Red-billed Tropicbird (finally) and other musings (2 Viewers)

[cheshirebirder]

Don't think I've seen recent photos of the BWT. I have photos myself that suggest 4 Eurasian/GW Teal, one a breeding plumaged male Eurasian, and a fem/imm Garganey. Yesterday I saw four teal in flight over the sea at Atlántico. These were all E/GW Teal with one breeding male. Certainly none of these were Garganey or BWT.

Bit strange really. There’s a record on ebird for the bwt 12th Feb but I’m sure there was at least one record ( including a photo ) during mid January which doesn’t appear on ebird now. Whether the record’s been withdrawn I’ve no idea. When I was there in late January there were three teal , a garganey and a teal that was slightly larger than the common teal with a pale patch above the base of the bill which I assumed was the blue-winged. I didn’t have a scope with me, however, though I was happy enough that I could id the garganey but wouldn’t have claimed the blue-winged myself on the view I had.

 

[Brian Stone]

With some pretty big (NE) winds at the moment I've been doing a bit more seawatching from Nuevo Horizonte, north of Caleta de Fuste. In 2 hours late morning today had 95 Cory's Shearwaters (all but one flying north) and 5 adult Gannets (2 north, 3 south). Then I spotted what I thought was debris on the surface and it turned out to be this Loggerhead Turtle. Great to see a live one after the recently deceased one last week and a planet earth first for me. Even managed by some fluke to get it in the viewfinder of the camera.

 

[Brian Stone]

Hi Brian, interesting information about the Tropicbird and seawatching. Dipped the tropicbird today for the 4th time this week so I can relate to your story.. About the teals: do you know if there are any recent pictures of the Blue-winged teal? The last observation with evidence I can find is from the 27th of October last year, and during 3 visits to the small golf course ponds I could only find a Garganey, 3 Eurasian teals (1 male, 2 female-coloured) and a bird that looks like an adult female Green-winged Teal which has not been seen before. Curious about you answer! Kind regards, Thomas

I got back to Las Salinas Golf this morning in much better conditions and had 4 duck there. All were female/immature types, 3 Eurasian/Green-winged Teal and one Garganey. No sign of the breeding male Teal or the Blue-winged.

Had a Red-rumped Swallow there this morning with a Barn Swallow and a few House Martins. eBird still has that as a rarity but small numbers are recorded here in winter. Also a Black-winged Stilt, Greenshank and Spoonbill.

The Tropicbird(s) has become very unreliable. I spoke to someone yesterday who staked it out all day without success. Last eBird record is now 9 days ago!