The winds have turned around from bloody cold to warm. Temperatures have jumped up from single figures and even to a high of 27 by mid-afternoon. It's shorts and T shirt weather in the sun!
Got to get out there again the bird movements won't wait for me and so, on Thursday 28th January we headed towards San Felipe Neri via Dolores as our initial target was Palm Farm Road.
And until things change we have to do our birding on our own as we consider not to travel to Gran Alicant to meet Bryan, although we would like to.
It was not the most productive of mornings and in many ways it was quiet. But never mind you have to take it as it comes. San Felipe was basking in sun and the lagoons are full of water. On a raised bit eight Common Snipe Agachadiza Común basked, but no Jack this time. It didn't matter for we enjoyed the sun’s heat, the birds including a male Teal - Cerceta Común and Purple Swamphens - Calamon. Prior to that we did the usual routes with nothing exceptional.
The beginning was the best with Michelle spotting a flying Raptor and when it flew across the front of the the car it was our first male Hen Harrier - Aguilucho Pálido for sometime. We know they are out there, but you have to be in the right place at the right time. Then nearby, close to where Bryan and I had seen them, four Common Cranes - Grulla Común in a field, then flying and then landing further away. These were Michelle's first sighting of this species since seeing them one spring in Poland. We knew they were out there too.
The season is changing although clumps of brown grass remain, but now there are green shoots. We will still have to be careful as it is almost full lockdown here until mid-February. Hopefully we can get out for the main migration. Almond blossom has appeared too.
Just two photos from this morning. A very obliging Southern Grey Shrike - Alcaudón Real and a Common Snipe.
And thanks to Winter Watch we are getting a ‘fix’ on wildlife to keep us going.
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