Marian’s 2008 Year List (1 Viewer)

[madamcoolpix]

Christmas present

Halleluja!!! o

Finally I had a chance to go birding and it couldn't be better! A family trip to Covadonga (in Picos de Europa Nacional Park) in Christmas Day provided me with a spectacular Christmas gift that came down the mountains in the shape of a Wallcreeper!!! :bounce: The bird showed up first on the walls of the Basilica of this Holy place (Picture 1) and later foraging by the sides of a path, at very short distance (Picture 2). A pity the light was very poor, I ruined the chance of my life to get a good Wallcreeper picture… but I don't complain!

25 December 2008: Covadonga, Picos de Europa NP (Asturias)

241 – Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

 

[madamcoolpix]

A super birding day in the River Eo Estuary!!! :bounce: The aim of the trip was to find a Diver of any kind (and I succeeded) but at the same time I saw loads of wintering ducks, and two other birds that I had not seen for several years and new for the Year List:

28 December 2008: River Eo Estuary, Ribadeo (Lugo Province)

242 – Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
243 – Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
244 – Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer)

It was fantastic to have the Great Black-backed Gull so close (pictura a), no doubt my best sighting of one ever!!! o Sadly, the Merganser was too far away for pictures, and so was the Diver -C). But managed a couple of distant shots of the Wigeons (picture b) and the Gadwalls (picture c) of the place mixed up with Pintails, Mallards and Teals.

 

[madamcoolpix]

As I still have a few more birds no-posted before, I thought on adding them in a last post and to thank here all the people who have looked this thread during these months, and to wish everybody a VERY HAPPY 2009!!! :loveme:

The pictures are:
a) A Siskin photographed at the begining of the year... very close, but waited for a better view that didn't arrive.
b) A Lapwing, in spring in Villafáfila.
c) A Common Snipe, during this Christmas holiday in Villaviciosa.
d) Two couples of Teals, same day, same place.

The number of 244 birds seen and almost 200 snapped (197, if I'm not wrong) is much better than I thought when I started this "illustrated" Year List! If you've enjoyed following this as much as I enjoyed doing it, I'm more than happy!!! o

Cheers!