Whilst I was making my way east towards Cabo de Gata to take in those peculiar birding sites at Las Norias and Roquetas de Mar (see next blog), John and Jenny Wanwright had already arrived and made an early tour of the site to see what was about. Fortunately, they managed to make a good start before the strong winds set in for the afternoon.
Cabo de Gata: Friday 15th February
A bright, warm day with a blustery wind now and then.
We arrived at the Hotel Blanco Brisa at about
11.00am, we had called in at the no1 hide just down from here and found
Slender-billed Gulls, Little Egret, Greater Flamingos, Black Godwits and
as we left for the lighthouse area a Common Kestrel
was logged.
As we approached the lighthouse we turned up towards
the Aula del Mar, where we found three Trumpeter Finches sitting on the
wall just below the transmitter station aerials. Also about were House
Sparrows, Black and Northern Wheatears, Goldfinches,
Sardinian Warblers, small flocks of Meadow Pipits, two Thekla Larks, a
solitary Common Chiffchaff, Spotless Starlings and several Yellow-legged
Gulls. As we headed back down the road another Trumpeter Finch was
spotted as were a few Blackbirds.
At the bottom of the hill we turned off onto the
back track which runs (more or less) parallel to the main road back to
Cabo de Gata. The wind had picked up by now and the small passerines
were nowhere to be seen (or heard). At the hide
we spotted at least a two hundred Avocets and a large number of Greater
Flamingos, seven Shelduck were noted as well as Auduoin's Gulls,
Redshanks, Dunlins, Little Stints, a White Wagtail and two Kentish
Plovers. Two Sand Martins were gratefully logged here
and further down the track a small flock of Crag Martins. As we headed
across country to the BP station to fill-up, Greenfinches, Spotless
Starlings, Collared Doves and another Sardinian Warbler were added to
the list. We then headed for the camp site area
track that headed for the beach and on the estuary we spotted five
Wigeon (four males and one female), Shovelers, Mallard, three
White-headed Ducks, a Common Coot and a single Barn Swallow. Out on the
sea an adult Gannet and several Yellow-legged Gulls were
noted.
Back to the hotel for Menu del Dia; not a bad first day.
Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information
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