The Birdman of Alcossebre (Spain)

The Birdman of Alcossebre – January 2008 Bird News.

67 species were seen in the Alcossebre area in January 2008.
One new species was added to the Alcossebre List – the Common or Mew Gull. Bringing the total species seen here in six years observation to 204.
I had first January records for Cory´s Shearwater, Greater Flamingo, Black Kite, Hen Harrier, Golden Plover and Wren.
The mild January weather gave some big increases in some species numbers, see Warblers for example.
The full list of birds seen this month with comments follows:-
Up to 4 Great Crested Grebes were seen on the sea, were normal numbers, while flocks of up to 920 Balearic Shearwaters were above average for January.
Thanks to my friend Roy Trevaskis and his boat called Ra, I managed to get close to the Balearic Shearwaters on the 20th January and to my delight got my first January record of Cory´s Shearwater –
Up to 8 Northern Gannets offshore were above average numbers, in contrast only a single Shag was seen all month.
Cormorant numbers continue to increase with flocks of up to 136 birds passing through.
Single Grey Herons were seen through out the month, mainly at Capycorp Lagoon.
A flock of 32 Greater Flamingos flying East over the sea on the 31st, were my first January record.
While only a maximum of 3 Cattle Egrets were well down on January numbers, one or two Little Egrets were normal.
The female Hen Harrier first seen in December was still hunting over the farmlands up to the 19th January.
A Black Kite flying East over the sea on the 31st was my first January record here.
Single Northern Sparrowhawks and Booted Eagles were seen throughout the month, and two Common Buzzards were holding onto their winter territory in the farmland areas.
Up to three Common Kestrels roamed over the area, only once seen together.
Considering there are only two small freshwater ponds in the area, a maximum of 26 Moorhens are good numbers.
There were still up to 46 Stone Curlews wintering in the farmland areas.
Five Golden Plovers at Capycorp Lagoon on the 29th were my first record for January.
Up to 58 Mediterranean Gulls and 33 Audouin´s Gulls were normal numbers, while a maximum of 13 Black-headed Gulls were below usual numbers.
A new Gull species turned up at Capycorp Lagoon with the other Gulls on the 7th January – a winter plumaged Common or Mew Gull –

Both Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-back Gulls were seen in their hundreds on the tourist free beaches.
A maximum of 40 Sandwich Terns were normal for our only winter Tern.
A maximum of 5 Razorbills seen were well down on usual winter numbers.
Single Wood Pigeons seen meant the Hunters had not got them all – yet!

A maximum of 40 Collared Doves was above average for January.
One or two Little Owls seen daily were normal for January.
While up to 6 Hoopoes were above average numbers.
A maximum of 8 Crested Larks were down on numbers, in contrast the wintering Skylark numbers were well above, with up to 92 counted.
The mild weather conditions meant there were only a maximum of 9 Crag Martins counted, usually there are 40 plus.
In contrast up to 44 Meadow Pipits were double the normal.
While only single Grey Wagtails were seen, up to 24 White Wagtails were counted, about half the normal January numbers. Insert photo here
A single Wren turned up in my garden on the 31st, my first January record. And the first for two years!
Up to 16 Robins counted testified to the mild weather.
A maximum of 15 Black Redstarts were down on normal numbers, females out numbering males by five to one.
Two male and one female Blue Rock Thrushes continued defending there winter farmaland territories.
A maximum of 15 Stonechats counted were a third above normal wintering numbers.
While up to 3 Blackbirds counted were average, Song Thrush numbers were at a record 30 plus maximum double normal numbers for January. Some mornings up to 8 birds could be heard singing.

Although four different Cetti´s Warblers were holding winter territories, they were never all heard singing in the one day.
A maximum of five Fan-tailed Warblers were normal.
Up to five Dartford Warblers were wintering, above average numbers for January.

Sardinian Warblers and Blackcaps continue to increase here with a maximum of 24 and 18 birds counted.
However, neither species match the increase in wintering Chiffchaffs with up to 60 counted daily!
Six pairs of Great Tits were regularly counted, another species increasing in numbers.
Although four different Southern Great Grey Shrikes were wintering, it was normal to see only one or two on any given day.
Common Magpie numbers were stable at a maximum of 17 birds counted.

The mild winter weather was suiting both species of Starling – Spotless and Common, and both species of Sparrow, House and Tree. Mixed flocks numbering hundreds seen daily in the fields with the Finches and Buntings.

Of the six species of Finches wintering, three species were above normal numbers – Chaffinch, max.109 birds; Goldfinch,max 76 birds; Serin max 101 birds.
One species was normal numbers – Linnet 30 birds max. and two species were down in numbers – Greenfinch max 14 birds; Siskin max 6 birds.
Of the four Bunting species wintering, three species were down in numbers – Cirl Bunting one bird; Rock Bunting two birds; Reed Bunting 11 birds.
Only Corn Bunting was in normal January numbers with 8 birds max.

Alcossebre Weather in January 2008.

Overall January was a very settled mild month with fine sunny days being the norm (19 days)
This was very similar to January 2007 but 6C warmer than January 2006!
There were four days with a little light rain, giving a month’s total of 20 mm or 0.8 inches. The driest January in six years.
The average day temperature was 19C (68F) with the warmest day
being the 11th at 26C (80F)
The average Nightime temperature was 8C (48F) with the coldest night on the 1st at 2C (37F)
On six mornings we had mist covering the mountains. The mist was so thick on the 21st that it took most of the day to clear, and yet not far away at Morella it was fine and sunny!

Another feature of this month was the absence of strong winds. Most days had light winds with a number of days with no wind at all, unusual to say the least. The wind directions were mainly Northerly or North Westerly (11 days) in the mornings and Easterly (11 days) in the afternoons. We had seven days with South- Westerly winds, again unusual here.