Last Day at Lagunas de lo Monte

Well its the last day of my current trip so its a morning at lo Monte then off to the airport for my afternoon flight back to the uk. Early start and I'm on site for just after 8.30 am, quick scan of all the hides just to get an overview of whats about then I settle down and wait !

I'm at the number one hide on the bottom and largest lake and I see a Squacco Heron flying towards me, it drops down on the other side of the reeds near number two hide so I make my way round, theres a brit already in the hide, he's also from Campoverdi and a northerner, we chat about birding in general, Spain, retirement, we'er missing loads of stuff taking ! Birds of note....Marsh Harrier, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, White Headed Duck, Iberian Green Frog

I finish off on the top lake, theres some differing water colour, some dark green, and some flat calm blues, both situations gives good photo ops of Pochard and Gadwall. All to soon its time to leave for home back to Compoverdi, but I'll be back soon !

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Lagunas de lo Monte - Day 2

I can't believe this reserve is so close to the accommodation and haven't visited previously, this is my second visit and I'm looking forward to hopeful getting some shots of the Squacco Herons seen on my last visit. Starting at the fist hide I note a approximately twenty waders on the lake pontoon, they are jostling each other constantly flying around periodically visiting the mud area in front of the hide,  it takes some time to id the waders as Wood Sandpipers, with patience I get the shots, but by heck they are wary.

Swallows, Swifts, Sand Martins and House Martins are abundant overhead feeding on the insects around the lake, then two Swallows land in the adjacent reed bed providing me with some good photo ops. 

Crash..bang !...a Little Grebe has caught what appears to be a Darter, I can't imaging how that occurred given the speed Darters travel, the grebe struggles to devourer the insect, at one point stopping photographing to watch the spectacle.

Onwards to the top lake, previously where I have seen various herons....nothing. The only photo opportunities being Cormorant and ducks, Gadwall, Mallard and Pochard giving the only photo opportunities, still better luck next time

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Lagunas de lo Monte

New location for me today, a small wet land reserve just outside Pilar near the Hotel Lo Monte on the N322. The reserve which has two small reed fringed lakes not too dissimilar to the Clot de Galvany in Grand Alicant but a little bigger and thirty miles nearer home.

Arriving at the first hide which is located on the lower lake, within seconds flying towards me and landing in the reeds four metres in front of me, not one, but two Squacco Herons, unfortunately as the hide viewing slots are a little on the large side the herons took one look at me and were off further up the reserve.....no shot there then !

Onwards to the third hide which is located on the upper lake, "ground hog day" again the Squacco Herons where flying around looking to settle near the reed fringed scrape in front of the hide finally opting for the reeds on the far side

Birds of note include....Purple Heron, Night Heron, Grey Heron, Squacco Heron, White Headed Duck, Little Egret, Pochard, Mallard, Gadwall, Little Grebe, BWS, Coot, Moorhen, Spotted Redshank.

On the road back through Pilar, the famous goats/sheep (its hard to tell!) that frequent the crop fields gave good photo ops of an accompanying Cattle Egret comically jumping from one animal to another. Orange trees had numerous Serins singing and on the ground Red Legged Partridge can be seen scuttling around between the trees.

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Never Ending Fog !

Managed to get out to Pennington Flash today after a number of foggy days,