Acres Down and Fishlake Meadows

Thursday 2 April 

Off first thing to the New Forest with a short visit to Acres Down to see if the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were still about.  Lovely to see many Blackbirds and three Song Thrushes as I walked down to the "usual" tree at the bottom of the hill. Robin, Blue Tits and many Chiffchaff but no woodpecker.  The occasional Woodpigeon and then the arrival of three Stock Dove with one actually perching on the top of the "woodpecker tree."  Shame it was on the back and as I walked across the road to take a photo from the other side, the ladies rambling group took the same path and the bird was away before I could lift my camera.

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

Back round the bend and decided to take the path on my right and headed off through the trees finding a Mistle Thrush.  Stopping just before the dip to the opening meadow I could hear a noise from my right and, sure enough, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was continuously drumming not twenty metres away with its lower pitch and more reaped drum than its larger cousin. back to the car and on the Romsey to visit Fishlake Meadows.

All, initially, quiet apart from the noisy Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs. Yes, thee were also Robins, Wrens and both Great and Blue Tits but all well spread as I continued on down alongside the canal.  Stopping just beyond the seat I located the noisy Cetti's Warbler on a low bush as it serenaded its mate, who simply continued to flutter her wings.

Record shot of courting Cetti's Warblers Cettia cetti

On the first viewing point here I watched a circling Marsh Harrier joined by a Buzzard.  Below and beyond them on the main water a number of Mute Swans and a pair of Greylag Geese flew past.

Buzzard Buteo buteo

More Chiffchaffs and then a lovely singing Blackcap before making my way along the bottom path, recording both Stonechat and Robin, to take the path to the screens.  Having covered most of the walk, I finally gave up as the next lot of mud and water was too deep for just trainers (present footware still drying out outside the house now at home!).

Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Once back to the beginning I carried on under the bridge and up to the road to view the main water from the viewing point. A dozen Mute Swan and at least eight of both Canada and Greylag Geese.  Also present a trio of Coot, pair of Gadwall and a quartet of Tufted Duck with just five Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Returning to the car I found a Dunnock walking alongside the vehicle to make the final and thirtieth observation of the morning.

Circling Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Coot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Starling, Chaffinch

Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti

Male Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

Distant record shot of Stock Dove Columba oenas

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Lower Hamble River, Warsash

Mandarin Ducks Aix galericulata

 Wednesday 1 April

Joined by my birding friend, Richard Osman for a mid-afternoon walk up the Hamble River to the conservation area followed by a trip into the nearby woods and meadows before returning home.  The idea was to see if we could find the visiting American Golden Plover which has been present for the past three days.  Midway on the outward walk we managed a brief sighting as the bird changed positions at the water's edge beyond the mudflat formed by the rapidly receding tide.  But first we had many Black-headed and a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls along with the first Little Egret.  Many more Herring Gulls present today but only a handful of Redshank working the edges.

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

However, we finally recorded 40 Black-tailed Godwits with the great majority already in their summer finery along with a single juvenile.  Made it especially difficult when we then found a young Bar-tailed Godwit mixing with its cousins but able to easily see the elongated supercillium.   We also recoded three Oystercatchers.

Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica

The now empty meadow side of the path held a trio of Shelduck and at the back, in the neighbouring gardens, a total of four Canada Geese.  Also in the garden both a Magpie with a pair of both Carrion Crow and Jackdaw passing by.  Once at the conservation area a number of both Herring and Black-headed Gulls along with a quartet of Wigeon, the latter yet to start their migration north to join he rest of the previous flock.

Wigeon Anas penelope (Male above, female below)

Making the short detour to take in the local wooded park, we soon found Robin, Blackbird, Wren and Dunnock as we moved higher to take a rest on the provided bench and check the nearby trees we added many Chiffchaff, Blackbirds and a Great Tit before a Nuthatch came to join us and Richard spotted the Great Spotted Woodpecker that landed atop a nearby large tree for just a few moments.

Back to the riverside path and at the conservation area a Cormorant flew north over the inlet and we found a pair of sleeping Mandarin Ducks at the back left.  No sooner had we moved off than our first Curlew off to the left.

Mandarin Ducks Aix galericulata

Midway back we found a Heron at the water's edge and then, near where we had seen the American Golden Plover on the outward journey, a pair of birders who were studying the area and also seen the bird in the company of a couple of Grey Plover.  Nearby a trio of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Almost back and a Magpie in the trees before being welcomed home by our breeding Blue Tits.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Birds seen:

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mandarin Duck, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Oystercatcher, American Golden Plover, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Greenfinch.

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Rambla de Morales and Cabo de Gata

 Wednesday 1 April

All happening this week with a double-dose of birding for Kevin plus the dessert adventure and having to be rescued from the sand as his motor home worked its way ever lower into the soft, yellow stuff.  Some people get all the excitement!

And what birds seen over the two days by the Arboleas Birding Group.  Particularly liked the sighting of the Garganey and Bee-eaters plus the Nightingales.  Most of our winter waders seem to have already moved north but still many hangig around in Andalucia; must be the sunny weather!

A bit different this week due to unforeseen circumstances!

Part one is Kevin's report from Rambla de Morales last evening :-

Rambla de Morales  -  Tuesday 31st March

Cabo de Gata  -  Wednesday 1st April

Rambla Morales and the Lay-by, late afternoon/evening 31 March 2026

I drove down and parked near the Cabo de Gata campsite in order to walk in to Rambla Morales from the inland direction, a plan which unfortunately involved walking directly towards the sun.  House Sparrow, Collared Dove and Crested Lark were the first birds, then I heard a very odd call and had a close view of a Rose-ringed Parakeet in a tree no more than five yards away before it flew off.

Once I got sight of the water there was more to see: Shoveler, Greater Flamingo, White-headed Duck and a stunning pair of breeding-plumage Black-necked Grebes.  Merlin told me I was also hearing Thekla Lark . Believe that if you will.  Barn Swallows were flying past, and I soon found Mallard and Moorhen.

A Spanish birder with a camera lens half the size of Norway emerged from the reeds and I asked him if he’d seen anything unusual.  He said: ‘Si, malvasia cabeciblanco, un grupo de cinco, y cerceta carretona’ . I knew the first was White-headed Duck, which I had just seen, but the second name was a mystery . I headed on to the beach end of the pool where there was nothing.  Too many cyclists and walkers.  Semana Santa.  Busy!

I walked back, scanning the pool and found a superb male Garganey.  I even made a labelled field sketch of the diagnostic features, a sketch so amateur I refuse to show it to any of you.  Collins confirmed the ID.  So this was the bird the guy with the long lens had seen.  No sooner was that over than the woman in a large family walking towards me asked what the birds were, pointing to the Flamingos.  I told her and she said: ‘They’re very big, and those necks, just like giraffes.”  She won’t be a wildlife presenter on Spanish TV any time soon, hopefully.

With just a couple of hundred metres to go back to the van over the steppe I wasn’t expecting much more but then, two Nightingales were singing, plus Spotless Starling and Sardinian Warbler.  Finally, icing on the cake, a small group of Bee-eaters went bubbling over.

As I drove out from there, an obliging Wheatear perched on a roadside boulder.  I got to the Lay-by at about 7.30pm.  It was also very busy, with Easter visitors coming and going and using the fixed telescope.  There was a good amount of mud showing, a hopeful sign.  I immediately found Redshank, a very close Grey Plover, Ringed Plovers and Dunlins.  In addition, new species I logged were Slender-billed Gull, Sanderling, Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Little Egret, Shelduck, Grey Heron and Spoonbill. 32 species, I think that is.

Kevin part two later!

The following morning Nigel very kindly picked me up from home and we drove down to Cabo de Gata.  We saw Thekla Lark, Red-rumped and Barn Swallow, Woodpigeon, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Collared Dove, Blackbird and Magpie as we passed through Retamar Sur and Pujaire.  Kevin was already on the scene as we arrived at the first hide.  We were joined by Trevor, Val and Paul.  Kevin had already logged Yellow-legged and Slender-billed Gulls, Crested Lark, Jackdaw, Black-winged Stilt, Greater Flamingo. Kentish and Ringed Plover.  There were more of the later than previous visits as the water level had dropped and more sandy areas were accessible.  There was a line of 5 Grey Heron across the salina in front of us plus some more by the shrubby causeway.  I spotted a Yellow Wagtail near some Sanderling.  Trevor added a pair of White Wagtails. Kevin found some Shelduck.  His "Steve Austin" hearing aids picked up the overhead call of a Bee Eater as it flew above us.  I found an Oystercatcher.  We adjourned to the village cafe where, whilst we slurped our coffees, I saw a Greenfinch.  Kevin told us about his previous evenings exploits at Rambla de Morales so I decided we'd go there first.......ummmm!?!

We were following Kevin in his motorvan along the beachside track.  We were about 500 metres from the parking area when Kevin came to a stop.  He was up to his axles in soft sand. As much as we pushed, pulled and tugged the spinning wheels dug him deeper in.  As luck would have it, the local council's tractor was cleaning up the beach.  A Cormorant was noted as we waited for his arrival.  He did an excellent job.  Saved the day.  We have previous experiences of cars getting stuck there before, haven't we John & Peter!!

Kevin part two :-

As for this morning, my April Fool’s special trick was to get stuck in the sand on the beach track to Rambla Morales, as Dave has probably recounted.  A big thank you to the rest of the group who didn’t abandon me, especially Dave, Nigel and Trevor who tried pushing, and also to the driver of the beach tractor who finally hauled the 2.2-tonne campervan on to solid ground. I won’t be doing that again.

Kevin's motorvan being recovered!

Time was moving on so I decided we'd had enough excitement for the day so we headed home.

Kevin logged 32 species last evening. We had 25 today. Great weather, birding and company. We will see Val and Paul in November when they return from their French summer.

Dave

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