Nico's birding blog

lunes, 20 de febrero de 2012

Aigüamolls de l'Empordà 18/02/2012

I'm sorry, I couldn't post yesterday, but I was quite ill.

On saturday my parents took me to the Aigüamolls de l'Empordà, a very good birding spot on the north of Catalonia, almost touching France. It's a complex of coastal lagoons, and the best wetlands for birding after the Delta del Ebro.
I was looking for two rarities that had been seen for a couple of weeks now, Greater White Fronted Goose and Bewick's Swan.
Once we arrived, we went to one of the hides in the Cortalet lagoon where there were Flamingos, many duck species, Greylag Geese, etc.
We carried on and went to another hide at the same lagoon. There we were lucky, another birder there saw the two Greater White Fronted Geese (lifer) between a group of Greylags. As usual at the Aigüamolls, there were also large numbers of White Stork.
Our next stop was the Estany de Can Túries, where the Swans had been reported. On the way we could see Sardinian Warbler, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Hoopoe and Skylark amongst others.
Once we entered the hide we got a little disappointed, there weren't any birds except for a couple of Shovelers. Suddendly I realized a big white spot at the end of the lagoon. Full of hope I focused it with my scope, it was a swan. I was already thinking it was the Bewick's when it turned its head and I saw the bill, Mute Swan. There was also a Spotted Redshank around there.
Just as we had gone out of the hide and were going back again, two birdwatchers which were going to the hide observed two white spots on a meadow newt to the hide. They were the two Bewick's Swans.
After this we went again to the Cortalet area and followed the path which leads to the beach. Our next stop was the Estanys del Matà, where there Greenshank, a lot of Snipes, a Water Rail, etc.
Finally, in the last hide of the day we observed Great Crested and Black Necked Grebes, Tufted Duck and Common Pochard.

White Storks

Bewick's Swan (those tiny white things)

Reed Bunting

Two more White Storks

miércoles, 8 de febrero de 2012

Delta del Ebro 5/02/2012 with Cristian Jensen

Last sunday we made a one day trip to the Delta del Ebro with Cristian Jensen (a local gide).
We started looking at the Bay of Fangar for waders. There were some Curlews, Dunlins and Bar Tailed Godwits. There were also Slender Billed Gulls, Flamingos, Kingfishers, Whiskered Terns and a Caspian Tern.
We continued on the northern part of the delta and saw Booted Eagle, Moustached Warbler (lifer) at Canal Vell, Water Rail, Osprey and many species of Ducks.
After Canal Vell we went to la Tancada where there were some nice flocks of ducks, including Pintail, Shoveler, Teal...
As we were close to the Trabucador, we decided to take a look, which was a really good idea. There were a lot of birds resting in the Bay of Alfacs. We started scanning the bay looking for interesting species who quickly showed: Red Breasted Merganser, Black Necked Grebe, Great Crested Grebe... As I was watching a Merganser, Cristian told me to look into his scope, he had found two Brent Geese (lifer).
Our next stop was the Encanyissada Lagoon, where we were looking for White Headed Duck (three individuals had been seen there) and Greater White Fronted Goose (neither of both showed). We could see Tufted Duck, a very nice male Hen Harrier, Caspian Terns, Pochards, Red Crested Pochards and other ducks.

If you ever visit the Delta de l'Ebre or the area, don't doubt and contact Cristian Jensen and Audouin Birding Tours http://audouinbirding.net
Cristian also does trips to Morocco, southern Spain and other places.

viernes, 20 de enero de 2012

15/01/2012 Remolar-Filipines

Last sunday I made the first birding of the year.
My dad took me to the Remolar. There wasn't much going on there though we saw 44 species at the end of the day. At la Maresma, there were some ducks and waders, predominantly Lapwings and Golden Plovers but also Snipes, two Dunlins and a Black Tailed Godwit. We saw some more species at the aguait de Pollancres, including Wigeon, Stonechat and Cormorant. At last we went to the beach to make some seawatching, but there wasn't much going on besides some Balearic Shearwaters, Great Crested Grebes and two Shags.

lunes, 5 de diciembre de 2011

Remolar-Filipines 04/12/2011

Yesterday, my dad and I made a short trip to the Delta del Llobregat.
On the way to the hides, along the "riera" there were Pochards and some passerines (like Chiffchaff). Once at the hides, we mounted the scope and started watching, between a quite large flock of Lapwings were some Spotted Redshanks, Golden Plovers and Dunlins. A Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk appeared and all the Lapwings flew away, in the middle of the Lapwing group we realized a Glossy Ibis. It sat down on one of the islands near to the hide. There were also Shelducks, Purple Swamphens, Wigeons and other waterbirds.

On the way back, I found two Tufted Ducks at the "riera", there were also two Black Necked Grebes.

viernes, 2 de diciembre de 2011

Pelagic from Tarragona 26/11/2011

Last saturday I went to one of the pelagics made from Tarragona,
At the harbour of Tarragona we could see some Shags, a Sandwich Tern and some Cormorants. We continued and started throwing fish, to attract the seabirds, soon, we had a quite large number of Gulls behind us (most of which Mediterranean, Yellow Legged and Black Headed). Soon there appeared the first Gannets who showed brilliantly, there were also Balearic and a few Yelkouan Shearwaters. The most important species of the day were 3 Razorbills who we saw flying to the north.

miércoles, 16 de noviembre de 2011

Remolar-Filipines 13/11/2011

Last sunday I went to the Delta del Llobregat with my mum.
While walking along the riera, we saw some Pochards, a Great Crested Grebe and a Kingfisher.
Once at the hides we could observe plenty of Ducks (although Wigeon hasn't arrived yet), waders (Spotted Redshank, Lapwings, Snipes, Golden Plovers) and two Greylag Geese.
After some time, I noticed a Common Buzzard perched on a tree. Suddendly, all Lapwings started to fly, it was a Marsh Harrier, who was hunting.
Some Pintails also flew over the hide and some Cormorants and Reed Buntings were also present.
On the way back I also saw Stonechat.

viernes, 4 de noviembre de 2011

Delta del Ebro 30/10/2011

Last sunday I went with my father to the Delta del Ebro.
We arrived and our first birding point was Pont de Través. There was the usual stuff, Coot, Red Crested Pochard, Great White Egret, Kingfisher...
We continued and stopped at the Salines de Sant Antoni, where we saw Greenshank, Cormorant and other common species. We tried also to see something at the trabucador, but there was too much people and we only saw some Great Crested Grebes, Turnstones and Sanderlings.
After the trabucador we went to la Tancada, but there wasn't much activity appart from the Flamingos so we decided to have lunch and then go to Riet Vell reserve. Once there we started observing. Suddendly, a Water Rail flew over some reeds very close to the hide, I could see it again a minute later, it was my second sighting of this species.
I had seen Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher, Purple Swamphen and Common Snipe but the best was to come. My dad was having a siesta and i was looking at some Coots when suddendly something big flew across the reeds in front of me. i didn't know what it was until I realized it was a Bittern!!! I woke up my dad who could get a quick look before it dived into the huge reed extension.
From Riet Vell we got to l'Alfacada, up to the big tower. From there I saw Dunlins, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Reed Bunting, Greylag Geese and others.
Finally, as we were driving home i saw a very big formation. We got out of the time and with the scope I could identify them, Glossy Ibis.

viernes, 16 de septiembre de 2011

New tele for my camera!

On tuesday I got a call from a photography shop, my reservation had arrived. THe next day I went with my mum to get it. It was a teleobjective for my camera (Canon EOS 1000D).
It's the Sigma 150-500mm.
I can't wait to get out to make my first pictures!!! :)

domingo, 28 de agosto de 2011

Holiday report: 4-Photos

I'm Sorry about the order, but it didn't work very well. The first four photos are from Benasque and the rest (except for the two last ones, which are from Germany) are from Scotland.