cisticolas), six Sardinian Warblers, and singles of Chiff/Willow and Subalpine Warbler.  In the Salinas themselves were good numbers of Avocet and Black Winged Stilts, a mixed group of 18 small waders (3 Dunlin and 15 Little Stints) and a single Common Sandpiper.  At the ‘Playa Paraiso’ end of the Salinas I saw single Little Ringed and Kentish Plovers, both of which I think are breeding there.

Subalpine Warbler seen on the edge of the salinas at Marchamalo

Saturdays seem to have developed into my ‘awayday’ day as I’ve got the whole day free, and with a good day forecast weatherwise, on Saturday 5^th April I set out early for a visit to the ‘saladares del Guadalentín’, the area in the triangle bounded by Alhama de Murcia, Totana and Mazarron.  There were a number of birds I was looking out for, many of which I hadn’t seen this year.  Arriving at the ‘saladares’ at 8-15, it was quite cloudy.  I took a drive down to the river valley, along the banks of the valley and alongside the Totana/Mazarron motorway, but the only birds seen/heard of particular interest were Tree Sparrows and a Quail heard calling – I’m amazed that I didn’t see any Great Spotted Cuckoos as they’re nearly always there at this time of the year.  Stopping on seeing a raptor on the other side of the Totana/Mazarron motorway, I ‘scoped the bird and saw that it was a Black Kite – a very good record for the area!

 As it was still quite dull and cloudy, I decided to come out of the ‘saladares’ and call in at the ‘Charcas de las Moreras’ (otherwise known as the EDAR Mazarron – Mazarron sewage farm) which aren’t too far away.  It’s a place best seen in the morning as otherwise you can be bothered by the sun, and it’s only 20 minutes away from the ‘saladares’ (I’ll be adding it to my ‘locations’ list shortly).

At the ‘Charcas’ (basically two large settlement pools, one old with well established reedbeds, the other much newer), I had numerous Pochard, Shoveler, White-headed Ducks, Mallard, Little Grebes, Moorhens and Coots, plus a couple of Purple Gallinules (Swamphens) in the reedbeds.  Also in the reeds I had Nightingale and Reed Warblers singing, and in surrounding bushes were Blackcap, Chiff/Willows and Sardinian Warblers and Serins, and overhead Common Swifts, House Martins and Red-rumped Swallows.

 The main well established lake, surrounded by reedbeds ...

... and in this lake can be seen Pochard and White-headed Ducks amongst others

 Another of the reed bed birds - the rear end of a Reed Warbler!

Views of the other newer lake - much more open

Returning to the ‘saladares’, things were looking much brighter – the clouds burning off and it was a lot warmer.  (I stayed till about 3-30pm when it was positively uncomfortably HOT – around 30ºC I would guess – the first time it’s been that hot this year).  The birds were much more active now, and driving around the area, notable birds seen included Hoopoe, Calandra Larks, Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Little Owl, Lesser Kestrels, Turtle Dove (my first of the year), Cuckoo (also my first of the year), Marsh Harrier, Green Woodpecker, 3 Woodchat Shrikes, 4 Spectacled Warblers and 2 Black-eared Wheatears.

 Back at the saladares, with more sun, the birds were starting to show - here a Lesser Short-toed Lark ...

 ... Woodchat Shrike ...

 

 ... Red-legged Partridge ...

 ... Hoopoe ...

 ... Calandra Lark ...

... an early Turtle Dove ...

... Lesser Kestrels ...

... and a Spectacled Warbler that was very showy

Having had enough by 3-30pm (and suffering from the heat), I decided to call it a day here, and as I was in the area, called into the EDAR (sewage farm) Alhama de Murcia, which is at the back of the nearby industrial estate on the way into Alhama from the motorway.  The biggest surprise there, wasn’t avian at all, but was that the hide that used to look over almost nothing – just a load of overgrown ground – now looked over a pristine new lagoon with two islands in the middle of it – as it was so new there was hardly anything on it, just a few Black Winged Stilts and a couple of Mallard, but it gives hope for the future (if only we could get something like that for the so-called ‘wetland of El Algar’ which has been bone dry ever since the day it was built!).  The other lagoons things were very quiet with just Coots, Moorhens and Little Grebes, and House and Sand Martins and Swallows flying over them, so I didn’t stay too long.

 The new lagoon at the EDAR Alhama de Murcia

Getting back to the Mar Menor area at around 5pm, I decided to call in to the San Pedro Salinas for the first time this week.  On the main lagoons there wasn’t much different to be seen from previous weeks (the usual Greater Flamingos, Shelducks, Kentish Plovers, Black Winged Stilts and Avocets) but Gull-billed Terns were much more in evidence, flying over calling on the way out of the Salinas to nearby ‘campos’.  And as in previous weeks, the best concentration of birds were in the perimeter canals – a couple of female Mallards with two different aged broods of ducklings, Redshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Common Snipe and a couple of Ruff, and Red-rumped Swallows flying overhead.

 Back at the Mar Menor, in San Javier, a Snipe in one of the farm reservoirs

 At the San Pedro salinas, the normal birds - here a Little Egret ...

 ... group of Redshank ...

 ... Slender-billed Gull in breeding plumage ...

 ... Gull-billed Terns overhead

 In the perimeter canal, a typical view ...

 ... but as soon as you show yourself, eveything takes flight - here two Ruff

 In the main salt lagoons, plenty of Avocets

Talking of Red-rumped Swallows, there must have been quite a movement in on Saturday, as when I eventually drove home to Los Belones via the Mar Menor, I had groups of 30+ flying around Los Urrutias, and another 20+ around Los Nietos (quite why they should be concentrated around the ‘pueblos’ I don’t know, as between Los Urrutias and Los Nietos I didn’t see any!).

Sunday 6^th April was another hot day, so I was just birdwatching in the morning.  At the lighthouse gardens first thing, I had a Nightingale singing from a bush in the carpark – a good omen I thought – but in the lighthouse garden itself, again few birds.  However, going into one of the areas nearby (which is a street with overgrown building plots on both sides, but which can sometime turn up good birds) I had a pipit on the ground.  Checking with my bins – a Tree Pipit! Brilliant!  But getting my camera organised the bird flew up and over some houses. I tried to follow it into another small gardens area, but couldn’t re-locate it.  Sitting on a park bench here though, I DID have a male Common Redstart (unusually, amongst the roofs of nearby houses), a couple of Willow/Chiffs, a definite Chiffchaff (it started singing!), 2 Robins, Swallow, Serin, Sardinian Warbler and a Woodchat Shrike.  All in the area of the size of a tennis court!

 In some small gardens areas behind the lighthouse a good mix of birds - here Woodchat Shrike ...

 ... and on a nearby roof, Common Redstart

On the way home I paid a quick call into the Playa Paraiso side of Marchamalo salinas, but apart from a Kentish Plover pretending not to be there, there was nothing to be seen.

 

 At the Marchamalo salinas, a Kentish Plover pretending not to be there ...

 A general view of the salinas on a hot sunny morning

Monday 7^th April, instead of the lighthouse gardens, I started the day at Calblanque, and it was a worthwhile change of routine, as on my way over there as it was getting light, perched in one of the Carab trees between the ‘Las Jordanas’ village and the information centre, was a group of twelve Bee-eaters.  Always good to see, and better still when they are perched and you can really appreciate their colours.  In the ‘Arboretum’ there was nothing new, just the usual nesting finches (Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet and Serin), although one female Linnet did see intrigued to see me and allowed close approach for some photos. The same couldn’t be said for the nearby Woodchat Shrike I saw – avoiding me at every approach, so I had to make do with some distant shots with the LUMIX.  Apart from that, all was quiet.

 

  It's the early birder that catches the birds - in this case a group of Bee-eaters

 In the 'Arboretum' a very showy female Linnet ...

... and a nearby Thekla Lark

 

 Very quiet and tranquil at this time of the morning ...

 ... even this bunny thought so

 A Woodchat keeping an eye on things

In the afternoon I trawled around La Union and the Urrutias end of the Mar Menor.  In La Union, for the second week running I had  a pair of Chough on one of the old mine vents (they look like wells) that are scattered over the landscape, and on the beach at Los Urrutias by the nautical club, a pair of Kentish Plover and the first Ringed Plovers for a while.  Moving on to the ‘rambla de Albujón’ and walking up the rambla, there were Greenshank, Common Snipe, Little Egrets, Sardinian Warblers, Partridges, Souther Grey Shrike, White and Iberian Wagtails, Little Ringed Plovers, a Hoopoe, Great Tit and my first Great Reed Warblers of the year – at least two singing.  Not a bad little walk that, even if the sun gets in your eyes on the way out.

 For the second wek running, Chough in La Union

 On the Mar Menor at Los Urrutias, the first Ringed Plovers for a while ...

 ... and a couple of Kentish Plovers

 At the Rambla de Albujon, one of the Black Winged Stilts ...

... and a recently arrived Great Reed Warbler

Back at the lighthouse gardens on Tuesday (8^th April), the gardens were in thick fog when I arrived although it had burnt off by about 9-30.  The gardens were very quiet, the only birds of note being a single female Chaffinch grubbing around the edge of the path (I don’t think much of her chances of survival with all the cats around), and a couple of Common Terns out in the bay between the lighthouse and La Manga.

 Arriving at the lighthouse gardens this morning, the lighthouse had disappeared!

 One of the very few birds seen - a female Chaffinch ...

 ... while on the rocks these Common Terns waited for the fog to clear

 The scene at 9-30.  By 9-40, the fog had completely cleared

And that’s about it, so until my next report, happy birding!

Chauu