San Pedro and Salinas La Manga

Following on from yesterday’s hours of birding we looked for information of recent sightings and decided that we would stay on or near the coast.

We arrived at the Salinas of San Pedro del Pinatar at 8.30 ready to check out everything that we could find. On the beach there were two small groups of Sanderlings and there was a good number of Turnstones on the line of seaweed. Small birds were scarce with only three Crested Larks, a Serin, and one Southern Grey Shrike on show. A Northern Wheatear also flew. Yellow Legged Gulls were numerous with only one Audouin’s and a small number of Slender Bills. There was not one Tern to be seen.

We paid attention to all waders hoping to see a Dowitcher and the Broad Billed Sandpiper that have been reported. We spoke with a Spanish birder who had been on site on Monday and he had no sightings either.

The following we did see:
Sanderling
Little Stint
Little Ringed Plovers
Redshank
Curlew Sandpipers
Dunlin
Ruff

There were some noticeable absentees, but a Peregrine Falcon (believed female) flew over from the direction of the hotel toward Lo Pagan. (Collins Bird Guide notes the difference of Iberian birds to U.K. ones). I don’t list the usual, always seen species.

We moved further south (via the motorway) to the La Manga Salinas and leaving MU 312 at junction 13 where we were very lucky for amongst about 150 Y.L. Gulls Bryan spotted two Caspian Terns. They were distant, but we obtained good views through the scope and with a closer look through the camera lens. They are large and beautiful Terns and a first sighting for me and only a second Spanish sighting for Bryan. The heat haze and distance enabled us to have a good record shot of the sightings. Not a ‘pin-sharp’ photo though to satisfy the operator! In the same location were ten Stone Curlews. In an adjacent lagoon we were able to see through the camera lens a group of 10 Kentish Plovers.

This area is not in use, but seems to contain a notable collection of species and is worth further attention. That is more likely to be the case after rain.

As we parked near the end dry lagoon a Common Kestrel flew and a female Common Redstart was seen.

After that we had a very quick look at Caiblanque Regional Park and we decided with the heat of the day and the number of tourists there it was best left for another time.

There is considerable mileage involved in taking this trip and it could be worth while visiting Cabo de Palos as well.

I always try and give locations to where we have seen the species we have viewed. I think it is of no use to anyone to just provide a list and I do realize that some knowledge is required to travel to the sites that we have visited. I will also confirm that what we say we have seen, we have actually seen and some have been viewed through a camera lens. I also put the blog entry on as soon as possible so that individuals can take immediate note of the contents.