Sunday 17th January 2016

WeBS count Cefn Sidan beach

Today was a count of the wading birds, gulls and wildfowl on the beach, part of an ongoing national count strategy.

I joined Simeon at 09:30 and we headed off up the beach to count what birds we could find.

A summary looks like, Oystercatcher 3772, Sanderling 598, Dunlin 238, Curlew 140, Knot 20, Redshank 15,  Grey Plover 9, Bar-tailed Godwit 5, Turnstone 2. Pintail 81, Shelduck 30, Mallard 13, Great Black-backed Gull 10, Herring Gull 49 and Common Gull 161.

We also saw a female type Merlin and a 1st winter "white winged gull", probably an ICELAND GULL, judging by size comparisons with the Herring Gulls.

The count took around two and a half hours, the beach is one of the longest in the country.

a very dodgy cropped shot of Grey Plover, Oystercatcher and Sanderling

Some decent birds seen in a stunning setting, once you ignore the rubbish on the high water mark

Saturday 16th January 2016

Oxwich Marsh NNR ringing

Meeting at Oxwich for 07:45hrs this morning wads very civilised considering the state of the roads after the first real cold night of what, so far, has been a very wet winter.

The early clear skies had already started to fill in with cloud before sunrise, although as always that hour around dawn was perhaps the coldest?

With the nets efficiently set we waited for the first "round", (when we go around the nets to remove any birds).

The morning was filled with Blue Tits, a smattering of Great Tits, a couple of Coal Tits, plus the usual Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and a small party of Siskin.

Male Siskin

As the morning warmed a Chiffchaff was processed and found to be wearing a ring not belonging to the group! or so we think more details to follow. It's always exciting to "control" someone else's previous encounter with a bird. We will have to wait until the details have been entered in the system.

Chiffchaff, the picture doesn't do the true colour any justice ,

the bird was a classis Colybitta type

Most Chiffchaffs are in the Mediterranean region or even further south in North Africa at this time of year, a few always winter in the UK and are regularly seen in association with tit flocks.

Its Webs count tomorrow so check out the blog for more news.......

Friday 15th January 2016

Catch up

The weather has, at last, settled down, with a frost on the reserve this morning ice on the puddles and a high tide there were plenty of birds about.

The best of the birds were the usual suspects being, Teal, Mallard, Wigeon, Redshank, Curlew and Snipe. Seven Shelduck were an addition to the list. Raptors were represented by Buzzard, Red Kite and Merlin.

Despite a high tide to day it was only 8.4m which isn't high enough for the marsh to flood so the actual numbers seen were low, in fact much lower than when the birds were disturbed by walkers when they leave the confines of the main inlet and creeks.

The cattle have had to be moved to field 1, after vandalism to the barbed wire fence in field 2, resulting in at least of the bullocks going on walkabout.

I have been working on the "hut", the viewing shelter at the end of the main track overlooking the saltmarsh, I really wish more birders/naturalists would visit the reserve, maybe they do but I never see them.

With snow on the hills in the distance it actually feels like winter at last.......

Redwing, a touch of winter?

Spain Thursday 7th January 2016

Flags, Rings, and Osprey....

Today dawned a glorious morning of clear blue skies and, I think a north westerly of about f2, with it being my last day to get out and about we took a taxi back to the Nature Reserve at Guadalmar.

The highlights today were Black Redstart, with +10 seen on the approach to the reserve entrance, Moustached Warbler again seemingly more plentiful than on my first visit, and a bird often misreported on Lesbos ( they are usually Sedge Warblers in the spring).

Butterflies were represented by flying too fast whites!, Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow,
there were also grasshoppers and hover flies around.

I'll have to identify this when I get home !

A flock of  WOODPIGEON (13), was new as were the following, Dunlin (3), Greenshank (5),BARN SWALLOW (1), WATER PIPIT (1) [ thanks to the chap from Scarborough for the heads up as it called, {sorry if it wasn't Scarborough}]OSPREY (1) [thanks], COMMON SCOTER (2) [I am only 90% confident but two non descript ducks flying out to see looked good for Scoter], CRESTED LARK (1), GREAT TIT (2), AND KENTISH PLOVER (13).

Kentish Plover

The Kentish Plover were a nice find especially as one bird was carrying coloured rings and flag, the combination appeared to be Left Leg, BLUE FLAG on tibia, YELLOW RING on tarsus, and  Right Leg, PALE BLUE FLAG on tibia and YELLOW RING on tarsus.

Kentish Plover  with Flags & Rings

Coincidently the beach has a large area sectioned off as it is a breeding site for Kentish Plover the nearby information board showed an increasing population trend  although the data is old.

The sign basically says, the authorities noticed a decline in Kentish Plover,

in 1997 and took action, 2011 had over 50 breeding pairs?

Without too  much effort I got to 60 Species, in three days of gentle birding, it would seem that some of the "to be expected" species are not around this year, such as Greater Flamingo, and Bluethroat.

I think we will definitely be back at sometime in the future, only 2.5hrs from the UK and easy to get about with decent weather and great wildlife

Spain 6th January 2016

Gibraltar and Apes....

This morning was another cool slightly overcast start but it turned into a day of almost unbroken sunshine when we were in Gibraltar.

The view to Morocco some 24kms away was a bit hazy but the mountains were visible if shielded by low cloud.

The mountains of Morocco North Africa

I had hoped for a few birds, but the best that I could muster were., White Wagtail, Robin, Black Redstart, Yellow Legged Gull and PEREGRINE.

A guided tour took in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, the home of the famous Barbary Macaques.

The Alpha male of one of the five troops on the Rock

It has been proven by DNA that the Macaques on Gibraltat today originated from the mountains of North Africa and are not a remnant population of the species that did once inhabit southern Europe.

Barbary Macaque

Spain 5th January 2016

Another long walk...

After overnight rain, the morning quickly improved to clear skies and sunshine, with the temperature topping 21' with a brisk westerly wind

We headed on foot along the sea front towards Benalmedena and the marina.

Given how busy with walkers it was there was little in the way of birds but we did pick up...

A classic 1st winter Yellow Legged Gull

Crag Martin (100+)Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull (1000+), Yellow Legged Gull, Mediterranean Gull (2), along with Monk Parakeet, Spotless Starling and possible Rock Dove.

Monk Parakeet

A few of the L B B Gulls on the beach, the adult 2nd from the is wearing a blue darvic but it looks too worn to read any detail.

feral pigeon or 99% Rock Dove?

Crag Martin

Spain 4th January 2016

Paraje Naturale Guadalhorce (Guadalhorce Nature Reserve)

Today was overcast to begin with then clear blue skies overhead, with really dark clouds over the mountains to the north and towards Gibraltar. The temperature topped out at 22' with 80% humidity and a gentle breeze.... perfect for a LONG walk (8.5km)

After being dropped off in the wrong place by the really friendly taxi driver we eventually ended up where we needed to be.

The area is a former gravel workings on an island between two arms of the river Guadalhorce.

The birds came thick and fast unfortunately the photographer didn't live up to the challenge.

A List of the choicest contains. WHINCHAT, STONECHAT, SARDINIAN WARBLER, MOUSTACHED WARBLER, TREE PIPIT, BLACK REDSTART, SERIN, BOOTED EAGLE(2), HOOPOOE, BLACK NECKED GREBE, WHITE HEADED DUCK, SPOTLESS STARLING, CATTLE EGRET, KESTREL, SNIPE (3), CHIFFCHAFF, REDSHANK, COMMON BUZZARD, MARSH HARRIER, LAPWING GANNET (off the beach), and SANDWICH TERN (off the beach).

Take my word for this, one of two Booted Eagles

Black Necked Grebe

Cattle or should that be horse Egret

White Headed Duck is an incredibly localised bird having almost being wiped out by hybridisation with Ruddy Duck ( a North American bird escaped from captivity in the UK!!!)

Sandwich Tern

White Headed Duck, a new species for me