rosbifs
PutAin STOP
A few extended days in Spain.
The plan is to kick off round Aguamolls and then head to 'Los Monegros' again. Bit boring repeating but hey - always got the spanish Little Bustards to find (having missed them twice last year.
To start I must say I'm a little dissappointed with Aguamolls this year. The reeds have been allowed to grow enormously. You can't even see out of one hide - othe rthan looking over the tops of the reeds! I guess the reasoning is to give good cover for winter but it does make life a little difficult. That said I get the impression that not a lot is around.
I have increased the holiday bird count to 129 which isn't too bad considering the amount of birding prior to the family heading to England on Wednesday.
Hoopoe was nice this morning as was a suprise Black Kite and Turtle Dove. All very late. Spanish Green Wood, a very brief Bluethroat, Spoonbill and an Audoins Gull all great to get.
My heart stopped last night as near Vilaut (an offshoot reserve) a Curlew/Whimbrel type bird flushed away into the distance. Not too strange apart from the fact that the back was unmarked - all brown. The problem is I didn't see a lot of the bird - well the back only - and I can't find it! I have been back twice already and searched the surrounding areas. Its obviously going to be the one that got away. I have read, on here for one, that there can be some variations so there you go.
Otherwise I have been sifting through Meadow Pipits trying to find a REd Throat. All to no avail.
Tomorrow I'm off to find the tip and get the bird count up at the beach - hopefully.
The plan is to kick off round Aguamolls and then head to 'Los Monegros' again. Bit boring repeating but hey - always got the spanish Little Bustards to find (having missed them twice last year.
To start I must say I'm a little dissappointed with Aguamolls this year. The reeds have been allowed to grow enormously. You can't even see out of one hide - othe rthan looking over the tops of the reeds! I guess the reasoning is to give good cover for winter but it does make life a little difficult. That said I get the impression that not a lot is around.
I have increased the holiday bird count to 129 which isn't too bad considering the amount of birding prior to the family heading to England on Wednesday.
Hoopoe was nice this morning as was a suprise Black Kite and Turtle Dove. All very late. Spanish Green Wood, a very brief Bluethroat, Spoonbill and an Audoins Gull all great to get.
My heart stopped last night as near Vilaut (an offshoot reserve) a Curlew/Whimbrel type bird flushed away into the distance. Not too strange apart from the fact that the back was unmarked - all brown. The problem is I didn't see a lot of the bird - well the back only - and I can't find it! I have been back twice already and searched the surrounding areas. Its obviously going to be the one that got away. I have read, on here for one, that there can be some variations so there you go.
Otherwise I have been sifting through Meadow Pipits trying to find a REd Throat. All to no avail.
Tomorrow I'm off to find the tip and get the bird count up at the beach - hopefully.