26 February, Arboleas Birding Group

Day Trip, Thursday 26th February

Today 12 members of the Arboleas Birding Group visited our very local patch of the Rio Almanzora. Weather was fine and sunny. Out to sea, near the tuna farms were 10 Gannet, and quartering over the reeds was our first Red-rumped Swallow of the year. That was the good news. The not so good news was that the works for the Cuevas de Almanzora was continuing adjacent to the beach. Cormorant, Black-necked and Great Crested Grebe were fishing close by. On the pool near to the beach there were a few Audouin's Gulls, but further along towards Villaricos on the rocky outcrops, Gilly counted 181 more. 6 Sandwich Terns were also present. We then tried to drive up the lanes either side of the rambla towards Cuevas de Almanzora. Both sides were blocked by workings.
Worse was to come. We managed to cross the rambla by the "ford" further north. Where all those lovely wader rich pools were is no more. All of them have been scraped and flattened. On one surviving pool we saw a pair of Black-winged Stilt.
With heavy hearts we carried on to the Desert Springs Golf Complex, where we've kindly been given permission to birdwatch. Over the large pond we saw Crag, House and Sand Martins, the last two being firsts for the year. Whilst having a refreshing cup of coffee outside by the bar a Little Egret was fishing nearby (photo attached. 40 species for the day.....so it wasn't that bad!!

Dave & Gilly