Villaricos & Vera Playa with the Arboleas Birding Group

Wednesday 10 April

A great day's birding for Dave and his Arboleas Birding Group on home territory. Stand outs for me certainly included the Whiskered Terns, Nightingale and red-crested Pochard but, there again, lovlely to note that your Barn Swallows and House Martins have returned and moving freely around.  I'm yet to see either back here on the south coast of England but, perhaps, maybe more luck either Thursday  at Farlington Marshes just north of Portsmouth or Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes come Saturday morning on the Solent.  we shall see.

Villaricos & Vera Playa: Wednesday 10th April

Paul and I picked Juda up at the La Alfoquia service station and headed towards the Rambla Albamzora. As you will see from the photos the area has been totally cleared of all the reeds and shrubs down the central part from the ford to the road bridge for, I assume, in case there are heavy rains.  To do this during the breeding season is an utter disgrace!

The cleared rambla; where have all the reeds gone?

We only saw a Magpie and a Woodpigeon before we parked up on the beach.  Unbelievably there was a tractor there flattening the sand, hence there was only one Cormorant on the harbour rocks.  Some Barn Swallows and House Martins flew by.  We were joined by Kevin, who'd seen a Mallard, Trevor, Val and Peter 2.

I managed to locate a distant Gannet near the Tuna fish farm area.  We also had House Sparrow and Spotless Starling.  We moved round to the far side of the estuary.  Paul found a Grey Heron.  A Nightingale was singing from the reeds. Juda spotted a Little Egret.  Kevin added a Kentish Plover.  Also seen was a Jackdaw and a Crested Lark.  Paul saw a Goldfinch.

Iberian Yellow Wagtail  (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

After a cup of coffee in the Tiburon cafe in Villaricos we made our way to the dual carriageway overlooking the Salar shallow waters opposite the Consum supermarket behind Vera Playa.  Immediately we saw a pair of Serin in one of the roadside palm trees.  There were the usual good numbers of Moorhen at the right hand end.  Only one Little Stint was spotted by Kevin.  Scanning the waters we saw Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Ruff, a couple of Curlew Sandpipers and Greater Flamingos. A Cattle Egret flew by  A number of Little Grebes were seen as were Shelduck and Common Pochard. Moving further along beyond the hump we saw a flight of 13 Whiskered Terns, some of which landed on a solitary water surrounded shrub.  Also seen were Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls and Red Crested Pochard.  Kevin added a Redshank.

Island of Whiskered Terns (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

We moved on to the elevated viewing platform where we caught up with Phil and Sue.  During their wanderings in the area they had seen White-headed Duck, Yellow and White Wagtails, Common Swifts and a Little Ringed Plover.  Paul found the Yellow Wagtail perched on a reed . We also saw the White-headed Duck as well as Mallard, Common and Red Crested Pochard and some Shoveler.  And a Coot! Final bird was a Purple Swamphen found by Peter along the reed line edge.

Red-crested Pochards (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

Despite a slow start we ended up with 42 species including the Phil and Sue additions.  They have been here for some weeks now and have logged an incredible 107 species, mostly at the Salar as they have no car!

The weather has changed to summer mode.  A good days birding in great company!

Regards

Dave

Will this be eventually be cleared up? (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

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