📖 Diary Update #68 ~ 🇪🇸 Laguna De La Mata

🇪🇸 ☀️ 24C Monday 6th November 2017 ~ On Sunday we departed Denia and took the 90-minute drive south to the outskirts of Torrevieja to spend a couple of days visiting relatives. Close by is the Laguna De La Mata, which we last visited in September 2013 and so during our planning, we'd slotted in a Monday morning visit.

The Laguna itself is used to regulate the water levels in the larger lagoon, Laguna de Torrevieja (1:400ha). Both coastal lagoons have been exploited for salt extraction, with a permanent saltwater supply from the sea. The two interconnected wetlands are still used for salt extraction to this day! There is ample parking and an information centre, where several routes can be taken down to the lagoon. There are a few hides and an observation tower which overlooks the site.

Iberian Grey Shrike ~ Note the curly eyebrow. A good ID clincher for Iberian!

Only ten minutes from the villa Dee had planned a route which skirted the outskirts of the site and which offered some good stopping areas to check out the scrubland and brush. It was a good start too with plenty of Stonechat and Black Redstarts, which I would even go as far as to say where abundant throughout the visit! Just prior to entering the reserve an Iberian Grey Shrike offered a long distance photo opportunity, before dropping down out of sight when something caught its eye.

Crag Martins feeding over the centre.

Arriving at the visitor centre several hirundines feeding overhead were all Crag Martins, probably resident or possibly just passing through, as in southern Spain some of these birds are short-distance migrants. Soon the unmistakable calls of Crested Lark, plus lots of Serin in small groups, along with other small flocks of Linnet and charms of Goldfinch.

A very showy Sardinian Warbler.

As we made our way down to the lagoon a single Hoopoe was feeding along the ground. Six noisy Monk Parakeets flew overhead and two Kestrels were hunting over the scrub. Just as we approached the hide trail a very showy Sardinian Warbler appeared, normally such a sulky bird! Impressive numbers of White Wagtails here today, a constant companion throughout our visit.

White Wagtail ~ Impressive numbers winter here!

From the hide most birds were pretty distant but after a short stay we made out Black-winged Stilt,  Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover, Redshank and Kentish Plover. Also of note several Greater Flamingo and a few distant Audouin's Gulls, which are regular breeders here.

The stunning Plain Tiger ~ One of three seen today!

There was plenty of other wildlife to be found today Red Squirrel, a few day-flying moths, including the colourful Crimson Speckled. Lots of butterflies on the wing in the 24C temperature with Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Swallowtail, lots of whites and the above stunning Plain Tiger!

Red Squirrel ~ infuscatus – remarkably large squirrels of up to half a kilo with very colourful tails and white hairs found in the pinewoods of Central and Southern Spain!

A bird high on our target list today was the Lesser Short-toed Lark and I'm delighted that we managed three. These birds are resident here in small numbers and can still be found if you can get as far away from any housing development as possible. We located ours by there call, which can catch you out, as these birds are good at mimicking Crested Larks or Short-toedLarks.

Some of Dee's Images from today...

Hoopoe

Crimson Speckled Moth

Chiffchaff

Painted Lady

📖 Diary #67 ~ 🇪🇸 El Marjal De Pego-Oliva

🇪🇸  ⛈  23C Saturday 4th November 2017 ~ Another ten-day jaunt to Spain beginning in the port city of Dénia on the Mediterranean coast of eastern Spain. Then down to Torrevieja on Sunday to visit relatives, followed on Tuesday by a drive down to Mijas, near Malaga to visit my buddy, Dave.

Today: El Marjal De Pego-Oliva ~ Another of Valencia's coastal marshes and one of the best of its wetland sites. The marshes occupy a substantial area, once a lagoon but now chiefly a large expanse of reedbed providing a rich habitat for many species. The site is very good for passage and wintering species, both Bluethroat and Penduline Tits regularly winter here! In addition to these, there was another species on today's target list and we couldn't have made a better start! A Moustached Warbler, a resident here, was literally our first bird of the day skulking low in the reeds just above the waterline along one of the many ditches. Sadly, despite the patience of a saint, which is unusual for me, it never quite offered itself up for a snapshot, so we reluctantly moved on!

One of Several Booted Eagle today!

Two Marsh Harriers next above the rice fields and then the first of several Booted Eagles, which drifted nonchalantly over. Unfortunately in this area, between October and February hunters do cause some disturbance and during one burst of shots around 100 or so Glossy Ibis rose, this along with Grey Herons, Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and three Great Egrets, producing an amazing aerial spectacle. While searching the many channels which crisscross this area a commotion overhead was the result of a passing Osprey, which was flying alongside a Common Buzzard and a 'dark phase' Booted Eagle!

This lovely male Black Redstart displaying his wonderful red tail!

The reedbeds yielded plenty with a flyby Night Heron, Water Rail heard and Sardinian Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler and a few Chiffchaff, plus the odd Common Waxbill. Stonechats and Black Redstarts were reasonably common and the odd Blackcap would make an appearance, still singing well, even at this time of year. Zitting Cisticola (Fantail Warbler) thankfully have quietened down from thier constant 'zitting' overhead but can still be found. With no sign, it's perhaps a little early for the Penduline Tits and Bluethroat! Other absentee's included hirundines and Swifts, with not a single one today, presumably already gone through.

Cattle Egret

We enjoyed a leisurely walk along the Riu 'River' Salinar before heading off a little further north to La Albufera. Lying 10km to the south of Valencia, this vast lagoon is one the largest remaining wetland areas in Spain. **A note to anyone visiting and strangely not mentioned in 'Where To Watch Birds in Northern and Eastern Spain by Michael Rebane and Ernest Garcia is the fact that the Visitor Centre, Trails, Observation Tower and Hides surprisingly close daily at 2pm at this time of year!! We arrived shortly after to find the gates locked!

Sandwich Terns 'All Year Round' at La Albufera

Notwithstanding and despite our frustrations (politely put!) Dee and I still managed an enjoyable few hours finding our own trails and stopping points! I'm afraid though that a more comprehensive visit will have to wait for another time. That said our sightings today did include Sandwich Tern, Black-necked Grebe, Marbled Duck and Water Pipit.

📖 Diary #66 ~ MORE Patch Gold!

🍂 ⛅14C Wednesday 1st November 2017 ~ I met up with Jim Timms and his wife Carol shortly after 9 0'clock this morning for a few hours birding at Bubbenhall Meadows. Jim had mentioned that last week he'd managed a couple of Jack Snipe and I was keen to see if they would still be around.

After parking up we headed down towards the pools, passing the impressive new viewing screen. Although I'm unsure as to what good it will be in a few years time when the newly planted trees flourish! We did, in fact, manage two Jack Snipe along with four Common Snipe and had also noted a pair of Stonechat (rising to two pairs during the day) along the fences which surround the tree planting areas.

Dartford Warbler ~ A heart-stopping moment as the bird flew into a nearby rose bush!

However just as we were about to head back along the track a harsh grating call alerted me to the nearby undergrowth. I'd only heard it briefly but when the bird called again a short while later and indeed appeared at the top of some spent meadow sweet grass, there was no mistaking a Dartford Warbler!! Jim and Carol were onto the bird in moments and the rest, as they say, is history!

Dartford Warbler ~ 

I'm happy to report that the bird stuck around, showing incredibly well one moment and becoming quite elusive the next. In fact, during the four or so hours I remained on site all that visited to see the bird were not disappointed and had some decent views.

One of four Stonechat for the day and Dartford Warbler

By the time I left just after 1 O'clock the bird had moved to just in front of the new screen and while here two Hawfinch flew overhead calling, adding to another memorable day birding in Warwickshire.

🎃 ⛅12C Tuesday 31st October 2017 ~ Happy Halloween!! Thanks to Theo @Clermont_de for the heads up I was able to catch a glimpse of (4) Whooper Swans at Napton Reservoir yesterday morning, prior to heading into Leamington Spa for lunch with the wife!

Whooper Swans ~ Napton Reservoir 

📖 Diary #65 ~ Patch Gold!

🍂 ⛅19C Wednesday 25th October 2017 ~ Razorbill, Shag, Grey Phalarope, Hawfinch!!! Now, where in the UK am I? Well, I'm in Warwickshire of course but I bet you'd never have guessed it with a list like that! An unprecedented day birding on the local patch produced these four excellent species.

Razorbill ~ A first for Warwickshire

My day began when I was just about to start the laborious task of cleaning my chimney when a call from Richard Mays sent me scurrying off to Draycote Water. Richard and Dave Cox had dropped onto a Razorbill, which turns out to be a county first and Richards 250th bird at Draycote, so congratulations to him and thanks for the heads up.

Shag ~ On site several days now but almost overlooked today!

I arrived to find the Razorbill sticking pretty close to the pontoons and dipping in and out of the moored fishing boats. No surprise really as these birds can often be found around harbours and are not easily spooked by fishing boats moving around. More people began to arrive for the star attraction, most oblivious to a Shag just a little further along the waters edge.

Grey Phalarope ~ An unexpected bonus!

At this point I got chatting to Francoise (I think that's her name) who after a minute or two produced a photograph on her camera. She told me that she'd took the photo a little earlier further along the bank and was certain it was too small for a gull! You can imagine my astonishment to identify the bird as a Grey Phalarope. Without further ado we were all off, thankfully coming across the bird close to Farborough Spit a short time later. An amazing morning at Draycote, which also included a single Ringed Plover and 20+ Golden Plover to the south.

After picking up some lunch at the Napton Post Office (highly recommended if your in the area) I met up with Richard, Dave, Paul Cashmore, Terry Southgate and his friend Mo at Napton church. A good search of the lane and nearby fields produced the odd Goldcrest in among the tit flocks, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Nuthatch, and Peregrine but the icing on the cake were a couple of Hawfinch, which circled over our heads as we passed near Church Leys Farm, my second sighting of these gorgeous finches at Napton recently!

📖 Diary #64 ~ Napton Church

🍂 ⛅16C Tuesday 17th October 2017 ~ More of a chill in the air this morning as I checked out the marina grounds before heading up to Napton-on-the-Hill. Several Pied Wagtails around the car park, a Chiffchaff feeding along the west bank and several Redwing taking advantage of the hawthorn berries was the best I could manage. Still waiting for that first Fieldfare of the autumn!

Redwing ~ Now arriving in numbers

I parked at the churchyard and had a casual wander around the grounds. The regular duo of Mistle Thrush were making their usual racket and several Redwings were flitting through the treetops. A Coal Tit calling, Nuthatch and a few Chaffinch before I bumped into Peter Finden, who I'd last met at Frampton Marsh a few months back. We spent a good while chatting before we both reacted to a couple of birds that suddenly flew into the nearby treetops. I think we got excited straight away, largish finch, big head, thick neck, short tail and distinct wingbars! As we carefully manoeuvred around a few yew trees, there in the treetops a Hawfinch! There were two birds, which sadly departed almost straight away but nevertheless offered an all to brief but excellent view. My first Warwickshire Hawfinch in 12years of living here! Despite being joined a short while later by Richard Mays and Dave Cox, who'd also had a Hawfinch sighting here last week, we sadly never managed to relocate.

📖 Diary #63 ~ Storm Ophelia

🍂 ⛅19C Monday 16th October 2017 ~ With Storm Ophelia blowing in I thought that a couple of hours spent at Brandon Marsh might pay dividends! However, I wasn't quite prepared for what greeted me. Not since my Brandon visit of March 2015 to watch the spring equinox eclipse have I encountered such strange and bizarre conditions!

Brandon Marsh today!

Skies took on unusual glow as Storm Ophelia picked up sands from the Sahara and particles from fires in Spain and Portugal, which may have appeared to some as a sign of an impending apocalypse. Apparently the dust has caused shorter wavelength blue light to be scattered, making it appear red. Ophelia originated in the Azores, where it was a hurricane and as it tracked its way northwards it dragged in tropical air from the Sahara producing todays phenomenon!

Little Gull ~ Taken in the strange saharan light!

The best from a birding perspective consisted firstly of a Little Gull, which graced East Marsh Pool on several occasions before finally departing. A huge count of Black-headed Gulls circa 500, but alas during my stay not offering anything too unusual, Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gulls the only other species. A Water Rail made a dash from left to right in front of the hide and I managed a count of (75) Wigeon before a Sparrowhawk scattered all asunder, so I gave up on that one!

Little Gull ~ East Marsh hide

From the Ted Jury hide a couple of small flocks of Redwing, plus (4) Redpoll and as I departed the hide calls of Brambling alerted me to (5) birds passing overhead. A single Snipe and Green Sandpiper the only other notables from the most weirdest of visits!

Little Owl at Shuckburgh!

Subnote: Yesterday Dee and I enjoyed a local stroll around the canal and Shuckburgh area, encountering one of the local Little Owls, which I managed a few images of after playing hide & seek for an enjoyable 1/2 hour!

Few more Little Gull images from today!

📖 Diary #62 ~ Brandon Marsh

🍂 ⛅19C Saturday 14th October 2017 ~ A gorgeous mild start with a pre-dawn temperature of 15C as I checked out the marina grounds for anything of interest. The Pied Wagtail roost was dispersing with around twenty or so birds heading out, plus a couple of Skylarks overhead, the usual hoards of Gulls heading out from Draycote Water and (2) Meadow Pipits around the car park.

Meadow Pipit

Arriving at Brandon Marsh just before 8am I decided to head straight down to East Marsh Hide for a look at the pools. A small movement of birds overhead, picking up (4) Siskin, (3) Skylark and (2) Meadow Pipit, before I came across (4) Redpoll feeding in the alder by Primrose Bank. Fred Stokes was in the hide when I arrived, informing me that a Peregrine had flushed everything, including a Ruff just prior to my arrival! Bummer, I've dipped on Ruff thus far this year at Brandon!

Marsh Harrier from the East Marsh Hide!

Anyway, things improved for me a short while later when in from the east came a cream-headed Marsh Harrier. The bird dropped down onto Newlands Reedbed and spent a short time down before flying off west over East Marsh Pool, providing a hastily taken photo opportunity!

Marsh Harrier 

Other notables of the visit: Green Sandpiper, (2) Snipe and a good number of Wigeon, although I didn't make the count!

📖 Diary #61 ~ Napton

🍂 ⛅18C Thursday 12th October 2017 ~ A few hours at Napton-on-the-Hill mid morning produced my first Redwings of the Autumn, with four birds in the treetops at the churchyard.

Redwing ~ My 1st of this Autumn

I spent a while here just sitting and listening, letting the birds pass through and while here Goldcrest, Coal Tit and a couple of Mistle Thrush, one even singing for a brief period. I noticed a couple of Red Admiral butterflies at the tops of the Ivy, plus a single Comma, which was perched on one of the several Yew Trees.

Sparrowhawk ~ Napton Hill

Heading off along the track down towards the farm at least (4) Redpoll, plus (2) Pied Wagtails in the sheep field. Here I bumped into Richard Mays and Dave Cox just as (4) Brambling passed through. One of two Sparrowhawks for the day appeared overhead and a single Siskin, before we headed back to the churchyard.

Boeing C-17 Globemaster ~ Napton's also a great place to indulge in my other hobby 👀 

Napton Reservoir was reasonably quiet, the only notables, (4) Shoveler on the water, a Chiffchaff singing around the car park, (3) Redwing over, along with a possible Grey Wagtail, which unfortunately didn't call!

📖 Diary #60 🇫🇷 France

Dee and I arrived on Friday evening for a long weekend stay with her parents, who live near Chavigny, in the New-Aquitaine region of western France. Despite being a family visit there's still plenty of opportunity for some birding, not the very least around the substantial gardens, wood and orchards which surround the house. Even a short walk on Friday evening managed to produce Blackcap, Nuthatch, Cirl Bunting, Black Redstart, Firecrest and Red Squirrel.

Black Redstart ~ At least three around the gardens!

🍂 ⛅19C Saturday 7th October 2017 ~ Saturday we did manage an enjoyable afternoon at La Brenne, renown to be one of France's best-kept secrets and only a modest 40-minute drive. This is, without doubt, one of our favourite birding hotspots. A patchwork of fishponds, heath and red sandstone outcrops La Brenne is an area of rich flora and fauna delicately preserved by its ‘National Park’ status. Known locally as 'The Land of a Thousand Lakes' this is a rich tapestry of habitats including marshes, deciduous woods, dry heathland and farmland.

Coypu [Ragondin in Frech] abound at La Brenne

At this time of year, La Brenne's summer visitors have already left: Whiskered Terns [c1000 pairs] Black-necked Grebes [150+ pairs] nest, as do Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Night Heron, Black-winged Stilt, a few pairs of Short-toed Eagle, and 30+ nesting pairs of Bee-eater, plus wintering Cranes which are yet to arrive in numbers, but there's still a decent variety of species to see.

Great Egret ~ Resident around La Brenne

With such a big area to explore and limited time we only visited a small selection of locations we've become familiar with, and in particular the Reserve Naturelle de Cherine. Great Egrets are plentiful around the lakes, along with smaller numbers of Little Egret, a single Water Pipit was also noted. Waders during our visit, although small in numbers, included Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Green Sandpiper and Greenshank. Common Buzzard, Kestrel and a distant Hen Harrier were the only raptors of the day.

Small Heath

Most of the activity was actually along the many paths and in the warm sunshine, a good number of butterflies were still on the wing with Clouded Yellow, Wall Brown, Small Copper, Small Heath and Common Blue. Black Redstarts seemed plentiful and Stonechats a regular feature. Two Woodlark were found during our stay and Skylarks too were seen passing through overhead.

🍂 ☔️16C Monday 9th October 2017 ~ In sharp contrast to Saturdays glorious autumnal day Sunday and Monday's weather turned out to dank and drizzly. However, in saying that, a visit to La Pinail on Monday morning before our flight home did brighten sufficiently for a pleasant hour or so.

Dartford Warbler in the gloom!

Pinail Nature Reserve is situated about 10 miles from the house, in the Châtellerault area, this is the only Natural Reserve of France to be found in the district known as La Vienne. The result of millstone quarrying has given way to a mosaic of 3,000 ponds which are surrounded by moor and heathland rich in rare fauna and flora. Amongst the many bird species you can find here, Dartford Warblers are for me the most iconic.

Long-tailed Blue

Long-tailed Blue

Langs Short-tailed Blue

Finally, just prior to heading off a brief sunny period encouraged a few butterflies to make an appearance and these included several Wall Brown, a couple of lovely Long-tailed Blues and a Langs Short-tailed Blue to end the visit!

📖 Diary Update #59

🍂 ⛅18C Friday 29th September 2017 ~ I began the day at Brandon Marsh meeting up with Alan Boddington for a catch-up. We'd spent a short time in the East Marsh hide, noting (5) Swallows, (22) Snipe, Little Egret, a Kingfisher performing an amazing hover right in front of the hide and counting (60+) Wigeon, when a text from Bob Hazell over at Draycote Water initiated a change of plan!

One of two Little Stints at Draycote Water today!

Two Little Stints were a little too good to miss, so off we went! Both birds were showing very well along Farborough Bank when we arrived, along with (2) Dunlin and (2) Ringed Plover, other highlights during our stay.

Little Stints