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

Click image to view..

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…