Day 13 – El Hondo, El Pinet and Clot de Galvany
A quick stop off for a scan around at El Hondo visitor Centre got me my first views of a singing Great Reed Warbler. Also, Purple Swamphen, Collared Pratincole, Little Stint and many Black winged Stilt. Then down the road to the North gate. This gate gets opened 0830-1130 every Saturday morning. I met up with Montesinos birder Mark Christopher Powell and soon added Black tailed Godwit, MOUSTACHED WARBLER, PURPLE and Squacco Heron to the Trip list. Whiskered Tern showed distantly and groups of Glossy Ibis intermittently flew passed as if on an important mission. Just before leaving a Short-toed Eagle circled high before drifting off.
Our next stop was El Pinet. The usual Avocets, Stilts, Greater Flamingo and Slender Billed Gulls showed nicely, but no signs of any Tern species. I then traveled alone to ‘The Clot’, hoping to see the Garganey pair that had been reported. After half an hour of wondering if I was looking in the right place, the elusive pair ventured toward me through the reeds. It was very awkward getting clean views, much patience required, but eventually. A new species for me in Spain. Trip list to date 138.
