Thursday, 29 March 2012

Wednesday 28th March 2012



Cabo de Palos lighthouse garden
Weather: Sky no cloud, wind NE F3, temp. 19ºC.  14:15 – 15:10.

Today I tried the lighthouse garden early afternoon to see if there would be any change with regards to migrants.  There were a few more about, with a female Common Redstart, a couple of Black Redstarts, and 2 House Martins and a Swallow flying through.  Also 2 immature Shags close in on a rock.

Black Redstart typically showing itself on the rocks

Immature Shags showing themselves unusually close

Species seen
Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)
Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Sandwich Tern (Sterna sanvicensis)
Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
House Martin (Delichon urbica)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Marchamalo Salinas, La Manga
Weather: Sky no cloud,  wind NE F3, temp. 19ºC.  15:30 – 15:55.

On the way back from Cabo de Palos, I called in on both sides of the Salinas.  At the La Manga side, I came across a group of 28 Slender-billed Gulls resting on the mud at the side of the first lagoon.  They were mainly adults, now showing their breeding plumage of a pink tinge to their undersides, and deep red bills.
On the ‘Playa Paraiso’ side, there was little to see – just a pair of Kentish Plover, a Little Ringed Plover and a couple of Black Winged Stilts feeding.

Part of the group of Slender-billed Gulls, all adults

...and a first year bird
Species seen
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)

Calblanque
Weather: Sky no cloud, wind NE F3, temp. 20ºC.  16:05 – 16:30.

I then went for a short ride over to Calblanque from Los Belones via Las Jordanas, and struck lucky seeing my first Woodchat Shrike of the year on the edge of a carab tree.  I saw very little else though but could hear a Green Woodpecker calling continuously.

 
Record shot of my first Woodchat Shrike of the year
  
Species seen
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)

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