El Clot

posted in: Mary's Blog | 0

blue rock thrushA quick look at the Clot with Dave and Linda today produced all the usual suspects, such as, Teal, Shoveler, Little Grebe etc, plus a couple of highlights. While we were sheltering from a shower of rain in the scrape hide, 2 Hoopoes landed in a dead tree just behind the fence at the far side of the scrape. While they were sitting on the lower branches 2 Green Woodpeckers landed in the same tree but near the top. After a few minutes the Hoopoes left and soon the Green Woodpeckers had gone too. The next time we looked there was a Little Owl sitting in the same tree. This seems to be a very popular tree! This is the first Little Owl we have seen at the Clot this year so it was good to see one there again. Another welcome sight today were the Swallows and House Martins flying above the scrape, our first House Martins for this year.

When we left the Clot we headed along the beach road and I was saying how there must be at least one Blue Rock Thrush hiding somewhere in the cliffs on the right hand side. Just then, as I looked towards the beach and the sea I spotted a bird sitting on a rock between the road and the beach and asked John to stop the car so I could look at it through binoculars. Amazingly, it was a Blue Rock Thrush! Sometimes I think I must have ‘special powers’ as this keeps happening to me. We parked the cars and all got out to have a closer look at the bird and confirm it’s identity. We were able to get a little nearer and when it eventually flew we could still see it as it landed on rocks and a tree on it’s way up the cliffs. I have never seen this species down by the beach before so it was quite a treat. From there we headed into Santa Pola for another treat, namely lunch at Pena Grande!