Tuesday 24 June 2014

Catching up with the past

Tuesday 24 June

Tomorrow sees the June visit of the Axarquia Bird Group to the Charca de Suarez reserve near Motril so, all being well, I hope to publish a report on the visit by Thursday.  Meanwhile, other reports have been coming in and are yet to be published.  Our return from the New Zealand visit in February coincided with the computer being out of action for almost six weeks and then a very busy period of visits and magazines to be completed, etc.  However, I have now processed the pictures and saved to a memory stick in the hope that during my week back in the UK next week I might find some quiet time to get something out to readers.  But what to do?  Probably a selection of photos rather than an actual trip report.

Meanwhile, Jenny's friend Mitzi had her annual visit from "Birding Barry".  I was unable to take him out this year but he did manage to get down to the Rio Velez in Torre del Mar for the morning of 15 June and managed to record at least thirty species.  Looking at the list it would appear to be in family rather than sightings order:

Squacco heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Ringed Plover, Collared Dove, Monk Parakeet, Barn swallow, House martin, Common Swift, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Reed Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Great Tit, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin.


Comment:
Good to see that both the Squacco Heron and Black-winged Stilts are still in residence but no mention of the recent Little Bittern.  Rather surprising to see a Grey Wagtail recorded as, very often, they move further upstream for the summer months.  The same can be said for the Siskin.  Whilst the bird may be quite common back in Barry's native Britain it tends to be, but not exclusively, a winter visitor out here.  Similarly, lovely to see that the Spotted Flycatchers are still on their traditional breeding territory. But, as I so often find at the Rio Velez, it is the birds that you do not see!  Still no raptors present.

All in all though, a great morning Barry with lots of interesting birds recorded.


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

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