After a week of extremely high winds, the weather forecast for the Almeria region was very encouraging. It was with some apprehension that we set forth for Las Norias. As some of you will know, the last time we ventured there our car was broken into & expensive camera equipment stolen.
Six members of the Arboleas Birding Group, including two very welcome new ones, arrived at the first causeway. Bright sun & most importantly virtually no wind. The water level however was high, so the scrapes were covered. The only waders we saw all day, if you can call them so, were two Lapwings! On the water were hundreds of Shoveler & Coot, numerous rafts of White Headed Duck a few Pochard & Mallard and the odd Black-necked & Little Grebe. Round the edges were Chiffchaff in large numbers, whilst overhead Crag Martins were in abundance. An over-wintering or very early Barn Swallow obligingly rested on the power cables not 10 metres from us, so I was able to get a photo for the record. A Kingfisher shot past & about 25 Cormorants and a Grey Heron were standing sentry down the far end.
We then moved to the spot overlooking the deserted heronry. Gilly spotted the first of two Bluethroat for the day. A Cetti's Warbler was heard but not seen. From the causeway near to the plastics factory, we saw several Red-crested Pochard, a pair of Gadwall and my first Tufted Duck in Southern Spain in 6 years!
We then popped over to check up on the Red-knobbed Coot at Roquetas and were pleased to find 6 individuals on the pond near the hotels.
Our final score was 39 species. A great day that removed some cobwebs and a few ghosts of the past!
Dave & Gilly
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