Cabo de Gata & Rambla Morales

 Wednesday 3 May

Great day for Dave and his Arboleas Birding Group over at Cabo de Gata and the Ramble Morales.  What birds they did see! And to think that I will be there in three week's time after dropping in at Roquetas de Mar for the Collared Pratincoles. I particularly liked the photos, especially that of the Spoonbill and friends.  Also good to see the regular names appearing week after week showing that the group is doing fine.  However, following all the rain and wind we have here until very recently it will be just my luck that I'll be bringing it with me!

Cabo de Gata & Rambla Morales: Wednesday 3rd May

Well, what a day we've had!  Paul and Kath, my scribe for the day, have come over for a holiday and are staying with Gilly and I.  We drove down to the first hide at Cabo de Gata seeing Jackdaw, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Spotless Starling, Yellow-legged Gull, Barn Swallow and House Sparrow en route. Kevin was already there as were Trevor and Alan.  Peter 2 arrived a bit later.  Kevin had spent the night in his campervan and had an impressive list from the previous evening and earlier this morning.  Here is the list :-  Cormorant, Bee-eater, Greater Flamingo, Avocet, Redshank, Mallard, Ringed Plover, Jackdaw, Shelduck, Little Stint, Gull Billed Tern, Black-winged Stilt, Yellow-legged Gull, House Sparrow, Thekla Lark, Collared Dove, Audouin's Gull, Kestrel, House Martin, Spotless Starling and Common Swift.

Back to today.... We scanned the water and shore lines in front of the hide.  We saw Greater Flamingos (see count later), Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover and Black-winged Stilt.  As I looked through my scope down to the end of the left hand shore line and its adjacent shrubland I spotted a harrier obviously searching for its breakfast.  Slender and grey with black wing tips and a black line across the top of wings.  A male Montagu's Harrier.  We all had good, but distant views.  In the sky we had Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, House Martins and the odd Common Swift.  Alan identified some distant small waders as Kentish Plover and Sanderling.  I spotted a very long distance Corn Bunting.

Alan suggested we go round the rear of the reserve, starting from the Pujaire end and up to the hide. Beyond that the track is too rough for the vehicles we had.  The object of the exercise was to see if the Spectacled Warblers were in the same area as previous years.  Leading the way, the first bird we saw was a Greenfinch.  A Hoopoe flew by. 

A White Wagtail was walking along the track.  A flock of 40+ Shelduck took off from the salina as we passed.  Some Avocet were on the water's edge.  Paul shouted to me to stop.  He'd seen some sort of wheatear but it had gone.  As I scanned for it, what was sitting on a bush singing its heart out but a male Spectacled Warbler.  Getting out of our vehicles everybody was able to see it.  There was nothing in front of the hide but we did see a flock of feeding Slender-billed Gulls.  On the way back the Spectacled Warbler showed itself again.  Near the main road we added Goldfinch and a Cattle Egret en route to the coffee break.

Spectacled Warbler Sylvia conspicillata (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

Suitably refreshed, we made for the second hide.  We only added Black-headed Gull.  I counted the Greater Flamingos. 310, a vast improvement after the prolonged enforced drought.  Also seen were 20 Little Egrets.

At the public hide I spotted a Grey Heron and some distant Yellow Wagtails.  The Cormorant I found was in the same place where Kevin had seen it the previous evening.  We came out via the church track only seeing a perched Thekla Lark.  We said our goodbyes to Peter and Kevin, a decision they may come to regret when they read what we saw at Rambla Morales!

Greenshank Tringa nebularia with Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

The trip along the beachside track was devoid of any birds.  We parked up and checked the estuary.  Alan had confirmed sightings of Coot, Black-winged Stilts and Turnstone.  We walked toward the hump.  We hadn't gone far before Alan saw a Spoonbill on the opposite reed line.  All of a sudden a group of 20+ Gull-billed Terns took to the air from the water.  Paul shouted there was a Kestrel flying over with something in its talons.  No Kestrel.  A female Peregrine Falcon with a small wader victim. Alan spotted the male Peregrine following closely behind.  As we reached the hump a Purple Heron flew past from the campsite direction.  Standing in the water near the opposite reed line was a Greenshank, two Ruff, Avocets and some Black-winged Stilts.  A Pallid Swift flew close enough for us to identify it.  The last bird to add to the list was a Magpie.

Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia with Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

(NOTE: Looks like Gull-billed Terns in the background - Bob)

A fantastic days birding in good company.  I think we saw 50 species, combining Kevin's evening list as well.  The weather was not overly hot, but there was a predicted 25km easterly wind.

Regards

Dave

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