Soggy Squirrels and Damp Dunnocks

Back to Northamptonshire after an overnight stay in St Helens and back in time too to enjoy the rain. I stuck to my recent Monday routine by visiting Barnwell CP hoping that the hides might at least provide some welcome shelter.

sinensis race Cormorant and bathing Grey Squirrel

Kingfisher Hide did receive a couple of brief visits from its namesake though I didn't manage to catch a glimpse of any, it was the shrill calls that betrayed their presence. No otters either, they seem to have moved on for now at least. The absence of otters did not mean that any fish could afford to relax however as at least two Cormorants visited during my stay. One of these was a fine looking sinensis race bird and was the first that I've seen here this winter. While the rain seemed to limit the amount of  passerines showing it didn't appear to stop any from singing. A noisy Wren that took cover from the rain in a woodpile was eventually moved on by a bedraggled looking squirrel. It in turn was scared off by a large dog that ran in front of the hide, can't owners keep better control of their hounds? Happily the squirrel remained unharmed though it didn't return, just as well perhaps that the otters didn't show.

Wren and Dunnock.

Lowlands Hide had the usual selection of passerines including Marsh Tits and Nuthatches and a small number of Reed Buntings. Wood Pigeons and more squirrels were hoovering up the food that I'd put down and I took advantage of the break in the rain to head back into town. On the way I watched the resident pair of Mistle Thrushes flying up to mob a passing Red Kite but I couldn't find anything else of interest. There was no sign of the Peregrine either and only the rooftop Jackdaws and more kites kept me entertained whilst waiting for the ever tardy X4.

Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Reed Bunting.

Quiet Monday

I'd originally hoped to return to Wellingborough to have a look at Chester House Lake but the likelihood of floodwater blocking the path seemed too high. Instead I reverted to my usual Monday routine and popped over to Oundle and Barnwell CP. Many of the riverside paths here were underwater so I had to adjust my normal walk to take into account the squelchy conditions.

High water levels around Oundle.

Barnwell had only just opened again having been closed due to the high winds from Storm Dennis's visit. A Mistle Thrush was singing as I arrived, these birds were apparently once called Stormcocks by some so the recent weather must have suited them very well indeed. Song Thrushes were in full voice too as the feint promise of the coming Spring causes more and more birds to sing. In terms of interesting birds if not in terms of volume the park was very quiet, passerines were probably trying to shelter from the blustery winds. One species that did appear to enjoy the conditions was Red Kite, they seem to relish these windy days.

Mistle Thrush and Dunnock.

A look at the church failed to produce a sighting of Peregrine though a local told me that it tends to avoid the steeple when winds are high. My final port of call was the greatly expanded floods near to the A605 where the normal selection of ducks were on view but little else. Accepting that it wasn't going to be my day I decided to head off and catch my bus home.

Goldfinch, Blue Tit and Shovellers.

Dodging Dennis

Back to UK birding today and it's safe to say that conditions were a bit more challenging as the might of storm Dennis struck. The threat of heavy rain in tandem with strong gusts meant that anywhere with shelter seemed to be a good idea and so Alan Shorrock and I opted for Rutland Water. Driving through Willowbrook Industrial Estate on our way to the res provided a view of a Peregrine as it headed off to bother the pigeons at the flour mill. A bit of flooding on the road prevented us from getting to the Egleton reserve and so we visited the one at Lyndon instead.

Goosanders

The feeders in front of the closed visitor centre were attracting a good selection of birds and these included two Tree Sparrows. Nearby at Teal Hide a small number of Goldeneyes were joined by a pair of Goosanders. Other birds were visible more distantly and it was among these that another birder picked out the long staying Red-necked Grebe. With views ranging from poor to awful it will hardly go down as one of my best sightings but still good to see nonetheless.

Tufted Duck and Goldeneye

While walking along to one of the other hides the promised rain began to fall and stayed falling for the rest of our stay. Great White Egrets appear to like Rutland Water very much these days so it was no surprise to see four or five from here though they were all very distant. Not a whole lot else to report, we left without seeing much more.

 

Great Crested Grebe and Mallard

Spanish Travels - Part 3, El Pinillo

This final installment covers my stroll in the mountains above Benalmadena which began as always with the walk up a steep hill from El Pinillo train station. Arriving at the motorway underpass a Sparrowhawk provided the first entertainment and I could already hear singing Chaffinches, they seem to flourish in the dry forest of the sierras.

Mountain views.

Wandering up through the woods was rather quiet apart from those Chaffinches and the odd Great Tit and Sardinian Warbler. A pair of croaking Ravens and some shrieking Jays were the only other interesting finds. Exiting the woods brought me out in the rocky terrain of the higher mountains where the sunshine was surprisingly hot.

Ibex.

Thekla Larks showed soon afterwards though I couldn't find Black Wheatears, they may move down the mountain in winter. A more than welcome replacement was a pair of Rock Buntings, I see them occasionally here but by no means on every visit. A Dartford Warbler posed briefly at the top of a bush and Linnets could be heard twittering. Several overflying Crossbills called as they passed and a scan of the surrounding hills revealed Crag Martins feeding.

Large White and Lang's Short-tailed Blue.

Perhaps the highlight of the day interrupted the birding for a bit as a flock ( I hope that's the word) of ten Ibex made their way down an almost sheer cliff. Sitting down allowed me to stay unobtrusive and the Ibex approached quite closely. I believe the group was made up of females and kids and they treated me to prolonged views. While watching them the calling a pair of Kestrels alerted me to an immature Peregrine whose fly past was clearly annoying its smaller cousins.

Spanish Festoons.

Leaving the Ibex behind I began to make my way back down paying attention to a growing number of butterflies. Several Lang's Short-tailed Blues were noted and a few Wall Browns. Two Painted Ladies may well have arrived from Africa as they looked pretty worn and perhaps came in at the same time as that Vagrant Emperor. Butterfly watching paused briefly as I looked up to admire some Crested Tits but the woods for the most part remained quiet. My favourite butterfly moment of the whole visit was the large number of Spanish Festoons which looked as if they had just emerged. Normally I only see a couple on each visit but their were loads today, at least twenty. They were a very colourful way to end what had been an interesting visit.

Ibex again.

Spanish Travels - Part 2, Guadahorce

During my stay I managed to grab a few hours at the brilliant little reserve on the western edge of Malaga at the mouth of the Rio Guadahorce. Winter birding reduces the amount of birds on view though it was still well worth a visit.

White-headed Duck, Pochard and Black-winged Stilt.

My walk from the train station at Plaza Mayor was uneventful with just the local Jackdaws to report, this area used to be productive but construction projects have destroyed much of the habitat. Arriving at the reserve I was greeted by a flock of Crag Martins feeding over the river, a scan through them produced sightings of half a dozen House Martins and a few Swallows which were an unexpected bonus. Both Fan-tailed and Cetti's Warblers could be heard and so too Crested Lark.

Greenshank and Sanderling.

A scan from the screen at the first lagoon provided the hope for White-headed Ducks with two drakes at the far end in company with some Pochards. The Laguna Grande was packed with birds though they were frequently put into panicked flight by one of two Booted Eagles. Other raptors annoying the water fowl were an Osprey and a female Marsh Harrier. Commonest of the duck were Shovellers, a triple figure count were present. Smaller quantities of Teal and Mallard were seen while another White-headed was found. Looking through the ducks provided sightings of a few Black-necked Grebes and several Dabchicks. Two Spoonbills were sleeping as usual and other leggy birds included Cattle Egret and Grey Heron. Commonest wader was Black-winged Stilt with their constant calling somewhat irritating. Joining them were a single Avocet, a Greenshank, a Sanderling and a couple of Dunlins.

Cattle Egret and Spoonbills.

Checking some of the other pools produced little and a look at the sea did likewise. By now the sun was getting pretty warm and insects were beginning to appear. Clouded Yellows and whites including Large were on the wing though another insect provided some initial frustration followed by joy. While peering through one of the windows of a hide a large and pale hawker dragonfly flitted past, almost certainly given the time of year and colour a Vagrant Emperor but unconfirmed. Feeling more than a little annoyed at missing out on a new tick I returned to the Laguna Grande for one last peek. The Spoonbill duo was now a trio and a couple of Black-tailed Godwits had arrived but things were other wise unchanged. Walking back I saw another large dragonfly though this one lingered long enough to identify if not photograph - my first Vagrant Emperor!. Through the bins I could see the yellow green of the lower eyes and thorax sides as well as the blue on the abdomen contrasting with the sandy colour of the rest of the insect. I really didn't expect to see a dragonfly anywhere in February but presume that this was a recently arrived migrant from Africa. All in all a fine way to conclude my visit.

Raptor record shots, Booted eagle, Marsh Harrier and Osprey.

There was still time for another insect to add a further late highlight to my day as at least one and perhaps two Monarch Butterflies were seen at Plaza Mayor train station. This was the first time for me in Europe and I even managed a distant record shot. Two new insects in February, can't wait for the season to begin in the UK.

Clouded Yellow and Monarch.

Spanish Travels - Part 1

I recently managed to escape the yucky British weather and in particular storm Ciara's fury by taking a short break in Spain with my wife. As usual we visited the Costa del Sol and stayed in the resort of Benalmadena from the 8th of February until the twelfth and while it was not a dedicated wildlife holiday it did deliver some highlights.

Chiffchaff and Black Redstart.

Resorts in Spain usually look way too commercialised to provided any interest to the would be wildlife watcher and without the swifts screaming around the buildings or the many martins and swallows feeding it seems even less interesting. Appearances thankfully can be all too deceptive and a closer look and listen revealed quite a bit of interest. Winter brings migrants escaping the chill of the northern European winter and the commonest of these appears to be Chiffchaff, I couldn't go anywhere without hearing or seeing them. Scarcer though still present in numbers were Meadow Pipits and any grassy spot seemed to attract at least a couple. Other species included Blackcap, Robin and Grey Wagtail though my favourites were the Black Redstarts. Small numbers were noted daily and they included one on the hotel opposite my room.

Monk Parakeet and Crag Martin.

Town parks supplied spots for foraging for Spotless Starlings and White Wagtails while sea front hotels in Fuengirola provided a roosting site for many Crag Martins. They spread out over the surrounding countryside soon after sunrise but provide excellent views as they twitter and bicker before departure. Kestrels are another part of the urban scene and I frequently heard them calling as I was walking around. Hearing anything though above the raucous squawkings of the many Monk Parakeets was difficult though, their numbers seem to grow year on year. Another sound that I couldn't escape was the tinkling trills of singing Serins, they seem to be everywhere.

Meadow Pipit and White Wagtail.

Gulls featured strongly with masses of Black-headeds being drawn to the free hand outs offered to the ducks and coots on the lake at the Parque de Palomas in Benalmadena. They were joined by many Yellow-legged and some Lesser Black -backeds which used the lake as a bathing spot. Fuengirola's beach at the mouth of the river played host to a small flock of Mediterranean Gulls which looked stunning in the early morning sunshine and both Sandwich Terns and Cormorants could be seen out to sea.

Mediterranean Gulls and Yellow-legged.

Fine sunny weather had stimulated the locals insects into activity and among them were the impressive looking carpenter bees visiting the flowers in parks and gardens. A surprising number of butterflies were on the wing too with whites and Speckled Woods being noted. Other urban wildlife included terrapins and frogs which frequented park lakes and the Rio Fuengirola.

Terrapin and Speckled Wood.