Hoping For Something Better

Salinas de San Pedro - 19.9.18

As I drive along the far end of the salinas near the salt plant there's some great diffused light and with the lack of wind is producing some nice reflection in the water. As usual a group of about thirty Audouins Gulls are sat about on the salt pan banking so worthy a try for some images, but first I have park the car all the way back down the road as there's no parking available at this location.

Having parked up and made the long walk back I'm now back near to where the gulls are located but on the adjacent salt pan there's some Greater Flamingoes further out in the pan so out comes the "big white", one flamingo is doing a bit feather maintenance and with nice water reflection looks a good shot so I'm happy to spend a little time with theses San Pedro residents.

Moving further on to where the gulls are located, as I approach they ain't too happy and move further away into the salt pan, surprising really as a few minuets earlier a couple of joggers and a cyclist had just passed without the gulls being at all bothered. I get some not particularly good shots, but it's been a quiet morning and some times you just have to make do with what's on offer.

The images of the Slender Bill Gull were taken when I first arrived this morning at the first pull in just as the sun was rising.

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Greater Flamingo

Audouins Gull

Slender Billed Gull

Walk in the Winter Sunshine

Today I decided to have a day off birding in favour of a walk through the sand dunes at the salinas to the beach and then down to El Mojon, never the less I take the camera…just in case an opportunity presents its self.

It's a brilliantly sunny day as we join the many walkers out enjoying the great weather. The sea is flat calm and Sanderling are scuttling along the waters edge letting us get within a few metres before flying further along the beach, the occasional Stonechat can be seen sat on some scrub never letting us get too close for that mega shot, but its great just to be out.

El Mojon has a nice coffee bar close to the beach so thats where we are heading. The area of Mojon is located on the edge of the salinas and where the salinas channel empties into the sea, in the passed I’ve taken some nice images of Little Egret and Redshank on the beach so I hopeful of a photo opportunity, that is if my wife is not looking !

As we arrive at El Mojon the coffee bar is closed...well it is winter after all, we spend some time just enjoying the sights and sounds of this side of the salinas, in the past Wilsons Phalarope has been recorded in the near by lagoon but all that's on show today is Stonechat perched on the boardwalk handrail so we head back up the beach.

Where the channel empties onto the sea it has created a small pool where a group of Audouins and Slender Billed Gulls have congregated, not wanting to miss a photo op I get the camera out managing some good shots as the gulls not unduly bothered by the walkers and joggers passing close by. A group of Sanderling drop in and take the opportunity of the fresh water to bath and carry out some plumage maintenance much closer than the usual beach encounter which is an added bonus to the scarce Audouins and Slender Billed Gulls.

As we head back to the carpark we head to a favourite wader location on the salinas, nothing present apart from a distant Southern Grey Shrike sat on the tower which soon disappears as we get too near. 

All in all a great walk in some great weather, a little different to what's on offer back home 

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Audouins Gull

Slender Billed Gull

It's a Warm Day !

Well it’s last day of my spring migration “reci" trip which is turning out to be photo min break. Today being the warmest day very aptly I’m off to the beach, particularly the sand dunes at Playa La Torre where the previous day I had seen a pair of Stonechats between the broad walk and the beach, so camera at the ready I thought I'd try and photograph. 

On arrival I was surprised to see “squadrons” of Cormorants possibly up to 300 number in groups of twenty or so heading up the coast towards the Mar Menor, as I was concentrating on the Stonechats I kept missing the chance of a good light flight shot...so it's was back to the task in hand. 

Stonechats can be somewhat difficult to get near, so with a some patience sitting quietly eventually an opportunity will present its self, here are the images….

Male & Female Stonechat

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Meadow Pipit

On the way back to the car I noted two Audouin’s Gull with amazing red and orange tip bill sat a puddle in the middle of the carpark, so being a little obvious in the empty carpark stealth mode was required, on my front to get a little closer I managed to obtain these images

Note the ring on the right leg of the bird in the last image

Next location was to move up the coast to look for waders on the beach at Playa Merendero de las Salinas, you park up in the Park Natural carpark near the San Pedro salinas port and walk along a boardwalk to the beach…..what beach? it was covered from the waters edge to the high tide line in dead sea grass to a depth of at least 200-300mm washed up over the winter.

At the waters edge as expected were Turnstone, Little Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Redshank etc. Suffering the ever present blood sucking insects I grabbed the shots I needed and retreated to the safety of the car

Last stop for the day is the north side of San Pedro salinas at El Mojon which is mentioned in a guide i recently read, unfortunately access to the salinas is no longer possible but it was worth a visit to check the site out. 

In the overflow channel to the sea the usual species could be found including male and female Mallard and a very obliging Little Egret. 

All too quickly my time is over for this trip, its back to the accommodation for my mum’s dinner and my evening flight back to the UK. 

I will be back in April…