“ I Know You Are Out There Somewhere”
On Monday 28th we were out again to see what we could. No disappointments, except one, and all the other species were showing well. The beauty is out there for all.
We had a plan and with a reasonable forecast for both sun and wind we thought we would be okay. Before 9am we had pulled into the layby on N332 by the Salt Tower. It was a good choice as we had fly-past after fly-past. Spoonbills - Espátula Común were close again and frequently took to the air. Two Sandwich Terns - Charrán Patinegre are regulars to us now, flew, dived for fish and kept on doing it. Cormorants - Cormorán Grande too were continually seen flying and on the water in high numbers. We sometimes struggle to find Great White Egrets - Garceta Grande, but today they were there and in the way back to Gran Alacant Bryan counted fourteen with two Grey Herons - Garza Real. If that was not enough three separate Grey Plovers - Chorlito Gris and a Greenshank - Archibebe Claro. This is a place not to go past for our total of species seen here in about twenty minutes, including Gulls, was eighteen.
We moved in land as we wanted to nail the ‘big ‘un’. We know the info the satellite had recorded and we checked out the environs of San Felipe Neri again. Next to the industrial area a flooded field yielded some great birds that included Wood Sandpipers - Andarrios Bastardo (we have never seen so many as this winter), both Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande & Chico) and, of course truck loads of White Wagtails - Lavandera Blanco, and their numbers are so numerous. On an opposite corner a large flock of Serín - Verdecillo entertained us.
On to Santa Águada where there is now little water we had one Little Stint - Correlimos Menudo and a Bluethroat - Peciazul. Here dark clouds had formed, the wind blew in gusts and some rain came. We could see some raptors in the distance but not what we really wanted . As were about to leave we had clear uninterrupted views of a male Pale Morph Boot Eagle - Águila Calzada. It flew low enough to see the markings on the upper and lower wings. A sighting well worth it.
“I Know I’ll Find You Somehow”
We moved around and checked wherever we could including going to the other side of AP 7. New territory for us, with large vistas and farmed fields. It did not contain the large number of species that are around San Felipe. There were no flooded fields, but we did have Skylarks - Alondra Común.
We re-traced our steps passing through Santa Águada and beyond. Again we had Booted Eagles and in a ditch one Snipe - Agachadiza Común. We came across other flooded fields and we checked everyone. On our way back we had a flock of Starlings- Estornino Europea on the ground but only a small number were Estornino Negre. Then in one of the large fields a flock of over one hundred Lapwings - Avefria Europea with eight Golden Plovers - Chorlito Dorada Europea. (a second sighting for this winter)
Again we saw some great birds almost without getting out of the car. The weather was not in our favour but a great day nevertheless. We will do it again.
Bryan’s photos to follow
“I Know You Are Out There Somewhere
I know I’ll Find You Somehow”
Until next time - lyrics by Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues (1987)
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