29/04/22 – Having been away for a couple of days I was desperate to get around my local patch as soon as humanly possible especially as the wind has now switched to a more favourable easterly. Had a Curlew Sandpiper amongst the numerous Dunlin and Sanderling on the west side of the salinas. I also had at least half a dozen Little Tern frantically feeding both here and on the Mar Menor proper.
The walk through the scrubby area produced my first Golden Oriole of the year. A stunning male which was accompanied a little later by a female. They were typically camera shy! A Northern Wheatear, 3 Turtle Dove, Woodchat Shrike, Zitting Cisticola and a Yellow Wagtail were present with Corn Bunting, Linnet and ‘phyllosc’ warblers seemingly everywhere. I counted over 50 Avocet on the saltpans and the 5 Spoonbill are still present. I am not sure they are alive as they haven’t moved in over a week!
30/04/22 – Just had an Osprey this morning at Los Urrutias with the biggest Mullet I’ve ever seen (the fish and not the haircut!)
