Back to the Clot

Clot de Galvany - 20.05.2025

Five miles from Alicante Airport in the development of Grand Alicant is a small nature reserve called Clot de Galvany, usually when picking up or dropping off at the airport I always try to visit spending a couple of hours, the list of species that can be seen is impressive.

The "Clot" is one of those locations where you really need a “big white” prime lens, all I have with me today is the 100-500mm zoom but the benefits of a light weight setup is working fine for me.

It must be three years since my last visit hence I’ve landed up parking way further down the road which's runs alongside the reserve than I intended, but at least it’s next to a couple cafes bars ideal for post visit refreshment. 

Finding the entrance is never easy in the never ending perimeter fence, but at least it’s then only a short walk to the two small charca's (pools) each having a hide shown at the bottom of the map. Usually the left pool is overgrown with extensive reed beds the right pool being more open and always best. It’s quiet, probably a combination of the midday heat and the fact it's late in the migration and well in to the breeding season. 

Marbled Duck (Teal) an endangered species in Spain with only 70 breeding pairs, a few pairs of Red-crested Pochard, the ever squabbling Coot and vocal Little Grebes are all the contenders. Usually you can see several species of smaller Squacco, Night Herons and it’s a good location to see migratory ducks like Ferrugenus and Garganey Ducks.

Public hides in Spain to me are somewhat odd, being open backed with just a slatted front, roof and sides so your silhouette is aways visible to the wildlife, for some wary species if your seen they keep well away, but at least it's out of the sun and if it rains....dry.

As this was an ad-hoc late in the season visit it’s been lean picking so I’m off for a coffee and enjoy the sunshine, until the next time.

Clot de Galvany - Reserve Map

Hide - Right Side Pool

Very different to what we have in the UK, at least it keeps the sun off and dry when the heavens open up.

Hide View - Right Side Pool

Red-crested Pochard

Recently hatch young, I believe there were three. Common breeder in the region.

Marbled Duck or Teal

Endangered species in Spain with only about 70 breeding pairs, a few surrounding reserves like El Hondo have breeding programs in operation. Hole nesters using provided boxes. 

Red-eared Terrapin or Slider

Invasive species in Spain from North America released back to the wild by unwanted owners. Competes with the indigenous Iberian Pond Terrapin which is mainly all pale brown colour

Spain & Rain !

Campoverde - 19.05.2025

I'm back in the Costa for some sun, I don't know why its warmer back in the UK, but its still good to get away for a few days.

At the end of the road near the accommodation there's are Sand Martin's breeding in two locations, one you can park the car and shoot out of the car window, that's relaxed wildlife photography.

It's the middle of May and the young the majority that I can see have fledged, but they still return to the nest holes resting or waiting for the adults to return with food. It's mega activity with probably 40-50 birds zooming around the nest holes, some birds are clinging to the rock face so plenty of photo opportunities to be had.

Parking up the Sand Martin's scatter across the fields returning after a short period, while I'm waiting I get the Merlin app out to see what's around in an old orange grove opposite, I don't need the Merlin for this one the unmistakable song of a Nightingale belting it out it's song now very uncommon now in the UK, next Bee-eaters call overhead common early mornings as they venture out into the countryside, a Golden Oriole calling in a tree opposite and a Melodious warbler all within a five minuet period !...right back to the action.

Lately on my visits I've been travelling light taking a camera, 100-500 and some batteries, if you get close you can still get good subject separation but nothing like a big prime lens.

Over the next hour here are a few images taken, now it's time to head back for some breakfast and I'm told I've got the beach to look forward too !

Sand Martin

Still No Rain !

Tales From The River Bank - 11.05.2025

The sun and heat continue any one would think it was summer but confusingly it's still only spring. This morning I'm having a couple of hours down on the river, maybe I'll get lucky and get some shots of Dipper or even a Grey Wagtail.

It's around 9.30am and the temperature even this early is getting hot in direct sun, lugging the gear I'm get a fair sweat on so when I finally make it down near the waters edge I'm happy in the cooler temperature. A quick scan a Dipper is diving quite close around some rocks and a couple of Grey Wagtails busy gathering bill fulls of insects which I assume are feeding young nearby, might be worth an hour to see what's on offer !

I'm tucked up under a bank, I'm waiting for a Dipper to land on a rock three meters in front of me...no chance...wishful thinking ! after the initial sighting they never come close...hey ho !..Then out of the corner of my eye a Mink appears, it's searching the river bank for it's next meal then disappears only to appear further down the bank on a concrete wall, I rattle of two seconds of shots and it's gone.

An hour by the river with surprisingly quite a lot of activity and even an image of a Mink Ive not seen for sometime, you don't get a bagful of images all the time !

Mink..

Mallard....male

Jet Washer Grebe

Red-necked Grebe  -  04/05/2025

Update on the Red-necked Grebe that's been on tour around Lancashire / West Yorkshire areas, first seen in winter colours then eventually in almost summer plumage.

Noted on the inter web making an appearance on a reservoir in West Yorkshire at the end of 2024, I thought about a visit but ultimately didn't bother due to access, then, probably the same grebe relocating just over the boarder on another moorland reservoir about twenty miles west in Lancashire, which I eventually viewed several times.

The grebe finally departed locally a couple of weeks ago but today a RNG has been seen on the River Wharfe near Ilkely, which I would be very surprised if this wasn't the same grebe having moved back to West Yorkshire and only about thirty miles from the where I first noted at the end of 2024.

Below for interest is the timeline of the grebe's travels locally giving observers some great views over the last few months, safe journey to where ever.

Locations

Leeshaw Reservoir, Near Howarth, West Yorkshire...31/12/2024 - 26/02/2025
Clowbridge Reservoir, Near Burnley, Lancashire....01/03/2025 - 16/04/2025
River Wharfe, Near Ilkley, West Yorkshire....04/05/2025 - ?

The Jet Washers Ready !

Clowbridge Reservoir - 15.04.2025

Now some three weeks since the jet washer was taken into Balmer's the repairer, the good news it's now ready for collection….I wonder how that RN grebe is getting on ?...it's worth a look !

At Clowbridge I'm heading to where the grebe seems to favour fishing the shallow margins where I can also get quite low to the water, as long as it's not busy with walkers it's just a matter of picking your spot settling down and waiting for when the grebe starts fishing and comes closer.

Checking the usual location I easily pick out the grebe now in splendid summer plumage and a big change from three weeks earlier, it's quite close to the lake edge so I adopted the usual tactic of waiting until it dives and moving into position. The light isn't great with a load of white water but my grumblings soon abate when the grebe surfaces four meters in front of me.

Over the next hour or so with little disturbance from walkers the grebe is content to fish close in to the lake edge successfully taking about ten fish whilst I was there, one in particular being quite big as shown in the image below. As you would expect with the abundance of fish the grebe takes a rest and heads off to the middle of the lake tucking it's head down on it's back.

With a lull in the action and now quite busy with people enjoying the splendid countryside it's a good time to pack up, did I mention it was half term !!

Red-necked Grebe 

Off With The Jet Washer

Clowbridge Reservoir - 25.3.2025

As my jet washer ceased working it was off the the menders and surprisingly the approved repairer, Balmers is located right next to Clowbridge Reservoir. The weather looks ok, the RNG still present, so a trip to try and get some images was the only option for today.

Red-necked Grebes breed in Russia wintering in Western and Southern Europe with only a small number of up to 100 each winter making it to the UK, so when this individual arrived on a local reservoir it was quite unusual. Arriving a few weeks ago it was still in it's drab winter plumage, now twenty or so days later it's more like it’s summer plumage with red colour as it's name suggests on it's neck.

Parking up in the usual location I'm making my way to where I last saw the grebe a week ago, Curlews are back flying about, Meadow Pipits are all calling and a Buzzard circling overhead, Spring has arrived. At the far end of the reservoir near the boat club house the grebe is surprisingly close in to the shoreline but it’s soon disturbed by a dog walker moving back out into the middle of the reservoir, the last time it stayed bang in the middle of the reservoir not moving for the entire time of my visit, today being a weekday and little quieter I’m hopeful for something better.

Using the wall as cover and waiting until the grebe dives I move into a prime position, it surfaces right in front of me, it's aware of my presence but still happy to keep diving. As it works it's way along the shoreline surfacing no more than twenty meters away it dives and again I move to a new position, and that's how the action panned out for about fifty minuets until eventually decides it had enough heading back in to the middle of the reservoir tucking it's head under a wing.

With enough images on the card it's been quite a success, apart from the variable light my expectations have been exceeded considering it's quite a large reservoir, most images I've seen have been at distance so I'm please with my efforts getting so close, again shame about the light !

Red-necked Grebe

Out After A While

Clowbridge Reservoir - 18.3.2025

I've not been out for a while so today I'm off to catch up with a Red-necked Grebe a winter visitor to the UK that's been resident on a local reservoir for quite a few days. The last time I was at this location was to photograph a Grey Phalarope so I know the location reasonably well.

It's blue sky and sun this morning not the best for photography but as long as I can get the sun behind me it should be ok. As I approach the reservoir I can see in the distance around fifteen white swans...Whoopers. Although fairly common in the region in winter I've not seen any since a group appeared up on Ashworth Moor a few years back so my attention shifts from the grebe to getting some images of these wild winter visitors to the UK.

Sitting on the bank enjoying the sunshine the swans come closer vocalising with each other, on occasion walkers pass by and the swans move away, but they have a prefference for this location being less windy and soon move back close enough for more images.

It's now been a great couple of relaxed hours, Whoopers and sunshine, what could be better ! now it's time to move on and check out the Red-neck Grebe. Crawshaw Booth is quite a large reservoir so the scanning begins looking for the grebe.

I'm making my way back along the track the way I've come spotting several grebes, they are Great Crested and a smaller grebe, it's the Red-necked, but it's way out in the middle of the reservoir, I'm in no rush the weathers great !

Over the next hour the grebe never comes near and the signs are it won't, never mind with some images on the card I'm happy with the visit, and with Crawshaw Booth so near I might just try again.

Whooper Swan