The last day of November and after last Thursday's visit we decided to go again to San Felipe Neri and drop into Santa Águada afterwards. It was 9 degrees when we left home and once the sun had warmed the day it rise to 20 degrees. Very pleasant and with only a light breeze. Winter time in the Costa can very good.
Before we had left Gran Alacant a Black Wheatear - Collalba Negra flew over us. We made our way quickly and we found the lagoon next to the visitor centre had less water and more mud. Great, and the waders were there too. Snipe - Agachadiza Común were just visible from the car park and at least one flew later. We were on the lookout for anything unusual and concentrated on the small waders. I had clear uninterrupted views of Dunlin - Correlimos Común. One still had the black under-belly although the rest were in winter plumage. With them were Little Stint - Correlimos Menudo and the comparison could be made with the size difference. We obviously wanted clear views of Temminck’s Stint - Stint de Temminck showing well the chest markings. Wonderful. Little Ringed Plovers - Chorlitejo Chico were there too. Purple Swamphens/Gallinules - Calamon Común showed vividly in the bright sun.
On our way along the entrance road a far away perched Raptor that we thought was a Common Buzzard - Busardo Ratonero and with Michelle using her Coolpix 900 we were able to get a good image. In the verges White Wagtails - Lavandera Blanco, Black Redstarts- Colirrojo Tizón, House Sparrows -Gorrión Común and perched were Stonechats - Tarabilla Común . Also perched was a Zitting Cisticola - Buitrón and photographed too. There was a flock of ‘finches’ feeding in the car park but they were disturbed.
We worked hard to get clear views of the feeding Blue Throats and eventually we got them. Kingfishers - Martin Pescador were busy and two perched in full view.
There was work going here and out in the mud two people were removing Carp from muddy puddles. There was some large fish being heaved out and thus work is being undertaken, apparently, to preserve the natural grass in the lagoons. Good work if you can get it!
Our next stop was Santa Águada and the link below explains one more reason for going there. It's about Tonn, the large Great Spotted Eagle - Àguila Moteada
https://www.granalacantadvertiser.com/tonn-a-christmas-story
We didn't see him this time but we will.
The observation platforms are still being repaired and even with work going on we had more views of Blue Throat - Pechiazul . Three Wood Sandpipers - Andarrios Bastardo flew in with one Green Sandpiper - Andarrios Grande. It was good to see them together to note their differences.
We moved on and found a field being flooded. Glossy Ibis - Morito Común and more Wood Sands feeding with Water Pipits - Busbita Alpino and Meadow Pipits - Bisbita Común and of course White Wagtails - Lavandero Blanco.
Again it was quality viewing we were after and we got that. I have not listed everything that we had seen but there is stacks of stuff out there just waiting for you!
Raptors were distant in some cases and plenty of them. Marsh Harriers Aguilucho Luganero Occidental were easily spotted. So with the Buzzard we can add one pale morph Booted Eagle - Águila Calzado and one Osprey - Águila Pescadora. Several Common Kestrels - Cernícalo Vulgar and some very obvious Southern Grey Shrikes - Alcaudon Real Meridional
All we need is a vagrant. Something for the east or the west and Bryan will be happy. It takes a lot to please him! And of course the ‘Big One’ Águila Moteada which we may have seen in the distance last week. That's not good enough and so again we go in search and whatever is on the mud.
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