Isla de Canela

This afternoon we popped across the border into Andalucía for a rare visit to Isla de Canela. This is the south westernmost corner of Spain just the other side of the River Guadiana, south of Ayamonte. It’s not very far as the Redshank flies but an hour’s drive away.

The extensive area of salt marsh and abandoned saltpans is part of the Isla Cristina Paraje Natural, a designation that gives it at least some protection. The circular trail makes a pleasant enough walk and for us it was good to have a change of scene. There is even a somewhat randomly sited birdwatching hide here although it is hard to imagine ever wanting to spend much time in it. Unfortunately, we missed the best of the day’s weather - after a sunny morning, the afternoon was cloudy and quite cool.

The range of bird species seen was small. Most of the shorebirds were of the estuarine varieties: Grey Plovers, Curlews, Redshanks, Turnstones, Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Oystercatcher and Whimbrel with one or two Greenshanks, Kentish Plovers and Little Stints. A handful of Black-necked Grebes and Mallards were on one of the creeks; several Spoonbills (one of them colour-ringed) and a couple each of Caspian Terns and Sandwich Terns were along the main river channel; we flushed Little Egrets and a single Grey Heron. Passerines were few, just Crested Larks, Serins, Meadow Pipits and an occasional Chiffchaff and Sardinian Warbler. The only raptor seen was, not surprisingly, a Marsh Harrier. Fishing boats returning to Isla Cristina were being greeted by hundreds of Lesser Black-backed Gulls with just a few Yellow-legged and Black-headed Gulls also in attendance. It was very noticeable that the vast majority of Lesser Black-backs were adults.

Tomorrow is Día de Reyes, the Epiphany, the day when the Three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. It’s a public holiday in Spain. Today, while on our walk, we watched from across the river, the arrival by boat of the Three Kings for the start of the traditional parade through the town. A brass band played as they set off in their carriages accompanied by children, some dressed as angels, some in various other costume dress - it was a very colourful scene. Sweets were thrown to the children along the way and later as we drove back through Ayamonte we could see that a similar parade had taken place there as the road through the town centre was littered with sweets!

Washington & Oregon and Spain

Peter has just returned from leading a successful Avian Adventures tour in the Pacific Northwest of the USA - Washington and Oregon; June in the meantime, wearing her Algarve Birders hat, has been in Andalucía on an excellent trip organised by the Spanish Tourist Office.

The highlight of the Avian Adventures tour was a pelagic trip from Newport, Oregon on 13th September that produced what is being described as only the second-ever Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) recorded in North America. To see three species of albatrosses in one day in North America was unexpected to say the least! Apart from the many Black-footed, a single Laysan Albatross made up the trio.

Of course, there has been a lot of debate about albatross taxonomy and although the American Ornithologists' Union doesn't (yet) recognise the split there are those who regard 'Wandering Albatross' as three separate species. Fortunately, 'our' bird was extremely obliging, staying in view for 40 minutes or so and providing close views that enabled its identification as Antipodean Albatross - Diomedea antipodensis or as the AOU would have it D.e.antipodensis.

Antipodean Albatross Diomedea antipodensis

Although most migrant breeding birds had left, the tour produced a very respectable bird list. Apart from all the expected seabirds including South Polar Skua and Buller's Shearwater, we saw Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Varied Thrush, White-headed, Pileated, Lewis's and Black-backed Woodpeckers, Harlequin Duck, Wrentit and Lapland Longspur. Highlights amongst the mammals were Black Bear, Humpback Whale, Grey Whale and Dall's Porpoises.

As well as the wonderfully scenic Oregon coastline we spent time in the Klamath Basin, the Deschutes National Forest and on Mt Rainier during two weeks of almost uninterrupted and very welcome sunshine.

Hatstack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon

Meanwhile in Spain, June had a fairly hectic five days with a party of 24 journalists and tour guides visiting hotels, restaurants and birding sites in southern Andalucía. The trip included a visit to the inaugural Andalucía Bird Fair at Tarifa where it was no surprise to bump into Tim Appleton and others from Rutland Water giving the benefit of their long experience of organising such events.

Although this was only a part-time birding trip an impressive 190 plus species were logged, underlining what a terrific area this is - as we already know! As well as Tarifa, the itinerary included Ronda, Doñana National Park and the Marismas del Odiel.

Good birds, excellent food and wine and lots of new friends - who could ask for more?