Guadalhorce last Friday and today

Last Friday, 16 May, at the ponds I didn't put anything in the blog as it was a fairly normal morning with 13 spp. of waders, all of which have been around these past few days although there is evidence of the departure of some spp. for more northerly climes, particularly Curlew Sands. (only 4), while Redshank remain fairly static in numbers (24) and Dunlin are up (55). 7 Knot are still around and also 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, not overly common here by any standard. On the non-wader side, the Osprey still remains, and a female Peregrine flew over and sat eyeing the landscape for a long while.

Up early, this rather windy Sunday morning, I was down at the river and ponds by 8.15 this morning and, as I'd not much time, it is the fourth time this week I've been down there, I went in search of waders immediately. The Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit are still with us, while Redshank (18) are down slightly in numbers but Dunlin (70) numbers are even higher and there were 8 Common Sandpiper, 33 Ringed Plovers and a single Little Stint, all for a total of 15 spp.of waders. The Roseate Tern seen late yesterday (see yesterday's blog) even had, of course, gone but there were 3 Little Terns which I always like to see, the usual Sandwich Terns and 3 imm. Audouin's Gulls. The number of chicks of LRPs, Kentish Plover and Black-winged Stilt was amazing, I have never seen so many! Shoveler have also bred this year, which is unusual.