September 5, 2008
Breeding Birds in Alcossebre in 2008.
Some 33 species of Bird bred or attempted to breed in the Alcossebre area in 2008. The study area covers about 400 acres or 160 Hectares, and normally takes me two to two and a half hours to walk round.
Little Grebe : A pair of Little Grebes took up residence at the Sewage Pond from the 11th April. They produced only one young which wasn´t seen after the 21st May. Unfortunately by this time a green algae totally covered the pond which made the adults move on elsewhere.
Common Kestrel : This is our only resident falcon. This year two pairs held territory with one pair raising two young.
Common Moorhen : Ironically the green algae at the Sewage Pond didn´t stop the Moorhens from successfully breeding, with some pairs having two broods. They also bred in the Torre de Capycorp estate. An estimate of the breeding population was 4 pairs at Torre and 8 pairs at the Sewage Pond
Wood Pigeon : Athough six pairs were seen in suitable nesting areas, only three pairs were seen with young.
Collared Dove : there was an estimated breeding population of 18 to 23 pairs of Collared Doves breeding this year. Most pairs managed to bring at least one brood up.
Turtle Dove : The first Turtle Doves were seen on the 13th April. After the main passage movements two possibly three pairs held attempted to nest.
One pair were seen with young.
Great Spotted Cuckoo : Always one of our earliest Summer birds. The first seen this year on the 7th February. Three or four pairs harassed the local
Magpies. Three pairs successfully deposited eggs in the magpies nests, and one pair actually raised two young by themselves!
Little Owl : 12 pairs of Little Owl were seen to hold and advertise loudly their territory. However dispite this number of pairs I have no indication of breeding success because I didn´t see any young!
Red-necked Nightjar : The first of these Summer birds were seen and heard on the 24th April. At least three pairs were heard in the evenings calling to advertise their territorys. No indication of breeding success due to their extreme elusiveness.
Bee-eater : The first of these wonderfully coloured birds was seen on the 24th April. There were at least five pairs at four localities. Four pairs successfully produced young, including the two pairs at the one site - a dry river bed.
Hoopoe : Another well loved bird, but unlike the Bee-eater is resident here all the year round. This year some five pairs nested, most successfully.
Crested Lark : Another year round resident here. Five or six pairs held territory, most raising young.
Barn Swallow : The first Swallow arrived this year on the 21st February.
By the end of March they were building the first of two nests - double brooded here. A minimum of 28 pairs nested, with most raising two broods. My local pair raised three young in each nest.
House Martin : The first House Martin arrived on the 26th February. Like the Swallows they are double brooded here. Most of the House Martins nest outwith my main study area in Alcossebre town and the suburb of Las Fuentas. In the study area there were two small colonies, one colony with five nests and the other with 14 nests. Most raised at least two young.
Nightingale : I always look forward to the first Nightingale singing. This year the first one arrived on the 12th April. Eventually seven pairs held territory. Five pairs successfully raised young and two failed. The Nightingale song was heard from the 12th April until the 5th July.
A very vocal male was even heard singing in the Camping Site at Tropicana.
A German gentleman stopped me one morning and asked what is the bird that sings loudly through the night? In German the Nachtingale!
Blackbird : like the House Martins most of the Blackbirds nest in Alcossebre or the suburbs of Las Fuentas and El Pinar. Three pairs nested successfully in my study area and produced at least one brood.
Fan-tailed Warbler : This small Wren sized bird is a particular favourite of mine, and like the Wren has a very loud and penetrating call. This year at least eleven to fouteen pairs held territory, most seem to be successful according to the scolding alarm notes given out by the adults when close to their nest sites.
Melodious Warbler : Another welcome Summer bird. The first arrived on the 16th April. Thereafter some 10 pairs sang and advertised their territory. Nine pairs seemed to be successful according to the alarm notes heard from the adults. They sang continously from the 16th April until the 11th July.
Sardinian Warbler : Another all year round bird. At least seven pairs raised young, some even managed two broods.
Spotted Flycatcher : The first Spotted Flycatchers arrived on the 11th May.
Five pairs stayed to hold territory, and as far as I cold see three pairs raised young.
Great Tit : This is the only resident and nesting species here. Only three or four pairs held territory and nested. Again they are commoner in the suburbs of Alcossebre.
Golden Oriole : The Golden Oriole is probably the bird that people most ask about here, as they see a golden flash of colour disappearing through the trees and Almond groves. The first Summer birds arrived on the 22nd April.
At least four pairs were heard calling and advertising their territory. At least two pairs produced young.
Woodchat Shrike : Another Summer breeding bird. The first were seen on the 30th March. When the Spring passage had passed seven pairs appeared to hold territory. Of these seven pairs at least four pairs produced young.
As soon as the young can feed themselves the adults leave on the their journey to Africa, leaving the young birds to find their own way there.
the last adult was seen on the 24th July.
Common Magpie : As already noted under Great Spotted Cuckoo the Magpie not only struggles here to bring up it´s own young, but also in some cases has to bring up it´s foster Great Spotted Cuckoo young.
Seven or eight pairs nested this year which meant four or five pairs managed to bring up their own young!
Spotless Starling : Our resident Starling and a fairly common breeding bird.
Although still well out numbered in winter by the Common Starling.
This year appeared to be slightly down numbers wise over last year. I estimated a breeding population of some 35 pairs, with the first young seen on the 20th May.
House Sparrow : There is still a very healthy population of House Sparrows breeding in the area. Mainly due to the abundance of food in the rural farmland, and just as important, plenty of nesting places in houses and farm buildings, used and disused. This years population seemed slightly up on last years count, with an estimated 85 pairs nesting. Most having double broods.
Tree Sparrow : Another success story. Building on last years four small colonies of nesting birds I found another one. Giving an estimated breeding population of 36 pairs.
Greenfinch : Greenfinch numbers also increased this year up from last years 14 pairs to 19 pairs. Although hard to judge how successful most of the pairs were? Some certainly had double broods.
Goldfinch : This species also showed an increase in numbers. Up from 20 pairs last year to 24 pairs this year. Like the Greenfinch, some pairs raised two sets of young.
Linnet : For the second year a family party of Linnets appeared in June - two adults and five young. I have still to find them holding territory, i.e. the male singing. So still not definate nesting birds.
Serin : This small bird was the most abundant of the breeding Finches, with an estimated breeding population of 35 to 39 pairs holding territory.
Again like the other Finches some pairs raising two broods.
If The Finches were a total success story the Buntings were not.
Last year we had three pairs of Cirl Buntings holding territory, but this year one pair were only seen once, and the male didn´t proclaim his precence by singing!
Corn Buntings on the other hand showed lots of promise early on in Spring with at least five pairs holding territory. Then a strange thing happened, there was an influx of up to 30 new birds in the area.
That seemed to put the nesting birds completly off, and as far as I could see none of the pairs raised any young.
Usually by the end of May beginning of June there are family parties of Corn Buntings around, but my total count for the end of May and the whole of June was one bird. Very strange!