Having a few days holiday left this year, and having enjoyed tremendously succesful trips to Extremadura and the Pyrennes with BF member, Jules Sykes, I booked him for one of his Oliva Rama shortbreaks with my friend Nigel to explore the Valencia and Alicante area. I did have 2 target birds for the trip being Penduline Tit and Moustached Warbler, but the trip was to hold so much more. Winter is not really the favoured time of year, but I'm sure you will agree from the details below it really is a great location any time of the year.
Monday 6/11/2006
Jules duly met Nigel and myself at Alicante airport at lunchtime. The weather was mild, but cloudy with a threat of rain. We quickly headed to Clot de Galvany where we immediately saw Crag Martins and Black Redstarts. Initially we went to the Charco de Contacto hide to eat our lunch. The first bird to take my eye was an amazing Purple Gallinule in the open on the edge of the reeds feeding away. While we sat there we also saw a pair of White-headed Ducks, Little Grebes, Teal, Shoveler and Cetti’s Warblers were singing well in the reeds. Surprisingly a pair of Marbled Ducks appeared; apparently very late in the year for this part of Spain. These were followed by another late bird, a House Martin feeding with the Crag Martins. A short walk round the back of the pool followed and we saw more White-headed Ducks, a female Pochard and another Purple Gallinule in the open. In the surrounding scrub we spotted several Hoopoes, a Southern Grey Shrike, Serins, Chiff-chaff, Sardinian Warblers. An Iberian Green Woodpeckers clung to a dead tree and provided a good view to compare with my knowledge of the UK species.
We moved onto the Santa Pola Salinas. Here we saw Great-crested Grebes, Greater Flamingoes, Grey Herons, Little Egrets, Marsh Harriers along with a few waders: - Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Ringed Plover, and a Curlew.
We next visited Santa Pola Harbour where some of the fishing fleet were returning to harbour accompanied by Gulls. Jules was able to give me a good lesson in identifying and ageing various gulls particularly in flight while Nigel was photographing them. The birds present were Yellow-legged Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Slender billed Gulls (some looking splendid in their pink tinged plumage) Lesser black-backed Gulls, Audouin’s Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls. We also picked out a Common Tern.
As the light faded we had a brief stop at the La Mata reserve. Here we found a few Crested Larks and Skylarks, a Kentish Plover, a small flock of Dunlin and a Kestrel.
We then headed for our overnight stay with our friends, Geoff and Julia.
Tuesday 7/11/2006
Tuesday morning began fine and overcast. We took a short pre-breakfast stroll in a pleasant gorge between the urbanisations. This area held a good number of birds and we saw Song Thrush, Blackbird, Dartford and Sardinian Warblers, Black Redstarts, Southern Grey Shrike and Serins amongst others.
After a hearty breakfast Geoff and Julia took us to San Pedro del Pinetar, a newly created reserve created out of saltpans. The first lagoon held a small flock of Greater Flamingoes, Little Egrets, a Greenshank, a Turnstone, Curlews and a Spoonbill dropped in briefly. Further along we found 4+ Little Stints with a flock of Dunlin, several Dartford Warblers and Zitting Cisticolas. On other lagoons we also found a Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, 2 Kentish Plovers, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 3 Sandwich Terns.
After calling back at Geoff & Julia’s we headed off for the hills at Crevillante to Finca Bonelli’s Eagle. However the rain started falling and steadily became heavier. Prior to arriving at Colin and Jane’s a bedraggled Little Owl flew up onto the overhead wires. We had our lunch only for the weather to continue to deteriorate and the only bird to brave the elements was a distant Blue Rock Thrush. Accordingly we headed for Oliva and just had enough light left to have a quick visit to Pego Marsh to give Nigel a preview and check on water levels. We did see Marsh Harrier, Little & Cattle Egrets, Grey Herons, Jackdaws and White Wagtails in the gloom.
Wednesday 8/11/2006
We awoke to another cloudy day with the forecast of the weather improving from the northwest. With this in mind Jules recommended a change the planned itinerary bringing the trip to the Petrola area forward by a day. On driving through atrocious weather conditions we wondered if this was the right decision. On arriving at the plains of Albacete and despite the rain Jules came up trumps with a flock of Stone Curlew. We relocated around the field so the rain did not blow in the open windows and were immediately surprised to find 3 Little Bustards close to us. Unfortunately they soon flew of but left us to watch 19+ Stone Curlews taking baths in the puddles. As the rain eased a little, larks began to sign and we had views of Calandra Larks and Skylarks.
Moving on and scanning the fields we soon found a raptor perched in a field, which turned out to be a female Merlin. Shortly after Jules spotted a small flock of Sandgrouse flying. They joined more birds on the ground and the count rose to 27 Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Interestingly when they took to flight we spotted a single Pin-tailed Sandgrouse amongst the flock providing me with a good comparison for size and markings. As this was not enough Jules then spotted a Great Bustard a little further away, and a second bird subsequently joined this. A tremendous series of finds in such an unpromising weather.
Moving on we spotted a flock of passerines by the roadside outside Bonete. This proved to be a mixed flock of House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Corn Buntings, Linnets and 100+ Rock Sparrows. Also around were Crested Larks, Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails and a Kestrel.
We stopped for lunch at Petrola and then went to the hide at Petrola Lagoon. Here there was a flock of Greater Flamingoes, a few Gadwall, Shovelers, Teal and a pair of Wigeon. There was a lengthy discussion on 2 waders one of which was clearly a Ruff, and the conclusion on the other was a first winter Reeve. The size difference was amazing and the other confusing point was the very dark legs of the Reeve. Before we left 3 Buzzards flew in the distance and Nigel spotted a Green Sandpiper and we failed in our attempt to photograph a Southern Grey Shrike.
As we drove around the plains we found 2 flocks of Great Bustards with 24 and 17 birds. Unfortunately we were not able to get close enough for photography. As the weather closed in again we headed back to Oliva.
On arriving at Oliva the weather was fine and clear and with some light left Jules suggested a quick visit to El Clotal beach. This proved a fine idea. As we parked up I had a fine view of a Cetti’s Warbler only a few feet away unusually in the open. A Swallow flew round and 2 Kentish Plovers were close by on the beach. Among a small group of gulls were 6 Audouin’s Gulls, and 20 Sandwich Terns. The sea itself was calm and there were few birds, however Jules manage to spot 2 distant Arctic Skuas harrying terns. Then a further flock of 12 Audouin’s Gulls flew in to bathe in the freshwater and 10 Sanderling were found further along the beach. As we left Nigel found a Kingfisher sat at the side of the road over a drainage ditch.
Thursday 9th November 2006
I didn’t think it possible to top the heights of yesterday, but waking to warm sunshine the spirits were excellent. This was to be a day around the Oliva and Pego area and a chance to find my target birds for the trip.
We started at Oliva beach where we found a good group of gulls, which included for good comparison, Audouin’s, Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls of varying ages. Also present were Kentish Plover, 4 Sanderling and Sandwich Terns.
Next we headed to Pego Marsh, and in particular the area which Jules describes at the brick tank. We soon had the treat of a Booted Eagle drifting and then landing in a tree so I was able to scope it at leisure. A Penduline Tit called and flew directly over us and dropped out of sight into the reeds. I concentrated on a group of birds feeding along a narrow track, finding House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Reed Buntings, Robins, Blackbirds and managed to find a Bluethroat. In all there were at least 4 Bluethroats present, one still in summer plumage. As we were watching these a tiny crake rushed across the path. Stunned Jules turned to me and said did you see that, a Baillon’s Crake had run straight through the view of his scope !! It did not reappear but I did get subsequently get a view of a Water Rail, which just showed how small the crake had been.
Jules had now pointed the song of the Moustached Warbler as one was singing close by, but sight of the bird was proving impossible as it was singing from low down in the reeds. However patience was rewarded as I had a couple of decent views and a shaky photo. I had been able to see the marked difference in the head patterns compared to other similar warblers. Although it came to within 3 feet away in reeds it proved nearly impossible to see. As we left we added another bird, a Water Pipit to our impressive list.
We next moved to an area of the marsh where a boardwalk and viewing platform are being built. Along the track we had opportunities to photograph Cattle and Little Egrets, and Hoopoes. We also saw Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier and a very late Yellow Wagtail.
We then tried another reed bed in hope of obtaining better views of Moustached Warblers and Penduline Tit but this proved unsuccessful but we did get to see a Reed Warbler. Driving along we spotted a Squacco Heron, again a very late bird. This also led to photographs of a Zitting Cisticola.
We finally visited the hill area on the north side of Pego Marsh and we soon heard 2 Penduline Tits calling to one another. Then my wish came true in that one of them appeared in the open perched on a single reed, a great albeit slightly distant view.
We then headed off of for lunch in the nearby Val de Gallinera. Whilst sipping our beer we saw a flock of 30+ Red-billed Chough and a few Blackcaps. Returning down the valley we pulled over on seeing a Buzzard. This inevitable led us to seeking out passerines in the woodland, which included Wren, Great Tit, Sardinian Warblers, Chiff-chaffs and an Iberian Green Woodpecker. However the highlight was an adult Golden Eagle flying along the ridge.
We now headed off to Cabo de San Antoni. On arriving we soon had a magnificent view of a very pale grey Peregrine effortlessly flying around the cliffs. We sat down to watch what the sea might have in store for us. A trawler came by accompanied by a hundreds of gulls and much to my delight we picked out a couple of Balearic Shearwaters. We also spotted some Gannets and Mediterranean Shag. With the next couple of trawlers I spotted another couple of Shearwaters. Jules was quick to point out that they were indeed Cory’s Shearwaters and I was soon educated in the different identification features of these Shearwaters. A great end to a magnificent day. That is if you don’t count the Monk Parakeets that were in evidence as we drove through Denia on our way back to Oliva.
Friday 10th November 2006
Regrettably today we had to return home to England. However with clear skies we had opportunity of stopping off for a couple of hours before catching our flight from Alicante. We decided to visit a wooded site at Maigmo in the hills above Alicante. On arrival the pinewoods had a Scottish feel, but mixed with the Spanish terraced olive groves. A flock of 7 Crossbills flew over noisily but unfortunately did not drop down to the drinking pools for photography as we had hoped. However the visit was a great success with close views of Firecrest, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits and Short-toed Treecreeper. We also found Cirl Bunting, Jay, Mistle Thrush and then some close Crested Tits.
Finally after packing away our binoculars we heard a Woodlark and driving down the road we stopped at an olive grove only to find it perched on a olive bush. The final bird for our list was then found; a group of 4+ Rock Buntings which also show well and close.
In summary this was a superb break, exceeding all my expectations in spite of, at times, some terrible weather. I saw a total of 131 species, of which 6 were lifers for me. I cannot thank my friend, Jules enough for his expert organisation and knowledge. I would heartily recommend his bed and breakfast and birding services to anyone. The Valencia / Alicante area may not have the acclaim and coverage of say Extremadura and the Pyrennes but it is amazingly rich in birdlife and is under watched and reported.
For details on the holidays and trips that Jules offers please visit his website,
http://www.olivaramatours.com/index.html .
Excellent report thanks John, it was an immense week considering the weather and time of year. The photos are amazing I will have to seriously consider a digital SLR.
Take care and see you next year.
Cheers Jules