Rio Velez, Torre del Mar

Female Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

 Thursday 21 January

In Torre del Mar for an early afternoon hospital appointment and upon departure took a slight detour on the way home to walk the Rio Velez track to the beach from the old N340 road bridge.  Greeted by a large flock of Serin along with a few Goldfinch and once approaching the bridge in my walk downstream a Black Redstart.  A small number of Rock Doves in their usual resting place under the bridge and then the first of the wandering Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  As I walked on down a Heron took off to fly downstream and the fence to my left produced Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Stonechat and more Goldfinches.  

Greenfinch Verderon Comun Carduelis chloris

The first Kestrel was seen overhead and reaching the beach I had a few Chiffchaffs foraging in the nearby bushes.  Lots of Lesser Black-backed resting out on the sea along with a few wandering Black-headed Gulls.  On the lagoon created at the mouth of the river a lovely surprise to see a single Purple Swamphen and then a couple of Moorhen along with a quartet of Coot.  Four Mallards were also noted towards the back and the bare trees held upwards of forty Cormorant.  Before starting the return walk I also managed to find a pair of Crested Lark and at least five White Wagtails in the beach area as well as a score or more Mediterranean Gulls.

Just a few of the resting Cormorants Cormoran Grande Phalacrocorax carbo

Nearing my car  two sightings of a couple Collared Doves and then on further upstream to check out the growing fields where I found a second Kestrel followed by a Hoopoe and just a single Spotless Starling along with more House Sparrows and Chiffchaffs feeding on the muck heap.

Common Kestrel Cernicalo Vulgar Falco tinnunculus

Using the coastal road to drive back to Mezquitilla I stopped for a brief moment to note the hundreds of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the beach at Caleta harbour plus four Cormorants.  Monk Parakeets in the neighbouring trees and more of the same plus House Sparrows and Rock Doves in the marina.  Here also a large number of Black-headed Gulls.

Black-headed Gull Gaviota Reidora Larius ridibundus

Birds seen:

Mallard, Cormorant, Heron, Kestrel, Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Coot, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove, Collared Dove, Monk Parakeet, Hoopoe, Crag Martin, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Chiffchaff, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.

Purple Swamphen Calamon Comun Porphyrio porphyrio

Immature Great Black-backed Gull Gavion Atlantico Larus marinus

Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information