Interesting reading Dave's report below of the Arboleas Birding Group's visit to the west of Almeria. Like me he has noticed that Shoveler numbers are rapidly declining as they make their return migration northwards. A little worrying about all the plastic filth at Las Norias and those ABS members attending the February meeting In Cabo de Gata on 16 February and taking in a stop at this site on the way up or back will see the ghastly mess for themselves. I'll be there Friday morning and trying not to be too distracted whilst birding. Little Terns would be a delight to see.
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| Disgraceful discarded plastic rubbish at Las Norias |
Las Norias & Roquetas de Mar - Wednesday 6th February
Ssssh!
Don't shout it too loud, but the weather seems to have changed for the
better. As I drove Richard, Paul, Reyna and Peter down from Arboleas
the temperature increased from 5C up to nearly 20C by the end of the
day. Blue skies, sunny and very little wind. We met up with Alan and
John at the Repsol Service Station (Jct 420). After a cup of coffee we
headed for Las Norias lake, seeing a Cattle Egret perched on a power
line on the way. As we approached the first causeway, we saw White
Wagtail, Black Redstart and the first of numerous Cormorant. Richard
saw a Robin and John a Black Headed Gull. I scanned the far shore and
counted over 70 Cormorants resting or drying their wings together with
one Little Egret and a few Grey Heron. We also saw Mallard, Red
Crested Pochard, Coot, Moorhen and Great Crested Grebe on the water.
John found some Crag Martin. On the right hand side, the best birds were
17 White-headed Duck in a raft. A line of a dozen or so Cormorants were
combining forces to fish. Little Grebe were present. Alan found an
elusive Shoveler. Most seem to have now departed. A lot less Chiffchaff
as well. We heard the usual Cetti's Warbler. Also seen were Serin,
Greenfinch and Stonechat.
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| Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus |
We
moved to the near end of the littler pool. The fact it is only 500
metres from the Plastic Recycling factory makes the piles of discarded
plastic sheeting all the more abominable! We saw more Red-crested
Pochard, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe and Cormorants. We drove round
to the little bridge. Paul spotted a Kingfisher and I saw a Snipe fly
over.
On the way
to Roquetas we stopped for a coffee at San Augustin. We drove to the far
end of the Roquetas salinas. As we crossed the causeway, a Marsh
Harrier flew above us.
Alan and John in the leading car also saw a
Zitting Cisticola. We checked out the reeds and eventually John
persistence was rewarded with glimpses of a Purple Swamphen. Greater
Flamingos were, of course, present. We also saw a distant Shelduck.
Mosquitoes rampant in this area! On the way to the next stop we added
Magpie and Kestrel. There, Alan spotted Black-winged Stilt and
Redshank and John had Lesser Black-backed Gull.
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| Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus |
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| Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus at Roquetas de mar |
We
then moved on to the main pool. Large rafts of Common Pochard, Coot and Black-headed Gulls. A few Gadwall. Not the numbers of the previous
visit. Also seen were more Marsh Harriers and Cormorants.
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| Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo |
We ended up with 52 species. Lovely weather in great company.
Regards, Dave
All photographs by David Elliott-Binns
Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information
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