Now back from our month circumnavigatigthe globe with stops in Japan and Canada and, of course, the North Pacific cruise from Yokohama to Vancouver via Alaska. Wonderful holiday and, no doubt, more later. But first all those reports received but not published yet so apologies to the Arboleas Birding Group and John. So here goes and, again, apologies that they are all coming at once.
El Fondo, near Elche - Saturday 28th April 20
Gilly
& I left home at 05.00hrs to the sound of a Scops Owl calling from
our rambla. We met up with Les & John at the Overa hotel, John being
volunteered to drive to the El Fondo bird reserve near Elche. After a
reviving cup of coffee at the Cox service station we headed for the
football pitch area as we were a bit early to enter the reserve via the
north gate. On the way an European Cuckoo flew over, the only one seen
but we heard at least two more during the day. We doused ourselves in
mosquito spray as it became obvious they were a problem here. Gilly got
suitably dressed! We saw Jackdaw, Grey Heron, Common Swifts &
Kestrel, but around us we heard Zitting Cisticola, Black Winged Stilt
& Cetti's Warbler. We arrived at the north gate in plenty of time to
spot a few birds before entry. We heard both Nightingale & Green
Woodpecker. We saw Cattle Egret, Blackcap, Yellow Legged & Black
Headed Gulls and Mallard. A flight of 5 Turtle Doves flew over. Some
birders in front of us spotted a warbler in a tree in front of them. We
saw it as well. They identified it as a Wood Warbler. Ana, the Park
Ranger of the day let us in. On the way down to the far elevated viewing
platform we saw Crag Martin, Avocet & Shelduck flying over. Once up
on the platform a scan of the water to the front revealed Common
Pochard, White Headed Duck, Great Crested Grebe and Greater Flamingo.
Over the water Whiskered & Little Tern flew over with Barn & Red
Rumped Swallow. Little Bitterns regularly flew between reed banks, some
showing well. John spotted a Red Crested Pochard. A distant Marsh
Harrier was being harassed by Whiskered Terns. Great Reed Warblers were
very vocal from reed tops. We decided to walk back up the track to the
next hide.
A bird which John & I could only identify as a wheatear species flew up and luckily perched on a tree behind us.
A
Northern Wheatear. From the hide we saw a distant raft of Black Necked
Grebe and a Moorhen. Walking further along I spotted a Purple Swamphen. A
couple of Squacco Heron were seen. From the hide we added Shoveler
& Goldfinch. We headed back to the exit gate, seeing a flight of 16
Glossy Ibis fly by.
En
route to the information centre John spotted a pair of Iberian Grey
Shrike. Again there was a cacophony of Great Reed Warbler sounds as we
walked to the enclosed pool by the centre. Red Knobbed Coot were there
with a chick. There were 5 Marbled Duck, all tagged from, presumably,
last years release. Les & Gilly saw a White Wagtail & a pair of
over-flying Collared Pratincole. Leaving Gilly there with her bad back,
the three of us walked along the raised wooden path. We spotted a small
number of Purple Swamphen and a Little Grebe. The first hide on the left
didn't
" disturb
the scorer ", but the next hide was much better. We saw resting
Collared Pratincoles, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit, Little Stint and a
Curlew Sandpiper. We heard Bee Eaters flying over. A juvenile Whiskered
Tern caused some identity confusion! A pair of Marsh Harrier flew over. I
rang Gilly to say we were heading back. She said she had a flycatcher
hanging around the centre. Retracing our steps along the wooden path,
stopping only for some posing Whiskered Terns, we were soon at the
centre. Once a group of vociferous Spanish non-birders had left the
area, the flycatcher showed itself. A female Pied Flycatcher. Walking
back to the car we saw another Squacco Heron.
We
expected more today, but we still had 62 species. The onslaught of
mosquitoes didn't materialise. After lunch we stopped off at our friends
house to check out their resident Long Eared Owls. We saw daddy owl
& two fledged chicks.
Photographer Gilly unless stated.
Regards, Dave
Regards, Dave
Gilly in anti mosquito garb! (Dave)
Turtle Dove
Male Little Bittern
Gecko in one of the hides
Marbled Duck (Dave)
Purple Swamphen (Dave)
Mr & Mrs Common Pochard (Dave)
Whiskered Tern (Dave)
Pied Flycatcher (Dave)
Squacco Heron (Dave)
Daddy Long Eared Owl (Dave)
Baby Long Eared Owl (Dave)
Just hoping that these pictures come out using "copy and paste" as I was unable to save as jpegs!!!!
Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information
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