September 1, 2007
Migrant Tourists go Migrant Birds arrive.
I saw 69 Species during August in the Alcossebre area.
Two species were new for Alcossebre, a Northern Goshawk and a Budgerigar both seen on the same day.
There were also first August sightings for Little Grebe; White Stork; Osprey; Mediterranean Gull; Great Spotted Cuckoo and Common Redstart.
A summary of the month follows:-
Three Mediterranean Gulls going East started off the month, on the 1st August..
A Grey Heron going North and one Southern Great Grey Shrike and the family party of Woodchat Shrikes (two adult & two juveniles) were in the farmland areas on the 2nd August.
A flock of 200 Common Starlings on the 3rd August were the first since the Spring, and a Turtle Dove was an overnight arrival.
27 Audouin´s Gulls (mainly juveniles) flew West along the coast on the 4th August.
10 Hoopoes feeding in the local fields were matched by 10 Bee eaters flying South on the 5th August.
An Oystercatcher flying East on the 7th August was the first for Autumn and a moulting male Montagu´s Harrier was seen hunting over the dry river bed of Rio San Miquel.
The 8th August provided some wader passage, with another Oystercatcher, 8 Common Sandpipers and a Whimbrel. Common and Pallid Swifts were passing through at a rate of 105 birds per hour.
Inland two family parties of Golden Oriole were seen, the first young this year.
Two Turtle Doves were overnight arrivals on the 10th August.
The first Cattle Egrets (5) of the month appeared on the 12th August ducking their heads as an Eleonora´s Falcon passed overhead!
A Grey Heron flying South on the 13th August was the only passage bird seen.
The 14th August was better for passage birds with 15 Wood Pigeons, 5 Turtle Doves and an overnight arrival of two Spotted Flycatchers.
The 15th August was a National holiday here in Spain and the local Hunters were out shooting from first light! So with all that going on I didn´t think I would see much? However, I got my third Osprey of the year, heading South. This was my first August record.
An immature Northern Gannet offshore was the first of the month on the 18th August.
Rain on the 19th August brought in some migrants. An immature Black-winged Stilt at Capycorp Lagoon. 15 Hoopoes in the farmland.
The Sewage Pond was the busiest place providing the first Willow and Reed Warbler of Autumn, plus a Melodious Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.
The next few days were quiet birdwise. Then on the 22nd August I got two new species for Alcossebre in the one day – a fine male Northern Goshawk soared over the Sewage Pond and a Blue Budgerigar arrived in my garden! There was also a late Great Spotted Cuckoo being pursued by Swallows in the rural farmland, and the first Blue Headed Wagtails of Autumn.
New birds on the 23rd August were 6 Cattle Egrets and 3 Spotted Flycatchers.
On the 24th August there was a flypast of Egrets, a Great White Egret flew East (no doubt heading for the Ebro Delta) and 12 Little Egrets flew South West. The Sewage Pond was hosting both Willow and Reed Warblers again.
Another few quiet days until an overnight arrival of birds on the 27th August. A Kingfisher and a male Common Whitethroat(first this Autumn)at the Torre de Capycorp pond.A male Common Redstart(again a first for Autumn) in a neighbours garden.
The Sewage Pond provided a Little Grebe, my first August record.
Birds were on the move on the 28th August with Barn Swallows going South at a rate of 600 per hour, quite a sight. Smaller numbers of House Martins were with them, and I saw at least two Sand Martins, my first of Autumn.
A fine pair of Subalpine Warblers showed well at the Sewage Pond.
Barn Swallows were still streaming through on the 29th August at a rate of 920 birds per hour, that´s a lot of birds.
Two highlights on the 30th August, 16 Bee Eaters flew South, and a fine Nightingale popped up in my garden in the evening.
The last day of August was one of the best bird wise. 18 White Storks flew leisurely South, as did 15 Grey Herons. Overnight arrivals included the first Autumn Song Thrush and a female Pied Flycatcher arrived in my garden at 8.30pm just making the August deadline!
