Old Favourites

Salinas de San Pedro - 6.11.19

The more I go to the local salinas out of migration season the harder I find getting images of a type that I've not posted previous, mainly down to the fact that the waders aren't just around. It's a place where a few of the commoner species hang out over wintering from the colder north such as Dunlin, Greenshank and Sanderling but theses are can hard to pin down with the large number of water pans so sometimes you have to go back to the old favourites.

Avocet and Black-winged Stilts are common on the salinas and if your patiant and remain still it can prove quite fruitful. These images were taken whilst in the same location as the previous post of the Greater Flamingos, the water colour is a reflection of a mud bank that only appears early mornings with sun angle over your shoulder.

Avocet

Black-winged Stilt

Greater Flamingo

Dunlin

Keeping It's Distance

Salinas de San Pedro - 24.9.18

During my trip in April Avocets were present in some numbers and generally can be seen year round as I assume they are resident breeders, now September I've only seen a few way out on the salinas never coming that near, certainly not to photograph.

I'm sat down at the end of one of the salt pan banks favoured by breeding Little Terns now departed to Africa photographing a Black Tailed Godwit, being early morning before the heat build up the water is flat calm giving good reflection, out of the corner of my eye I can see an Avocet approaching not flying but swimming, it looks a good shot so I start tracking the wader but the wader see's me and doubles back in opposite direction. Eventually the Avocet can resist joining the godwit and a ruff that's now appeared busily feeding in the corner of the pool probably thinking there's easy food on offer.

This time I remain statuesquc only moving to click the shutter, the Avocet approaches close and joins the banquet eventually deciding that there's better offerings else where and departs, but I do get some good shots one in particular being the reflection shot below.

Avocet

It's Quiet at Salinas

15th April - Salinas, de San Pedro

This is my first time at the salinas since last October, then there was quite at lot of waders about but today I'm surprised how quite it is wader wise. A quick scan and the usual suspects are here Black Winged Stilt, Avocet but very few other waders.

On the far side I can see a couple of Little Stint one coming into summer plumage also two Curlew Sandpiper again one sporting the first signs of it's summer red plumage, it looks like it's going to be a waiting game.

Slowly the CSP make their way round the small bay each never far from the other within range of the camera, unfortunately they have a preference for deeper water which as a resulted in the sun angle being slightly from the side, I grab some shots before they depart not to return during my visit. The Little Stint never come anywhere near which was a bit disappointing as I was looking forward to photographing the Stint in summer plumage.

Last year there was a breeding Kentish Plover at this location and again the birds are on territory, occasionally the sitting bird will take a rest and feed along the sandy bay, I managed some shots but it's lean pickings today.

A pair on Avocets drop in from the other side of the salinas, the male can see me and starts incessantly calling the female just gets on with the day skimming the surface for what morsels are on offer. Occasionally the male stops calling and dose a bit of maintenance and has a shake proving a different photo op.

Time to move on

A selection of images from today. Click image to view

Avocet

Kentish Plover

Curlew Sandpiper

Return to Murcia

I'm back out to Pilar for my third visit of the year for another week of bird photography, to kick the trip off my first day will be at my old favourite the Salinas at San Pedro which I'm targeting a couple of birds species I've missed on previous occasions. 

Its eight am and I'm at the main road end of the salinas the Avocets in the usual corner location, the only problem are joggers and bikers that pass which tend to spook the birds, so its a bit of a waiting game and I settle down and wait. Two Avocets return to the small bay, its a bit muddy which doesn't lend for a good background but I get the required shots, then behind the Avocets I spot something at the top of the reeds, it looks like a reed head, I swing the big lens around and focus...its a Little Bittern..doh ! I fire off some frames, not being in the right settings I miss the flight shots, but hey ho theres always a next time

I move further up the salinas and the Little Terns are putting on a great show, but more on these great birds in the next post

Next up it's "midge alley" theres a group of Slender Billed Gulls on the low water spit where I had photographed the reflection Black Winged Stilts back in April, I'm expecting the gulls to see me and fly off, but no, they sit happy for me to take my time and get all the shots I want......thanks!

Whilst walking back along the salt pan walls there are several Spiny Footed Lizards scuttling about between the shrubbery, I grab a shot watching as they rase each foot in turn to cool as a result of the hot ground in the now cloudless sky and thirty degrees heat

Next location is a vist to my other close by site, the Lagunas de lo Monte

Click image to view

Arriving at Lagunas de lo Monte, the site is its usual quite absence of people or birders. I start at the first hide, bird numbers are noticeably less and a lot quieter than April, Pochard now with there young cruise the reed beds, Little Grebes are still chattering, but in front of the hide for my first time are a pair of White Headed Duck, the male happily displaying to its mate. Moving to the other hide, the only others bird of note is a Lesser Grey Shrike that perched briefly on the raptor pole, other than that little else.

Time to return home