I've tried several times to catch up with the small group of Azure Winged Magpies that are in residence around a garden of a large house on the edge of the Lagunas de la Torrevieja without success. Armed with some new location information I'm off to try again for some images.
Azure Winged Magpies are generally found through out Sourthern Spain but in the area around Alicante they are not that common, why they are in this location is a mystery. But before I head for Los Belcones I'm going to have a quick look down at the Salinas at San Pedro.
Scanning the salinas it looks very much as per the last couple of days with little about apart from the odd screeching Tern overhead and several pairs of Shelduck, as it's good light I get some images of the Shelduck and call it quits. Time to head up the AP7 motorway towards Torrevieja
Click image to view
Shelduck - male
The directions given take me are essentially the same location as I already know about albeit on a parallel road. Parking up I walk passed a large walled property surrounded by tall conifers, then a call I'm not familiar with attracts my attention, I look up, bingo....it's a Azure Winged Magpie.
Now with the 100-400 installed I'm concentrating on flight shots as the birds are too well hidden in the conifers for static shots. The birds are visiting an area about a hundred meters away bringing back material for nesting, so I'm standing against a wall camera ready. But the AWM are getting a little wise to my actions and start deviating around me making the shot more difficult.
Mediterranean Gulls, probably up to thirty in number are circuling overhead screeching their characteristic "kyau" call, Turtle Doves are flashing around and whole variety of finches and Linnets are feeding in the nearby scrub.
With more time spent at this location than I intended I'm now off to La Finca Golf Resort where I've read reports listing bird species thats makes it worth a visit.
Azure Winged Magpie
La Finca Golf Resort is not the place you'd think would be good for birding, has a small lake used for irrigation parts of which have been left to nature, this small lake has resident breeding species such as Black Necked Grebe, White Headed Duck, Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis amongst others.
I start with the big white but I can't get close to anything and the Egret colony is well hidden in the reed bed so I change strategies and use the 100-400 for some flight shots.
Cattle Egret
Glossy Ibis
With little else on offer I call time and head back home.
No comments:
Post a Comment