RIA DE VILLAVICIOSA

Last Saturday we spent the morning in Ría de Villaviciosa, arriving at high tide. It’s always a delight to hear the spinechilling calls of Curlews, Whimbrels, Redshank, Greenshank and watch the waders take up their positions on the fresh mud as the tide falls. As well as the abovementioned foursome we also saw Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover and at last we found a flock of 8 Curlew Sandpipers, a bird wed’d been seeking in vain for years in the reservoirs of Extremadura. It was lovely to see them with the last hint of their summer hues. The bushes were lively with migrants, including a male Bluethroat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler; Yellow Wagtails called and a Savi’s Warbler sang briefly. A Booted Eagle circled overhead. Here are a couple of photos of the waders.

Common Sandiper



Ringed Plover

SEABIRDS AND CETACEANS FROM SANTURZI

Taking advantage of the fact that we're spending summer here in Asturias, we decided to go on a seatrip with Gorka Ocio from Santurzi to see seabirds and cetaceans.

The trip started at 7.30 am sharp and our aim was to cruise the edge of the deep water a few miles offshore.

We found 3 huge shearwater flocks with the 5 species wheeling round or floating on the water in rafts, together with Greak Skuas, one Pomarine and one Arctic. We also saw Storm Petrels really close to the boat.

Later on a beautiful pod of Common Dolphins was bow riding us for 5 minutes or more. We could even hear their clicking sounds!!

Due to the choppy sea we couldn't get out to the best deep water so we didn't sea many more cetaceans, only a pod of 7 Bottlenosed Dolphins on the way back in.

I hope to make another trip next year on a calmer sea with more sea mammal sightings. For those who haven't tried it, the seatrips with Gorka Ocio are magnificent. Even with such a choppy sea as we badlucked into last Sunday, the sight of dolphins and shearwaters so close to the boat is unforgettable.

Sorry also about the lack of entries lately. August is the boringest month . . .

Cory's Shearwater in flight



Common Dolphins bow-riding

A raft of Great, Cory's and Sooty Shearwaters

Storm Petrel

RED-BACKED SHRIKE. GETTING CLOSER . . .

This morning we made a lightning trip to Ribadesella and dropped in on a Red-Backed Shrike territory we know nearby, just in case. The bird proved to be super obliging in lovely early-morning sunlight. Here are a few photos of the beauty.

THE REDBACK'S LARDER

A few days ago here in Arriondas (Asturias) I was lucky enough to find something I’ve always wanted to see: a Red-Backed Shrike’s larder. It was a tad distant but even so the following sequence of photos gives a nice idea of events.

 First it arrives at the larder, swag in beak (the word “swag” seems fitting for a bird with such a robber’s mask) and pins it on the hook.

With the booty now hanging from the hook, it seems to be mulling over which titbit to eat first.

It eventually decides for the tail and bends down to amputate it.

 And down it goes to his great satisfaction.

The words in the speech bubble say “Lizard’s tail . . . mmmmmm . . . . my favourite”. Obviously this bird thinks and speaks in Spanish so we have to subtitle him.

Our Country Cousins

Every day here in Asturias we’re seeing and hearing stacks of Redstarts. There’s at least one pair nesting in every village we visit. It’s a real delight because back in Villanueva de La Vera (Cáceres) we have to hike 2 hours uphill to find one. Here are a few snaps taken in the nearby village of Bode.

THE BUTTERFLY WITH FEATHERS

Last weekend we went to a site recommended by our friend Rafa Romero straddling the border of Asturias and León to try and see Wallcreepers. And blimey did we see them all right!! Perched, climbing up the cliff face, flying, chasing off a Kestrel, going back and forth to its nest with food and even once coming to perch close to us (but at that moment I’d left the camera some way off – sod’s law – but at least it meant I could take in the whole beauty of its plumage without the distraction of trying to photograph it).

The place was staggeringly beautiful. This is the view the Wallcreeper’s got from its nest site.

The rock face where the Wallcreeper breeds (which reminded us of Salto de Gitano in Monfragüe, although at a height of  2000 m) had lots of life besides the Wallcreeper. Choughs and Alpine Choughs both bred there, plus Alpine Accentor and stacks of Snowfinches, which we also saw flying into their nest hole with food. Here’s a snap of one sitting atop a rock.

And this nearby Linnet

There was also a cliff-nesting colony of Swifts. When you see them far from the noise of towns, what a noise their wings make when they fly past!!!

As for birds of prey, besides the Wallcreeper-mobbed Kestrel, there were also Griffons, an Egyptian Vulture and this handsome male Peregrine that flew over our heads a couple of times.

The bushes roundabout had lots of Yellowhammers, still singing quite well. Here’s a male sitting atop a bush.

An unforgettable morning, especially the butterfly-like flight of the Wallcreeper. Although I missed the chance to photograph it close-up perched, here’s a token shot of the beauty flying overhead on one of its many journeys from crag to crag. A dream come true to see it.

 Note how the red of the mantle is so strong that you can see it through the wings from underneath.

ANOTHER TYPE OF MOUNTAIN WALK

Now we’ve been a week in our summer house in Arriondas (Asturias) – hence the hiatus en blog entries because of the moving ruckus – and the truth is that it’s been great so far. We’ve seen stacks of Red Backed Shrikes on every outing, each pair in exactly the same site as last summer, Bullfinches with fledglings, Redstarts breeding in the villages (Sinariega and Arriondas itself) instead of having to hike uphill across country for 3 hours like in La Vera, 3 Yellowhammers singing and – the best of all – 2 Pine Martens – one seen from the car driving down from the mountain pass called Puerto del Pontón, and the second on Sunday morning on our bikes on the road from Collía to Ribadesella, lolloping towards us along the side of the road until it saw us at the last moment, froze for a few seconds and then shot off into the undergrowth. Fantastic views! Song Thrush, Garden Warbler and Iberian Chiffchall are all still singing pretty well.

As for daytrips, on Saturday last we did the walk up from Lago Ercina to Vega de Ario. Truth is that Gredos has spoilt us a little, with all the high voltage activity. Maybe it’s because of the time of year but, even though we started at dawn, it was a pretty birdless trudge for the most part.

Throughout the whole walk there were a few family parties of Wheatear and we were able to snap males, females and young.

  

We were surprised to hear Tree Pipit and Bonelli’s Warbler in the small beech hangers in the first part of the climb.

We were keen to see Alpine Chough but all the first one’s we saw were redbills, probably the loveliest of the two but not a tick for me!

In the end, after doing the whole walk there and back, the carpark was full of Alpine Choughs.

In Lake Ercina a Coot was sitting on her Vesuvian nest.

We didn’t strike lucky with Wallcreeper, Snowfinch and Alpine Accentor. Maybe next time.