Thursday 26 January 2017

El Hondo after the bad weather

After last week's snow and days of very persistent rain it has only been in the last day or so that it has been wind free and enough sun to warm the air. Even then it was only about 10 degrees when I arrived at The Visitor Centre at El Hondo. I met a fellow birder who informed me that there was a male and female Pintail and that he had also seen a Wryneck. The latter one has been seen in winters past. Sadly for me neither species I saw this morning.

However on the corner of water just outside the car park I had two separate views of a Bluethroat feeding close by to six Little Stints. White Wagtails flew and called, a Purple Gallinule showed itself and so did a Little-ringed Plover. I moved on past the water at the rear of the information center and another Bluethroat showed close by. Feeding in the margins were more Little Stints and I had great views of both Teal and Snipe. Crag Martins flew around me and Chiff-chaffs fluttered between the reeds. A Stonechat perched nearby. At the end of the boardwalk, in the flooded field opposite, there were a number of Ruff and more Stint. Common Sandpiper were feeding also and in the far distant Godwits. I am told that both varieties had been seen this morning.

Going on to the next hide on the left revealed nothing worth mentioning and the further hide was not accessible due to water levels being too high. However the water was clear and on this sunny morning I did not see one raptor.

I am on FB with Crónicas Naturales de Torrevieja and they say that Razorbills are in the harbour at TORREVIEJA.

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