Charca de Suarez

Sunday 21 October

At last, decent weather and able to spend the morning at the Charca de Suarez along with Derek, his brother Terry and Barbara Etherton.  Lovely to see the Bluethroats and even a very brief exposure by a Water Rail on the Laguna del Alamo Blanco and a final tally well in excess of 40 species.

Very young Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

No sooner on site than we had Kestrel, Collared Dove and Blackbird then off to the Laguna del Taraje where we had a Chiffchaff along with Red-knobbed Coots, Moorhens, Mallard and Common Coot but, on this occasion, no Purple Swamphen.  Both Spotless Starlings and a Cormorant flew over and the Little Grebe with her three very young chicks was still present and seemed to be thriving.  Not so much the singing Robin to our left but the very close appearance of a Bluethroat that had all the cameras
snapping.  A Kingfisher flashed across the top of the reeds and Blackcap was heard before we moved on to the Laguna del Alamo Blanco.

Bluethroat Ruisenor Pechiazul Luscinia svecica

Once ensconced in the now full hide, all the other occupants seemed to be resident photographers, we quickly added the solitary White stork and more Mallard.  At least nine Snipe present and along with the visiting Spoonbill and a small party of Teal.  Two Purple Swamphen and then a Common Waxbill flipped across in front of the hide.  Barbara managed to record a White Wagtail.  Patience is always a virtue and on this visit it was a Water Rail rather than a Spotted Crake that put in a very brief appearance before disappearing once more into the vegetation.

Water Rail Rascon Europeo Rallus aquaticus

On to the Laguna de las Aneas where we could see that Common Coot numbers were once more beginning to build.  Plenty of Mallard but also a handful of Teal, double that of Common Pochard and even a distant Ferruginous Duck.  No sooner had we also recorded the Shovelers than we also found a single Pintail.  Moorhens and Little Grebes on the water and both Cormorant and Black-headed Gull flew over.  Just the one Grey Heron arrived but Derek managed to scope the undergrowth at the water's edge to our right and duly found a late Squacco Heron.

Record shot of Squacco Heron Garcilla cangrejera Ardeola ralloides

In the area around the little spinney we managed to record Geat Tit, Sardinian Warbler and even a Reed Warbler and the path leading to the Laguna del Trebol produced Blue Tit, Stonechat, Robin and Goldfinch.  Other than more Red-knobbed Coots and another Grey Heron nothing to add once we reached the hide.

Grey Heron Garza Real Ardea cinerea

Our final stop at the Laguna del Lirio produced more  Red-knobbed Coot, Stonechat and a pair of Grey Wagtail.  House Sparrows were nearby as we left the reserve and no sooner back on the road and we added Cattle Egret.  Stopping along Turtle Dove Alley the passing raptor was identified as a Booted Eagle plus a couple of Barn Swallows and so ended the morning and back home for lunch.


Birds seen:
Mallard, Shoveler, Pintail, Teal, Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Heron, Spoonbill, White Stork, Booted Eagle, Kestrel, Water Rail, Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Coot, Red-knobbed Coot, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, Barn Swallow, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Robin, Bluethroat, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Common Waxbill, Serin, Golfinch

 MORE PHOTOS:

Some type of Cricket

Leaf Frog

Common Snipe Agachadiza Comun Gallinago gallinago

Mr & Mrs Mallard Anade Azulon Anas platyrhynchos

Pintail Anade Rabudo Anas acuta

Teal Cerceta Comun Anas crecca

Purple Swamphen calamon Comun Porphyrio porphyrio

Moorhen Gallineta Comun Porphyrio chloropus

Red-knobbed Coot Focha Moruna Fulica cristata

The long-staying Spoonbill Espatula Comun Platalea leucorodia (from Holland?)

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