Thursday 31 May 2012

Tuesday 29th May 2012 – Mar Menor



Today I decided to do a sweep around the south of the Mar Menor.  Starting at the Salinas of Marchamalo, I then went to a farm reservoir at San Gines, then the old sewage farm (EDAR) at El Algar, and finished up at the Ramble de Albujon.

In general, birds are very quiet at the moment.  Most spring passage has now finished (although there are still a few migrants around, such as the Ringed Plovers). The majority of birds locally are now nesting and so keeping a low profile, neither showing themselves nor singing.

Marchamalo Salinas, Playa Paraiso, 17:30 – 18:45  
Weather: Sky 5/8 cloud, wind S F2-3, 28º.

Along the beach side of the Salinas, in the second lagoon (the first being totally dry now) I had a good group of Slender-billed Gulls, 66 in total, of all ages.  Surprisingly only one seemed to be colour ringed, and too far away for me to be able to read.  I also noticed that one of the 25 Avocets had a metal ring (definitely impossible to read due to the heat haze).  Apart from these, the only birds of note were 7 Ringed Plovers which all appeared to be in breeding plumage, and which are presumably visiting migrants, and a group of around 15 Pallid Swift high up.

A mixture of Avocet, Slender-billed Gulls and Shelduck
Species seen/heard
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei)
Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

San Gines farm reservoir, 19:00 – 19:20
Weather: Sky 3/8 cloud, wind NE F2, 25º.

I decided to have a look here as the last time I passed by, there were a pair of Red Crested Pochard, but today there was nothing out of the ordinary, apart from a large loose German Shephard, so I didn't stay too long!.

Species seen/heard
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Coot (Fulica atra)
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Serin (Serinus serinus)

EDAR El Algar, 19:35 – 19:45
Weather: Sky 3/8 cloud, wind NE F1-2, 25º.

In the single lagoon visible from the gates, there were 10 Black Winged Stilts and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers, and wandering around the area, a family group of 2 adult Red-legged Partridge with 13 chicks, and a lot (10+) Turtle Doves.  I also had a group of 3 Hoopoe fly over.

Species seen/heard
Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)
Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Serin (Serinus serinus)

Desembocadura, rambla de Albujon, Mar Menor, 20:00 – 20:55
Weather: Sky 2/8 cloud, wind NE F1 - 2, 23º.

Calling in at the south western corner of the Mar Menor, I walked a way up along the river bank. There was little about, apart from Reed and Great Reed Warblers singing in the reedbeds, a couple of male Sardinian Warblers and 2 Fan-tailed Warblers also singing.  Out of place was an adult Audouins Gull flying along the beach of the Mar Menor.

Species seen/heard
Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Black Winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis)
Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii)
Little Tern (Sterna albifrons)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Common Swift (Apus apus)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)
Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis)
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Serin (Serinus serinus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

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