The Ebro Delta, Catalonia, Spain (1 Viewer)

[Iben]

Living on the edge of the Ebro Delta in NE Spain (Catalonia), I consider myself lucky. The Ebro delta is the most important wetland area on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, and the second largest in the Iberian Peninsula. It is situated 200 km southwest of Barcelona as an extensive, flat marsh area at the mouth of the river Ebro. The delta is formed by sediments transported seawards by the river, a process which began hundreds of years ago and still continues to change the shape and appearance of the land.

The delta contains several natural habitat types such as lagoons of varying salinity and depth, dunes, shallow beaches and bays, as well as the river and its riparian woodlands. However, the delta is dominated by human activities, and the vast majority of the land is used for agricultural purposes. Rice fields are dominating, but the delta also contains small fruit plantations and salt pans, all adding to the delta’s diversity. The delta attracts millions of birds throughout the year and is well worth a visit at any time of the year.

Breeding birds and their offspring dominate the area during the summer months, offering close views of parental behaviour as thousands of shorebirds, gulls and terns raise their chicks in the relatively open areas. One of the few breeding colonies of Greater Flamingo in the Mediterranean region is situated in the southern part of the delta, as is the World’s most important breeding colony of the rare and beautiful Audouin’s Gull. Big colonies of Common, Sandwich and Gull-billed Terns are found mainly in the northern part of the delta. The delta also holds large breeding populations of Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Night Heron, Little Bittern, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Red-crested Pochard, Purple Gallinule, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Collared Pratincole, Avocet, Kentish Plover and Black-winged Stilt. Great White Egret and Glossy Ibis are also breeding here, although in lower numbers. The passerines of the delta are less conspicuous, but always present. Apart from the more common species - such as Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler and Zitting Cisticola - Savi’s Warbler, Moustached Warbler and Reed Bunting (ssp. witherbyi) can also be found in the extensive reed beds, whereas several species of larks can be found in the more open areas. Crested Lark, Lesser and Greater Short-toed Lark and Skylark are commonly encountered here. In the riparian woodlands species like Penduline Tit and Scops Owl are often found.

The winter months are partly dominated by a whole new set of birds, although several of the breeding birds remain in the delta throughout the winter. The area holds big wintering populations of Mediterranean Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Starling and Spotless Starling. Other interesting winter visitors include Great Cormorant, Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Booted Eagle, Merlin, Lapwing, Short-eared Owl, Water Pipit, Richard’s Pipit (rare), Bluethroat, Black Redstart, and several species of ducks and shorebirds. Yelkouan and Balearic Shearwaters can be seen from the coast throughout the winter, and some Arctic Divers usually remain close to the coast.

 

[Iben]

Baillon's Crake and more

After a couple of dry months, the Ebro Delta is now again flooded and ready for the forthcoming rice season. The channels and rice fields are full of water, and the birds have immediately spread out from the lagoons and bays to once again occupy every single corner of the delta. Most of the breeding birds have returned from their winter quarters, and others are visiting the delta on their way further north. All the herons and egrets are back, along with other breeding birds such as Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, and Great Reed Warbler. Even the pair of Lesser Crested Tern is back at Fangar, blending in well with the numerous Sandwich and Gull-billed Terns in the breeding colony.

A visit yesterday to the Riet Vell reserve run by SEO/Birdlife revealed a group of four Temminck's Stints among the Kentish and Greater Ringed Plovers in the organic rice fields. Wood Sandpipers and Ruffs were also seen here, along with Audouin's, Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls. Common and Whiskered Terns were foraging in the little lagoon, joined briefly by a single Caspian Tern, whilst a very cooperative and photogenic (unfortunately the camera was not mine :C ) Baillon's Crake was preening itself in the reeds just below the observatory. A couple of Rollers were seen along the road in the exact same spot as last year - perhaps they will finally settle down and breed here this year? I'll keep you posted...

 

[Iben]

Nest count in Punta la Banya

Today I was offered the rare opportunity of entering one of the most restricted areas of the Ebro Delta: Punta la Banya - the southern tip of the delta, and the only place in Catalonia with salt pans and breeding Flamingos. The reason for entering was the yearly nest count, today with special attention to Common and Sandwich Terns, Avocets, and other shorebirds. As most of these birds are quite sensitive to disturbance, the main colonies are found inside the restricted area of the salt pans.

The number of birds in Punta la Banya is so impressive that it is at first difficult to comprehend. The shallow water of the salinas provide food for thousands of birds, and the pink colour of the water is reflected in the feathers of most of these. Little Egrets, Yellow-legged Gulls, and Avocets are all foraging side by side, and even the Audouin's Gull is common here (Punta la Banya holds the world's biggest colony of this species, with over 12 000 pairs!). The salt pans host a large colony of Greater Flamingo, where almost 2000 nests were built this year. After last year's total lack of breeding attempts, it was a great relief to see the many brown juveniles huddling in their creche next to the colony this morning.

The terns were in some places nesting so close to each other that you could hardly spot a piece of bare sand in the colony, and some nests even held eggs from more than one species. Avocets were breeding in close association with the terns, and their well-camouflaged eggs and chicks were placed in every suitable location. In addition to the more numerous breeding species of the area, we also saw Slender-billed Gull, Little Tern, Eurasian Spoonbill, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Black-winged Stilt, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Dunlin.

As we were making our way back out towards the beach, I was (and not for the first time) wondering about the possibility of letting people in and showing them the wonderful areas behind the barrier. As usual, though, my thoughts immediately came to a halt when I saw the state of the beach. Cars parked randomly all over the place, dogs running loose, people sunbathing in brightly coloured swimsuits with the car radio on to keep them entertained - all of these things being completely incompatible with the colonies on the other side. So I guess we'll have to leave the salt pans to the birds and enjoy them from the designated spots and observatories; luckily all of the species in question can be seen equally well from there, usually even accompanied by their young offspring.

 

[Iben]

Operation Flamingo 2006

This weekend a long planned and well-organised operation took place in the Ebro Delta. 400 of this year's Flamingo chicks were to be ringed, measured and checked by a team of veterinarians, and close to 200 volunteers participated in the event. The overall coordination was done by the team from the Ebro Delta Nature Park (Parc Natural del Delta de l'Ebre), and the local experts were assisted by their counterparts from Fuente de Piedra where the largest Flamingo colony in Spain is situated.

After an instruction meeting on Saturday afternoon, we all met at 4 am on Sunday morning. Coffee and croissants were distributed, and we then made our way to the salt pans surrounding the breeding colony. In the deep dark Spanish morning, we surrounded the flamingos in their creche, and later, in the dim, multi-coloured morning light, we gently led them to the funnel-structure designed to catch the chicks. Around five hundred, or roughly half of the young flamingos, were kept in the corral from which they were to be handed to the carriers, and it was amazing to see these peculiar birds close up.

As the sun rose above the Mediterranean, we started the ringing. Five groups were going through the same procedures simultaneously - ringing, measuring, weighing, and release - whilst a 6th group was in charge of taking medical samples for later analysis. In each group a number of people were assigned to the job of carrying the birds to the ringers, and this job inevitably meant very close contact with the chicks.

Most of the captured flamingos had reached a height of around one meter and a weight of 2-3 kg, and some of them proved quite a challenge to handle. Although they were still unable to fly, both their legs and their wings were incredibly strong, and being a flamingo carrier was not always easy! My first assigned youngster was highly aggressive and kept pecking at my arms and hair, and I was unable to do anything about it as both my hands were busy keeping the long legs under control. However, after a while the long neck was curled up, and the bird relaxed like a little angel in my arms.

The whole ringing session only took a couple of hours, and soon after the rest of the captured flamingos were released. Seeing the flock run out of the corral was in some weird way rather emotional, and we all stood speechless as they ran towards the rising sun and the rest of their group. We quickly packed up and made our way out of the area, leaving the birds in peace.

So now, for anyone visiting the delta or any other area with resident or visiting flamingos, there are 400 more reasons to check out those long legs and have a look for rings. This year the rings of the Ebro Delta chicks carry an X and a three-digit number starting with 5. So go look for them...X531 was my clear favourite, by the way! Very well-behaved.

Pictures of the Flamingo ringing in 2004 (and perhaps later also this year's operation) can be found at the website of the local photographer Juan Gil: http://www.deltadelebro.org/principal.htm

 

[Bubbs]

Iben, thanks for these wonderful posts; we are all very jealous as to where you live....are there any bed and breakfasts rooms near you????


John.

 

[Iben]

Hi John

Thanks for your message. There are plenty of small hotels and rural cottages in the area, both in the delta itself and in the surrounding towns and villages. You are welcome to contact me for further recommendations if you are interested in visiting.

Best wishes,

Iben

 

[Iben]

Birding in the height of summer

This weekend's birding trip in the Ebro Delta was yet another testimonial to the area's year-round birding qualities. In the crazy summer heat, a Danish birder arrived with his family, and - despite the high temperatures and the baking sun - he was determined to get out and photograph some of the birds in the delta. A total of 84 species were recorded during the day, and Claus actually succeeded in getting good shots of most of them!

Apart from Squacco Heron and Little and Cattle Egrets, which were abundant in the rice fields, our first bird of the day was nothing less than a Scops Owl spotted at its roosting site by the river. After this first encounter, we went on to the observatory at l'Alfacada, where Glossy Ibis and Great White Egret were numerous. A group of six Marsh Sandpipers were foraging in the low lagoon of Illa de Buda, where Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, and Spotted Redshank were also spending the morning.

Signs of a stir in the shorebirds of northern Europe are becoming evident in the delta, and we recorded the first Lapwings of the season along with Curlew, Whimbrel, Green and Wood Sandpipers, and large numbers of Little Ringed Plover. The reedbeds at El Clot proved to be teeming with Little Bittern, and Kingfisher, Penduline Tit, Savi's Warbler and Reed Bunting (ssp. witherbyi) also showed up in the midday heat. While the Purple Gallinules were posing for the camera, the Purple Herons seemed to take off at the slightest release of the car's accelerator, and despite their ubiquity it was hard work to find a suitable subject for a photograph.

At Pont del Través we experienced the drama of the day, as three Black-headed Gulls successfully hunted the ducklings of a Red-crested Pochard. She started out with four youngsters and was left with just two, whereas the young gull learned a lesson and earned a meal. Tough stuff, but a regular happening in the life of a delta duck. The many channels of the area provide herons and gulls with easy prey during the breeding season, as the steep edges in most places prevent the ducklings from escaping.

After lunch we headed for the northern part of the delta, where we encountered numerous Gull-billed Terns with their chicks. The Gull-bills were resting alongside Little, Common, and Whiskered Terns, making comparison easy, and plenty of Great Reed Warblers were singing all around us. Flamingo, Slender-billed Gull, Grey Plover, and Bar-tailed Godwit, were foraging in the bay, and in the dense vegetation we had the opportunity to study the two local subspecies of Yellow Wagtail; iberiae and cinereocapilla.

On our way through the rice fields, we spotted a Little Owl hiding between the tiles of a broken roof; staying out in the open just long enough for us to enjoy its sleepy appearance. A group of Collared Pratincole was seen close-up at the Encanyissada, where large chicks and adults seemed to be socialising more than anything. The last half hour before dinner was spent hunting for larks in the salty vegetation at la Tancada. Crested Lark and Skylark were the most abundant, yet with a bit of patience both Greater and Lesser Short-toed Larks showed up. The last sighting of the day was a flock of Whimbrel crossing the rosy sky, disappearing somewhere over the Tancada lagoon.

 

[Bubbs]

Great atmospheric report, Iben. Keep them coming please.

John.

 

[Iben]

Pectoral Sandpiper at last

Waking up to yet another sunny day in the Ebro Delta, we headed out for a morning of birdwatching in the southern part of the delta with Michelle and Francesco from Zürich. As they were staying in the village of Eucaliptus, we started off in the nearby organic rice fields of Riet Vell. Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, and Curlew Sandpiper, were present among the usual Black-winged Stilts and numerous Black-headed Gulls, and we stayed for a while observing them as they were foraging in the early morning light.

From Riet Vell we continued on towards the lagoon of Alfacada, and on the way we stopped at an experimental field which is currently empty of crops. The field was practically swarming with shorebirds, and the first scanning of the field was almost stressfull - carefully checking out each bird is not always easily combined with the desire to scan for anything unusual, particularly as several American vagrants have been seen in the delta this summer! In addition to the species encountered in Riet Vell, this site held Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Little Stint, and even a single Temminck's Stint. A couple of Marsh Sandpipers were foraging alongside the varicoloured groups of Ruff in the field, and Curlew Sandpipers in all shades of red were interspersed between the numerous other shorebirds. A group of Glossy Ibis passed overhead, and Purple and Grey Herons were foraging in the surrounding rice fields. After watching the spectacle for a while, I suddenly discovered an unusual bird next to a couple of male Ruffs. Smaller, with paler legs and a distinctly striped breast; the Pectoral Sandpiper was still to be found in the delta! A great surprise for Francesco, who wasn't aware that a Pectoral Sandpiper was around, and a new species for me, who had so far managed to miss this bird on numerous birding trips. :king:

We went on to the tower at Alfacada in high spirits. One of the first birds entering our field of view was a Great Cormorant passing the observatory, from where we also had great views of Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, and Little Bittern. Whiskered Terns were hunting elegantly over the channel along with Barn Swallows and Sand Martins, and several groups of Black Terns passed by the beach. Purple Gallinules followed by their large and long-legged offspring demonstrated their foraging techniques, and a Kingfisher was calling repeatedly from its hiding place somewhere below the observatory.

On the other side of the channel, on Illa de Buda, a group of Flamingos added a touch of pink to the drab colours of the numerous moulting ducks foraging in the lagoon. The first Greylag Goose of the season had settled down on the island, and the Ruddy Shelduck seen since the 28th of July was also still present. Yellow Wagtails occupied every little bush, and a group of Avocet were foraging in the shallow water. An adult Mediterranean Gull in winter plumage testified to the fact that summer is coming to an end, but nevertheless we were happy to see it.

Our next stop was at Pont del Través, where we encountered both Little and Great Crested Grebes with chicks. Although relatively common to most birders, the sight of a Little Grebe feeding an even smaller one is always worth an extra few minutes. Some Red-crested Pochards slowly paddled along, and large groups of Coots were starting to form in the open areas of the lagoons of Encanyissada and El Clot.

Our last stops were around the salty lagoon called La Tancada. Here, we added Slender-billed Gull, Sandwich Tern, and Lesser Short-toed Lark to our list, and we also had superb views of Avocets with their young at close range. Just before lunchtime we called it a day and agreed to meet again soon. Thanks to Francesco and Michelle for a great morning.

A full species list for the day can be found here.

 

[Stephen C]

Ebro Delta

As we were making our way back out towards the beach, I was (and not for the first time) wondering about the possibility of letting people in and showing them the wonderful areas behind the barrier. As usual, though, my thoughts immediately came to a halt when I saw the state of the beach. Cars parked randomly all over the place, dogs running loose, people sunbathing in brightly coloured swimsuits with the car radio on to keep them entertained - all of these things being completely incompatible with the colonies on the other side.

Iben

I have to agree here and have never understood why its allowed to go on. Surely it can't be that difficult to stop people leaving all that litter; even a few signs would probably make a difference as, as disgraceful as it is, most people do it without thinking.

By the way, I'd love to help out with these counts, surveys or anything else that's coming up.

Great reports by the way.

All the best

 

[Turuno]

Iben

I have to agree here and have never understood why its allowed to go on. Surely it can't be that difficult to stop people leaving all that litter; even a few signs would probably make a difference as, as disgraceful as it is, most people do it without thinking.

All the best

But you live in Spain (as do we now) so are you rally surprised? When we first arrived we too were horrified but we have been told (by Spaniards) that although they keep their own homes spotless, everywhere else is always someone elses responsibility - so , for instance, after a beach BBQ we have seen families just leave their rubbish scattered around!

It would be *extremely difficult* to change them!

 

[Stephen C]

Litter

It would be *extremely difficult* to change them!

On the contrary, I have a lot of faith in humanity still, despite my long years! I remember as a child the same thing in the UK, but I think things have improved immeasurably there over the years.

Also, look at the dramatic decrease in road deaths over the last few months since the campaign and introduction of the 'points' system and before that the new smoking laws reduced cigarette sales.

People do stuff because everyone else does and this is the greatest weapon. Change a few then everyone follows.

Hope I've changed your mind a little but I do take your point.

All the best

 

[Andrew]

A handful of those birds up here in Devon would be just the ticket.

Nice birding.

 

[Iben]

A litter question?

Unfortunately I think the potential problem in the Ebro Delta right now is much more than a litter question. The mass tourism that has rolled down the coast of Catalonia for decades has now almost reached the delta itself. The people here have been waiting for this for years, and many farmers want to sell their land to the highest bidding construction company. The tourists want new, unspoiled places for enjoying beaches and paellas, and the Ebro Delta is perfect for this purpose. The sandy beaches are truly gorgeous, and the paellas are wonderful too. However, a unique place like the delta with its finely tuned ecology (although dominated by man), will not remain wonderful for long if the tourism is not guided in the right direction. Considering the huge extension of the delta, it is difficult to determine just how much concrete-covered earth is too much - until it is too late - but the area certainly needs some degree of protection to maintain its status as an amazing, year-round, bird haven.

It is not necessary to build holiday apartments in the middle of the delta, nor is it necessary to have campsites (legal or illegal) directly on the beach. The last remains of river forest need not be cut down to create a building complex with superb views of the river. But, although such buildings will most likely remain empty throughout the winter and only be full during the months of July and August, all this is not far from happening.

Luckily, another thing is happening too. A group of local organisations and companies, including the Ebro Delta Nature Park, are trying to promote and develop sustainable, nature-friendly tourism in the area. Birdwatching and other outdoor activities can easily be combined with paellas and beaches; it is the respect for and attitude towards the area that is so immensely important. Only very few people believe that this is the way forward, so if you're visiting the area for its natural values, please make sure that the people in hotels or restaurants know why you're here. Sadly, most of them need money on the table to believe in conservation of natural values and litter-free environments!

 

[Stephen C]

Ednp

...including the Ebro Delta Nature Park, are trying to promote and develop sustainable, nature-friendly tourism in the area.

As I said above Iben, although I live near barcelona, I'm keen to help. Do you have a contact for the above group?

All the best

 

[Iben]

Cheers Stephen!

Hi Stephen

Sorry I forgot to answer your above post - I got kind of carried away with the tourism issue.

Help is often appreciated for the counts and surveys in the delta, particularly as these things are often organised in the last minute. I will let you know if anything is planned well in advance, so you will have a chance to get down from Barcelona.

Currently the group of local companies, farmers and organisations is only just getting started. Cristian and I were invited to participate as we live in the area and run a company with an obvious interest in keeping the delta as wild as possible. It is not possible to join the group as such, but we will surely keep you in mind if any possibility for collaboration comes up.

Thanks very much for your interest, it's nice to know that other people appreciate the area as much as we do!

Best wishes,

Iben

 

[Stephen C]

Help

Help is often appreciated for the counts and surveys in the delta, particularly as these things are often organised in the last minute. I will let you know if anything is planned well in advance, so you will have a chance to get down from Barcelona.

It is not possible to join the group as such, but we will surely keep you in mind if any possibility for collaboration comes up.

Iben

Great, you can get my email address from this forum or my website. I also liked the point about letting people on the delta know why you're there so from now on, when I use the restaurants, etc. I'll make sure they know I'm doing birding tours.

Look forward to hearing from. Meanwhile, perhaps we'll meet on the delta.

All the best

 

[Iben]

Flamingo pictures online

The pictures of the Flamingo ringing 2006 can now be viewed online at www.deltadelebro.org. The series contains more than 400 pictures, so you need a lot of time to see them all - but at least take a quick look! It really was a spectacular day!

Here is a direct link to the Flamingo photos (click on 'Adelante' to see the following pages):
http://www.deltadelebro.org/anellament2006/base0.html

Enjoy

 

[Iben]

Signs of winter at 30ºC

On Friday morning (August 18th) we met with Martin, Tina, and Roshni, at the train station in L'Ampolla. Our aim was a full day of birdwatching in the Ebro Delta, and we headed straight for the nearby lagoon of Les Olles. Hardly out of L'Ampolla, we noticed our first Squacco Heron, and the elegant Whiskered Terns were all out looking for their first meal of the day. As we stopped at the lagoon we were surrounded by birds, and both Moustached and Cetti's Warblers were singing in the reedbeds. Both these species are much more numerous in the delta in winter, and this was indeed just the first of a number of indications that winter is approaching rapidly - however weird it does seem at almost 30ºC! The next winter visitors passed us at high speed and with shrill, high-pitched calls; a pair of Kingfishers made their way along the channel. Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Savi's Warbler, and Great Reed Warbler (one of the indications that summer is not yet over!) were all actively foraging around the path, and a single Hen Harrier was seen gliding over Les Olles.

Although the water level was rather high (considering the lack of tidal movements in the Mediterranean), we encountered numerous shorebirds along the Fangar Bay. Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Dunlin were resting on the mudflats, and a group of Flamingos were present in the shallow water of the bay. A single Whimbrel was spotted in the distance, and a mixed group of Pallid and Common Swifts were circling overhead. Little Terns were hunting over the bay, where Slender-billed and Black-headed Gulls lay rocking on the subtle waves.

A coffee break and numerous Little Egrets later, we found ourselves at the Garxal hide. Here, the egrets included Great White for easy comparison, and the shallow water appeared to hold fish of a very impressive size. After checking all the coots and ducks for any unusual visitors, our attention was attracted by a fast-moving shorebird flying past on the other side of the lagoon. The flash of a white rump, a glimpse of reddish brown wings - the Collared Pratincoles hadn't all left after all! Whilst following the pratincole, a second white rump entered our field of view and stole the limelight; a young Montagu's Harrier went in for a morning roost in the reedbeds surrounding the lagoon. Luckily a second pratincole soon appeared; this was one of the few species that Martin and Tina had particularly wanted to see.

After lunch we headed for the currently best field for shorebirds in the delta. An incredible variety of birds seem to forage continuously in this field, and we were not disappointed. Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, and Temminck's Stint, were interspersed with the more numerous Ruff and Black-winged Stilt, and a large group of Black-tailed Godwit stood quietly in the opposite end of the field. One of them was marked with a number of colour rings matching the codes currently used in the Netherlands, so now we are waiting for news on the origin of this individual. Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, and Green Sandpiper, all added to the diversity of the scene, and with a bit of patience a few of both Common Snipe and Lapwing were found near the edges of the field. A single Shelduck was also present, seeming huge and slightly out of place among all the sandpipers and stints.

At the tower of Migjorn we finally encountered a group of Glossy Ibis. This species is rather unpredictable at this time of year, as they tend to form large groups which forage together at seemingly random sites, so we were happy to find them. Little Bittern had already been added to our list, but at Migjorn we had the chance to really enjoy this beautiful little heron - a male stopped on a large branch on the other side of the channel, and he stayed out in the open long enough for everyone to have a good look. In Illa de Buda we saw Avocet, Spotted Redshank, Purple Gallinule, and Mediterranean Gull, but there was no sign of the Ruddy Shelduck present earlier this month - perhaps it has moved into the central part of the island!?

Although the departure of the train was rapidly approaching, we decided to go to Pont del Través to finish the day. Little and Great Crested Grebes were present in the small channels surrounding El Clot, and Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, and Gadwall were found in the lagoon itself.

As we made our way out of the delta, we saw a Common Kestrel which finished off our day list and landed us on a total of 85 species. We said our goodbyes at the train station of L'Aldea and agreed to meet again somewhere, sometime. Thanks for a great trip to Roshni, Tina & Martin - we had a lovely day!

A full list of species recorded can be seen here.

 

[Iben]

Dotterel - a new species on my local patch list

Yesterday, as the sun was setting behind the Montsià mountain chain, we slowly made our way towards the bird observatory at Pont del Través. It had been a long day in the field, with eight birdwatchers from four different countries, but the light was just right so we decided to make the most of it. Passing an empty field, a group of ringed plovers attracted our attention. Closer examination of the field revealed three larger birds which were very well camouflaged in the dry field, and a quick group council voted that I should get out the scope and check out those three birds. As I scanned the field, a sneaking suspicion came over me that I was about to make a new addition to my local patch list! :eek!: As soon as I saw the birds through the scope, I knew that I was right: Dotterels! A very pretty shorebird which unfortunately only visits the delta very briefly each autumn. There was one juvenile and two adults, and all of them walked quietly about, totally unaware of our presence. We all took our time to enjoy them, called a few friends who had never seen this species before, and then we went on to the lagoon of El Clot. Here we were rewarded with both Little Bittern and Kingfisher perched in the reeds next to the observatory, plus a couple of Hoopoes sitting on the path leading to the small SEO/Birdlife reserve by the lagoon. A large, swirling flock of starlings came in to roost in the reedbeds like a black liquid running off the roseate sky, and their spectacular show was a nice finale to another wonderful, although rather windy, day on the delta.