Pallid Swifts & Spotted Crakes

Last week was an exceptional week and migrants continued to arrive every day. I added several species to my year list and even had a few lifers, with Spotted Crake being the undisputed highlight.

Spotted Crake, La Bassa dels Pollancres, Delta Llobregat

A patch tick came in the unexpected form of a Rock Sparrow, after being given a tip-off to a single spot within the delta boundary that holds a few birds. I undertook the 30 minute cycle and almost immediately connected with 4 birds, sitting on top of wires, a habit seemingly not too uncommon in the species, seeing as this is the manner in which I ticked them, last year at Garraf.

Rock Sparrow, Delta Llobregat

Black-winged Stilts came back in numbers, and I also had my first Little Bittern (adult male - Cal Tet). Garganey continued to pass through in decent sized flocks, with a personal maximum count of 19. An Osprey showed well around Cal Tet throughout the week, at one point bathing in the river at Nelson Mandela bridge, where it was chased off by a pair of Hooded Crows - a Catalan rarity which bred locally for the first time last year. There have also been a constant trickle of Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper and Little-ringed Plover. 

Migrant Garganey, Cal Tet, Delta Llobregat

Black-winged Stilt, Cal Tet, Delta Llobregat

Osprey being seen off the one of the local Hooded Crows, Nelson Mandela Bridge

Much to my delight I picked up a flock of swifts over Cal Tet lagoon, and with the early date I immediately suspected Pallids. They were a lifer for me and thus I had no real experience. They bombed about so fast I found it hard to pick up any of the features I had read about - whiter throat, blunter wing-tips, scaly underparts, browner colouration (all in comparison to Common Swifts). I took a few pictures, and luckily all of these features were visible back home - they were definitely Pallid Swifts. The following day there were still good numbers and I saw these features better, and also heard the call - which is really different. 

Pallid Swift, Cal Tet, Delta Llobregat

On Saturday I decided to cycle to Remolar Filipines to look for migrants. I'm always slightly put-off by the sheer number of people there, because I find it quite difficult to relax and concentrate on the birds. The first hide was really quite busy. I saw two Wood Sandpipers, which were a year tick. Happy with this, I left to try to find a quieter spot. I decided to head to the other hide, which is usually quieter. I checked any open muddy areas, dreaming about small crakes and Bluethroats on my way, all to no avail. 

When I reached the next hide I sat and scanned. I saw a drake Pintail - a scarce bird here. After my scan I was looking at some bare mud next to an area of reeds and thought "that looks nice for a crake". As I was thinking this, a Moorhen suddenly flew and flushed a rather small crake-like bird. I thought it was going to be a Water-rail until I saw it turn its head and I saw a short stout yellow bill and white spots. It was a Spotted Crake! My daydreaming had come to fruition! A long awaited lifer!

With southerly airflows set to creep in during the week I'm expecting lots of new arrivals and hope to report back with some interesting birds, and pictures if I'm really lucky!

In non-avian news - I had a maximum count of 5 Vagrant Emperors in and around Cal Tet. I also found a lovely patch of real wild orchids (no protection like those wired off within the reserve itself). I had a good look and could only see one species: Early Spider Orchid, of which there were about 20. 

I saw several Green Hairstreaks, which were Llobregat ticks also.