The final report from John and yet another great birding day. No doubt, there will be yet more birds on the long journey back fro El Rocio to Salar. I wonder where Jonh and Jenny will call into on the return journey?
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| Collared Pratincole (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Doñana Day Five 5th May
Another scorcher at the coast, and no shade to speak of.
Not a lot of movement as we headed for Mazagon and breakfast, then on to km13 on the N442. Looking out from the brick hide the first bird spotted was a Little Bittern hugging the reed bed across the lake, a couple of quick photos - nothing came of them - and it was gone. Also here we saw Purple Swamphen, Common and Azure-winged Magpies, Nightingales, Southern Grey Shrike, Whiskered Tern, Red-crested and Common Pochard, Gadwalls, Coots and Moorhens. In the treetops we found two Purple Herons which upon the coming of a third made them all leave the trees and squabble in the air. A few hirundines with House Martins being in the majority, with Barn and Red-rumped Swallows and a few Common Swifts. Zitting Cisticolas, Sardinian and Cetti´s Warblers were also present as well as a few Goldfinches.
Onward to the Odiel.
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| Audouin's Gulls (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
At the first stop - being the riverside restaurant - we found Blue-headed Yellow Wagtails, Turnstones, Dunlin, Whiskered Tern, Kentish and Ringed Plovers, and in the pond by the gate we saw Red-crested and Common Pochard, Mallard, Coots and a Gadwall, whilst the bushes and reeds held Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Melodious and Sardinian Warblers. As we stopped to come out the gate a male Hen Harrier flew across our front and then across the salt workings.
The centre was closed, but we did see on the mud-flats Grey Plover, Dunlin, Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper.
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| Dunlin (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Along the rest of the spit we saw Spoonbills, Greater Flamingos, Black-winged Stilts, Black-tailed Godwits, Grey Plovers, Little Terns, Whimbrel, Curlews, Ruff, Redshanks, Dunlin, Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, Ringed and Kentish Plovers.
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| Grey Plover (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Instead of going straight on to the lighthouse we turned left - its a no through road - but here we found Collared Pratincoles and Kentish Plovers nesting, good numbers of Northern Wheatears, Melodious Warblers, Common Chiffchaffs, a single Meadow Pipit, Thekla Larks, Spotted Flycatchers, Common Magpies and in the channel Little Terns were feeding.
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| Little Tern (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Retracing our steps we found on one of the "beaches" , nine Audouin´s Gulls, Lesser Black-backed, Yellow-legged and Herring Gulls and just past the foghorns, a male Golden Oriole crossed the road and along with two other males and one female they landed in a fir tree about a hundred metres away.
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| Golden Oriole (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Little Egrets and Spoonbills were in good numbers in the marshes here and a good finish was two Turtle Doves .
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| Kentish Plover on nest (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
We called in at El Rocio marismas and managed to locate the Spanish Imperial Eagle, also about were Common Sandpipers, Ringed Plovers, a Pintail, Mallard, Greylags, Greater Flamingos, Little Egret and Cattle Egrets, Black-winged Stilts and Whiskered Terns, while above circled the inimitable Black Kites and White Storks.
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| Spot the Spanish Imperial Eagle? (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
So to end with a total of 131 for the whole period. Just a gentle drive back home to contend with tomorrow(Tuesday).
Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information.
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