Finding Birds in  catalonia update

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Finding Birds in Catalonia

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Plains south of Lleida

June 2018 Site 2 3 ‘Little bustards (including a splendid male which was viewed from the parking area!!! 8 Pin tailed sandgrouse, GS cuckoo, Many Calandra in full song, a Duponts was singing at 10.30pm about 300m from the car park also heard scops and RN nightjar from the car park’ Site 3 ‘held black and black eared wheatear, Rock sparrow, Blue rock thrush, golden oriole’ (Brian Allan)

Plains east of Lleida

June 2018 Sites 1-3 ‘Long eared and little owl, Rock sparrow, Western Orphean, bonellis & western Subalp, Cirl bunting, Singing willow warbler (migrant?) Little bustard, Lesser kestrel, Roller, Quail’ (Brian Allan)

Llobregat delta

June 2018 Sites 7-13 ‘Awesome small reserve, Highlights included Slender-billed gull, Gull-billed and whiskered tern, green, wood and common sand, lots lots more’ (Brian Allan)

Aiguamolls de Emporda

Late May 2019 Site 2 An established Bee-eater colony can be seen between the two hides on the north side of the pools. Take the path to the second hide, after 150 metres there is ranch fencing and trees on the left-hand side. Look through the trees and there is an obvious small sand bank. In between the fence and the colony there are some perches which provide excellent photo opportunities when the birds are present. (Chris Massey)

September 2021 Page 40, site 9. The entrance to the sewage works is now securely gated. However, there is still a sign here to Estanys de Europa and Estanys de Cortalet which takes you on a new path around the sewage works to the track at the rear. Alternatively this track can be reached by car by driving 1 km further along the road (towards the campsite) and taking a track (42.2408N, 3.1133E) to the right, signposted to Depuradora (Richard Brown)

September 2021 The Aiguamolls reserve was completely dry and almost birdless (a few flamingos and a White Stork)  (Richard Brown)


Cap de creus

2019 Local birder Ponc Feliu sent me a published review of the birds of Cap de Creus. I commented that some of the birds I’d found such as Blackcap and Chaffinch were only listed as accidental and I asked whether some of the birds I’d missed were still around. He replied: Both Chaffinch and Blackcap are very scarce breeders (but very common wintering and migratory birds). Actually, chaffinch had never bred in Cap de Creus until 5-6 years ago, and blackcap had just a very small population around Sant Pere de Rodes and Montjoi. Now thery are both increasing its number, as forest habitat (due to lack of wild fires and grazing) is increasing. Ortolan, Rock Thrush, Peregrine and Eagle Owl are (and have always been) regular breeders, but with less than 25 pairs and that Subalpine Warbler is a recent breeder (similar to forest birds) but that could had bred and overlooked in the past. Alpine Swift, Crag Martin are scarce but regular breeders, less than 100 pairs. Rock Thrush: Only 3 pairs in 2019. Crag Martin, common along seacliffs, but difficult to see from land.