ANOTHER EXCURSION IN AND AROUND SIERRA DE SALINAS ALICANTE SPAIN

 On Tuesday 8th June Bryan and I sped out of Gran Alacant and onto A 31. Our target area was around and upon Sierra de Salinas and to further check out what habitats were there and what they could support. I intended to take CV 813 out of Villena and head to the Sierra but I got in wrong. We were on CV 81 and on a route we had taken two weeks previously and in a location we explored then. Casa Canales is clearly signed and this camino is a public road and leads straight towards the ridge in the distance. It is of mixed habitat with corn - some standing and some fields cut - Almonds, other areas left uncultivated with dips and rises and rougher patches too. Interesting we thought and will consider an autumn visit.

Raven - Cuervo frequently called and flew. Pintailed Sandgrouse - Ganga Ibérica we heard clearly but Bryan only had a quick look at one departing. We observed three lark species Greater Short Toed - Terrera Marismena, Crested - Cogujada Común and Calandra - Calandria. Two Common Kestrels - Cernicalo Vulgar hovered and flew over and a Green Woodpecker - Pito Real called. Interestingly there was a flock of 60-80 Spotless Starlings - Estornino Negro which we thought was unusual as they don’t normally gather and it is the breeding season. Photographs proved what the species were. Stone Curlew - Alcaravan Común were around to and there was one call raptor like we had no clue about. Woodchat Shrikes posed well and so did two Little Owls - Mochuelo. Woodchat Shrikes - Alcaudon Común showed well for us.

In truth not a great tally but another area of interest. This is a shooting and hunting area and we did hear and see Red-legged Partidge - Perdiz and plenty of rabbits - Conejo

We left and found CV 813 on the north side of Sierra de Salinas. Again we had no great number of birds. Below is a list of some we saw

Blackbird - Mirlo Común 

Goldfinch - Jilguero

Serin - Verdecillo

Jay.  - Arrendajo

Mistle Thrush - Zorzal Charló

Chaffinch - Pinzon Vulgar

Great Tit - Carbonero Común 

Coal Tit - Carbonero Garrapinos

Common Buzzard - Busardo Ratonero

Corn Bunting -  Triguero

Rock Bunting - Escribano Montesinos

Bonnelli’s Warblers - Mosquitero Papialbo

And others heard, not seen and no sight of a Western Orphean Warbler - Curruca Mirona but our bird of this mountain was a low fast flying male Merlin - Esmerejon. Identified by Bryan and this was a surprise.

At lower levels the mountain is in bloom and insect life is feeding on the flowers. Sulphur flies were everywhere and we counted seven species of butterfly with some photographed so that they can be id’d. Two Humming Bird Hawk moths went past. More of that later.

The flowers, insects and the vistas seen helped to make up for the birds. We returned to A 31 via Monover and Elda looking as we travelled and there was no perched Black Shouldered/Winged Kites  - Elanio Común anywhere!

Yet again where have all the ones I haven’t mentioned gone. So many ‘obvious’ ones not seen!