Sunday 21 February
A dull, clam day with the promise of rain arriving by 11 o out of the house just after 9 o'clock. As soon as I entered the start of the river walk a couple of Blackbirds and Serins before seeing the first Monk Parakeets and Collared Doves.
As I walked through the open tress and on towards the barbecue area very many Serin and Goldfinch along with a good supply of Spotless Starlings. On the path regular sightings of White Wagtails and even more Black Redstarts than on my last visit. Just the one Chiffchaff seen but at least a half-dozen Greenfinches between here and the sports hall.
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| Male Black Redstart Colirrojo Real Phoenicurus ochruros |
Meanwhile, a regular passage of Lesser Black-backed Gulls overhead and then, towards the end of the path, the resident House Sparrows plus the first Stonechat of the morning. Under the motorway and nothing in the filed next to the entrance to the Experimental Station other than a couple of White Wagtails and a few Collared Doves at the back. However, the large, bare trees opposite held a score of starlings including nine Common rather than the resident Spotless Starlings.
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| Common Starling Estornino Pinto Sturnus vulgaris |
Moving on down alongside the hidden reservoir a couple of Hoopoes took off to my left and a pair of Blackcap were recorded in the shrubs on the reservoir bank. Above the reservoir a handful of Crag Martins were recorded along with the occasional Mediterranean Gull. Approaching the top ford a Green Sandpiper was observed along with many more Blackbirds and Serins and then time to start the return journey.
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| Serin Verdicillo Serinus serinus |
Once back at the Experimental Station far more Crag Martins and Mediterranean Gulls as the weather clouded over along with a Sardinian Warbler before continuing in towards the road ford. At this point I encountered David and Julia bailey, British birders now living close by on the coast near the boundary with Caleta. Most interesting conversation as they had spent many years in Panama so every encouragement for a future visit once we can finally resume "normal" travel. At the same time we were also able to observe both Serin and a couple of Meadow Pipit. Goodbyes completed I carried n past the sewage works finding just three Cattle Egrets on this occasion before arriving back at my favourite old, bare tree where, along with more Spotless Starlings, a couple of Wood Pigeon had arrived since my outward journey.
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| Wood Pigeon Paloma Torcaz Columba palumbus |
Birds seen:
Cattle Egret, Green Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Back-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Monk Parakeet, Hoopoe, Crag Martin, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Common Starling, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.
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| Monk Parakeet Cotorra Argentina Myiopsitta monachus |
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