7 January, Arboleas Bird Group, Almería

I have hardly been put at all, apart from the occasional hour early in the morning trying to spot colour ringed gulls on the shore at the Carihuela (Torremolinos), trying to fend off festivities, still struggling with a right knee which refuses to improve mobility and trying to renew work on the seabird guide for a UK publisher and there is a total lack of bird news from me, the Guadalhorce being remarkably quiet. I am, therefore, very grateful to Gilly and Dave for their report of the Arboleas Bird Group outing to the Rambla Morales area (Almería) and to Dave for the three photos with which this report is enlivened.

Hi All,
Due to the fact that only one 4x4 vehicle was available, four of us ventured down to Rambla Morales on our weekly Wednesday trip out. The weather wasn't great. The odd drizzly shower and grey.
We got to the beachside chapel and had a wander round, seeing the usual Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Greenfinch and Serin, the latter two in largish flocks. We then carried on along the bumpy track, hence the 4x4, towards the pool at the far end. On the way we saw about 50 Golden Plover & missed many more in the scrubland, no doubt. Out to sea, a single adult Gannet and a few Cormorant.
We were greeted at the pool by a flock of 25 Trumpeter Finch. There were waders and ducks in small numbers. Shoveler, Mallard, Gadwall, Teal and White Headed Duck. Ringed & Kentish Plover, Sanderling, Little Stint, Turnstone & Curlew. A single Black-necked Grebe was present. A Peregrine Falcon made a flypast as did a flock of 10 Shelduck.
We ended up with a count of 38 species. Attached are photos of a Sanderling, which I noticed was ringed when I downloaded the photo. Also a Little Stint and the Black Necked Grebe, which I didn't
"Red-Eye" out!
Gilly & Dave Elliott-Binns