Wednesday 22nd July saw us head to the mountains again. I like it up there. Normally we are in situe by 7am but on this day it was 7pm. Our objectives being to check out Monnegre in the early evening, past nightfall and into the early part of the night.
We again wanted to check on Trumpeter Finches (Camachuelo Trompetero) and eventually we had sightings and photographs. While waiting, a female Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubio), flew in. It was in moult and so it was not that smart. We were fortunate enough to have excellent viewings of a juvenile Turtle Dove (Tortola Europea) and that's my best look at this species. It was very obliging! House Sparrows (Gorrión Común) were always around and so were several Red-legged Partridges. (Perdiz Roja)
Another objective was to see and photograph both species of Nightjars ( Chotocabras Gris o Cuellirojo) We had seen them in the early morning and so we expected to see them there again. On our return they did not oblige. However up above the village of Montnegre we waited at a good viewing spot and eventually we heard a Rednecked Nightjar call. At this location we had great views, the moon gave us a sliver of itself and three different bats flew. One very large which could have been - Brown Eared - and this could be a study for another time.
This location also provided a brief viewing of an Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real).
One more reason for taking a nocturnal visit was to see and hopefully hear Owls. We remarked that we had not seen Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo) on this mountain and that still stands. There was not even a call. So why not or have they been predated or shot to extinction? So for Owls, it was a blank.
On the way down we travelled slowly and managed three very good sightings of European Nightjars that were sitting on the road. Another one flew across our vision. They are beautiful. We also noticed many nightflying insects and moths providing an abundance of food for these birds. The photographs will show whether we have a sighting of a Rednecked one or were they all going to be Common. One thing is certain in my mind it should be worth another visit or two.
Our list for this trip stands at 18 species. It was worth it and we will do it again.
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