To my relief, El Hondo was virtually deserted today, so birds on the larger public pond were much closer to the hide. Highlights were a couple of purple swamphen, one on the larger pool which walked along the reeds on the island in front of the hide for 10-15 minutes, before striding out across the shallow water all the way across the pond to the main western bank (what big feet!), and one on the smaller pond appearing only briefly. Again lots of herons and waders, but some ID problems for me which I need to work through with my photos and Collins guide (but at least 5 squacco heron and one night heron)
So the waders turned out to be a couple of
curlew sandpiper and a
little stint, both new for my lifetime Spain list, and rather a surprise (seems early to me for Autumn migrants...?).
Further visits to the hides on Vistabella road - all three of them - were also quite productive for wading birds, with a
great white egret present on one visit, and again several
squacco heron, a couple of moulting
curlew sandpiper, with
kentish plover and
ringed plover. Also spent a good hour being entertained by 2-3 large family groups of
little grebe fishing directly in front of one of the hides, the birds often very clearly visible under the water scattering shoals of tiny fish.
A trip by the Rio Vinalopolo bridge was not overly rewarding, although it was yet another site holding squacco heron, and also had good views of a
roller.
Last but not least, on my last day, I had a final cycle along the N332 past the Santa Pola salinas, which held a glut of small waders- one group of 8 birds feeding no more than 20ft from the road containing 4 species - 2
dunlin, 2
little ringed plover and a
little stint, plus 2 juvenile and 1 adult
avocet. And the pool furthest south contained around 200-300
flamingo, plus many more
avocet and
stilt.
So the Spain total for 2013 reached 90 species (10 more than last year): 61 species on my brief visit over Easter, and 78 species in August. I know there are still species I am missing out on because of my poor identification skills and lack of time/patience, but am still pleased with this total, and it included 3 lifers for me.
For the record, species seen roughly in order, with first sighting location were:
Spotless Starling, Urb La Marina, March
House sparrow, Urb La Marina, March
Southern grey shrike, Urb La Marina, March
Sardinian warbler, Urb La Marina, March
Serin, Urb La Marina, March
Common swift, Urb La Marina, March
Feral pigeon/rock dove, Urb La Marina, March
Magpie, Urb La Marina, March
Cormorant, Urb La Marina, March
Kestrel, Urb canals, March
Woodpigeon, Urb canals, March
Red-legged partridge, Urb canals, March
Cuckoo, Urb canals, March
Little egret, CV-860 Elche road, March
White/pied wagtail, Elche road, March
Zitting cisticola, Elche road, March
Collared dove, Elche road, March
Crested lark, Elche road, March
Glossy ibis, Elche road, March
Moorhen, Rio Vinapolo, March
Blackbird, Rio Vinapolo, March
Little grebe, Rio Vinapolo, March
Snipe, Rio Vinapolo, March
Mallard, Rio Vinapolo, March
Barn swallow, Rio Vinapolo, March
Hoopoe, La Marina scrub, March
Common tern, El Pinet, March
Black-headed gull, El Pinet, March
Mediterranean gull, El Pinet, March
Slender-billed gull, El Pinet, March
Black-winged stilt, El Pinet, March
Avocet, El Pinet, March
Greater flamingo, El Pinet, March
Shelduck, El Pinet, March
Goldfinch, El Pinet, March
Great white egret, El Hondo, March
Pochard, El Hondo, March
Red-crested pochard, El Hondo, March
Coot, El Hondo, March
Great crested grebe, El Hondo, March
Reed warbler, El Hondo, March
White-headed duck, El Hondo, March
Cetti's warbler, El Hondo, March
Marsh harrier, El Hondo, March
Whiskered tern, El Hondo, March
Collared pratincole, El Hondo, March
Yellow-legged gull, El Hondo, March
Cattle egret, El Hondo, March
Black-tailed godwit, El Hondo, March
Grey heron, Vistabella road, March
Wood sandpiper, Vistabella road, March
Northern wheatear, Vistabella road, March
Greenfinch, Serra de Crevillent, March
Mute swan, Guardamar, March
Audouin's gull, Guardamar, March
Great tit, Rio Segura, March
Green woodpecker, Rio Segura, March
Sandwich tern, Playa El Pinet, April
Sanderling, Playa El Pinet, April
Bee-eater, Urb La Marina, April
Black-necked grebe , El Hondo, April
Woodchat shrike, La Marina, August
Green sandpiper, Vistabella road, August
House martin, Vistabella road, August
Common sandpiper , Urb canals, August
Little owl, El Pinet, August
Little tern, El Pinet, August
Kentish plover, El Pinet, August
Roller, Urb Oasis road, August
Stone curlew, El Hondo, August
Purple heron, El Hondo, August
Little bittern, El Hondo, August
Redshank, El Hondo, August
Kingfisher, El Hondo, August
Long-tailed tit, Guardamar, August
Squacco heron, Urb canals, August
Night heron, El Hondo, August
Dunlin, El Hondo, August
Lapwing, El Hondo, August
Curlew sandpiper, El Hondo, August
Turnstone, Santa Pola salinas, August
Ringed plover, Santa Pola salinas, August
Spotted redshank, Santa Pola salinas, August
Pallid swift, Santa Pola salinas, August
Jackdaw, San Felipe Neri, August
Shoveler, El Hondo, August
Purple swamphen, El Hondo, August
Little stint, Santa Pola salinas, August
Little ringed plover, Santa Pola salinas, August
Monk Parakeet, Barcelona, August