[DOC REED]

Have recently returned from a 3 week family holiday .Its my first report so be gentle with me.Attached photos will be from this trip unless marked (A) ,which will have been taken in April.

We flew as a family of 6 from Leeds/Bradford on 26/7/09 with Jet2 to Alicante.A 1hour drive north saw us arriving at my in-laws Villa ,situated between Xabia and Denia.The villa is within the boundaries of 'Montgo National Park' so development is at least controlled.There is a large garden with mature pines,and surrounding farmland includes orange/almond plantations as well as lots of semi-abandoned areas(waiting for development,me thinks sadly!).

I have stayed many times,know the area well ,but hadn't been iin the smack bang middle of summer so was expecting the doldrums in terms of birds.Turned out I was partly right ,partly wrong!

So ,here goes;
26/7/09
The trip N only produced a few Yellow Legged Gulls as we rounded Benidorm.At the villa ,whilst trying to sort out a 2 and 6 year old/unpack etc,still managed to add Goldfinch(2) ,House Sparrow(3) ,Spotted Flycatcher(4) ,Collared Dove(5) and Sardinian Warbler(6+A).

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Spent around villa and local areas acclimatizing(40 degs +!).Added Spotless Starling(7 +A) ,Raven (8) ,Swift (9) Swallow ,(10), House Martin (11) Hoopoe(12) Serin (13) White wagtail (14) Woodchat Shrike (15)Long Tailed Tit (16) 2lovely Turtle Doves (17) and the resident Little Owl (18 +A).

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This was my first proper days birding.I was meeting Jules Sykes ,excellant birder ,superb tour leader and friend(Jules may contest this!).He is based a few miles north at Oliva ,runs 'Olivarama 'tours and if anyone is visiting this area...book him,he will find all the specialities and more.info@olivaramatours.com

Jules was pressed for time ,about to lead trips to Bay of Biscay and then onto Bulgaria(lucky s*d) so we quickly headed to observation tower in this lovely ,small but productive wetland.We added Cattle Egret(19) ,Little Egret(20),Night Heron(21),a squadron or two of Squacco Heron(22)Purple Heron(23+A),Grey Heron,(24)Moorhen(25),Marsh Harrier(26+A),Woodpigeon(27)Little Bittern(28) Spotless Starling ,Collared Dove,Turtle Dove,Black Winged Stilt(29),Little Ringed Plover(30)6 Curlew Sandpiper(31)Green Sandpiper(32),White wagtail,Yellow Wagtail(33),Swallow,House Martin,Red Rumped Swallow(34),BH Gull(35),Whiskered Tern(36)Sardinian Warbler,a single Melodious Warbler(37),Greenfinch(38),Great Reed warbler(39),Reed Warbler(40)Hoopoe,Bee eater(41)Serin, ,Fan Tailed Warbler(42), and finally Kingfisher(43).

Jules final act of friendship was to give me some detailed maps that would prove invaluable later in my trip.Thanks ,Jules,hit all targets except Scops Owl.A trip for this bird ,going out at midnight to a town centre,I can assure everyone would have led to divorce papers being served!

Best bird was probably a single Great White Heron(44).
Other interesting sites were the large butterflies,not in my field guide.Can anyone ID?Also a maamal,stoat like ran across a road but was too far away (and driving) to ID.A large part of the marsh is rice growing paddy fiels.Unfortunately ,the farmers started to run off the water on my last visit ,so there were few areas of open water/mud.The site is good for Savis & Moustached Warblers ,but I failed to connect on this trip.

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The next few days revealed how quiet things generally were.Not a sniff of the resident breeding swifts/chiffchaffs/blackcaps or Hoopoes;presumably already headed south and awaiting the autumn migration influx of birds from further north.Woodchat shrikes were clearly dribbling through in small numbers,as were Bee eaters but did manage to add Firecrest(45), Short Toed Treecreeper(46)Nightingale(47)Coal Tit(48).
At different times of year ,i've accrued a decent set of raptors over the villa,but Zilch on this trip!.
The migration 'hotspot' at Cap de San Antoni on the 3rd produced little ,other than FAB views of resident Pallid swifts(49),YL Gullsand Audoins Gull flyby.

[john-henry]

Great spot Pego Marsh Doc, one of my favourite spots in Spain and Jules is certainly the man to bird with there, nice report.

Your butterfly looks like a Plain Tiger, probably a migrant from Africa unless they are now colonising Spain.

[Rob Smallwood]

[quote=john-henry;1577275]Great spot Pego Marsh Doc, one of my favourite spots in Spain and Jules is certainly the man to bird with there, nice report.

QUOTE]

Hear, hear!

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I had a day pass,so tip toed out at 430 am.Arrived at the Clots de galvenny ,south of Alicante at 6am.Can take some finding ,adjacent to urbanisation(the blight of the costas?) and within site and sound of Alicante airport.On arrival,decided to have a 'Hamlet ' moment,whilst considering what a numpty I was for arriving at stupid o'clock ,still pitch black!However,whats that old phrase about the 'early bird....'.?? I became aware of flittering around the streetlight above my parked car.Sure enough ,3 Red Necked Nightjars(51) were hawking insects ! I knew they could be found on the sand dunes at santa Pola ,but this was a surprise and lifted my spirits.Not a lifer,but a great start to the day!Pic is of one at Pego Marsh on previous trip.

I spent 21/2 hours here...and could have spent longer.It was alive with birds.It is one of my favourite reserves I've visited.The other lovely thing about this part of Spain...I was the only birder there!

Hers is the list;Swallows+++,House Martins+++,Swifts(common) hundreds,Pallid swifts(hundreds!),Moorhens++,Coot+(52),Mallard+(53 ),Pochard 3 (54),WHITE HEADED DUCK 4 (55),Water Rail 1 (56) ,Purple Gallinule 2 (57) ,Little egret 3,BW Stilt ++,Little Grebe20+ (58) ,Woodpigeon +,Turtle Dove 4,Hoopoe 4,Little Owl 3,YL GULL++,Whiskered Tern 1,Goldfinch ++,House Sparrow ++,Serin 10+, Blackbird 1(59),Sardinian Warbler +,Reed Wrabler 2,Southern Grey Shrike3 (60), Bee eater 8+,Greenfinch 2,Spotless Starling +,White Wagtail2,,Red Legged Partridge 2 (61) ,Quail (heard 62),Crested Lark 1 (63).And...lots of Rabbitts.
Attached photos from Clots

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with more tomorrow!

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Forgot this one!

[tjbirdofprey]

oohhh makes me hungry cant wait to move, 17 days to go and im in Spain!!!

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I continued down the looping minor coastal rd from the Clots to santa Pola.The beaches were packed and the birding was subsequently difficult .I tried a site in the coastal pines that had produced Rufous Bush Robin with Jules' help in the past ,but possibly too late in the season and without the song on my mobile no luck.There were lots of Audoins Gulls/YLGulls and 3 Whimbrel(64) clinging to a quiet rocky area though.Had a coffee in a beach bar ,looking somewhat incongruous in birding gear and surrounded by scantily clad beauties!Decided to keep moving,hoping for more productive sightings at the Santa Pola Salt Pans ,which are either side of the N332 coastal road.

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Moving south along the N332 ,the first lagoons came into sight.This road bisects the saltpans ,it is busy and dangerous but I managed to pull off onto a dirt track to view the first lagoon.I walked across dried up saltpan(disued ,though some are still being worked) and got going.Present were;
Flamigoes(Greater) +++(65),Avocets+ (66),Redshank 4 (67) Shelduck 1 (68),Greater Crested Grebe6+ (69) Shag 3 (70),Collared Pratincole 60+ (71) Kentish Plover 8+ (72),LR Plover 3,Ringed Plover 2(73), FT Warbler 6+,YL GULL +++,Audoins Gull++,BH Gull 1,Little Tern + (74),Whiskered Tern +,Common Tern2 (75),Grey Heron 3,Black Tailed Godwits 20+,White wagtail 2,Little Egret +,Green Sandpiper 1,Southern Grey Shrike 4,Bee eater2,BW Stilt +++,Slender Billed Gull ++(76),Mallard 6.

The best place to bird comfortab;ly wa sat the southern tip at El Pinet.There is a reserve here with a trail and blinds,away from traffic and offering great photo opportunities.I didn't do the 'whole ' trail,it was INCREDIBLY hot by the saltpans and I was beginning to see 'dabbling Eagle Owls ' in the shallows.Some fluids were called for and 2 litres of 'Gatorade' suyitably downed in one go I headed for my final destination of El Hondo,slightly inland from Santa Pola.

[DOC REED]

forgot little tern;great little birds!

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Normally,the best approach at this reserve is to drive around the margins.Access to the interior has been limited in the past as I understand but I found the main visitor centre for the first time.The staff here were incredibly helpful,giving me several sites to try for my targets of Roller and Montys Harrier.There are 3 trails of varying length from the centre.The best trail is on the other side of the park though,and only opens by arrangement with the centre on 2 days per week.Sadly I have left the tel no in Spain but I would have thought it will be obtainable on internet somewhere.
Anyway,the 2pm doldrums had set in,very,very hot.A short walk produced Red Crested Pochard 6 (77),Mallard+,Purple Heron 2,Collared Pratincole 6,FT warbler +,Gt Reed warbler 1,YL gull +,Cattle Egret 6.I headed by car round the perimeter and spotted a largish bird sat on a wire.ROLLER !!Not a lifer but what a bird!Just getting ready for photo when moped sped by,horn blaring.Adios!Failed with Montys,bit late in season perhaps.

I was knackered so called it a day.Could easily spend whole day exploring El Hondo alone.Next time I will ,and will get there for 'stupid o'clock' to paraphrase a Yorkshire birder.

That evening ,had 2 Hedgehogs in garden(felt odd seeing them in spain) and a Hare running along a quiet rd as we went out for dinner.Almost felt like home,except it was still 32 deg at 8pm!!

More tomorrow ,including the 'Val de gallinera' and inland trip to Petrola/Bonete for steppe species

[Stephen C]

Originally Posted by DOC REED

Other interesting sites were the large butterflies,not in my field guide.Can anyone ID?

Still reading the trip report as the area interests me for a non-work trip some time with a friend (and yes we would definitely use Jules).

Your butterfly is a Plain Tiger apparently. They were all over the place last year up here in Barcelona, but less so this year. Anyway, a client took a photo of one and sent it to an expert. Plain Tiger was the response.

PS Read it now. Nice and straight to the point. Much appreciated and I hope it encourages more people to write reports as they really do help the less well-known areas. The more people that visit, the more the locals see the value of bird tourism, the safer the birds are, etc.

all the best

[DOC REED]

Originally Posted by Stephen C

Still reading the trip report as the area interests me for a non-work trip some time with a friend (and yes we would definitely use Jules).

Your butterfly is a Plain Tiger apparently. They were all over the place last year up here in Barcelona, but less so this year. Anyway, a client took a photo of one and sent it to an expert. Plain Tiger was the response.

PS Read it now. Nice and straight to the point. Much appreciated and I hope it encourages more people to write reports as they really do help the less well-known areas. The more people that visit, the more the locals see the value of bird tourism, the safer the birds are, etc.

all the best

Cheers Stephen

A plea to anyone visiting this area;go to Pego Marsh.It is perennially under devolpment threat.Walk the tracks and let the farmers/fisherman see that you are there for the birds.

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I can drive to the marsh in approx 10 mins ,so had couple of hours ther.Much the same but 1 Marsh Harrier ,1 Little Grebe,1 Red Crested Pochard,and 2 scruffy Stonechats(79)

[tjbirdofprey]

Originally Posted by DOC REED

Cheers Stephen

A plea to anyone visiting this area;go to Pego Marsh.It is perennially under devolpment threat.Walk the tracks and let the farmers/fisherman see that you are there for the birds.

NO!! it isnt is it? when I get to Alicante ill make sure im down there everyday, there not building on it while im there! for God sake, thats going to be one of my local spots and suddenly its nearly under develpment.....

Is there no petition people can sign to stop this?

[DOC REED]

Originally Posted by tjbirdofprey

NO!! it isnt is it? when I get to Alicante ill make sure im down there everyday, there not building on it while im there! for God sake, thats going to be one of my local spots and suddenly its nearly under develpment.....

Is there no petition people can sign to stop this?

My understanding is that its ok for now,latest attempts were averted(I think when a local mayor was arrested for corruption).But anyone visiting the Med can see the pressures for themselves.Visit and be SEEN!

[steve west]

I saw about a dozen Plain Tigers in the Ebro Delta this July, and even one inland in August in the Montsec range.

Steve
http://www.BirdingInSpain.com

[Hotspur]

I saw a few Plain Tigers at El Hondo a few days before Doc

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Another pre dawn start saw me driving along inland aspect of Pego Marsh,as I headed for the Pego to Planes Rd,which essentially climbs the Val de Gallinera.I flushed 2 Red Necked Nightjars off the rd.Leaving Pego town,the rd started to climb and I had no less than 4 roadside Little Owls.

Stopping frequently and exploring tracks,over the morning I added
Robin(80),Blackbird,Wren(81)House sparrow,Spotless starling,Raven,woodpigeon,sardinian warbler,1 Stonechat,1 Crested Tit(82),1 Great tit(83) ,woodchat shrike,swallow,h,Martin,RR swallow, 2 Woodlark(84),2 wryneck(85),(A),1 Bonellis warbler(86),1 Subalpine warbler (87),several Magpie (88),Bee eaters,serin,goldfinch,white wagtail,nightingales,Cettis Warbler(89)Blackcap(90) ,firecrest,spotted flycatcher and Red legged Partridge.The highlight however ,and my target birds,were found at the 'Mirador' after 3 return trips up and down the valley.A huge shape flloated over a ridge and I was soon onto scope filling views of an adult Golden eagle(91).A second promptly appeared,followed by a 3rd,then a 4th,all in view at same time.Presumably the pair with 2 fledged youngsters.Spent an hour watching them,amazing birds and wa sable to start getting a handle on plumage differences etc

On the way down ,climbed into adjacent valley where managed melodious warbler and dartford warbler too(92)

At Pego marsh on way back, a nice flock of 21 Common sandpipers(93) was present,with Little Bittern and Kingfisher the other most notable birds.

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Spent largely around villa,managed 2 brief runs round Pego,.Added single Cirl Bunting(94) on the allotments behind marsh and single Greenshank (95) was new in.More Woodchat shrikes were about and managed semi decent pic of Turtle Dove

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This was my last full day pass,2 hours inland towards Albacete.Another early start and as light dawned it felt as though I was in a different country.The harvest was in,leaving VAST fields of dusty boulder strewn stubbles.
I'd been given superb directions by Jules and my first birding was on the Bonete-Higuereula Rd.With barely any traffic,I scanned the fields from a disused railway bridge.It seemed birdless at first but then the birds came!Crows(96) and magpies lined the roadside wires,as did Common Kestrels(97).A covey of RedLegged Partridges were next but still no sign of the specialities.A few Rock Sparrows(98) on an agricultural building were nice.A small area of grape vines yielded sardinian warbler and then another ,either subalpine or spectacled.A pic was placed on ID forum ,seems no firm ID and I couldn't nail it in the field( a shame as spectacled would be lifer).i include photo again in case anyone can help.By the bridge a flock of 20+ Calandra Larks(99) appeared.I drove a little further,collared doves and woodpigeons and then.... STONE cURLEWS(100) !Not a lifer but crippling views of these (to me) enigmatic birds.I saw 20+ in this area over subsequent couple of hours.A strange call alerted me to 4 Pin Tailed sandgrouse(101) flying over.

Eventually 7 distant blobs materialised into Little Bustards(102).But my target still eluded me.Great Bustard wasn't coming easily but then something HUGE flying...a Great Bustard(102) defying the laws of Physics..my first and only 'lifer' of the trip.!! I returned back down the road and re scanned,immediately thinking how odd it was to see a flock of approx 12 kestrels,swirling around an olive tree.Of course they were Lessers(103)!!

The number of species here was not high,managed swallow,house sparrow,white wagtailspotless starling,woodchat shrike but eventually got onto 7 more Great Bustards,this time on terra firma.

Decided I'd worked this area enough so drove back to Bonete and headed for Corral Rubio.

Immediately came across an almost dried up roadside pool,but which was swarming with birds;
white wag,spotless starling,swallow,swift,moorhen,serin,Lapwing(104), Linnets+++(105),Goldfinch +++,House martins +++ and sparrows+++.A Melodious Warbler was present too.

Stopping at spots en route I added Marsh Harrier,Calandra,Crested Larks,Thekla Larks(106) as well as further Gt Bustard/kestrels and Lesser Kestrels.

Next took a wrong turning in Corral Rubio,but no bother,unepectedly ended up at Fuente Alamo.En route had Buzzard(107),2 Marsh Harriers,30+ Bee eaters.I came to a shallow lagoon,largey dried up but present ere;
Bee eater100+!,Little Ringed Plover3,Little Owl 3,Kentish Plover 5,Lapwing 1,BN Stilt 1,Common sandpiper 1,Moorhen+,coot1,Mallard+,RL Partridge 2 as well as numerous Crested Larks.

Returned Corral Rubio and now found the dirt track over the fields Jules had told me about.Along thes e empty tracks,perfectly driveable with NO traffic,eventually got good views of at least 7 Gt Bustards with Kestrel,Lesser Kestrel,Linnets/Goldfinch,Rock sparrow,single Corn Bunting (108),single Tree Sparrow(109),southern shrike,,woodchat shrikeand Marsh Harrier.

Petrola has a famous lagoon but I was astonished and disappointed to find the main lake COMPLETELY dried up.I'd been hoping for passage wadres but one slimy sludgy area of water held...2 Kentish Plovers onlyI drove around perimeter,and did add 1 Common sandpiper at a small spring.Also 4 Reed warbler,1 Marsh Harrier,Crested Larks + and a single migrant Willow Warbler(110)

I returned back to Bonete via same dirt tracks but only added a wheatear,I think Northern(111).
I ran through PEGO marsh on return to the coast but no new species were in.The following day,at El Verger Safari(next to Pego) my final species was found in the shape of Jackdaws(112).


So ,not a massive tally,caught between residents having moved south and full passage not in swing.Dipped on scops owl/Gt spotted woodpecker/Montys Harrier.I only spent equivalent of 5 full days birding though and with more luck and time and perhaps visits to Albufera de Valencia,Marshes Al Moro(valencia_) and a couple more inland trips should /could have added Golden Oriole/more waders/seabirds and possibly a few more raptors.

My passion for birding in Spain has only been strengthened. by this trip and I enjoyed the slower pace,spent longer studying the birds and TRYING to photograph them.

Thanks again massively to Jules ,and my long suffering wife and kids!

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a few more