Wednesday 25 January 2023

AROUND THE SALINAS IN ALICANTE SPAIN

 Wednesday 24th January and it’s cold. Our first joint trip out since October with Bryan so we took our usual route inspecting the lagoons as we headed for La Marina. Our expectations were low but our first highlight at The Salt Tower was an incoming Spoonbill - Espátula Comun and a Grey Plover - Chorlito Gris resting on a wooden structure in the water and was photographed.


El Pinet was good. The highlights were 20 Black-tailed Godwits - Aguja Colinegra feeding and flying around and they were good to watch. Also Redshank -  Archibebe Comun, one Greenshank - Archibebe Claro and two Ringed Plovers -  Chorlitejo Grande. One Little Stint - Correlimos Menudo too.


Inland we found a vast area of scrub had been cleared and was being prepared with irrigation piping piled up. It’s changing out there and it was a good place for Greater Spotted Cuckoos -    Criala Europea which will be here soon. Will we see them there this year.? We stopped off at the ‘monastery’. Tree Sparrows - Gorrrion Molinero in the large tree and on the ground were a mixed flock of Greenfinch - Verderón Comun and Chaffinches - Pinzon Vulgar.  Always good to see was a Robin - Petirrojo. I searched around hoping to find some sights of Trumpeter Finches - Camachuela Trompetero but nothing evident. 


We included a quick look at Clot de Galveny as there are wintering ducks there. One hide revealed a vast quantity of Shovellers - Cuchara Comun, some Common Pochard - Porrón Europea, one White-headed Duck - Malvasia Cabeciblanca but the stars of the day were a female and a pristine drake of Gadwall - Ánade Friso. That’s  not a lot to show but I haven’t included everything with many notable absentees.

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