• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Birding in Alicante Province (1 Viewer)

Here's the view from the refurbished hide on Saturday looking east, the Osprey is right in the middle of the photo! This is a zoom shot at 400mm.

I was there again yesterday - another Osprey was in one of the dead trees along the central tree belt which runs from the North entrance to the South gate on the Vistabella Road.
 

Attachments

  • HONDO.JPG
    HONDO.JPG
    250.9 KB · Views: 201
Last edited:
Maybe the Clot de Galvany reserve isn't such a disaster area as I thought - there is still a lot of duckweed about but wader numbers are rising on the main pool with Common Snipe, Little Ringed Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Little Stint and a solitary Dunlin on the pool edges yesterday.

Also a first for me on the Charco pool yesterday, a Glossy Ibis which I haven't seen there before. It appears they have had a successful breeding season in the marsh area this year, you can sometimes see them flying over the more inaccessible areas, but to get one at such close range was an absolute treat. :t:
 

Attachments

  • GI2.JPG
    GI2.JPG
    231.7 KB · Views: 211
I haven't visited the Clot de Galvaney as yet. Where exactly is it? I'm wondering if it's reachable by bike from La Marina, as I managed to get to Santa Pola a couple of times this trip. Looking at your photo page (nice pics, by the way :t:) it looks well worth an expedition (although I see much of the really interesting stuff is only there in the winter!)
 
If you can get to Santa Pola it's probably another half hour on your bike. Go to Santa Pola del Este, and follow the coast road to Gran Alacant, along the way the cliffs are good for Raven, Black Wheatear and Rock Thrush all year, Black-eared Wheatear in Summer and the local superstar, Rufous Bushchat in the woods nearer Gran Alacant. When you come to the T junction of the road between Gran Alacant to Los Arenales (the place with all the high-rises), the reserve entrance is right in front of you, see my Opus article for further details.

It is still good in summer, but I try to avoid the really hot months of the year - it's marginal here at the moment.....:-O
 
Thanks Mark! Roll on Easter! 4 out of 5 of those listed would be new for me, in Spain or elsewhere!

Definitely sounds doable by bike. I tested my limits on the last day of our summer holiday there with a grand afternoon out by bike, which took in Vistabella road, El Hondo/San Felipe, Rio Vinapolo bridge and Santa Pola... nearly killed me, but some great birds seen, and worth it for the beautiful little stint at Santa Pola salinas (and the delightful cold beer on the marina at Santa Pola!). Mad dogs and Englishmen...
 
I don't know when Easter is next year, but the Rufous Bushchat doesn't turn up until late April/early May. I should also mention that the coast road is a no-go at weekends, the locals turn out in their hundreds and birding is next to impossible!

I should have also said that the coast along this road is also good for seabirds and waders - had my first Spanish Whimbrel along there a few years ago - but only when it's quiet! You might also be lucky for Wryneck in the woods, I've heard them there but not seen one yet.
 
I had a look at the road using Google street-view and have to say I am amazed such a location and habitat is so close by to where my in-laws are and yet I had no idea. I have driven the N-332 dozens of times through Santa Pola, but never even realised there was a coastal road that skirted cliffs and ran along side a deserted rocky shoreline!! Black Wheatear and Rock Thrush will do for Easter, and we always have a summer trip too, so can try for the others then... ;)
 
Thanks Larry, that's what I thought it was but needed confirmation!

I had a first for my local reserve the Clot de Galvany yesterday, a Kingfisher landed and then disappeared all within the space of about 5 seconds. Never seen one there in 6 years of visiting! Five shots in burst mode was all I got, but most agreeable!
 

Attachments

  • Kingfisher2.JPG
    Kingfisher2.JPG
    253.8 KB · Views: 171
I'm on what will probably be my last visit of the year to Gran Alacant

Things aren't brilliant at the moment, most of the summer visitors have gone, and the winter visitors have yet to show in any numbers. I should be knee-deep in Black Redstarts around my urbanisation, but they aren't here yet.

More worryingly, I met a local birdwatcher yesterday who gave me some depressing news about El Hondo. Apparently the plan is to drain it completely over the winter, in order to get rid of the salt content of the water, and let it fill up naturally from river run-off. Knowing how unreliable the winter snows are in the high mountains to the west, this could take up to 5 years, during which the reserve will become useless for birds.

Also the owners of the reserve hope to turn it into a shooting estate :C:C:C

Access to the North Gate is now reduced to Saturday only due to these works. Considering that the area is classified as a ZEPA (Protected Zone for Birds) as designated by the Spanish Government), it is surprising that the owners (it is still in private hands) are being allowed to do this.

I am not sure of the veracity of these statements, but even if there is just a grain of truth in them it is a worrying development for the area.
 
More worryingly, I met a local birdwatcher yesterday who gave me some depressing news about El Hondo. Apparently the plan is to drain it completely over the winter, in order to get rid of the salt content of the water, and let it fill up naturally from river run-off. Knowing how unreliable the winter snows are in the high mountains to the west, this could take up to 5 years, during which the reserve will become useless for birds.

Also the owners of the reserve hope to turn it into a shooting estate :C:C:C

Access to the North Gate is now reduced to Saturday only due to these works. Considering that the area is classified as a ZEPA (Protected Zone for Birds) as designated by the Spanish Government), it is surprising that the owners (it is still in private hands) are being allowed to do this.

I am not sure of the veracity of these statements, but even if there is just a grain of truth in them it is a worrying development for the area.

Lets hope and pray that the rumour mill is working overtime. Can you keep us updated of any developments Mark - its a truely wonderful site
 
Having had one cold and miserable but bird filled visit to El Hondo this Spring, it is indeed a wonderful site. It is too important to be left in the hands of the current owners and it really needs to be managed and protected by a conservation organisation.

Anyone know how to set up a petition?

David
 
I went round to the North Gate entrance yesterday. Those of you who know it will remember that there is a concrete aqueduct on the right had side. A large crane was parked in the roadway, lowering heavy pipes into the aqueduct, so certainly there is something going on.

In better news, the reserve centre area was absolutely heaving with Bluethroats. There were also several Penduline Tits about, good numbers of Marsh Harriers and Booted Eagles hunting over the reedbeds. Didn't catch sight of any of the Greater Spotted Eagles, although I was told there are at least three in the area. There are still a few Squacco Herons about, although they are mostly juveniles.
 

Attachments

  • Bluey.JPG
    Bluey.JPG
    165.5 KB · Views: 164
  • Pendy.JPG
    Pendy.JPG
    150.2 KB · Views: 176
That's terrible news. It has always struck me that El Hondo is hopelessly under-resourced, under-funded and under-promoted. The visitor centre is frequently closed and there is very little literature to promote it, and as I found in the summer (see earlier post above), it is badly protected from ignorant visitors. So to hear that it may be redeveloped with no thought for the damage that could be done is hardly a surprise. :-C :-C

But there must be a process that needs to be gone through to get something like this approved? It would be good to know if any Governmental approval has been given... any ideas...? Is CBBC aware, and do they have links or contacts with appropriate Spanish authorities?

(Lovely bluethroat shot, BTW)
 
It seems clear from the separate thread that the threat to El Hondo is not as bad as first feared, but we must all keep our eyes on developments there!

Meanwhile, back to the birds - I think this is a Subalpine Warbler in winter plumage which I have seen before at the same time of the year in the Clot de Galvany reserve, they only seem to occur for a few months of the year. If I can't get a definite confirmation, perhaps I should put it in the ID Forum?

There has been a marked increase in the numbers of Chiffchaffs present, but the Black Redstarts still haven't arrived. Robins are here in some numbers, and this morning at sunrise there was a flock of 20+ Swallows over our communal pool in the urbanisation, but by 10 a.m. they had moved on.
 

Attachments

  • SAW.JPG
    SAW.JPG
    260.3 KB · Views: 201
  • SAW1.JPG
    SAW1.JPG
    279.6 KB · Views: 199
Just been reading that the opening times for El Hondo have decreased down to one morning a week. Hope this is not a sign that the local authority are losing interest in keeping is going....

Anyway, my annual Easter visit is fast approaching, and can't wait to get back out on my bike along Vistabella road! And to make my first trip up to el Clot!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top