John and Jenny at Fuente de Piedra

Wednesday 21 March

Lovely to hear from John Wainwright with his latest report from a visit to a very wet Fuente de Piedra and nearby Laguna Dulce by himself and Jenny.  However, I was very sorry to read that Jenny has broken her ankle as a result of a fall and is now going to be on crutches for about six weeks.  I suspect John that you are going to have to amend your birding visits to those offering good tracks so that Jenny can continue to both observe and take photographs from the car.  Talking of which, I am assuming that it is good news and it is your car that is once more on the road.  I shall be at Fuente on Saturday, weather permitting, and look forward to finding my first yellow wagtails of the year.



Fuente de Piedra & Laguna Dulce: Wednesday 21 March


A warmish day but with a cold wind.


As we were over at the Mollina Boot Fair today we decided to have a look in at Piedra albeit from the car as Jenny has broken her ankle. In the flood meadow - which is well up an flowing into the ponds at the boardwalk - we found Redshanks, Shovelers, Avocets, Greater Flamingos, Mallard, Black-winged Stilts and Black-headed Gulls.  Across the road in the water meadows by the boardwalk, we located our first Blue-headed Yellow Wagtails of the season along with White Wagtails, Spanish Sparrows, Common Snipe and more Shovelers.  In the distance a Marsh Harrier was quartering the area.  A few Barn Swallows and House Martins were about as were the resident Jackdaws. 

Iberian Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla flava iberiae (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

There was plenty of water in the "Stone Curlew field" but all we found was a few Meadow Pipits.
Moving round to the  Cantarras mirador, en route we saw Black Kites and a female Hen Harrier, a couple of Raven and a Common Kestrel.  At the mirador there again is a good quantity of water but alas no Black-winged Kites nor Common Cranes.  We did see, however, Goldfinches, Crested Larks and Black Redstarts.

Iberian Yellow Wagtail  Motacilla flava iberiae with feeding Snipe Gallinago gallinago (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

We then drove on to Laguna Dulce, where we saw plenty of Greater Flamingos, Shovelers and Mallard, along with hundreds of Black-headed Gulls.  A few Corn Buntings and Cetti´s Warblers were seen along with some House Sparrows.  The wind had picked up so we returned to Salar, where we had Buzzard, Azure-winged Magpies, Collared Doves, Spotless Starlings and more Black Redstarts.

Not a bad day but the strong wind was keeping the small birds hunkered down, not that I blame them!!

Spanish Sparrows Passer hispanioensis (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

Very pleased with the report John and that both you and Jenny are not going to let a broken bone or two get in the way of the birding!  Get well soon jenny and hope to see you soon.

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