Clot de Galvany, Alicante - 2.3.20
Clot de Galvany is a small reserve comprising one large and two smaller reed fringed lakes quite close to Alicante Airport but not particularly close to my base in Murcia so visiting is generally only when I using the airport assuming the flight times work out.
Today I'm collecting my wife at the airport who's flying out to Spain early evening giving me the opportunity of a full day at the reserve, one target I'm hoping to see is a Ferruginous Duck that's been present for a couple of weeks so fingers crossed for a connection. It's a sunny day but blowing a whooly but at least I have the benefit of permanent hides on the three lakes.
Arriving at the first small lake I'm surprised to find it's been completely drained to allow re-profiling works of the various islands, with just a couple of White Wagtails present I press on the main small lake at the Clot. The wind is so strong most of the wildfowl are on the far side sheltering behind a couple of islands, I count 32 Red-crested Pochard, a couple of White-headed Ducks, some Cattle Egrets Spanish specialties but they aran't coming anywhere near, the rest very much what you would you would find back in the UK.
Today I'm collecting my wife at the airport who's flying out to Spain early evening giving me the opportunity of a full day at the reserve, one target I'm hoping to see is a Ferruginous Duck that's been present for a couple of weeks so fingers crossed for a connection. It's a sunny day but blowing a whooly but at least I have the benefit of permanent hides on the three lakes.
Arriving at the first small lake I'm surprised to find it's been completely drained to allow re-profiling works of the various islands, with just a couple of White Wagtails present I press on the main small lake at the Clot. The wind is so strong most of the wildfowl are on the far side sheltering behind a couple of islands, I count 32 Red-crested Pochard, a couple of White-headed Ducks, some Cattle Egrets Spanish specialties but they aran't coming anywhere near, the rest very much what you would you would find back in the UK.
Cattle Egret
Pandemonium erupts as a female Marsh Harrier makes a low swoops at some unsuspecting duck but also scattering the Cattle Egrets very obligingly landing right on some dead trees right in from of the hide, the light is a little harsh but this is the closest I've been to these somewhat wary egrets in a long time, it's fill your boots time !
Coot
After all the excitement of the harrier spooking the wildfowl things settle down a little and I turn my attention to the ever squabbling Coots trying for "walking on water" images, it's a bit like when I was photographing White Wagtails earlier in February shooting hundred of shots for a couple of successes.
Red Crested Pochard
Occasionally a pair of Red-crested Pochard venture to my side for a very short period giving some sort of shot, with the strong wind and the sun angle now wrong I do my best, there's always another day.
The weathers deteriorated with even stronger winds, dark clouds appear and the heaven open up just making it back to the car before I get a soaking...few ! it not all sun in Spain. Time to call it a day and head off to the airport to collect my wife.
Foot note: At the airport I didn't realise that there was an international U23 football tournament being held at the Pinatar Arena at Pilar de la Horadada, several teams coming through included Scotland, Netherlands and Russia...well I never !
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