After travelling to the Center East, our work required us to spend yet another week in Algeciras, Spain. This time, I had the advantage of a lighter schedule — that, and one other profit we had already had there, on our earlier keep. Our buddies/hosts, you see, stay in an unattached home (a rarity in Spain, the place most individuals stay in residences); and that home is just a few minutes’ stroll from the delta of the Palmones River. I, in fact, love river delta. I couldn’t take a lot benefit of it on our first, two-week keep. However this time, I may.
Now, it’s a lot simpler for me to attain first-time sightings of species in Europe than it’s in Mexico, at this level of the sport. Nonetheless, I had already had a number of alternatives to go to wetlands in southern Spain. So I might need assumed I might not see new species within the Palmones wetlands. Fortunately, I might have been mistaken.
I managed to spend two good mornings at Palmones. The primary gave me eight new species for Spain, of which 4 have been lifers. And my subsequent outing, two days later? Eight extra new species for Spain, of which three have been lifers!
I’ll effectively have seen Eurasian Crag-Martins previous to that first morning. But it surely was good to have photographic proof of this sighting:
Thanks for displaying me these diagnostic white tail patches!
In distinction, if I had ever seen a Widespread Kingfisher earlier than, I might most definitely have realized it. This chook could also be “widespread”, however it’s also beautiful. Too unhealthy my images didn’t do it justice.
That’s the Kingfisher on the proper; on the left was one of many space’s many European Stonechats. The Kingfisher’s irridescent blue again was a surprise to see because it flew to this perch, however my digital camera didn’t concentrate on the fast-flying chook.
The Lesser Kestrel was one other chook I’ll have seen earlier than, however with out proof. It was busy mobbing one of many area’s many Booted Eagles. (Query: Is it technically appropriate to talk of a lone chook “mobbing”?)
A Widespread Greenshank, seen a methods upriver, was my fourth lifer. (You may get a way of the breadth of my European birding expertise by what number of of my lifers have the phrase “Widespread” of their names. Many others embody the phrases “European” or “Eurasian”, however that’s just about avoidable… Apparently, Outdated World chook namers didn’t prefer to work very exhausting at their craft.) Had I seen this chook at dwelling, I will surely have recognized it as a Willet.
An Osprey, member of a worldwide species I can even see in Mexico, was additionally extra beneficiant with the images. He circled simply above me, permitting me to take the picture seen on the head of this publish.
On the second time out, the Water Pipit began the lifer checklist. I’m fairly embarassed that I can’t discover any images for this one, and one month later, I wouldn’t have any clear reminiscences as to how I arrived at my identification. Gee, I hope I received this one proper.
Thankfully, I’ve no such doubts concerning my second lifer, the Widespread Ringed Plover.
My first two Eurasian Oystercatchers have been an sudden delight. Oystercatchers are unquestionably cool birds, and, even in North America, a uncommon deal with.
I additionally loved seeing some outdated buddies, at all times an fascinating expertise when one has travelled to the opposite aspect of the world. Dunlins, Black-bellied Plovers (often known as Gray Plovers in Europe), a Whimbrel, and the inevitable Mallards and Rock Pigeons, all turned as much as make me really feel at dwelling.
That’s one Gray Plover, and two Dunlins.
And that, my buddies, will most likely be the tip of my reviews on our 2022 Spain/Center East journey. Subsequent week, we will likely be again to Mexico.