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

Recent local outings

After the rains of the last week, some of the smaller birds have been a lot more in evidence, as have young birds in dispersal, and raptors are still passing through.

 Pale morph Booted Eagle, seen from my office doorway, on it's way to Calblanque

On  Tuesday 30^th September, in the morning, I called into Marchamalo salinas, but this time on the Playa Paraiso side.  There were a few waders and gulls there - Black Winged Stilt, Avocets, Greenshank, Black-headed, Slender-billed, Mediterranean, Audouin's and Yellow-legged Gulls.

Black-headed, Mediterranean and Slender-billed Gulls

In the afternoon, I took part in the monthly census at the Cartagena sewage farm (EDAR Cabeza Beaza).  Apart from the normal water birds there (Little & Black Necked Grebes, Shelduck, Mallard, Pochard, Shoveler, Teal, White-headed Duck, Coot, Moorhen) there were a few surprises, such as two Ferruginous Ducks, three Pintail, still 10 Turtle Doves on overhead wires, Blue-headed Wagtail, around 80 Swallows feeding over the lagoons, and a juvenile Goshawk around the ‘cipresa’ trees that surround the lagoons.

 On the way there, I called in briefly at the farm reservoir at the ‘Los Camachos’ industrial park, where I was surprised to see the Marbled Duck/Teal that has been there for a couple of months now.  The last time I went there a week ago, it couldn’t be located, and I assumed it had gone, but no, there it was, surrounded by Mallard and Coots on the right hand bank of the reservoir.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, 1^st October, I went with Tomás Garcia to have a look in the bushes at the Salinas at Marchamalo (Cabo de Palos), where we had singles of Common Whitethroat, Northern Wheatear and Chiffchaff.  On the Salinas themselves (where the water level is now very high) we only had a group of 12 Greater Flamingos and 13 Little Egrets.

Calling in afterwards at Cala Reona (Cabo de Palos), birds of note were the number of Blackbirds (at least 10), a Southern Grey Shrike, a couple of Crag Martins flying around low and a group of 13 Alpine Swifts very high up.  In the surrounding hill, we had a young Golden Eagle (the first I’ve seen in this area for many a year) and a pair of Peregrines.

An early morning visit to the lighthouse gardens at Cabo de Palos on Saturday 4^th October produced a relative abundance of migrants.  A Grey Wagtail flying over, 5 Robins, 12+ Blackbirds, a Songthrush, Southern Grey Shrike, 6+ Sardinian Warblers (although these are residents, numbers are augmented by passage birds Spring and Autumn), 4 Subalpine Warblers, two Northern Wheatears, two Common Redstarts (one a stunning male), a group of 6 Goldfinches (also on passage) and a couple of Kestrels.  Singing from the lighthouse building itself was a male Blue Rock Thrush.

 Getting late now, a Common Redstart

 Giving an autumnal feel, Songthrush

 A regular visitor, question is, will it stay? Male Blue Rock Thrush

A look at Cala Reona (Cabo de Palos) afterwards, produced 15+ Blackbirds, another male Redstart, a couple of Blackcaps, AT LAST a Garden Warbler, and three Robins, with plenty of Swallows (30+) going through.  In fact that day there was a major passage of Swallows, as later in the day from the ‘desembocadura de la Rambla de Albujon’ (west of Los Urrutias)I had 500+ in half an hour, and in the old ‘EDAR El Algar’ (now renamed ‘Humedales de El Algar’) another 300+ in half an hour.  Other birds seen at the EDAR, now finally with some water in after the recent rains, 17 Black Winged Stilts, a couple of Green Sandpipers, Mallard and a Grey Heron, while on wires was a single Turtle Dove, and in surrounding fields Blue-headed Wagtails and a single Meadow Pipit (my first of the autumn).

Most impressive creature at Cala Reona was not a bird, but this butterfly - any ideas?

 

Calling in to the ‘encañizadas’ at the very end of La Manga strip the following day there was a definite autumn feel to the air, and in the birds seen.  Getting here before the dog walkers, cyclists and other general noise makers, apart from the usual birds, I had a couple of Great (White) Egrets, 5 Spoonbill, 13 Pintail, a couple of Gadwall, 12 Curlew, 9 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 Little Stints, a couple of Kingfishers and a single Richard’s Pipit fly over calling, again my first of the autumn.

 Record shot of the Gadwall and one of the Pintail

 Bar-tailed Godwit kindly showing its tail ...

 ... and now waving hello!

 Winter plumaged Grey Plover

The same bird again

 

A visit to Cala Reona (Cabo de Palos) on the morning of Monday 6^th October produced nothing new (just Blackbirds, Robins and Blackcaps), although a flock of 40+ Monk Parakeets feeding noisily added some colour to the visit.

 Monk Parakeets having a noisy pre-breakfast chat in the tree-tops

 Male Sardinian Warbler - numbers are increased by passage birds

 Also moving at the moment, Blackcaps

 Feeding time!  On the ground at least 40 noisy birds

 Normally quite timid, Sardinian Warblers are quite easy to see at this time of year

In the afternoon, I thought I’d have a look at the Rasall salinas in Calblanque as there should by now be water there.  Apart from good numbers of Swallows feeding over the lagoons, I had 20 Black Winged Stilts, three Greenshanks and two Redshanks in the lagoons, and at least six Stonechats and a single Wryneck on the surrounding fences.

Looking directly into the sun, a record shot of the Wryneck

 

A further visit to Calblanque on Tuesday 7^th October, this time to the ‘Arboretum’ didn’t produce a lot in the way of small birds (just Stonechats, Robins, a Songthrush and Blackbirds) but in the surrounding hills was a Sparrowhawk, and presumably the same Golden Eagle that I’d seen from Cala Reona a few days previously.  At first I thought it was injured, as it was hopping up some rocks, but seeing it later this time in flight, with its crop bulging, I think it was actually after some prey (probably a rabbit), which it eventually got hold of.

 Now I know breakfast's around here somewhere ...

 ... just a matter of getting up the next step ...

 ... this'll do! ...

 ... now where was it ...

... there it is ...

 ... think I'll stay around here a while - food's good!

Later the same day, I went with Tomás Garcia to the sewage farm (EDAR) at Alhama de Murcia, and later, on to the Saladares del Guadalentín.  En route, we had about 10 Kestrels and a couple of Common Buzzards, and arriving, the EDAR was alive with small birds – Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Reed Warblers, Robins, Cetti’s Warblers, Bluethroat.  Water birds were sparse of variety however, with just Mallard, Teal, Coots, Moorhens and Little Grebes, and single Grey Heron and Greater Flamingo.  Through the valley to the west of the EDAR, a very nice adult male Marsh Harrier went through.

In the Saladares we had a good variety of birds, including a young Golden Eagle in a palm tree (I think the first time I have ever seen one in a tree); 12 Northern Wheatears, Calandra, Crested, Sky and Lesser Short-toed Larks, a late Whinchat, plenty of Stonechats, a field full of Blue-headed Wagtails (at least 50 birds), plus all the other usual birds you’d expect to see there.  On the way home, we called in at Corvera as there have been recent reports of Black-shouldered Kite around there, but we were a little too late as it was almost dark by the time we got there.  We did have 4 Little Owls on wires on the way there though.  And to round the day off, as I came home along the Mar Menor, a Barn Owl perched on a fencepost at the Marina de Carmoli.

 Record shot of the Golden Eagle in a Palm tree

 A late Whinchat

 Crested Lark singing its heart out

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

Ciauu