March 7, 2007
Adjust your watches - Spring has come early!
I saw 70 species of bird in the Alcossebre area in February 2007.
This is my highest February total in five years here.
Highlights of this month were my first February records of White Stork and Red-rumped Swallow. My earliest Spring record of House Martin and the first Great Spotted Cuckoos´ of Spring. Stone Curlew reached a new winter high of 50 birds,the biggest wintering flock in the Valencia region.
A detailed list of birds follows:-
Seabirds and other species passing along the coast.
One Black-throated Diver was seen flying South on the 6th February.
Only single Great Crested Grebes were seen offshore compared to up to 6 in previous years.
A maximum of 23 Balearic Shearwaters and 5 Gannets,were seen,average sort of numbers.
A single Shag offshore was normal,but a monthly total of 180 Cormorants passing through was well above average.
A maximum of 10 Razorbills were seen,normal numbers here.
Herons, Egrets and Storks.
A single Grey Heron at Capycorp Lagoon was seen on the 2nd February.
A maximum of 3 Cattle Egrets were below normal numbers.
Single Little Egrets were usual feeding along the coast.
However, a White Stork flying North East on the 10th was my first February record.
Birds of Prey.
The month started off well with a single Sparrowhawk and a Merlin seen on the 1st. A single Booted Eagle was seen on the 10th February.
Two Common Buzzards and two Common Kestrels were still holding winter territories.
Wading Birds and Moorhens.
The wintering flock of Stone Curlews increased to 50 birds, this was the highest number in the Valencia area.
A maximum of 14 Moorhens were counted at the only two places they frequent, Torre de Capycorp and the sewage pond.
Gulls and Terns.A maximum count of 116 Mediterranean Gulls was a five-year high.
Black-headed Gulls were in more normal numbers, with a maximum of 84 birds.
57 Audoiun´s Gulls were about a third down on the five-year average.
Yellow-legged Gulls and Lesser Black Back Gulls were seen in their hundreds on the main beaches as long as they were not disturbed.
The only wintering tern, the Sandwich Tern was present in average numbers i.e. 38 birds.
Pigeons and Doves.
While typically only single Wood Pigeons were seen, a new five-year maximum of 112 Collared Doves were counted.
Exotics.
There were still one Rose Ringed Parakeet and two Patagonian Conures (Parrots) flying noisily around.
A pair of Great Spotted Cuckoos arrived as early as the 11th February and then up to five birds were seen and heard.
Owls, Kingfishers and Hoopoes.
One or two Little Owls sighted during daytime were normal for February.
For the second month no Kingfishers were seen.
A maximum of 9 Hoopoes equaled the five-year high.
Swallows and Martins.
Barn Swallows were commonly seen this month, albeit single birds.
My first February record of Red-rumped Swallow was seen on the 17th in company with a single Barn Swallow.
Crag Martins peaked at 43 birds on the 10th February, my highest five-year total.
Single House Martins were seen on the 15th (my earliest Spring record) and the 26th February.
Larks,Pipits and Wagtails.
A maximum of 58 Skylarks counted was above the five-year average.
On the other hand the maximum of resident Crested Larks was only 11 birds.
17 Meadow Pipits counted was above the five-year average.
Only single Grey Wagtails were seen,easily out numbered by White Wagatils, with a maximum of 15 birds counted, slightly down on average.
Robins,Chats and Thrushes.
A maximum of 17 Robins was a new five year high.
18 Black Redstarts was about normal maximum numbers.
11 Stonechats counted were average numbers for the month.
The male and female Blue Rock Thrushes were still wintering.
Three Blackbirds counted were normal month numbers.
30 Song Thushes were well above the five-year norm.
Warblers.
Three wintering Cetti´s Warbler were the most seen in five years.
Six Fan-tailed Warblers were also above average numbers.
Single Dartford Warblers were normal for February.
20 Sardinian Warblers were well above February numbers.
10 Blackcaps and 18 Chiffchaffs were also above February numbers, the mild weather has a large part to play here – see weather report.
A maximum of seven Great Tits declaring their territory was also evidence of the mild weather.
There were still two wintering Southern Great Grey Shrikes.
A maximum of 23 Common Magpies were a new five year high.
Spotless Starlings were doing a fine array of other birds songs, a sure sign nesting is not far off.
The wintering Common Starlings on the other hand were still in flocks of hundreds, flying from field to field.
Both House and Tree Sparrows were gorging themselves on the fresh Almond Blossum.
Finches and Buntings.
Most of the Finches were in above average numbers or in the case of Linnet a five-year high. 72 Chaffinches,29 greenfinches,53 Goldfinches,60 Linnets and 47 Serinwere counted.
Because of the mild winter there were no sightings of Brambling, Siskins or Hawfinches.
Two Cirl Buntings, single Rock Buntings and five Corn Buntings were down on usual February numbers. Only Reed Bunting with 20 birds counted were up in numbers.
Alcossebre Weather for February,2007.
This February continued the trend of the last three months with above average temperatures, however it was not as sunny as last February, but there was less rain.
The average daytime temperature was 18C (65F) which was 3C warmer than 2006 and 5C warmer than 2005! The average night temperature was 8C (48F).
The warmest day was the 28th with 25C (77F).
The coldest nightime temperature was 3C (39F).
Total rainfall for the month was 5.5 inches (142mm),most of which fell on two days the 9th and the 21st. This compares with a total of 9.2 inches last February.
We had only 9 fine sunny days this month. Most days were either a mixture of cloud and sunny spells (12) or overcast with some rain (7).
Winds were both variable in direction and in strength – 10 days from the North West, 14 days from the South or South West,and 6 days from the East.
The majority of days had either light or gentle winds with only strong winds on 3 days.
