ANOTHER GREAT DAY GREETING THE NEW ARRIVALS

Another visit to a wetland in Alicante, Lo Monte and a drive down the Rio Segura.

The four determined birders headed to Lo Monte with an early start to beat the picnickers. It paid off. One target, for Gareth, was the male Garganey - Cerceta Carretona which was hidden to start with but showed well later. In fact, Bryan, just sat there for a swim past. A first for him this year and a life tick for Gareth. 

Before any of that happened a Moustached Warbler - Carricerin Real was in front of the hide with Gareth and Bryan and what great views they were and for me the best ever. It’s not the easiest birds to view but this was special.

Little Bittern - Avetorillo Común - two males and one female continually flew around giving us great views. Michelle photographed one ‘booming’. Can that get any better?

Bryan caught a quick glimpse of a passing Cuckoo - Cocu Común and then we all had a sighting. More of these birds later.

I counted four Grey Herons - Garza Real perched in the pines in the distance and we will wait to see the Purple - Garza Imperiel. 

Another bird that showed really well were two Great-crested Grebes - Somormujo Lavanca and now that we have seen a ‘pair’ maybe will see their off spring in a humbug uniform!

Greenfinch - Verderón Común were abundant too.

This Green Finch has a club foot.

Again we viewed the female Reed Bunting - Escribano Palustre in the same place. It pays to know your local spots.

In every photograph this Reed Bunting appears to only have one leg.

We decided to check out Rio Segura in the vicinity of Benejuzar. It paid off really well. a Common Cuckoo was quickly seen and it flew around and Bryan managed to get a photo. What a sighting and how far has this travelled to get here and how far has it still to go? It was a privilege.

All along we were hearing Nightingales - Ruisenor Comun. We tried to see them, but they can be difficult and we think at least six along that stretch of the river. 

Bryan was hearing Melodious Warbers - Zarcero Comun and they were there but not showing. So next time then.

It is an important time of year to be our there as so much is passing through or arriving to stay and breed. 

I have not compiled a list and there were many other species that we did see. Again another day we can see them and others too.

Tomorrow Monnegre with specific targets in mind.

 

FAMILIES AT EASTERTIDE

 Easter weekend a time for families and memories past. And, so this Haiku.

   Easter Sunday lunch

Mum’s roast for a family

     Memories special

And a thought from another man, A.E Houseman. I love the image.

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough And stands along the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide"

I have a poem that also reminds me of Easter Time and all that goes with it. The Ash Path at Dinner Time written on 24th April 2005 is in my first collection. I’ll put it on later when I can find a copy. 

Here for a moment -  to your memories.

EASTER SATURDAY, LO MONTE

What a way to start a day with Bee-eaters - Abejaruco Común burbling over head and this beautiful flower poking up through the other vegetation. Then to Lo Monte as there had been a male Gargany -  seen previously.

In the car park our first of the year, a Woodchat Shrike - Alcaudon Común perched on the fence. We sat in the hide with the wider expanse of water in view. In front of us were:

Two Great Cormorants - Cormoron Grande on each of the two platforms.

Common Pochard - Porrón Europeo at least a dozen but mainly males.

Little Grebes -  Zampullin Común 

Great-crested Grebe - Somormujo Lavanco. Only one 

White Headed Ducks - Malvasia

Mallard - Ánade Azuldon

Coots - Focha Común and Morehens - Gallineta Común 

In the reeds one Little Egret - Garceta Común.

Then a Grey Heron - Garza Real flew past us twice with a two foot long snake dangling from it’s beak. Maybe a Culebre Escalera? What a sight and one to remember. There were several other Herons as well, but no Purple yet.

Small birds were not easy to see clearly and we had a quick fly past of a Yellow Wagtail - Lavendera Boyera

At the second hide we watched the female Reed Bunting - Escribano Palustre and that bird entertained us for a good time as it fed on the mud and vegetation.

Then we had the bird we wanted to see above all others, a male Garganey - Cerceta Carratona with several swim pasts. What a stunner.

Back at our first hide we carried on watching the Garganey and then three Sandpipers flew in and around. We cannot agree on the markings we saw, but for me they were Wood Sands - Andarrios Bastardo and for Michelle the birds were Common Sands.= Chico.

We can add into this mix so much more with all the small arial species that included a Broad Bodied Chaser and some ‘large’ bees (maybe Hornets) but the photos did not turn out well. So difficult to focus on.

Lastly so good, clear and close up, views of a Marsh Harrier - Aguilucho Luganero. Our species tally for the morning was 22. Can it get any better?

MYSTERY FLOWER

 Spotted whilst walking the dogs this morning.  I am still working on an ID.

LETS STOP THE WANTON KILLING

 WILD JUSTICE - NEWSLETTER 58

NRW's general licence GL004

 

We need your help to clarify the conditions under which it is lawful to kill  Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jackdaws and Jays in Wales under the existing, live, general licence GL004.

 

The story so far: Wild Justice was given permission to challenge the lawfulness of Natural Resources Wales's general licences. Our case was heard in December and judgment was handed down in January. We did not convince the judge, Justice Jarman, that NRW's licences were unlawful but he made it clear, on the basis of sworn testimony by NRW that there were important constraints on the timing of use of the licences. In particular, and of greatest importance to us, the judge made it clear that it would be unlawful to rely on GL004 to kill the relevant species except in certain months. This important constraint in not widely known or understood.

 

We met NRW staff online to discuss this matter and they refused to add any clarification of this issue to the NRW website. We wrote to NRW's Chair asking what action NRW would take on this matter and have had no response (not even an acknowledgement of our letter).

 

NRW appears to be happy to have issued a licence which permits unlimited killing of birds, allegedly for conservation purposes, to have given sworn evidence to a court that this licence has serious and important limits to its applicability, but not to make those limits clear. That is, we believe, shockingly poor practice by a regulator.

 

What you might wish to do: you may wish to ask NRW to clarify the conditions which apply to their existing licence GL004. You may wish to use that licence to kill birds and are not sure of when it would and wouldn't be lawful. You may wish to know if you see others killing the four species named above, allegedly for conservation purposes, in which months it is legal. You may wish to understand the non-lethal steps that you or others must take before lethal control is lawful. You may want to know what information NRW would like to receive of breaches of the licence conditions and how you should report these. You may wish to know why NRW lists a large number of species of bird that have never nested in Wales as being protected by licence GL004. You may wish to know on what scientific basis NRW believes that Jackdaw and Jay have conservation impacts on any bird species of conservation concern in Wales. You might want to say that you have looked for the answers to your query on the NRW website but can't find them. But we would ask you, at least, to ask NRW for urgent clarification on which of the remaining months of 2021 it is lawful to kill Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw under GL004 in Wales.

 

In the absence of a generic clarification then your query is a general enquiry and should be sent to enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk .  If you live in Wales (as many hundreds of you do) then you may wish to mention that fact in your enquiry.

 

We suggest that you use these words as part of your enquiry, but of course you may ask this public body any question you like (but please be polite (we don't doubt that you would be)):

 

Dear NRW,

 

I understand that your current general licence GL004 which permits the killing of Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies and Jays in Wales for conservation purposes throughout 2021 has restrictions as to the months in which it can be lawfully used. I have looked on your website for these details but cannot find them.  Please provide me with details as a matter or urgency.

 

You will receive a standard electronic response saying that you should get a response in 10 working days (In Welsh and English). Wild Justice would be interested to see copies of any substantive responses you receive.

 

Thank you for taking action in this way. 

ALICANTE BIRDING AND DISSEMINATING THE TRUTH

I try not to let people ‘get under my skin’, piss me off or even irritate me. I spent over 30 years in a certain organization and people would certainly have made me angry. That’s natural and with all the people that I worked with only one still irritates me when I occasionally think about the ‘job’. That’s not bad I tell myself. One of the things that can get to me is dishonesty.

So there you are and my point is this. When we go out birding either in twos, threes or in a four we say what we see, tell where we have been and sometimes where we intend to go next. We don’t claim anything that we have not seen and the photographs can prove it. They were taken on that day and the plumage and surrounding vegetation will comply with that same day. Alright, on occasions a library photo will be resurrected when it suits the narrative.

Our aim will always be, to be accurate, and pass on information that others can use. I know Bryan’s photos are true and neither of us cheat.

From time to time we do see reports that are not right. We laugh, make derogatory comments and swear into the blue yonder, but we malign no one. BUT be warned someone may go a step too far! I can think of only one. I acknowledge, at this time, that I have met some lovely people who are good birders and there are many that I respect. The birders in the birding world are mostly good people. 

I was reminded about the TV Murder Mystery of Midsummer Murders. The victim is a birder who claims to see what he can only imagine. The result a premature death. Un-necessary I say but justified?

I will end with a comment that does amuse us. We go to some wonderful places with great views and we locate many species and it is seldom that we see others who want to see what we see. For God’s sake what are they doing? Get out there and enjoy and for the un-truths - check them out. 

A happy Easter to everyone.

ALICANTE MOUNTAINS VIA THE MOON!

This is the day after the Worm Moon! So called because of the worm casts seen after the thaw or whatever you want it it mean because there are other versions.

These boards are useful if you can spread Valenciano, I will try and translate it at a later date.

Rock Buntings

This photograph supports my previous blog and what I think I have seen, a Fire Crest.  For more information see Bryan’s Blog. http://birdingcostablanca.blogspot.com/

This green spike no taller than a mobile phone I found near the cabins on the way to the top.  Still working on an identification.

This brown lichen was at the top of the mountain.  I think it’s Latin name is Xanthoria SP. 

This is a beautiful time of year for growth and colour there is so much to pay attention to.