December 2017 bird news

desembre 28, 2017febrer 12, 2018 ricard

Desembre 2017 / December 2017

Destacats / Highlights
Remember when..
- Fa 15 anys / 15 years ago
- Fa 10 anys / 10 years ago
- Fa 5 anys / 5 years ago
Novetats Desembre / Bird News December 2017

Destacats / Highlights

Un exemplar en època hivernal de territ pectoral als Cavalls, a Buda és de les cites fenològicament parlant més rellevants del mes. També al Delta de l’Ebre es troba una gamba groga petita a l’hivern, que amb la del Baix Empordà fan dues per primer cop juntes a l’hivern a Catalunya. Al menys dos cabussons orelluts també i un aligot rogenc jove. L’àguila cridanera Tonn va creuar Catalunya sense que ningú la pogués veure en directe.

[A Pectoral Sandpiper was found at Buda island on 5.12, which is an interesting winter record. Also in the same delta, a Lesser Yellowlegs offered good views for a number of days. One of these american waders was found during the winter last year and together with the bird from Baix Empordà makes two for the first time ever in wintertime in Catalunya. Also in the Delta at least two Slavonian Grebes and a Long-legged Buzzard. The Estonian Great Spotted Eagle Tonn crossed Catalunya without any lucky observer watching it]

Remember when…

Fa 15 anys / 15 years ago

On 30.11.2002 a male Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis, the 2nd for Catalonia, was found at the same place than 1st: Cortalet lagoon, at PN Aiguamolls de l’Empordà (Xavier del Acebo, Jordi Martí). The Aiguamolls bird was relocated on 21.12.2012 (J.Martí Aledo, Mireia Jiménez) and was still there on 27.12.2002 associated to an hybrid showing intermediate characteristics between crecca and carolinensis (H.Mas, X. del Acebo). The Aiguamolls had a pure adult and an hybrid last March. According to J.Martí Aledo there could had been indeed 2 drakes by 31.12.2017 plus the hybrid.

A Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva, was seen during 9-10 minutes within a group of 70 Golden Plovers at Ebre delta, Montsià, on 27.12.2002 (Steve West, Gerard Bota, Esther Freixenet, Eva Solanes, Xavier Revés et al).

Fa 10 anys / 10 years ago

Two swans initially identified as Whoopers and possibly in the area since November 2007, were seen in the Mas de Bombita area, near Canal Vell lagoon, Deltebre, Delta de l’Ebre, Baix Ebre on 26.12.2007 (Gerard Dalmau, Francesc Dalmau) and 30.12.2007 (Bet Pons, J.L. Copete, Ferran López, Vittorio Pedrocchi, Arnau Pedrocchi) but when seen more closely correctly identified as Bewick’s Cygnus columbianus on 31.12.2007 (Cristian Jensen, Javier Cotín, Julio Merayo). The Laughing Gull Larus atricilla internationally named as Atze was seen again at Blanes, La Selva, on 2.12.2007 (Quique Carballal).

Fa 5 anys / 5 years ago

A Goosander Mergus merganser was seen on 3.12.2012 at Grau de Santa Margarida, Roses, Alt Empordà (Àlex Ollé). An adult Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia, presumably a returning individual, was seen at Cambrils, Baix Camp: On 27.12 the adult was found (Camilo Albert). On 29.12.2012 it was still there (Gabriel de Jesús) and on 30.12.2012 too (Màrius Domingo).

Novetats Desembre / Bird News December 2017

Presumible híbrid de Martinet dels Esculls i blanc / Presumed hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x garzetta (n=1)

(1) Montsià. The bird seen at Poble Nou ricefields, near Alfacs bay, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià
since 2002 (David Bigas in litt.) was seen again in December 2017: on 1.12 it was photographed again (Ricard Gutiérrez), see a photo below. On 3.12 it was seen again (Núria Pélach, Cristian Jensen). And on 5.12.2017 too (José Miguel Grande Gutiérrez). The bird remained close to Poble Nou by mid month:14.12 (Javier Subirats @ ornitho.cat) and 17.12 (Quique Carballal). The bird remained faithful to its ricefields near Poble Nou the 2nd half of the month: 18.12 (Cristian Jensen) and 20.12 (Ricard Gutiérrez), see two more photos below. On 30.12 it was still there (Sergi Arís).

Cabussó orellut / Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus (n=2)

(1) Montsià. A bird was found at Els Alfacs bay, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià on 14.12 (Sergi Sales) and remained there on 15.12 (Carles Oliver) and 17.12 (Quique Carballal). On 18.12 it was seen again (José Guerra, Marc Gàlvez) and on 20.12 too (Ricard Gutiérrez).
(2) Baix Ebre. A bird was seen near l’Ampolla, at Fangar bay, Delta de l’Ebre, Baix Ebre, on 14.12 (Manolo Sánchez-Blanch; Sergi Sales) to 16.12 (Manolo Sánchez-Blanch). On 22.12 it was seen again (Manolo Sánchez-Blanch)

Aligot rogenc / Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus (n=1)

(1) Montsià. A bird was photographed on 14.12 near Mas de Patrau, L’Encanyissada, Amposta, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (David Bigas). See two photos and a thumbnail enclosed.

Later sightings by other authors in the following days were not clear if belonging to this bird or, as proven in most cases, to pale juvenile Buzzards also present in the Delta.

Àguila cridanera / Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga (n=1)

(1) Ripollès, Berguedà, Bages, Anoia, Alt Penedès, Baix Llobregat, Alt Camp, Baix Camp, Baix Ebre, Montsià. The satellite-tagged Estonian eagle ‘Tonn’ crossed 10 Catalan comarcas from 9-14.12.2017 without any direct observation despite at least two trials. It entered via Molló, Ripollès and proceeded S through Llobregat Valley at Bages (10.12.2017) after having rested at Sant Jaume de Frontanyà on 9.12.2017. It then headed SW towards its usual wintering quarters at Alicante. However, on 11.12 once at Subirats, Alt Penedès, instead of continu¡ng S it moved to the Llobregat basin again, resting near Roques Blanques cemetery, El Papiol, Baix Llobregat, on 12.12. The following day it continued travelling S crossing almost all S Catalunya following the pre-litoral depression until reaching the Ebre river, where it slept on 13.12.2017 near Amposta. On 14.12.2017 it continued its travel SW between Montsià and Els Ports then heading into Valencia community. See a map built after the Tonn monitoring website.

Territ pectoral / Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos (n=1)

(1) Montsià. An adult was found on 5.12 at Els Cavalls, Buda island, Sant Jaume d’Enveja, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (David Bigas). See a photo below. A very rare overwintering species.

Gamba groga petita / Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (n=2)

(1) Montsià. A bird was found at Arrossars de l’Embut, l’Encanyissada, Amposta, Delta de l’Ebre, Tarragona (David Bigas). See two photos below. Later seen by more authors (Gorka Gorospe; Mariano Cebolla). Still there on 5.12 (Josep Tantull, Roser Solé; José Miguel Grande Gutiérrez), thumbnail in the right (Josep Tantull). On 6.12 it was seen again (Julio Ruiz Ballesteros @ ornitho.cat). On 10.12 it was relocated at some distance of the previous place, in the other side of l’Encanyissada lagoon, at Boca de la Llanada ricefields, Poble Nou, Amposta (Manolo Sánchez-Blanch).

(2) Baix Empordà. The 1w seen at La Pletera, L’Estartit, Baix Empordà last month (see November page) was relocated on 9.12 at Pals ricefields, near Basses d’en Coll, Pals, Baix Empordà (Albert Burgas @ birdingempordà.com). This bird was seen again on 17.12 (Joan Estrada Jofra). Relocated after extensive search on 20.12 (Sergi Sales), see a photo below and thumbnail enclosed too. The location is slightly different but within Pals ricefields area (see map below).

Gavià del Caspi / Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans (n=1)

(1) Alt Empordà. On 7.12 a 1w was found at Pedret i Marzà dump, Alt Empordà (Joan Goy). See photos at birdingempordà blog here.

Cornella emmantellada / Hooded Crow Corvus cornix (n=4)

(1-3) Baix Llobregat. Two birds were seen at
Mandela bridge, Llobregat river, El Prat de Llobregat, Baix Llobregat,
on 1.12 (Ferran López). Three birds were seen at El Prat de Llobregat near the 2017 nest on 10.12.2017 (Ricard Gutiérrez). On 13.12 there was one and on 15.12 there were two by the bridge (Ferran López; Javier Valladares @ ornitho.cat) but none on 17.12 (Ricard Gutiérrez) neither at Zona Franca too. Indeed, on 17.12 three were seen at El Prat de Llobregat town: 2 downtown and one near the 2017 nest area (Pau Esteban @ ornitho.cat).
(4) Barcelonès. A bird was seen at Montjuïc mountain, Barcelona, Barcelonès on 3.12 (Quim Minoves). A bird was seen on 10.12.2017 from Mandela bridge flying towards Barcelona (Ricard Gutiérrez). See a small thumbnail in this post (Ricard Gutiérrez). It may be this 4th bird or one of the previous group but the total overall number of birds in the wide area is c.5 individuals.

Mosquiter comú siberià / Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis (n=1)

(1) Baix Llobregat. The bird found last month at Bassa dels Pollancres, Maresma de les Filipines, Delta del Llobregat, Viladecans, Baix Llobregat remained in the area on 1.12 (Marc Pérez, C.Santiesteban, Sergi Sales). See a photo below (Sergi Sales). On 5.12 it was seen again (Marc Pérez @eBird).Seen again on 13.12 (Ferran López; Dora Salvador Dato), 14.12 (Javier Valladares; Juan Miguel Díaz @ ornitho.cat) and 15.12 (Josep Crusafont @ ornitho.cat).

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