Caba de Gata with the Arboleas Birding Group

 Wednesday 25 January

So, the Arboleas Birding Group meets again at one of my favourite Almeria sites and get to meet the severe cold weather; just like being back in Britain!  Not many birds in terms of quantity but quality certainly provided by the Stone Curlews and Golden Plover.  Indeed, many back here in the UK would have been delighted to add both Kentish Plover and White-headed Duck to the their day's listing.  It seems, if not too careful, we take so much for granted in our birding. Like you and your group Dave, you just have to enjoy what you see.

Cabo de Gata & Rambla Morales: Wednesday 25th January

Boy, was it cold this morning!  I had to scrape the ice off the truck and detach the windscreen wipers that were frozen on to the glass!  I only just made it in time to pick Peter up from the Overa hotel before heading south towards Cabo de Gata.  There was snow on Mojacar's Cabrera mountains as well as the mountains to the north of Almeria city, which we could see when we egressed the truck by the first hide.

Snow on the mountains behind Almeria city (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

As Kevin had reported last week, the water has returned but unfortunately the avian masses had not received the news!  I scanned the shallow salina in front of us and all I could see on the vast expanse was a single Shelduck and a Yellow-legged Gull.  There was a Kentish Plover on the muddy beach to our right.  We were joined by Trevor and Kevin.  In the far distance I could see a small flock of Greater Flamingos.  We'd get a better view of them from the second hide.  The first of numerous Stonechats was spotted alternating between shrub perching and chasing insects along the ground.  A flight of Mallard flew over.  A chattering female Sardinian Warbler eventually showed herself below us.  Kevin had already seen Northern Starling and White Wagtail near to the Guardia Civil tower plus some Jackdaws. The latter were still flying around there as we passed by after our warming cup of coffee in Cabo village.

We parked up opposite the second hide and did a scan over the sea.  Not a chorizo!  We walked towards the hide, seeing more Stonechats. We were closer to the Greater Flamingos. They were all adults in a tight group.  I estimated there were about 60, which is 59 more than had been present last week when Kevin was here.  The only other birds on or around the water were numerous Yellow-legged Gulls.  I scanned the savannah to the left and was pleased to spot two sunbathing Stone Curlews.  They were joined by another pair.  As we were walking back to the vehicles I spotted a hovering Kestrel to our right.  Also seen was a Thekla Lark.

Sunbathing Stone Curlews Burhinus oedicnemus (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

We drove to the public hide, checking the savannah for wintering Dotterels as we went along, but to no avail.  We only added some four Cormorants visible from the hide.  On the far side we saw more Mallard and Shelduck.  The salina to the right was still not full of water.

We then drove along the track to the church only seeing the odd Stonechat.  As we made our way back along the beach straight a wader flew across the road in front of us.  A Grey Plover showing off its black wing pits.  Kevin who was following behind Trevor and I spotted 5 Eurasian Curlews on the savannah.

We drove along the beach side track towards the Rambla Morales.  I spotted movement on the ground to our right.  It was a mixed flock of feeding birds.  There were 5 Golden Plovers,  Northern Starlings and some Skylarks.  One Kentish Plover was amongst them.  Kevin was first out of his vehicle at the Morales "car park".  He spotted a Coot by the "estuary".  I found a single Audouin's Gull.  We headed for the hump.  From there we added Little Egret, a Shoveler and a female White-headed Duck.  We made our way back to the vehicles, said our goodbyes and headed home.  I stopped by the Golden Plovers to get a record shot.  En route to the motorway we added two Iberian Grey Shrikes, one on a power line, the other in the plastic greenhouse area going along the short cut.

Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

We ended up with 25 species.  Not yet up to Cabo's usual amount but the numbers are progressively getting better after the enforced "drought"!  A lovely morning's birding albeit somewhat chilly.  Good to be out and about with friends.

Regards,

Dave

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