This is my first spring at Delta Llobregat, and with each week it seems to get better. Every time I think I can't be more impressed, I am! I had so many moments last week that left me smiling ear to ear, and I even had some moments where my hands were shaking too much to hold my binoculars/camera still. The last week has been so eventful, that I think it's best to split this post into two parts.
This year I'm doing a Delta Llobregat year list for fun, and whilst I love to get out as much as possible and of course try to find my own scarce/rare birds, I'm also trying to see as many species as possible, so the week started off really well when a Slender-billed Gull was reported at Nelson Mandela bridge last Monday (25th March). This is quite a scarce species here in the delta, and it was a new delta bird for me. Unfortunately the part of the reserve where this could be viewed is closed on Mondays so I had to wait and hope it would remain until the following day. The next morning I cycled there first thing, and it was right there, sitting amongst a group of Black-headed Gulls out on the sand bank downstream of the bridge. It was an adult and a stunning addition to my Llobregat list.
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| Adult Slender-billed Gull with Black-headed Gulls, Nelson Mandela Bridge. |
The following day, a stunning Marsh Sandpiper was found at Remolar Filipines, and resulted in me cycling at quite a speed to see it. Not only was this a new delta bird for me, but a bird I had never seen anywhere in the world. When I got there it showed really well alongside several Wood Sandpipers (15 or so), as well as a similar number of Ruff, 60+ Glossy Ibis, 1 Little Stint, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, loads of Little Ringed Plover, several Kentish Plover, 15+ Garganey, and swarms of hirundines (Red-rumped Swallow is still eluding me). As if this wasn't enough, a dark phase Arctic Skua flew in front of me when I was admiring everything and put me into shear panic mode (more on this later).
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| Marsh Sandpiper, La Maresma, Delta Llobrgat |
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| Marsh Sand' with Wood Sandpipers |
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| Ruff, La Maresma, Delta Llobregat |
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| Green Sandpiper, La Maresma, Delta Llobregat |
The Arctic Skua, was a total surprise - it absolutely made the day. I was in a sheer state of panic, fumbling with my camera, photographing the sky, the water, the reeds - anything but the skua, and when I did it was completely out of focus. I thought I had blown photographing what was a totally unexpected record for the reserve. Luckily it did a u-turn and flew right across my line of sight allowing for a few nice shots. It even landed on one of the little islands in front of me. I couldn't believe it. I went to text some of my friends who had just left, only to see a missed call and several messages. They had seen it too, from their car on the way out and were trying to alert me. This represented the first ever record of the species within the actual reserve and not at sea - amazing. It was really odd seeing this species, one which I usually associate with the cold, harsh seas of the north with likes of the exotic Black-winged Stilts, fresh in from their wintering grounds somewhere in Africa.
Also of note this week was the arrival of Purple Heron. I personally saw 3 together on the 27th with singles on the 28th & 29th.
Glossy Ibises are really pushing through in big numbers with flocks of up to 100 birds being seen. I even saw two flocks of 60 or so birds a pieces, flying over the town recently. Of course with this many birds around, I finally managed some nice pictures of this species. They have always eluded my camera in the past.
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| Glossy Ibis with Louisiana Crayfish, Cal Nani Delta Llobregat |
A visit to Cal Tet on the 28th brought two year ticks in the form of a singing Willow Warbler, and a lovely summer-plumaged Whiskered Tern, which was hawking insects around the lagoon.
Other Photo highlights:
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