Wednesday, 23rd May 2012 – EDAR Cabeza Beaza, Cartagena

Weather: Sky 1/8 cloud, wind E F1-2, temp. 28ºC.  17:00 – 19:15.  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 water levels of the two lagoons was again very low, giving large muddy margins, and there appeared to be many Black Winged Stilts nesting on these margins.

Notable amongst the ducks were five male Red Crested Pochards, and very surprisingly, a male Garganey. The number of Common Pochard was high – 34 seen in total, all but four adult males. 

Probably all these three species are in movement prior to their complete post-breeding moults.

In amongst the Black-necked Grebes were 2 leucistic birds, one of which was almost completely white.

The majority of the wader species seen last month had disappeared, the only non-breeding waders still on passage being 3 Ringed Plovers and 2 Avocets.

The number of immature Greater Flamingos had increased to 18, including the ringed individual seen last month.

Record shot of the male Garganey

Species seen and numbers

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - 1

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) - 18

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - 29

Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) - 131

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) - 123

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) - 5

Pochard (Aythra ferina) - 34

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) - 179

White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) - 12

Garganey (Anas querquedula) - 1

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) – c330

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) - 5

Coot (Fulica atra) - 132

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - 5

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) - 202

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) - 2

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) - 3

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) - 24

Swift (Pallid Swift (Apus apus/pallidus) – c 150

Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) - 2

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) - 3

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) - 1

Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) - 3

Iberian Wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae) - 2