Clot de Galvany

Spain

Mark Etheridge
A View over the entrance to the Clot de Galvany reserve on the Los Arenales-Gran Alacant road

Overview

The Clot de Galvany is a small but extremely interesting nature reserve sandwiched between the N-332 road and the twin urbanisations of Gran Alacant and Los Arenales just south of Alicante. It forms part of the wider area known as the Cabo de Santa Pola. There is a variety of ecosystems, from wetlands through Mediterranean scrub, pine plantations and rocky hillsides giving a wide diversity in a confined area. The main pool is known as the Charco de Contacto with a hide on the far side; alongside it is a recently-developed wader scrape also with a hide (known by some as the "Zeiss hide" after its sponsor), but this has proved to be somewhat problematical with the water draining away and the area overgrown with weeds (Sept 2010) - however in February 2013 restoration work was underway to bring it back up to specification.

Further west there is another hide overlooking a seasonally marshy area, and further still there is another hide overlooking a pool which lies beneath the rocky hill to the west - this hide is however usually locked up and this pool often dries out during drought conditions. The key can be obtained from the visitor centre at the reserve entrance.

Birds

Notable Species

White-headed Duck and Marbled Duck breed on the reserve, as well as Purple Swamphen. Rufous Bush Robin can be found in the pines to the west in summer, and Eurasian Wryneck and Iberian Green Woodpecker are present all year. Winter brings large numbers of Common Chiffchaff, Black Redstart and European Robin, and Bluethroat are also regular.

Mark Etheridge
The Charco de Contacto (foreground) and the new scrape behind it

Rarities

A Baird's Sandpiper was reported in 2004; Green-winged Teal 2005, Pectoral Sandpiper 2006, Iberian Magpie in 2009, a Red-flanked Bluetail in December 2010. Another Pectoral Sandpiper September 2011 and in the same month a Terek Sandpiper just outside the reserve to the North. An African Desert Warbler (first for Mainland Spain!) was seen and photographed on 28 October 2011. Another Iberian Magpie found in April 2012.

Check-list

Little Grebe, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Mallard, Marbled Duck, White-headed Duck, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Teal, Common Kestrel, Booted Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Eurasian Golden Plover, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Stone Curlew, Yellow-legged Gull, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Wryneck, European Bee-eater, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, Lesser Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, Eurasian Crag Martin, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Northern House Martin, Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit, Water Pipit, Spanish Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Robin, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, Common Redstart, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Black Wheatear, Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Savi's Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Firecrest, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Woodchat Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Common Starling, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Linnet, Carrion Crow

Other Wildlife

The area contains Ocellated, Red-tailed and Iberian wall lizards, Montpellier Snake, Field Mice and Pygmy Shrew. Rabbits are to be found in some numbers, providing a good food source for foxes and several avian raptors during the winter. There is an abundance of butterflies, including the Swallowtail, as well as several interesting beetle species. Unfortunately, mosquitoes breed in the damp patches and can be quite a nuisance at times. Red-eared Terrapins are found in the pools.

Site Information

History and Use

In 1978 the Clot suffered severe damage through property developers unauthorised attempts to develop the area; serious drainage and earthworks took place which altered its unique natural features and functionality, these works were stopped by pressure from citizens and environmental groups. The area has now been taken over by the city council of Elche, which has taken active regeneration, conservation and educational measures to preserve the environment.

Areas of Interest

There are several former Spanish Civil War military bunkers around the reserve; it is not thought that these saw any action during the conflict.

Access and Facilities

The reserve entrance is from the El Arenales - Gran Alacant coast road opposite the junction with the Santa Pola coast road. There is a large parking and picnic area and an information centre. There is now a further official pedestrian access point along Avenida de Polonia, beside the service gate about three-quarters of the way along this road, but it is unsuitable for wheelchair users. It does, however, give quick access to the main hides and has stopped the regular damage to the fences caused by unauthorised attempts to enter the reserve..

From the main entrance, a track takes you into the reserve, a walk of about 500 metres will bring you to the Charco de Contacto pool, and well-marked tracks radiate from here to pass throughout the reserve. They are popular with cyclists, joggers and other walkers, and it is possible to walk around the whole area on a circular route of about 5 Kms. The tracks are passable with care by those of limited mobility, but wheelchairs are not recommended for the longer and steeper tracks.

There is a newly-constructed landscaped walk along the side of the Clot in Gran Alacant along Avenida de Polonia which is suitable for wheelchairs, but the pools and scrape are not visible from this path.

There are plenty of bars, shops and restaurants in the nearby urbanisations.

External Links

• The tourist information website of Elche has a good section on wildlife in the area

• El Clot on Google Maps

• A Spanish blog detailing the threats to the Clot by uncontrolled housing development, English speakers should use Google translate

Content and images originally posted by Mark Etheridge