Good to see that Dave & CO are back from their respective holidays and that the Arboleas Birding Group is once again up and about. The first visit of the season saw them at Cabo de Gata and neighbouring Ramble Morales where birds a plenty were awaiting their arrival.
Cabo de Gata & Rambla Morales
After
a long hot summer it was great to be out with the lads and lasses of
the Arboleas Birding Group once again. Us from Arboleas region, Richard,
Mike, Diane, Paul, Alec, Gilly and myself met up outside the Humbugs
cafe. We convoyed down in two 4x4s to the Pujaire village cafe where we
met up with Les. We made our way to the first hide. The water level was a
bit low, but there was plenty to see. There was a wide selection of
waders. Avocet, Black Tailed Godwit, Black Winged Stilt, Kentish Plover,
Ringed Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, and a single Curlew Sandpiper. The
star was an uncommon bird here, an Oystercatcher.
There was a steady
stream of Barn Swallows passing and Les spotted a Red Rumped as well. I
spotted a Northern Wheatear on a fence to the right and then found a
juvenile Woodchat Shrike on a bush behind us. There were numerous
Greater Flamingos (Gilly later counted 725 from the 2nd hide). Les found
some diving Little Tern further up the salina and I spotted a Sandwich
Tern on the rocky causeway together with Black Headed, Yellow Legged and Slender Billed Gulls. On the island beyond the 2nd hide we could
see Grey Heron, Little Egret and Spoonbill. Gilly did well to spot a
distant perched Kestrel. Common and Pallid Swifts, Greenfinch and
Iberian Grey Shrikes were also seen.
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| Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
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| Juvenile Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
Moving
on to the 2nd hide, the beach had a small group of resting Yellow
Legged Gulls thereon. On the way to the hide I manged to get some photos
of a Thekla Lark and another juvenile Woodchat Shrike. A female Marsh
Harrier showed well. We confirmed at least two Spoonbill on or near the
island opposite. A Cattle Egret was also seen. An Audouin's Gull flew
by.
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| Thekla Lark Galerida theklae (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
At the Public
Hide we added an Eurasian Curlew and Les also saw a Little Stint amongst
the plovers and Dunlin. Richard saw a pair of Red Legged Partridge near
the vehicles.
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| Lizard with unlucky Dragonfly meal (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
We
then made our way to the Rambla Morales. I spotted a flying Hoopoe as we
drove along the beachside track. There were no waders at the beach end
of the lake, but there were a few hirundines hawking around, mainly Barn
Swallows but also a few Sand Martins as well. We, apart from Gilly,
walked down to the "hump". Les was first to spot the male Common
Pochard. Also seen were about half a dozen Coot and 80 odd Greater
Flamingos. I spotted some flying Goldfinch. Meanwhile Gilly had seen
another female Marsh Harrier making its way along the beach. On the way
back along the track we disturbed some Yellow Wagtails.
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| (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
We
lunched at the beachside cafe in Cabo village, only seeing passing
gulls as we ate. We ended up with 47 species. We had a great time, not
only birdwatching but catching up as well. Our best wishes to Paul as he
heads off to Norway for a job. Hopefully he'll be back Christmas time
with tales of Eider Ducks & White Tailed Eagles!
Regards, Dave
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| Sea Daffodil Pancratium maritimum (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
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