We picked up Linda and set off to our first stop in the lay-by at Santa Pola Salinas. Here we started today’s list with Flamingo, Cormorant, Black-winged Stilt, Shelduck and Yellow-legged Gulls. At El Pinet we saw Avocets and Slender-billed Gulls, more Shelduck, Flamingo and a Common Sandpiper flew in and landed on a small beach.
Moving on the the old monastery we added Kestrel, Booted Eagle, Iberian Grey Shrike and Stonechat, but sadly no Great Spotted Cuckoo.
Finally we headed to San Felipe for a coffee stop before arriving at the reserve.
There were the usual water birds on the lagoons, including Shoveler, Shelduck, White-headed Duck, Mallard, Teal, Red-knobbed Coot, Coot, Little Grebe and quite a few Marbled Duck.
it was good to see a small number of Glossy Ibis amongst the Flamingoes and a few Cormorant flew around.
A Marsh Harrier was seen over the lagoons with a few Crag Martins and a single House Martin, probably an overwintering bird.
A Cetti’s Warbler was heard only and several Chiffchaff flitted about in the trees as we ate our picnic.
We left San Felipe and headed back across the fields eventually returning along Green Sandpiper Alley (GSA) where I was happy to see two Green Sandpiper. On the Palm Farm Track (PFT) we saw a small flock of Crested Lark, Red-legged Partridge, White Wagtail, Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler, Greenfinch and a dark-phase Booted Eagle which landed in a palm tree.
Returning along our usual track to the old monastery we saw more Red-legged Partridge, Black Redstart, Iberian Grey Shrike, Kestrel but still no cuckoos.
All in all it was a good day out.
Species list – Little Grebe, Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Shelduck, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Marbled Duck, White-headed Duck, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Coot, Red-knobbed Coot, Black-Winged Stilt, Avocet, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-Legged Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Crag Martin, House Martin, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sardinian Warbler, Iberian Grey Shrike, House Sparrow, Greenfinch.
