The Natural Stone: April 2022

After two months in the Canaries it was time to increase the species diversity a bit and hit the mainland. We were to be staying at Santa Pola, with salt pans and wetlands close by. But the accommodation we'd booked was utterly dreadful so after two nights we moved to a lovely flat high in a tower block overlooking the sea in Torrevieja. A great choice as it turned out. The La Mata Nature Reserve just inland provided a great local patch within walking distance. We also hired a car for a few days while our old neighbours and fellow birders Phil and Carol visited, enabling us to explore a little further afield.

View from the 18th floor

The whole period was characterised by some very unsettled weather with relentless storms for a week or so causing the tower block to sway alarmingly at times. I still managed to get out often, without getting soaked, and even had some decent seawatching from the relative protection of the 18th floor!

A dense calima persisted at times

Over the next four weeks I recorded 133 species (adding 12 species to my post-October 2017 list, and taking it to 682 since moving out of our house). Compare that with the 53 species I saw in Tenerife (and slightly different 53 in Fuerteventura) over the previous couple of months and the restricted diversity of the islands is very clear. The onset on Spring migration obviously helped a great deal, as the last week or so saw plenty of early migrants moving in and through.

Santa Pola

Our only day in Santa Pola produced 2 Sanderling, 6 Audouin's Gulls, 25 Sandwich Terns, 5 Barn Swallows, 2 House Martins and 2 Black Redstart. Leaving the following day we called in at the saltpans and added 2 Slender-billed and 1 Mediterranean Gull, Greater Flamingos, 3 Spoonbills and a Marsh Harrier. Not bad, but we were very happy to be moving on to somewhere better for the month.

Laguna de la Mata

I quickly established this nearby reserve as my local patch and over the month recorded 83 species here, either around the shores of the lagoon or the surrounding woodland and scrub. Common Shelduck were, er, common, along with Red-legged Partridge, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Yellow-legged Gull, Greater Flamingo (peaking at 160 on 27/3), Black-necked Grebe (110), Great Cormorant (30), Grey Heron (14), Hoopoe (4), Iberian Green Woodpecker, Monk Parakeet (8), Crested Lark (18), Sardinian Warbler (8), Spotless Starling (100), Blackbird (7), Black Redstart (11), House Sparrow (6), White Wagtail (12), Meadow Pipit (15), Greenfinch (40), Linnet (60), Goldfinch (8), Serin (40) and Corn Bunting (15) - peak counts in brackets.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus

Iberian Green Woodpecker Picus sharpei

Crested Lark Galerida cristata

European Serin Serinus serinus

I was able to read rings on three of the Flamingos and these were ringed in Andalucia (yellow rings) and Italy (blue ring).

Greater Flamingos - ringed in Andalucia

Greater Flamingo - ringed in Italy

Waders were well represented (max counts in brackets): Stone Curlews were present throughout with up to 4 seen, up to 9 Black-winged Stilts from 22/3 on, Avocet (50), Grey Plover (16), Common Ringed Plover (40), Little Ringed Plover (2 on 15/3 and 24/3), Kentish Plover (12), 1 Whimbrel on 15/3, 1 Wood Sandpiper on 15/3, 1 Common Redshank on 1/4, Turnstone (3 on 4/3, 3 on 15/3 and 1 on 25/3), Knot (1 on 9/3 and 15/3), 2 Ruff on 15/3, Sanderling (4 dates, with 20 on 31/3), Dunlin (150) and Little Stint (30).

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola and Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

Kentish Plover Anarhynchus alexandrinus

35 Slender-billed Gulls arrived on 24/3 with 3 Black-headed Gulls, smaller numbers lingering. 2 Audouin's Gulls on 22/3 and 1 on 28/3. 2 Mediterranean Gulls also arrived on 24/3, with 30 on 29/3. A Gull-billed Tern on 27/3. Single Little Egrets on 15/3 and 22/3, with 4 on 29/3. Cattle Egret peaked at 20 on 1/4.

Raptors were in short supply: an Osprey on 22/3, a Booted Eagle on 9/3, 1 or 2 Marsh Harriers on several dates, and a Honey Buzzard on 2/4. Only Common Kestrel was regular, with up to 3 present throughout.

European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

Iberian Grey Shrike, Common Magpie, Jackdaw, Great Tit, Thekla's Lark, Crag Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, European Robin, European Stonechat and Chaffinch were all seen less often.

Thekla's Lark Galerida theklae

Corn Bunting Emberiza Calandra

Migrants started moving through by the end of the month, although Barn Swallows had been present earlier. They peaked at just 10 on 22/3. House Martins appeared on 27/3, with 24 through on 31/3. 1 or 2 Woodchat Shrike were present from 28/3 and there were 8 Greater Short-toed Lark on 25/3 and 25 on 28/3. Chiffchaff were surprisingly absent until 27/3, with only singles until 10 on 31/3. Blackcap were likewise scarce with singles on 27/3 and 30/3. 1 or 2 Western Subalpine Warblers were present from 27/3, with a single Common Whitethroat on 27/3. The first Common Redstart appeared on 15/3, with numbers peaking at 5 on 29/3.

Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator

Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla

Western Subalpine Warbler Curruca iberiae

Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

I found the first Western Black-eared Wheatear in the scrubby dunes close to the shore on 25/3 but there were singles at the reserve on 1/4 and 2/4. Northern Wheatear was scarce with 1 on 25/3 and 2 on 2/4.

Western Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica

The first Pallid Swifts moved through the reserve on 22/3, although I'd seen small numbers elsewhere since 7/3. Single Alpine Swifts seen on 27/3 and 28/3 and 16 Common Swifts identified during a peak movement of 74 Pallid Swifts on 2/4. 1/4 also saw singles of Great Spotted Cuckoo and Common Cuckoo.

Cabo Cervera

Our apartment on the 18th floor had excellent views of the cape and over the sea, and, with the storms, a fair few passing birds. Waders could be seen on the shoreline some days with Turnstone (12) and Sanderling (58) most frequent and singles of Grey Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Whimbrel and Dunlin and 2 Kentish Plover. Just a single Black-headed Gull among the more common Audouin's, Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gulls. Sandwich Terns were present throughout peaking at 6 on 9/3, although 40 unidentified terns passed through on 27/3. Presumed Balearic Shearwaters logged on 6/3 (25), 9/3 (2), 27/3 (8) and 1/4 (4). Gannets were more regular with peaks of 11 on 5/3 and 12 on 17/3.

Swift passage could be impressive with 150 Pallid Swift logged on 23/3 and a single Alpine Swift on 26/3. No Barn Swallows noted but a Red-rumped Swallow on 17/3, a Crag Martin on 12/3 and 1 House Martin on 9/3 and 2 on 12/3. Migrant warblers were found from 1/4, with singles of Blackcap, Sardinian and Western Subalpine Warbler. Hoopoe, Black Redstart and Serin also appeared on one or two dates. 36 species seen around the apartment.

Parque Natural de El Hondo (Valencian: Parc Natural del Fondo)

Having a hire car for a few days while our friends visited meant a couple of visits to this iconic, RAMSAR listed SPA, on 8th and 13th March. As expected this yielded a good variety of bird life with 63 species seen. As well as more common wildfowl there were up to 8 Marbled Duck, 11 Red-crested Pochard, 3 Red-knobbed Coot and 2 Western Swamphen. 2 Alpine Swift and 3 Pallid Swift went over the visitor centre on 13/3 and a White Stork on 8/3. A Stone-curlew was close to the car park on 13/3 and other waders were Black-winged Stilt, 10 Avocet, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Common Snipe and 1 Green Sandpiper. Also 30 Glossy Ibis, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Great White Egret and 3 Grey Heron.

Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata

Watching from the south side on 8/3 netted 4 Whiskered Terns, 50 Greater Flamingo, 6 Little and 30 Black-necked Grebe. A Greater Spotted Eagle seen well from here on 8/3, with another probable from the Visitor centre on 13/3. Other raptors across the site: 2 Booted Eagle, 6 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Common Kestrel and a surprise Lesser Kestrel seen on prey on 13/3.

Just 1 Hoopoe, 2 Iberian Grey Shrike, 6 Crested Lark, 2 Zitting Cisticola, 1 Moustached Warbler (north of visitor centre), 3 Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, House Martin, 1 Red-rumped Swallow, 7 Common Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 4+ Sardinian Warbler, 1 Blackbird, 1 Black Redstart, 2 European Stonechat, 12 Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, 2 White Wagtail, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Serin, 2 Reed Bunting.

Murallas de King Kong, Murcia

On 10th March we drove to the mountain range immediately south of Murcia city looking for different birds. On the way, just to the south we encountered a Lesser Kestrel and an Iberian Grey Shrike by the RM-F13 near El Caracolero. A flock of c.75 Red-billed Chough over here was interesting. Further along this road as it went through a tight gorge at Cabezo del Buitre (Vulture Peak) located 2 Blue Rock Thrush and 1 Black Wheatear on rocks above the road. Also 2 Crested Tit, 6 Crag Martin and 2 Serin here.

Peregrine Falco peregrinus

A 3 hour gentle hike below the northern side of the ridge produced 1 Golden Eagle, 2 Peregrine Falcon (a pair displaying), 1 Iberian Green Woodpecker, 3 Red-billed Chough, 1 Coal, 4 Crested, 3 Great and 9 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Crag Martin, 20 House Martin, 2 Sardinian Warbler, 3 Firecrest, 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin and 1 Chaffinch, 2 Red-legged Partridge and 6 Woodpigeon.

Salinas de San Pedro del Pinatar

Took one trip to these salt pans and dunes to the south on 11th March. Much as expected, but a good selection of waders: 2 Common Shelduck, a Red-legged Partridge, 10 Black-winged Stilts, 120 Avocet, 37 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Redshank, 6 Ruff, 3 Sanderling, 7 Audouin's and 1 Mediterranean Gull among the majority Black-headed and Yellow-legged, plenty of Greater Flamingo, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Little & 1 Cattle Egret, 6 Grey Heron, 4 Monk Parakeet, 10 Crested Lark, 4 Sand Martin, 5 Barn Swallow, 1 Common Chiffchaff, 4 Sardinian Warbler, 30 Spotless Starling, 1 Blackbird, 3 Stonechat, 1 White Wagtail, 2 Meadow & 1 Water Pipit, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Serin.

El Clot de Galvany

On 12th March we took our friends back to the airport. As it was an afternoon flight we had time to call in at this excellent wetland reserve that was my patch when we stayed in Gran Alacant at the end of 2017 (https://thenaturalstone.blogspot.com/2017/12/7-weeks-in-costa-blanca.html). Shoveler, Mallard, Red-crested & Common Pochard, Moorhen and Eurasian Coot were all numerous and among them 4 Garganey, 2 Teal, 4 Marbled Duck and 20 White-headed Duck. Otherwise singles of Cattle Egret, Booted Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel, 2 Iberian Grey Shrike, 250 Crag and 120 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 3 Sardinian Warbler, 1 Blackbird, 1 Stonechat, Spotless Starlings, 2 Greenfinch and 1 Serin.

White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala

Other locations

On 18th and 19th March we were in Denia for the Fallas celebrations, which were dramatic and impressive. There were 3 Alpine Swift around both days, 22 Sandwich Terns, a Hoopoe, up to 5 Monk Parakeets, 1 Barn Swallow, 6 House Martin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Common Whitethroat, 7 Black Redstart, 1 Stonechat, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Serin.

We had one last short day out with friends to the town of Rojales on 3/4, before flying back the following day, and saw 40 Audouin's Gulls along the river in the town, 2 Night Heron, 2 Swallows and 1 House Martin.

Other Wildlife