We were discussing Starlings when we saw on the ground a great number of them and then within seconds two murmurations had taken to the air weaving their mesmerizing fluid shapes. We could clearly see the markings. So, the European variety then. The camera proved it. I have seen good numbers of this sort before around Elche Zoo and so the question is, are these birds resident or have they travelled south to us? We did hear and see Spotless ones too, but only in small numbers.
That was a great few minutes and we had travelled no distance at all!
We carried on skirting the valley and entered from the Yecla end. Our only bird of note was a perched Iberian Green Woodpecker until when we came up to the treeline on the ridge where we watched Barn and Red-rumped Swallows with Swifts among them - all going south of course.
One of Bryan’s flying shots proved that at least one was a Pallid Swift. At this same spot we could hear Sandgrouse calling. We had some terrific aerial views and with the scope we were able to detect them amongst the stubble. There were a good number but not easy to quantify.
The camera recorded a flying shot of a Pintailed flight, but we also saw two Black-Bellied. Whilst watching them, and even more Woodchat Shrikes, a dog fox patrolled the field margins. That is nice to see. We drove in a circular route and coming past the farm buildings known previously as a site for Lesser Kestrels, but, today there was not one to be seen. Even then we could still hear Sandgrouse. It must have been a good year for them.
In this same area we saw a two flocks of Calandra Larks numbering in excess of 400 or so. We watched Greater Short-Toed too, but Crested were not abundant.
We also saw several Buzzards who did their usual four wing flap and then a glide. We checked every one, but apart from the Booted they were our only largest Raptor. No Golden Eagles this time!
As we travelled through towards Caudette we saw flocks of both Wood Pigeons, Jackdaw and Chough - the later in excess of 50. Then our first Eagle of the day when a white morph male Booted Eagle flew around. It was a clear sighting and good to watch. Maybe it was on its way as part of our internal migration.
Crows were easily seen, but no Ravens. Also absent were Wheatears, Great Spotted Cuckoos, Rollers and although we heard Bee-eaters not one came into view. We searched for Little Bustards as they have been located here before, but not today.
It is changing out there with more of the ‘disused’ fields being used for horticulture and, as we saw, within our first few minutes acres/hectares of newly planted olives. It's vast and another example of intensive planting on an industrial scale. There are groves of Walnut too and all planted in straight lines. The problem is that the habitat is no longer varied enough to provide alternative habitats for the co-existence of the natural. Control, of the human kind, seems to be the order of the day!
The photographs taken by Bryan prove my point.
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