15/04/22 – My usual walk around Salinas de Marchamalo was very enjoyable. The scrubby area to the south is turning up migrants daily. I flushed a Rufous Bushchat and a Wryneck along with 3 Pied Flycatcher, a Whinchat and a magnificent Black-eared Wheatear.
Then onto Los Urrutias. Immediately overhead were at least 15 Collared Pratincoles hawking insects. These were joined by a male Montagu’s Harrier and 2 Kestrel. Also, I saw 4 Common Pochard, 3 Great Reed Warblers, 2 Zitting Cisticolas which have been thin on the ground this year (for me anyway), a Yellow Wagtail, numerous Red-rumped Swallows and 2 Glossy Ibis. Some of the Collared Pratincoles eventually settled on the spit where 5 Sanderling and 6 Turnstone were roosting.
16/04/22 – am – Salinas de Marchamalo. Today was quiet but I still had a male Blackcap, a Peregrine which made the Spoonbills up sticks and a migrant Marsh Harrier.
Lo Monte – pm – Quite quiet as it’s super hot here but there is a Ferruginous Duck loafing about. I also had a male White-headed Duck, 4 Gadwall, a male Tufted Duck amongst both Common and Red Crested Pochard, Shoveler, Reed Warblers, a pair of Little Bittern and a Marsh Harrier.
17/04/22 – Salinas de Marchamalo – A Purple Heron drifted over early this morning and I saw (and heard) a Bonelli’s Warbler amongst the Chiffchaff.
