Gran Alacant to El Hondo

At 8am on Friday 22nd April John Edwards and Bryan Thomas left Gran Alicante to investigate any local site that would yield good views of our residents and summer visitors. Our main purpose was to travel towards San Felipe Neri and the area surrounding the Information Centre at El Hondon, but taking plenty of time as we did so. The lagoons next to the Salt Tower yielded very little and we quickly moved on towards El Pinet where we saw a lot of activity. There was a mixed flock of Dunlin and Curlew Sandpiper obliging close to us, but very flighty. Mediterranean and Black- headed Gulls were plentiful. Little and Common Terns were easily seen and a Sandwich Tern flew over. Also Whiskered Terns were active. A Kentish Plover and Little Stint were also easily seen. For me the star bird was a perched male Yellow Wagtail showing its spectacular breeding plumage. We quickly moved on and checked the beach area over a coffee and saw nothing except Woodchat Shrikes in the pines.



We would later return to specifically check the islands and to observe them from the unmade road below the urbanizations. We had been told that two Elegant Terns had been seen there, but we were unsuccessful. (See note below). However we did see Collared Pratincole.

We used the farm track on the other side of the N332 and headed towards El Hondon. Here we heard Woodchat Shrikes calling and with good active views of them. Along here we saw three Great Spotted Cuckoos, heard but did not see Bee-eaters and a Common Kestrel flew. In the freshly tilled fruit groves we were fortunate to see three hares running around. They were great to see and yes, they were definitely hares and not large rabbits! We were also fortunate to see a Zitting Cisticola/ Fantail Warbler fly along in front of us.

Although it is still early and not yet that warm we did hope to see Roller. When we arrived at their usual location, where the palms are, and when we were still heading towards the North Gate we got lucky. There was one sitting in the middle of the road and it flew up when a truck came along. Then in a tall dead Palm tree two beautiful Rollers sat to be photographed. It was not one of our closest sightings, but still good. We checked the road leading to the North Gate for Montague Harriers, but there was not one in sight. A Bee-eater flew across the road.



Moving on towards the Information Centre and around the surrounding lagoons we had good views of the following:-

Cattle Egrets
Collared Pratincole on the edge of the lagoons and sitting in a freshly tilled field alongside the entry road.
Common Sandpipers
Coot. - both Common and Red-knobbed.
Curlew Sandpipers
Dunlin
Flamingos
Glossy Ibis
Grey Herons - three flew in the distance.
Gulls - Mediterranean and Black-headed in very good numbers. Also Slender-billed and Yellow Legged.
Great Spotted Cuckoos (three).
Great Reed Warblers called in numbers.
Greenshank
Kentish Plover
Little Bittern
Little Egret
Little Stint
Marbled duck
Pochard - both Common and Red-crested
Purple Swamp Hen/Gallinule
Sardinian Warbler
Shellduck
Spoonbill - only one, but there is believed to be two in this location.
Squacco Herons were easily seen.
Swallows - both Barn and Red-rumped
Swifts - Pallid
Whiskered Terns

We were hoping to see Purple Herons, but if they were there they did not show although we did see Grey Herons flying and also not one Large Egret in sight. I had hoped to see more of the smaller birds, but it was still a very good morning.

Alongside the road into the site a farmer was flooding a field and this had had attracted a large number of Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets, both Black-headed and Med Gulls, and Glossy Ibis, but not anything more of interest which was a shame.

In our travels we also met some like minded people and that is always good.

N.B. Elegant Terns (Thalasseus Elegans) breeds on the western seaboard of the southern USA and Mexico. It winters southwards as far south as Chile and is said to be a rare vagrant in Western Europe. It is similar in appearance and habits to Royal Tern. Sibleys - pages 226/7 - contains good photographs and bill comparisons. It would be a good 'twitch'!