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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Birding in Alicante Province (1 Viewer)

Apparently the AW Magpie was at El Clot but I couldnt find it when I was there. I got 29 bites to face and neck at El Hondo despite being in a hoodie. Viscious!

Thanks Hotspur,
i didnt know about the Clot sighting, but it was only 2 mile away as the Magpie flys!

I got a total of 18 bites which swelled up overnight. Person i was with was untouched!

d
 
For anyone visiting El Hondo over the next period bring strong insect repellent as they took a fancy to me last weekend!

derek

haha! I must have missed the worst of it; even though I was there on my bike in only shorts and t-shirt, I only got 3 bites, although 2 did itch like hell! I think the 100s of swifts were managing to swallow anything that got too close....
 
Back in Spain for another two weeks, the mozzies aren't too bad at the moment, spent an afternoon in the Clot de Galvany and only got bitten once.

My first photographic expedition was to the Carabassi woods to see if the Rufous Bushchats were back and indeed they were - at least 3 singing males.

You know how everyone keeps various lists - birds seen in the garden, local patch, county, country, abroad etc? Well I have decided to keep a new list which I hope others may contribute to. While I was taking the attached photos, at one point the Bushchat was right over my head, and proceeded to do what birds do.

I have been pooped on by Pigeons and various species of gull, but I bet I am one of the few on BirdForum who has been anointed by a Rufous Bushchat...:-O
 

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I'm sure we've all seen Barn Swallows collecting nest mud, but here in Alicante we are fortunate enough to see Red-rumped Swallows as well. The water levels in my local reserve have been allowed to fall - not good news for the local ducks and other aquatic birds, but the mud flats make a good DIY shopping centre for the swallows of both species.

Every cloud as they say - it is a worry though, the reserve is owned by Elche Council, and as water costs money, it looks as though the Spanish economic crisis will have an adverse effect on wildlife as well...:C
 

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Three weeks and counting until my next visit to Spain :)

I'm wondering what I might be able to find at this time of year. From previous years, I know I should pick up rollers and bee-eaters, and probably also hoopoe and turtle doves around the Urbanizacion. And then I'm sure there'll be red-rumped swallow and alpine swift around the coasts.

Anyone know if there is much to report on the salinas or at El Hondo?
 
Off to Guardamar del Segura again next week.

Since I don't drive, I normally just gravitate to one of the parks at either end of the town or stroll along the river past the football field.

Is there anywhere I can easily get to by bus and see some birds?

Excellent thread and very informative.
 
Off to Guardamar del Segura again next week.

Since I don't drive, I normally just gravitate to one of the parks at either end of the town or stroll along the river past the football field.

Is there anywhere I can easily get to by bus and see some birds?

Excellent thread and very informative.

I'm in La Marina at the moment and been seeing good birds in several locations. Not sure about bus routes though. For what it's worth, El Pinet at the very north end of La Marina might be an option. If you can get a bus into La Marina, El Pinet is 10 minutes walk down hill! Next stop for me is the two-lake area of Torreveja-La Mata which I'm sure might also be possible by bus from Guardamar heading south.

I had 4 Curlew Sandpiper at El Pinet briefly this week and also lots of Collared Pratincole. Also v good for stilt, avocet and flamingo - although many more of the latter at El Hondo this year. Several Kentish Plover and Slender billed gull too.

If you get a chance, and don't mind a 3 or 4 mile walk, you might also want to take a walk around some of the farmland west of the N332 from Guardamar (maybe start off along the path the Rojales along the river and divert off along one or more of the tracks) as I've had large flocks of Glossy ibis in with the egrets several times - mostly early morning.

Good luck... And please do report back!
 
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So, as alluded to above, a good trip for birds so far.

Two trips to El Hondo/El Fondo have provided two lifers for me, with an early evening trip last week being especially good. First was a very good view of a Little Bittern which flew into reeds right opposite one of the public hides near the visitor centre and spent around 5 minutes surveying the lake from a perch high up the reeds before flying to more reeds left of the hide where it was beautifully illuminated by the setting sun. Then no sooner had it disappeared than a chuckling purple swamphen burst out of the reeds directly in front of the hide and into cover nearby. Surprisingly big bird yet remarkably good at hiding itself away!

Also had a couple of brief visits to the public hides by the main road to Dolores (Vistabella road I think), giving remarkably good views of flamingo and stilt but also with a small flock of black-tailed godwit and plenty of whiskered terns. Was also surprised to find a couple of white-headed duck in the water right by the main road, having only seen them before with much patience further into El Hondo.

Finally, through my other amblings about by bike, I've managed to find roller (on the wires above the road near Urb Oasis), bee-eater (near where you suggested Mark, there were around 50 on the pylons and wires! But also had several fly over the house on Urb La Marina), little owl (2 not far from Iceland in La Marina early one morning!), whinchat (on artichoke heads in a field near Dolores), grey shrike, crested lark (I think...not sure of the differences with Thekla lark) and, I'm pretty sure, also a tawny pipit on a phone wire over tracks near Urb La Marina.

Finally, a mystery raptor crouched on top of a dead palm-tree trunk near the marked-out cycle route from El Hondo to San Fulgencio. Mid-sized to small, it was very rufous breasted possibly with a darker tail, and clearly paler legs. Difficult to judge any facial markings due to its posture, but appeared to have a paler neck or face band. The top of the tree trunk was quite well marked with droppings so I assume it's a regular perch but I have not seen it again since, and i admit it's a complete mystery!!
 
Had a cycle over to La Mata/Torrevieja lakes early this morning and must admit to being a little disappointed. Where are all the birds?! Had several crested lark around the lake and a single hoopoe, but the water was almost completely devoid of life!

Admittedly I didn't circumnavigate the whole of either lake, but the parts I visited were extremely quiet. La Mata had 4 common sandpiper on a small island and 2 coots and one fly-by from a yellow-legged gull, while Torrevieja lagoon seemed to contain no birdlife at all except for a flock of gulls too distant to identify.

Is there a problem at this reserve? Or is it more suited to spring migrants? I looked ideal habitat for waders so it was disappointing to find so little.
 
Most of the galerida larks at La Mata are Theklas. I usually have to work for a crested when I visit there.

Thanks Must admit I wasn't sure. The song was 3-4 notes which I took to be crested but in all honesty I struggle to differentiate the two. What do you use as your main pointers?
 
Most of the galerida larks at La Mata are Theklas. I usually have to work for a crested when I visit there.


Thanks Must admit I wasn't sure. The song was 3-4 notes which I took to be crested but in all honesty I struggle to differentiate the two. What do you use as your main pointers?
 
Hi there, looking for some help and advice on where to go birding near to Murcia. I'm heading there in April for the first time and just looking to find out where the best sights are and what I can expect to see.

Many thanks in advance

Dennis
 
Hi there, looking for some help and advice on where to go birding near to Murcia. I'm heading there in April for the first time and just looking to find out where the best sights are and what I can expect to see.

Many thanks in advance

Dennis

I am going to Torrevieja next month (April) so any news, tips or other gen would be most helpful. Bought the Graham Ctitchell book direct from his website and am waiting for Mark Palmer's A Birdwatching Guide to Eastern Spain from Amazon.

Regards

David
 
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Coming over for a long weekend from Wednesday to Tuesday, so looking forward to getting back to El Hondo and getting my 2013 Spain list going. Woohoo! :t:

I'm thinking of seeing if I can get up to the mountains north of Crevillente on my bike, but it's probably on the limits of where my legs can get me from La Marina. Are there any good lower lying parts of the Serra de Crevillent that would be a good bet for some of the key species there (especially raptors), or is it necessary to go all the way up into the mountains?
 
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So, I hauled my way up to Crevillent today, into a strong breeze as well as up hill, taking the road around the north of El Hondo from Urb La Marina. I then headed up into the mountains, coming to a couple of signs showing circular walks (pilgrim walks?) so took the rough road heading northwards and upwards, eventually reaching the end of the accessible road and two further tracks both sign-posted Prohibidar so I thought I could go no further. However a grip of mountain bikers came by and went through, so I tried following them, only for them to go off-track pretty quickly. So I turned back, but still made it up to some nice rocky valleys. And what I'd I get for my efforts? Raptor? No! Interesting mountain species? No! Greenfinch and serin? Yes!

Also called in to the two hides near the visitor centre at El Hondo on the way back, but lustred conditions meant very little on view, although had 3 or 4 whiskered terns by the viewing tower
 
So, I hauled my way up to Crevillent today, into a strong breeze as well as up hill, taking the road around the north of El Hondo from Urb La Marina. I then headed up into the mountains, coming to a couple of signs showing circular walks (pilgrim walks?) so took the rough road heading northwards and upwards, eventually reaching the end of the accessible road and two further tracks both sign-posted Prohibidar so I thought I could go no further. However a grip of mountain bikers came by and went through, so I tried following them, only for them to go off-track pretty quickly. So I turned back, but still made it up to some nice rocky valleys. And what I'd I get for my efforts? Raptor? No! Interesting mountain species? No! Greenfinch and serin? Yes!

Have a look at this site Mark.

http://www.fincabonelliseagle.es/index.html
 
Thanks. Wasn't too far off! Will try heading that way next time. Any idea if there's much to see at the lake near Crevillent? Thought I might call by there next time.

Sorry we never really checked out the lake, we did have a couple of Black Wheatears nearby though.

Finca Bonelli's Eagle is in the centre of the map, it's worth dropping in for lunch. We stayed there for a few days and I remember sitting outside with a cold beer watching the Bonelli's Eagles and with a Black Wheatear hopping around my feet. Now that's birding.
 

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