First Flycatcher of the Year

Black-winged Stilt Ciguenuela Comun Himantopus himantopus

An early morning visit to the local post off ice to collect the mail before the place closed at 9.30 am led to me following on down to the Rio Velez in Torre del Mar for a couple of hours birding.  The weather was fine and sunny and too breezy so, all being well, there might be a few birds about.  And there certainly were, especially waders as the river looked most inviting with plenty of feeding opportunities both below and above the road bridge.  A number of Blackbirds criss-crossed the river whilst above, in addition to the large flock of resident Rock Doves, were numerous swifts, mainly Common Swifts but also plenty of Pallid Swifts joined by the occasional Barn Swallow.  In the river itself a handful of Black-winged Stilts along with more of the same species both lower down the river and upstream above the bridge.  The first Common Sandpiper was seen plus a pair of Little Egrets.

Walking down the track towards the pump house I had a constant display of Nightingales and the occasional Cetti's Warbler in full blast and then the first Green Sandpiper.  Stopping for a closer look, a pair of relatively quiet Monk Parakeets passed over and  a Greenshank put in appearance before, back to the river, I found the small flock of Sanderlings that have been present for the past week or so  and both Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers.  A Blue-headed (Iberian) Wagtail was feeding on a grassy island  and whilst watching a pair of Moorhens wander away I saw the solitary Whimbrel, which waited until its photograph had been taken before flying away upstream!

Whimbrel Zarapito Trinador Numenius phaeopus

Also about were a small number of Serins and Goldfinches and, standing on guard atop a small bush, a lovely male Woodchat Shrike.  Still more and more Swifts overhead but, at last, joined by a number of House Martins.  The beach was quiet save for a single Sanderling and the main lagoon contained just a single Lesser Black-backed Gull, a pair of Coots and a lone Moorhen.  Overhead, again, more Common Swifts and both Barn Swallows and House Martins. At sea, a solitary Cormorant made its way eastwards.

Moving over to the eastern growing fields to complete my circular walk, I had a small number of Spotless Starlings and then a pair of Crested Larks followed by a single White Wagtail near the new road.

Kestrel Cernicalo Vulgar Falco tinnunculus

Back to the track alongside the river as I made my way back to the car all the waders, save the Whimbrel, were still present but, in addition, a resting half dozen Mallards plus female with nine newly-hatched young which appeared to be taking their first swim.  Leaving my coat in the car, whilst noticing the male Kestrel above me on the opposite bank watching the proceedings, I decided to drive slowly back down the river to double-check on what looked like a Marsh Sandpiper.  Whilst I looked through the window a Pied Flycatcher sat on a branch not three metres away looking at me.  As soon as I lifted the camera, of course, it flitted behind the nearby branches.

Then it was the hundred metres or so upstream to check the river above the bridge and here, too, plenty of waders to be seen, including Redshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover.  However, in addition was a rather lovely Wood Sandpiper.  Following the field work on the opposite side of the river a handful of Cattle Egrets had their beady eyes on any potential meal that became exposed.  And all the while, both below and upstream from the bridge, I had had the constant accompaniment of the resident "hooping" Hoopoes.  All in all, a good morning's birding with 37 species.

Possible Pallid Swift  Vencejo Palido  Apus pallidus

Redshank  Archibebe Comun  Tringa totanus

Greenshank Archibebe Claro Tringa nebularia with Redshank Archibebe Comun  Tringa totanus

Greenshank Archibebe Claro Tringa nebularia with Sanderlings Correlimos Tridactilo Calidris alba

Birds seen:

Mallard, Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Blue-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, Nightingale, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Woodchat Shrike, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin and Goldfinch.

 

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