On Friday 5th I was at Gran Alicant when the sun came up just after seven. Bryan and I intended to stay local and do our usual route to San Felipe Neri and El Hondo Parque Natural. Although we had full sun there was still a chill in the wind. Spring has appeared late and with it the apparent lack of some of our summer migrants.
We have regular observation spots along the N332. The first opposite the turning leading to Playa Las Brisas is always good. A Zitting Cisticola flew and called as soon as we arrived. On the water and very close were two male White-headed Ducks. One more mature than the other, but both with their tales erect. Little Terns have only recently arrived and they flew over and a Little Bittern emerged and dropped into the reeds. We noted that the water level was high too. A Black-necked Grebe swam nearby and on the salinas opposite a small number of Gulls including only Yellow Legs and Slender Bills. However later we did have a clear view of an Audouin’s.
We moved on to the Salt Tower and again the water level was high and leaving no muddy margins. A Turnstone flew over, but our most striking birds were perched Yellow Wagtails.
The lagoons opposite the lay-by yielded nothing as they are now almost dry. We moved on to the small pull-in, but apart from more perched Yellow Wagtails it was devoid of anything unusual or striking.
El Pinet produced Little Terns, Common Terns and Sandwich Terns all it seems competing for space and food. A Collared Pratincole flew, but there was little to see apart from the usual residents. We quickly moved on.
We are now on route to El Hondo and took the quieter roads. Amongst the taller trees were both House and Tree Sparrows. Here we did get very lucky for, we heard a Common Cuckoo call, and we had two very good views of it both perched and flying. On our return we saw possibly the same bird again. In many respects it was quiet in the birding sense. Agriculture activity was to be seen in grass cuttting, drying and gathering it in. The only birds that seem to appreciate this were Cattle Egrets. In one field we observed two Gulls and a precise look at the photos may reveal something different? Here we also heard and observed Bee eaters. They are always so good to see.
The water near to the visitor Centre was now higher than last week and again no muddy margins and therefore an absence of waders. From the car park we eventually identified a Redshank and a Greenshank. It was not easy as they moved through the vegetation. Whiskered Terns flew over making a fourth species to our Tern list. We spent only a little time on the boardwalk and except for good sightings of Squacco Herons and Little Bittern there was only more Yellow Wagtails that were worth a mention. Great Reed Warblers were calling everywhere and we did get one clear view when one perched on a reed stem. We also heard a Reed Warbler calling.
On the enclosed pond were Red-knobbed Coots with two young. Marble Ducks were there as always too.
We returned more or less the way we had come bemoaning the fact that we had not seen either a Great Spotted Cuckoo or a Roller. No sooner said, one Roller flew, perched and flew on and was photographed.
We decided to check out the area along the Caribassi Road and although there were birds in the pine trees seeing them was difficult. However we caught glimpses of Greenfinch and Goldfinch and we tried hard to track down the singing Bonelli’s Warbler and failed to get a sighting. A solitary Raven flew along the ridge. It was now 2pm and that had to be enough on this occasion.
Photos from Bryan Thomas to follow and see his own site Costa Blanca Birding where you will find ‘Photographs Sightings and More’.
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