Rambla de Almanzora & Vera Playa

 Thursday 26 September

Another great day's birding for Dave and his Arboleas Birding Group  recording just on 50 species. I particularly like the Snipe photograph, as well as the sighting, and also Jack's Caspian Tern AND Purple Heron!  But also, especially, the Water Rail which are often so difficuly t to find out in the open an good to read that there are still Bee-eaters about.  But will they remain long enough for me to witness as another week before we reach Valencia.

Rambla de Almanzora & Vera Playa:  Thursday 26th September

Due to a commitment yesterday we've come out on a Thursday.  I picked Juda up at the garage in La Alfoquia and headed to the Rambla de Almanzora.  We joined by the Desert Springs golf complex.  We saw a Magpie and the first of many Barn Swallows.  At the first weir there were Mallards, Moorhens, a couple of Spotless Starlings, a White Wagtail and a Green Sandpiper.  We carried on further along seeing Collared Dove, Little Grebe and some Teal.  The ford was still dry so we ventured up the rambla to the shallow pool.  There were more Mallard plus Black-headed Gulls, a Common Sandpiper and an obliging Snipe.  Juda spotted a Yellow Wagtail.  Also seen were Kentish Plover and Woodpigeon.

Barrie and Beryl were waiting for us at the meeting area.  They had also seen Grey Heron, Sardinian and Cetti's Warblers and a Common Swift.  We were joined by Abe, Jenny and Trevor. 

Snipe (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

We drove to the beach.  The only birds we saw there were a Little Egret and an Audouin's Gull spotted by Trevor.  We met Colin and Geraldine from Desert Springs.  Local birders who hopefully will be joining us on future trips.  Colin said he'd seen an Osprey at the estuary, but it had flown away.  As we left, Barrie saw a Kestrel.  We made our way to the estuary.  No sign of the Osprey.  There were fishermen at the sea end.  Barrie added Slender-billed Gull, Turnstone, Blackbird and Ringed Plover. Abe saw a Red-rumped Swallow.  Also seen were Coot, Little Egrets, Grey Herons, House Sparrow and Goldfinch. 

We adjourned to the Lucky Bar in Villaricos for coffee.  Suitably refreshed we made for the shallow waters below the dual carriageway opposite the Consum supermarket behind Vera Playa.  I spotted a female Marsh Harrier on the shrubs on the far side.  Barrie scanned left and found a male also sitting on the shrubs.  We were joined by Jacky.  She found a Redshank amongst the Black-winged Stilts.  Barrie then identified a Temmink's Stint.  I found a single Avocet.  We heard and then saw some Bee-eaters. Trevor spotted a wader on the causeway which Barrie identified as a Wood Sandpiper.  Jacky felt sure she'd seen a Water Rail.  Indeed it reappeared a few minutes later.

We moved round to the elevated viewing platform opposite the Aguaparc.  Due to the ever growing reeds the best views are from the weir bridge.  There were a number of Greater Flamingos and Little Grebes.  I found a Black-necked Grebe.  After a bit Juda and I left.  We saw a Honey Buzzard near the Bourgenvilla roundabout.

Greater Flamingo with full crop (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

In the meantime Barrie and the others had logged a Bluethroat, 2 Kingfishers and a Little Bittern......and there's more.  Jacky visited the estuary only to find a pair of Caspian Terns AND a Purple Heron! 

Wow what a great day it turned out to be!  A total of 48 species for the day.  Good company!

Regards

Dave

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