May 2, 2008
The Birdman of Alcossebre - April 2008 Bird News.
I saw a total of 87 species in the Alcossebre area during April.
One new species was added to the list - Tawny Pipit.
Most of the Spring passage birds put in an appearance, most of them later than normal and in fewer numbers.
It´s the first Spring that I have seen Black-eared Wheatear arrive before Northern Wheatear, and normally there is a constant stream of Barn Swallows and House Martins passing throught the area, but this year I only got a maximum of 80 Swallows and 14 House Martins?
The month started off quietly with a male Subalpine Warbler, one Blue-headed Wagtail and a Woodchat Shrike arriving overnight on the 2nd April.
The last big flock of Cormorants of Spring - 211 birds - flew East.
Friends Andy and Sylvia had the only White Stork of the month fly North over their house, in rural Capycorp.
There was a small passage of birds on the 3rd April. Four Purple Herons, a female Sparrowhawk and a Common Buzzard headed N/E.
New arrivals included a female Subalpine Warbler and a Common Cuckoo calling from a Carob tree in my garden, the first this Spring.
The last of the wintering Skylarks, Song Thrush and Black Redstarts were seen.
There were no passage or overnight arrivals on the 4th April, but 6 Great Spotted Cuckoos and 11 Blackcaps were noteworthy numbers.
The first Northern Wheatears arrived on the 5th April - much later than normal.
The local Corn Buntings were beginning to sing and declare their territories.
A total of 9 Night herons were found roosting in the Sewage Pond reeds on the 6th April. The first of Spring.
A small passage of birds on the 7th April included two Caspian Terns flying East over the coast, a Short-toed Eagle and a Hobby heading N/E.
Eight Night Herons flew out of some Pine Trees at Torre de Capycorp estate, and had probably roosted there overnight.
The first Osprey of Spring flew East along the coast at 8.55 am on the 8th April. Followed by another five minutes later!
The only Black Kite of the month flew over headed N/E.
Inland two Blue-headed Wagtails were new arrivals.
I got my second record here of Little Ringed Plovers on the 10th April, when a pair turned up at Capycorp Lagoon. As if that wasn´t good enough, three Whiskered Terns flew West over Rural Capycorp - no doubt heading for the Cabanes Nature Reserve. Another first this Spring.
The Little Grebe returned to the Sewage Pond on the 11th April. 18 Sand Martins flew over headed N/E, and the only White Wagtail of the month popped up at the Sewage Works.
Four Northern Wheatears were fresh arrivals.
An influx of 22 Corn Buntings outnumbered the local birds.
I thought it was going to be a good morning for birds when a female Montagu´s Harrier flew over my house at 8.10 am on the 12th April!
I wasn´t to be disappointed.
When I got to the coast a long single line of Greater Flamingos flew East.
61 Pallid Swifts with five Alpine Swifts flew North East.
The first Nightigales arrived, two birds singing in their loud fashion.
As if not to be outdone a migrant male Subalpine Warbler was heard singing.
There were two Spring firsts on the 13th April - two Black-winged Stilts roosting on Tropicana Beach, and a Turtle Dove enjoying the early morning sunshine, on a roof.
There was still at least one Little Ringed Plover at Capycorp Lagoon. and inland there were two new Blue-headed Wagtails.
The 14th April saw eight Avocets flying East along the coast, only my second record here.
A fine male Marsh Harrier soared on the thermals and headed North.
Inland the first Whinchats had arrived, with five in one field all perched on tomatoe canes.
One female Common Redstart and two Willow Warblers were new in.
The best of the day was the last call in at the Sewage Pond - a Whiskered Tern, only my third record here.
A male Common Whitethroat was a Spring first on the 15th April. There was also a small influx of Woodchat Shrikes with six seen.
Corn Buntings peaked at 30 birds, my best total for three years.
The 16th April provided me with a new species for Alcossebre - a fine Tawny Pipit, in a ploughed field with some Northern Wheatears for comparison.
Offshore the only Shags (2) of the month were seen in company with a Cormorant.
Woodchat Shrikes peaked at 10 birds, and the first Melodious Warbler of Spring was heard singing in sub-song, as if practising for the real thing!
Two Black-eared Wheatears were new arrivals.
The only highlight of the 17th April was three Purple Herons at the Sewage Pond.
There was a small influx of seven Willow Warblers, two Northern Wheatears and two Whinchats on the 18th April. While six Sand Martins and 73 Common Swifts flew North.
Five Northern Gannets offshore on the 19th April were the most this month.
Four Little Egrets flew East along the coast, followed by 60 Audouin´s Gulls and 10 Sandwich Terns.
Inland there were still at least five Woodchat Shrikes and seven Blue-headed Wagtails were new in.
The next three days were uneventful
The first stunning Golden Oriole arrived on the 22nd April with seven Turtle Doves and a male Subalpine Warbler.
A new Purple Heron was devouring Marsh Frogs at the Sewage Pond!
Overnight arrivals on the 23rd April included the first Greenshank and Whimbrel of Spring, at Capycorp Lagoon. The Greenshank didn´t hang around and flew off East, The Whimbrel just tucked it´s bill under it´s wing and continued to roost - see photo.
Inland nine Turtle Doves, two Golden Oriole and two Red-legged Partridge were new arrivals.
Passage birds on the 24th April were all heading in different directions!
Two Night Herons flew East, a Grey Heron flew West, and a soaring Short-toed Eagle headed North.
Amonst the overnight arrivals of two Turtle Doves, four Whinchats, three Woodchat Shrikes, two Northern Wheatears and two Blue-headed Wagtails were the first Spring Bee eaters (6 birds) and male Pied Flycatcher.
To cap a fine day off the first Red-necked Nightjar flew through my garden at 4.10 pm.
The 26th April started off well with a female Common Redstart in my garden.
On my walk a male Montagu´s Harrier flew over heading N/E.
The Sewage Works provided the second Pied Flycatcher of Spring.
The 27th April was only enlivened by seven Black-winged Stilts and 46 Audouin´s Gulls flying East along the coast.
A late female Blackcap was the only arrival on the 28th April, and a total of 56 Barn Swallows and 10 House Martins flew N/E:
Another Night Heron turned up at the Sewage Pond on the 29th April, and three Woodchat Shrikes, three Whinchats and one Northern Wheatear were new in.
An Osprey being mobbed by Audouin´s Gulls over the sea on the 30th April was my thrid this month.
New arrivals included three Common Sandpipers, very late this year.
Woodchat Shrikes had increased to seven, and Pied Flycatchers to three, there was even two new Nighingales singing, giving five in total.
Alcossebre Weather for April 2008.
This April was one of the driest on record.
Although we had five days when rain fell, it amounted to very little.
A total of 0.8 inches (20mm) for the month. Compare that with April 2007 when we had a total rainfall of 13 inches or 332mm!
The other main factor this month was wind, this combined to not only dry things out but kept the temperature down by three or four degrees most days.
The average daytime temperature was 23C (76F), with the hottest day on the 26th April at 28C (82F).
The average night temperature was 11C (52F), with the coldest night on the 15th at 7C (45F).
We had a total of 17 days when it was fine and sunny conditions, a further five days were a mixture of sunny and cloudy spells.
We only had four completely overcast days.
It rained on the 9th, 11th, 17th,18th and 20th of April, no of which amounted to very much.
As mentioned earlier winds were a dominant feature of the month, not so much for the wind strengh, but more for the wind direction.
Unusually we had 16 days in the month when the wind direction was South Westerly in complete contrast to April 2007 when it was Easterly for 16 days!
Wind strength thoughout the month was mainly gentle or moderate force three and four.
We only had three days of strong to gale force strength winds.