July 1, 2008
June 2008 Bird News. Juvenile Birds of Prey make my day!
I saw 55 species in the Alcossebre area in June 2008.
No new species were added to the Alcossebre bird list this month.
With migration all but finished until the Autumn it was up to the breeding and non-breeding birds to provide the interest and they certainly did that.
The 1st of June started with a very obliging juvenile Eleonora´s Falcon which allowed me a close approach to take photos.
At a distance my first reaction was a juvenile Peregrine Falcon, but on closer inspection it turned out to be a juvenile Eleonora´s – I double checked the I.D. with my friends Keith Hoey and Sam Shippey.
The bird stayed in the general area for the rest of the month.
After that bit of excitement I saw another juvenile bird of prey, this time a Short-toed Eagle. Initially it was just a large brown eagle flying in the distance. Then it landed on an Electric Pylon. So I started walking towards it – it was about two miles away – I thought as I ever closer to it, it would fly off at any minute, but no it allowed a fairly close approach, and I got close enough to see it’s orange eye colour – see photos.
The 2nd June saw five Grey Herons fly East, and the Short-toed Eagle was on the same pylon again.
There were some overnight arrivals on the 3rd June, with a very late Willow Warbler (which flew in from the sea), a female Montagu´s Harrier, a Turtle Dove and A Squacco Heron looking totally out of place on the open beach at Capycorp Lagoon. See photo.
A Spotted Flycatcher on a neighbours T.V. aerial on the 4th June proved at least one pair were nesting in the area.
There was also one pair of Woodchat Shrikes holding territory.
60 Greater Flamingos flying East over the sea on the 6th June were the only days highlight, and the only record for the month.
There were evidently plenty of fish offshore on the 7th June. As two Northern Gannets, 58 Audouin´s Gulls, 10 Sandwich Terns and four Whiskered Terns were all keeping company as they picked the fish out of the sea.
There were at least three juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo’s being fed by their Common Magpie foster parents.
A Night Heron was an overnight arrival at the sewage pond.
An adult and juvenile Shag sitting on the Moors Rock on the 10th June was the only record of the month.
Had my last sighting of the juvenile Eleonora´s Falcon as it hunted over rural farmland.
Two separate male Woodchat Shrikes seen today means at least two pairs holding territory this year.
On the 11th June birds were going in opposite directions to feed. 20 Black-headed Gulls were flying South West over the sea, while 10 Whiskered Terns were flying East over the rural farmland, probably Ebro bound?
Terns provided the main interest again on the 12th June, with a year first of 15 Black Terns flying East and 40 plus Common Terns flying West, both over the sea.
Two Linnets feeding in an Artichoke field gave hopes of them nesting? They are not usually seen here in Summer.
Three different Melodious Warblers alarm calling provided me with proof of breeding on the 13th June. See photo.
A fine male Montagu´s Harrier hunting along a dry river bed on the 15th June most likely came from the breeding population at Cabanes Nature Reserve.
A Kingfisher at Capycorp lagoon on the 16th June was the only record of the month. Four Whiskered Terns flew East.
A juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo with an adult proved at least some of the pairs bring up their own young. Photo.
There was at least one Nightingale still singing on the 18th June – at the Sewage Pond.
Two Night Herons were overnight arrivals at the Sewage Pond on the 19th June, and although a Red-necked Nightjar flew over my swimming pool at dusk, I still have not got a photo!
I got my second June record of Alpine Swift on the 21st June when one bird circled above Torre de Capycorp estate in company with some Pallid Swifts.
The only Corn Bunting of the month was seen in the Rural Farmland, so at least one pair still in the area.
The next few days were quiet bird wise, but I did see a Bee eater with food in it’s bill, on the 23rd June, so at least one pair breeding this year.
Two Grey Herons flew leisurely East on the 24th June, and there was hope that Linnets bred in the area, when I saw what looked like a family party feeding in some overgrown Artichoke fields. Photo.
The juvenile Short-toed Eagle was still using the same electric pylon as a vantage point.
The rest of the month was fairly quiet as the resident breeding birds went about their business of feeding and rearing their young.
The local pair of Wood Pigeons had reared five young, and had time to enjoy the early morning sunshine – see photo.
Alcossebre Weather for June 2008.
The first eleven days of June were unsettled, carrying on from the pattern this May. In these eleven days we had six days were it rained for at least some part of the day.
Total rainfall for June was 1.7 inches (43mm); the wettest day was on the 10th June with 0.6 inches (15mm).
The unsettled weather meant temperatures were lower than average for the first 15 days, however by the end of the month it was hot, hot, hot.
The average daytime temperature was 28C (82F) with the hottest days on the 28th and 29th at 33C (91F)
The average night temperature was 17C (62F), with the coolest night on the 16th at 12C (53F).
19 days were fine and sunny, 7 days were mixed cloud/ sunshine and 4 days were overcast.
Wind strengths were mainly light or gentle (23 days), with moderate winds on six days, and only one day with strong winds – on the 23rd June.
Wind directions varied quite a bit throughout the month, with some days having three or four shifts of directions.
In the early part of most mornings the wind came from a North east or North west direction, come mid morning it then usually changed round to the East or South East, finally in 12 days it changed round again to the South west.