Thursday, May 12, 2011

Northern Valencian Wetlands

Sunday 8th May dawned bright with clear blue skies...something of a rarity in itself following the recent succession of wet weekends! We spent the day exploring various wetland sites along the coastline of Northern Valencia.

Most if not all summer visitors were well established. The tick list for the day totalled 47 species, a very satisfying achievement. Not only were we pleased with the variety of birds seen, but we were paticularly fortunate to enjoy superb views of almost every one.
Highlights included Avocet, Collared Pratincole, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Little Bittern, Purple Gallinule, Spoonbill and White Headed Duck.
The entire list for the day comprised :
Avocet, Black Winged Stilt, Blackbird, Collared Pratincole, Coot, Cormorant, Corn Bunting, Dunlin, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Goldfinch, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Yellow Legged Gull, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Hoopoe, Kestrel, House Sparrow, House Martin, Little Bittern, Little Ringed Plover, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Pied Flycatcher, Pochard, Red Crested Pochard, Purple Gallinule, Redshank, Shoveler, Spoonbill, Spotless Starling, Stonechat, Swallow, Swift, Common Tern, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Turtle Dove, Great Reed Warbler, Fan Tailed Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, White Headed Duck.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Wryneck's Galore

April saw the arrival of many summer visitors to La Drova including large numbers of Wryneck, some seen if you have the patience.
Nightingales can be heard right through the valley. A male and female Pied Flycatcher have been spotted again this year but cannot determine if they breed here (no sign of Spotted Flycatcher yet). A single Redstart was seen on 1st April and the first Woodchat Shrike on 10th April ). Red-Rumped Swallows have been seen collecting nest material which means they must be breeding in La Drova (good news).
Bee-eaters past overhead at high altitude on 15th April.
Golden Oriole have now arrived (first heard calling today 21st April in front of our Villa) with any luck they will be breeding again this year.
Our resident Tawny Owls are calling though the night only interrupted by the sound of  the Nightingale.
Still waiting for the song of the first Melodious Warbler.
Our species count for La Drova now stands at 54 for this year and 74 in total.