Two bits of less than happy news.
The first is of a Corncrake found injured at Rota (Cádiz province) on 12 October. It was taken to the recuperation centre of Jerez zoo, a very good place, but regrettably a badly broken wing had to be amputated. The bird is apparently coming on well. How sad, though, that such a scarce species is so often seen only as a result of accidents. A second bird was washed up dead on the shore at Valencia last week.
I have only seen two in my life, I saw one fly in off the sea at Spurn Point, East Yorkshire, way back in the spring in the late 1950s and another by a roadside in East Yorkshire back in the early 1970s. My father once told me of them keeping him awake at night in the spring in Dumfriesshire in the 1920s and of flushing them out of the long grass when haymaking or harvesting, which was done with a couple of Shire horses pulling the mechanical cutter! How times change.
The second is of the wreck of a bulk carrier right on Europa Point, Gibraltar, last Saturday during the vile weather when it lost an anchor. There has been the all too usual oil spill and subsequent oil slicks and cakes. The worst hit species in terms of importance looks like being the Shags which nest on the Rock. Three have been seen oiled as of a couple of days since and it has not been able feasible to catch them for rehabilitation. As the population numbers some 5-6 pairs only, the effect on this dwindling population, already under pressure, and its future looks to be bleak.
15/10/08
10/10/08
.... and autumn has come!
I see that the last blog was on 2 October and that I had detailed the first day's fruitless search for the Long-tailed Shrike -an exceedingly rare Asiatic species which the twitching fraternity would classify as a mega. The following morning some few of us managed to get to try and find it, but to no avail. The same on the morning of the 2 October, with all of eight of us looking, but again no joy. There were some super Whinchats, the males are so smart, 2 Southern Grey Shrikes and 2 late juv. Woodchat Shrikes, a Spotted Flycatcher and in the wader line a couple of Little Stints and a Ruff that didn't look too happy with life. But no L-t. Shrike. So that was it, we had tried but nothing, something to which all birders are well accustomed.
That same morning, I had scarcely had time to get myself a coffee and wander out to the terrace that same morning, lamenting the fact of no shrike of the desired sp., when I heard one of our resident kestrels raising cain very close by. Shortly a Honey Buzzard flew very nonchalantly by the front of the terrace at a range of not more than 20m, with the kestrel chasing it and making a dickens of noise, so much so it woke the dog from her slumbers in the sun, to which she also loudly objected and got her rump smacked for her pains.
A walk by the river the afternoon of 7 October did turn up 2 smashing adult Caspian Terns, my first ones this year and which will probably be the bird of the month (photo by Peter Jones).
Meanwhile, my garden has turned up quite a lot in the period 2-8 October, with some birds obviously staying several while they fed up and increased body fat supplies. Such was the case of the juv. Spotted Flycatcher which stayed from 4-7 October, a Redstart that stayed three days and a Pied Flycatcher which stayed a couple of days, while the juv. Willow Warblers (max. 2 birds per day and a single juv. Whitethroat and a single Garden Warbler (an unusual sp.) both only stayed a couple of hours.
Last weekend (3-5 October) was International Bird Day of BirdLife International. Here in Málaga the local group SEO-Málaga gets in speakers and sets up various outdoor events. This year I didn't manage to get to hear any of the speakers and the only event that I managed to get to was the open morning at the Guadalhorce ponds last Sunday morning. The public at large (sounds like a wild animal let loose, doesn't it?) loves watching the ringing of passerines and usually several hundred turn up with hordes of children, many of whom are far too noisey for my liking, as are some parents who couldn't control a somnolent hamster. However, if that's the way the future is bought, then I suppose it has to be so.
On the plus side, I see many friends, some of whom come into the 'once-a-year' category, but no less friends for that. During the time that I was there I had the very pleasant company of co-blogger Bob Wright who came down out of the hills to see how the other half live. There wasn't too much in the bird line, even though on the Saturday a Marbled Duck (or Teal if you're old-fashioned) had been seen. The unhappy Ruff had been so unhappy that it had popped it and there were a couple of Little Stints, at least one a different bird to the previously seen ones.
Today, Friday 10 October, the weather is not nice. After a sharp and very heavy rainstorm yesterday, the weathermen / women / persons got it right and we have gale force easterly winds, with rain in the wind and very heavy seas. I took the dog down to the river mouth to walk her a bit and to see if there were any birds but the weather won. The rather poor photo shows the seas sweeping over the sand bar! It was impossible to hold the binoculars steady and there were lots of gulls and a solitary adult Common Tern which had amazingly managed to catch a fish.
We shall see what the weekend brings as my knee is still giving me merry hell and I don't want to push my luck.
That same morning, I had scarcely had time to get myself a coffee and wander out to the terrace that same morning, lamenting the fact of no shrike of the desired sp., when I heard one of our resident kestrels raising cain very close by. Shortly a Honey Buzzard flew very nonchalantly by the front of the terrace at a range of not more than 20m, with the kestrel chasing it and making a dickens of noise, so much so it woke the dog from her slumbers in the sun, to which she also loudly objected and got her rump smacked for her pains.
A walk by the river the afternoon of 7 October did turn up 2 smashing adult Caspian Terns, my first ones this year and which will probably be the bird of the month (photo by Peter Jones).Meanwhile, my garden has turned up quite a lot in the period 2-8 October, with some birds obviously staying several while they fed up and increased body fat supplies. Such was the case of the juv. Spotted Flycatcher which stayed from 4-7 October, a Redstart that stayed three days and a Pied Flycatcher which stayed a couple of days, while the juv. Willow Warblers (max. 2 birds per day and a single juv. Whitethroat and a single Garden Warbler (an unusual sp.) both only stayed a couple of hours.
Last weekend (3-5 October) was International Bird Day of BirdLife International. Here in Málaga the local group SEO-Málaga gets in speakers and sets up various outdoor events. This year I didn't manage to get to hear any of the speakers and the only event that I managed to get to was the open morning at the Guadalhorce ponds last Sunday morning. The public at large (sounds like a wild animal let loose, doesn't it?) loves watching the ringing of passerines and usually several hundred turn up with hordes of children, many of whom are far too noisey for my liking, as are some parents who couldn't control a somnolent hamster. However, if that's the way the future is bought, then I suppose it has to be so.On the plus side, I see many friends, some of whom come into the 'once-a-year' category, but no less friends for that. During the time that I was there I had the very pleasant company of co-blogger Bob Wright who came down out of the hills to see how the other half live. There wasn't too much in the bird line, even though on the Saturday a Marbled Duck (or Teal if you're old-fashioned) had been seen. The unhappy Ruff had been so unhappy that it had popped it and there were a couple of Little Stints, at least one a different bird to the previously seen ones.
Today, Friday 10 October, the weather is not nice. After a sharp and very heavy rainstorm yesterday, the weathermen / women / persons got it right and we have gale force easterly winds, with rain in the wind and very heavy seas. I took the dog down to the river mouth to walk her a bit and to see if there were any birds but the weather won. The rather poor photo shows the seas sweeping over the sand bar! It was impossible to hold the binoculars steady and there were lots of gulls and a solitary adult Common Tern which had amazingly managed to catch a fish.We shall see what the weekend brings as my knee is still giving me merry hell and I don't want to push my luck.
2/10/08
Virgen de la Resaca
I am very well aware that you, my readers, are undoubtedly a totally abstemious lot and that you read this blog for the high intellectual content. However, I do feel that the following may just amuse you somewhat between sips of the pre- or post-prandial drink and that you will pardon me for a little non-ornithological diversion.
You, dear readers, if you have lived here for any length of time, will be aware that for some peculiar reason many Spanish hospitals are given names such as Virgen del Rocio (Virgin / Our Lady of the Dew, in Seville) or Virgen de las Nieves (Virgin / Our lady of the snows, in Granada). However, this evening on the news I have come across the ultimate in hospital names and one which is definitely not for the abstemious.
According the TVE1 news, in Murcia there is a hospital which rejoices in the name of Virgin de la Resaca. For those whose Spanish is not up to the translation, a resaca is hangover. So, this hospital is obviously for those who do not suffer from the virtue of being abstemious as it is called Virgin /Our Lady of the Hangover.
Wonderful!
You, dear readers, if you have lived here for any length of time, will be aware that for some peculiar reason many Spanish hospitals are given names such as Virgen del Rocio (Virgin / Our Lady of the Dew, in Seville) or Virgen de las Nieves (Virgin / Our lady of the snows, in Granada). However, this evening on the news I have come across the ultimate in hospital names and one which is definitely not for the abstemious.
According the TVE1 news, in Murcia there is a hospital which rejoices in the name of Virgin de la Resaca. For those whose Spanish is not up to the translation, a resaca is hangover. So, this hospital is obviously for those who do not suffer from the virtue of being abstemious as it is called Virgin /Our Lady of the Hangover.
Wonderful!
Hunting the Long-tailed Shrike ; Arboleas Bird Group (Almería) and a PS
T'was Tuesday evening late on when Antonio Miguel, one of the wardens at the Guadalhorce (a.k.a. my second home) ang to say that he'd seen what he was certain was a Long-tailed Shrike (henceforth to be written as L-t Shrike) at the ponds at about 19.30h. Suffice to say, yesterday morning (Wednesday) four of us searched for the bird as it really would have been a major rarity find. I think that I am right in saying it would have been the first for western Europe west of Hungary and I heard last evening that some UK birders were thinking of coming down if we could relocate it! (Recession? What recession?)
We searched high and low yesterday morning but to no avail.There were plenty of Whinchats, I counted at least 7 including some lovely males, a Common Redstart, some Willow Warblers (it has been a very good autumn for them with lots of juvs. to be seen), a lateish Spotted Flycatcher and plenty of other birds, but no L-t Shrike. Last evening I heard that there had been a possible sighting so, with renewed energy and in my case a very unhappy right knee, the search resumed this morning.
We sought it here, we sought it there, eight of us sought it every ******where but we didn't find it. We did find 2 Southern Grey Shrikes and 2 juv. Woodchat Shrikes (rather late in leaving us these last), various Whinchats, 2 Redstarts, 3 Sparrowhawks and at least 6 Booted Eagles wending their way westwards. There were very few waders, no 'shanks at all, a raher unhappy looking Ruff which may go on to the great mudflat in the sky, the way it was looking, and a couple of very smart Little Stints. But no you-know-what shrike.
So, did Antonio Miguel see a L-t. Shrike? I am certain that he did, he is a very good observer, but he has suffered from it being a single-observer bird which declined to stay around long enough for others to see. This is, of course, a well known problem for those of us have birded for many years and who often bird alone.
The Arboleas Birding Group went to Cabo de Gata on Wednesday (1 October):
Lovely sunshine with little wind. Heat haze was a problem later in the day. We had a good day, totting up 42 species. A few migrants were stacked up: Woodchat Shrike, a very stupid Reed Warbler near the public hide, who thought he was trapped 5ft 6" up a 6ft fence!! There were 22 Curlews feeding on the scrubland, together with a cricket-chasing Cattle Egret. The large numbers of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets had moved on. 365 Greater Flamingos were counted. Bird of the day was a juv. Peregrine Falcon.
Still no further news re my camera etc. from the Guardia Civil.
(My thanks as ever to Dave and Gilly for adding some biological diversity to this site!)
PS: At home I did have a single Honey Buzzard go west right in front of the terrace while having a coffee just after getting back from the ponds, it being hotly and noisily pursued by one of the resident Kestrels which had a real attitude to its airspace being invaded! There is still a Pied Flycatcher in the garden.
We searched high and low yesterday morning but to no avail.There were plenty of Whinchats, I counted at least 7 including some lovely males, a Common Redstart, some Willow Warblers (it has been a very good autumn for them with lots of juvs. to be seen), a lateish Spotted Flycatcher and plenty of other birds, but no L-t Shrike. Last evening I heard that there had been a possible sighting so, with renewed energy and in my case a very unhappy right knee, the search resumed this morning.
We sought it here, we sought it there, eight of us sought it every ******where but we didn't find it. We did find 2 Southern Grey Shrikes and 2 juv. Woodchat Shrikes (rather late in leaving us these last), various Whinchats, 2 Redstarts, 3 Sparrowhawks and at least 6 Booted Eagles wending their way westwards. There were very few waders, no 'shanks at all, a raher unhappy looking Ruff which may go on to the great mudflat in the sky, the way it was looking, and a couple of very smart Little Stints. But no you-know-what shrike.
So, did Antonio Miguel see a L-t. Shrike? I am certain that he did, he is a very good observer, but he has suffered from it being a single-observer bird which declined to stay around long enough for others to see. This is, of course, a well known problem for those of us have birded for many years and who often bird alone.
The Arboleas Birding Group went to Cabo de Gata on Wednesday (1 October):
Lovely sunshine with little wind. Heat haze was a problem later in the day. We had a good day, totting up 42 species. A few migrants were stacked up: Woodchat Shrike, a very stupid Reed Warbler near the public hide, who thought he was trapped 5ft 6" up a 6ft fence!! There were 22 Curlews feeding on the scrubland, together with a cricket-chasing Cattle Egret. The large numbers of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets had moved on. 365 Greater Flamingos were counted. Bird of the day was a juv. Peregrine Falcon.
Still no further news re my camera etc. from the Guardia Civil.
(My thanks as ever to Dave and Gilly for adding some biological diversity to this site!)
PS: At home I did have a single Honey Buzzard go west right in front of the terrace while having a coffee just after getting back from the ponds, it being hotly and noisily pursued by one of the resident Kestrels which had a real attitude to its airspace being invaded! There is still a Pied Flycatcher in the garden.
1/10/08
Arctic Warbler and Long-tailed Shrike
The Arctic Warbler found at the laguna de Medina (Cádiz province) on Sunday by two Finnish birders was refound yesterday afternoon (Monday) in the same place, more or less in front of the hide.
Yetsrday evening (Monday), about 30 mins. before sunset, a female Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach was found at the Guadalhorce ponds, Málaga, by Antonio Miguel Pérez. It was not relocated this morning in spite of an intensive search.
Both of these, if accepted will comprise first records for Spain.
Yetsrday evening (Monday), about 30 mins. before sunset, a female Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach was found at the Guadalhorce ponds, Málaga, by Antonio Miguel Pérez. It was not relocated this morning in spite of an intensive search.
Both of these, if accepted will comprise first records for Spain.
28/9/08
Arctic Warbler at Laguna de Medina; Sunday morning at the Guadalhorce
Arctic Warbler at the laguna de Medina, Cádiz province
I received a message from Martin Hellin in Finland late afternoon to say that some Finnish birders had been watching an Arctic Warbler a few minutes before.
Sunday morning at the Guadalhorce
The below is from Patricia, to whom I am most grateful for her report and making me envious, who circulated it to members of our Sunday morning group - the domingueros - who were conspicuous by our absence!
What a morning you lost! Ater so long without getting out to watch birds I had to go to the Guadalhorce this morning. First I went to point where we used to go in before crossing the sandbar to see what the state of things was and saw two people crossing the beach to go in.
So, I went in my car to the school, went in by the new bridge and directly to the big pond (Laguna Grande) where I met up with Javier y África who had just seen a Squacco Heron. A Booted Eagle there all the morning. The Osprey flew all over the place searching for clean water to fish as the sea was the colour of mud and river as always these days. Later there was a Marsh Harrier. Also while we were there, there was a Kestrel hunting behind us. There were some 50 Little Grebes together, a single Black-necked Grebe, Common Teal everywhere, 3 Cormorants.... a juv. Flamingo, a few gulls - Lesser Black-backed, Black-headed, Audouin's, a lot of Grey Herons and Little Egrets.
And it is still raining! Hurray!!! Only 1 juv. Willow Warbler and a Pied Fly. in the garden today.
I received a message from Martin Hellin in Finland late afternoon to say that some Finnish birders had been watching an Arctic Warbler a few minutes before.
Sunday morning at the Guadalhorce
The below is from Patricia, to whom I am most grateful for her report and making me envious, who circulated it to members of our Sunday morning group - the domingueros - who were conspicuous by our absence!
What a morning you lost! Ater so long without getting out to watch birds I had to go to the Guadalhorce this morning. First I went to point where we used to go in before crossing the sandbar to see what the state of things was and saw two people crossing the beach to go in.
So, I went in my car to the school, went in by the new bridge and directly to the big pond (Laguna Grande) where I met up with Javier y África who had just seen a Squacco Heron. A Booted Eagle there all the morning. The Osprey flew all over the place searching for clean water to fish as the sea was the colour of mud and river as always these days. Later there was a Marsh Harrier. Also while we were there, there was a Kestrel hunting behind us. There were some 50 Little Grebes together, a single Black-necked Grebe, Common Teal everywhere, 3 Cormorants.... a juv. Flamingo, a few gulls - Lesser Black-backed, Black-headed, Audouin's, a lot of Grey Herons and Little Egrets.
At the laguna Escondida there were plenty of Pochards, Little Grebes, White-headed Duck, Coot, Moorhen and a single Kingfisher. With the wind (it was an easterly, known here as a levante) water was being blown into the observatory and we all got wet backs. At Casilla observatory there was nothing to be seen except a beautiful Kingfisher which sat for us.
At the next observatory there was a lot to be seen. A beautiful juv. Ruff, Dunlin, Little Stints, Curlew Sands., Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Greenshank and Spotted Redshank, Avocet and Stilts. There were more Teal, Little Tern, gulls, House Martins, Sardinian Warblers, Serins and Starlings.
At times the light was poor and we couldn't see well, but at others it was excellent. It was a great morning which I thoroughly enjoyed and when I looked at my watch for the first time it was one pm..
At times the light was poor and we couldn't see well, but at others it was excellent. It was a great morning which I thoroughly enjoyed and when I looked at my watch for the first time it was one pm..
And it is still raining! Hurray!!! Only 1 juv. Willow Warbler and a Pied Fly. in the garden today.
27/9/08
My garden in the rain
Those who know me know of the quantity, and in some few cases the quality, of species (about 108) which I have seen from my terrace as fly-bys, fly-overs or quite simply in the garden. The best time for species in the garden is obviously in the migration season and especially when there is low cloud, with or without rain. So, these past few days when we have all the conditions it has been pretty good. There have been Pied Flycatchers on three occasions since Wednesday, and also migrant Willow Warblers - all juvs. and some so brightly coloured that today that my wife called that she had see a canary!
This afternoon was undoubtedly the best, with the two species previously named, 2 being Willow Warblers and a single Pied Fly., plus a juv. Spectacled Warbler and a juv. Subalpine Warbler. Not bad for an urban garden, and some little consolation for being confined to barracks with this rubbish right knee!
At least I have made up my mind to get on with the seabird guide that has been sitting in a state of more or less suspended animation for far too long.
This afternoon was undoubtedly the best, with the two species previously named, 2 being Willow Warblers and a single Pied Fly., plus a juv. Spectacled Warbler and a juv. Subalpine Warbler. Not bad for an urban garden, and some little consolation for being confined to barracks with this rubbish right knee!
At least I have made up my mind to get on with the seabird guide that has been sitting in a state of more or less suspended animation for far too long.
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