SALADARES de GUADALENTINE

THE MADNESS OF IT ALL.

Whatever size hole there was in Little Eliza’s bucket the water had long-gone. The tracks finely dusted the car as trucks drove past billowing clouds. In fact so fine and dry it was easily lifted by the breeze. One ‘dust devil’ went up high and there were several more that barely got off the ground.

On Friday 15th March Bryan and I set off early to see what was happening in the Saladares de Guadalentin. We made the choice knowing that there were wide open vistas and that we had a good chance to see what might be passing through. It transpires that we were a tad early. I saw my first Red-rumped Swallows and a few Barn Swallows passed by, but neither in good numbers.

After passing Murcia, Bryan spotted, about 50 Common Cranes in the distance and flying north. We were where we wanted to be by 9.10am and the temperature was just 15 degrees. We had decided that we would investigate any reservoirs, as Spain is very dry, and to do the opposite of what we normally do. We took the clock-wise perimeter route and keeping the main road to our right and the sun behind us.

A Spectacled Warbler soon flew and we had terrific views of them. One perched only 5 meters from the front of the car giving me a best view ever. In the same spot two flew in and out of the bushes and the photographer got very busy.



We carried on and Magpies were evident and then we heard the calls of Great Spotted Cuckoos. They flew around us, displayed and were raucous. In one view, three flew. These were our first ones for this year.



While we were searching for them Stone Curlews were seen and two later flew from a dried field.. We were also on the look-out for any Wheatears, but they were still on their way?

We cut across the plain and with water reservoirs on both sides we noted the following:-

Red-rumped Swallow X 2
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Little Ringed Plover X 2
Little Grebe X 2
Black Winged Stilt X 2
Mallard X 2
White Wagtails - several
Yellow Wagtail
Tree Sparrow
House Sparrow
Linnet X 2

Not bad for two small areas of water and vindicating our approach to focus on them..

We traversed tracks where we had not been before and they turned up many Crested Larks, but no others. Stone Curlews flew and from one field five Red-Billed Choughs flew away. Previously a Raven called and afterwards a lone Sandgrouse flew far way. Maybe Black Bellied? Corn Buntings were in good voice and a male Greenfinch too. We ended the day with one clear view of a perched Common Kestrel. Raptors were really missing with only one Marsh Harrier seen.

Corn Bunting

Included is view of a roughly cultivated field with mangled black plastic poking up from the clods. An appropriate word ‘clods’ for the power brokers who allow these practices. Black plastic was everywhere and where will it go when it’s use is done? The evidence is around us. Just look and see.



We don't anticipate returning for many months and with rain anticipated, within the next seven days, we will wait before we decide where to go next.

This is a busy agricultural area with acres of ‘green veg’ and artichokes. Many areas were netted to keep out rabbits and we did witnessed spraying in progress. Do we know what we actually eat? Some margins were dried off and I can only assume these areas had been sprayed. Other margins yielded plants with thistles in bloom. Large Whites, Small Whites and one Marbled White posed. A Clouded Yellow was seen and a Buff Tailed Bumble Bee too. That's not a great showing, but probably explained by the use of chemicals.

Make no mistake I was delighted with what Bryan and I had seen, but what perturbs me is what we did not see. I would love to be able to do more.