November 1, 2009
Olivaceous Warbler top bird of the month.
I recorded 75 species of bird in the Alcossebre area in October 2009.
The top bird of the month was my first record of an Olivaceous Warbler, which turned up at the Sewage pond from the 1st to the 3rd of October.
Dispite spending hours trying to get a photo of the bird for once I was unsuccessful due to the skulking nature of the bird.
This brings the Alcossebre Bird List up to 206 species.
Other notable records were first October sightings of Little Grebe,Ring Ouzel,Garden Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and Rock Bunting.As is usual in October here a number of summer species were seen for the last time, and more winter birds arrived to fill the gap.
A summary for most species follows.
A Little Grebe continued on from September at the sewage pond.
The first of the winter Northern Gannets were seen off shore, with five maximum.
While only a single Shag was seen, Cormorants continued to head south, with a total count for the month of 902 birds - largest flock seen was 187 birds.
12 Grey Herons, 33 Little Egrets and 11 Great White Egrets flew south during the month.
Up to 55 Cattle Egrets continue to winter in the rural farmlands.
It was a poor month for passing raptors. Low totals of 2 Marsh Harriers, 4 Northern Sparrowhawks, 4 Common Buzzards and 2 Booted Eagles passed through. Normally we would expect double figure for these species.
One or two Common Kestrel continue to winter.
Keeping the Little Grebe company at the sewage pond were 28 Common Moorhens, although their number was reduced when a Sparrowhawk caught one! See photo.
Wader passage was very poor with only one Northern Lapwing seen.
The first of the winter Arctic Skuas were seen, single birds chasing Sandwich Terns.
Gull roosts were starting to build up at the coast now that the tourists have gone - 120 Audouin´s Gulls was notable.
Flocks of up to 62 Sandwich Terns continue to fly south.
The local flock of Wood Pigeons are at a record winter high of 24 birds, dispite the hunters out numbering them!
Likewise Collared Dove numbers peaked at 121 birds.
It has been a poor passage month for Turtle Doves with only two birds seen.
A maximum count of 7 Hoopoes is near normal numbers for October.
The first of the winter Skylarks arrived on the 13th October, and matched the resident Crested Larks in numbers - 14 birds each.
Crag Martins deserted their mountain nesting sites and started to arrive from the 13th October - maximum count 15 birds.
Barn Swallows continued their southern passage throughout the month, biggest numbers were on the 2nd when 126 birds were passing per hour.
In contrast only a total of 11 House Martins flew south.
Wintering Meadow Pipits numbers continue to rise, maximum of 27 birds.
A total of 11 Blue-headed Wagtails passed through, the last on the 14th.
The first of the winter Grey Wagtails arrived on the 11th October.
White Wagtails numbers continue to increase with up to 15 birds counted in the rural farmlands.
The first of winter Dunnock arrived at the sewage pond on the 27th October.
Wintering Robin numbers continue to increase, with up to 30 birds seen.
Like wise the wintering Black Redstart numbers are up to 20 birds.
The last of the passage Common Redstarts, Whinchats and Northern Wheatears were seen on the 14th, 6th and 13th respectively.
A solitary wintering female Blue Rock Thrush was joined by another female, but not in the same area.
Wintering Stonechat numbers continue to increase, now 15 birds.
My first autumn record of Ring Ouzel turned up at the sewage pond on the 14th October, it was the very distinctive race called Alpestris. Like the Olivaceous Warbler I didn´t manage to photo graph it.
Resident Blackbird numbers remain low at 2 birds, while the passing and wintering Song Thrush numbers are up to 26 birds.
It´s been a memorable month for warbler species, with 11 species seen, including the first Olivaceous Warbler, skulking at the sewage pond from the 1st to 3rd October.
Up to three Cetti´s Warbler have winter territories.
10 resident Zitting Cisticola´s are normal October numbers.
One to two Reed Warblers were present at the sewage pond up to the 21st.
The first of the winter Dartford Warblers arrived on the 20th October.
There was up to four passing Subalpine Warblers present up to the 12th
Up to 20 Sardinian Warblers were normal October numbers.
Single Garden Warblers present at the sewage pond from the 2nd to the 23rd, were my first autumn records here.
Wintering Blackcap numbers were now up to 20 birds.
This is the overlap month for Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers. The first Chiffchaffs arrived on the 21st, and the last Willow Warblers were on the 28th
A single Firecrest on the 4th October was only my second October record here.
The last of the passage Spotted Flycatchers and Pied Flycatchers were seen on the 4th and the 7th October, respectively.
Southern Great Grey Shrike numbers are well below the eight year average of 4 birds, with only a single bird wintering.
A juvenile Woodchat Shrike on the 1st October was my latest date seen.
A peak of 31 Common Magpies matched last Octobers peak numbers.
The first of the winter Chaffinches arrived on the 17th, and by the end of the month numbers had reached 90 birds.
The first Rock Bunting of the winter arrived on the 18th October, my first October sighting.
Alcossebre Weather in October, 2009.
October was a very mild dry month, with 17 days being fine and sunny. A further 8 days were mainly sunny with cloudy spells.
The average daytime temperature was 26C (78F)
The highest temperature was on the 8th at 31C (87F).
The coolest day was on the 18th at 19C (66F).
The average night temperature was 17C (62F).
The coldest night were on the 17th at 10C (50F).
The warmest night was on the 8th at 22C (72F).
Total rainfall for the month was 1.1 inches (28mm) over six days, on two days there was only a trace of rain.
The heaviest rain fell on the 22nd with 0.6 inches (15mm).
Wind strengths were mainly light or gentle, we only had 5 days with a moderate breeze.
Wind directions were mainly North-westerly or North in the early morning, turning to the south, south west or south east from mid morning. Dying out most evenings.
Compared to October 2008 it was 4C warmer, and a lot drier – 10.8 inches of rain last October.