Destacats / Highlights
Remember when..
Fa 15 anys / 15 years ago
Fa 10 anys / 10 years ago
Fa 5 anys / 5 years ago
Novetats Març / Bird News March 2020

Destacats / Highlights

A l’espera de l’arribada dels migrants esperem que carregats d’ocells interessants, el dia 8.3 va aparèixer un àguila imperial ibèrica a l’Urgell. La graula torna a niar a Figueres i es veu un Gavià caspi a Vilanova i la Geltrú i una arpella pàl·lida russa a l’Empordà, però la crisi del coronavirus ha reduït gairebé de forma total les rareses observades a partir de mig mes].

[Waiting for rarities hopefully brought by the migration, a Spanish Imperial Eagle reached Urgell county on 8.3. Rook breeds again at Figueres and a Caspian Gull is seen at Vilanova i la Geltrú plus a Pallid  Harrier at l’Empordà. But Coronavirus ban has almost cut down this month sightings]

Remember when…

• Fa 15 anys / 15 years ago

Two Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus were seen: on 25.3.2005 a male was seen 1 km SW of the Delfià church, Alt Empordà, flying S (Pete & Debby Saunders). Then, on 29.3 evening an adult male was seen at PN Aiguamolls de l’Empordà near Estany de Palau (Pere Serrano). It was not seen subsequently despite thorough search (P.Serrano, J.Martí-Aledo, O.Clarabuch, M.Jiménez, T.Montràs, et al ).

The  Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis featured in February 2005 as present at Sant Antoni de Calonge, Baix Empordà was still at that place of Palamós bay on 6.3.2005 (Miquel Angel Domingo) and 13.3 (Carlos Álvarez Cros) to 20-28.3 (Miquel Angel Domingo) and into April.

From the party of 3-4 Richard’s Pipits Anthus richardi seen at Tancada area, Ebre delta, Montsià by the end of 2004, at least one bird has been seen during March (Rafael Armada), e.g. on 19.3 (R.Gutiérrez, H.Arbonés).

• Fa 10 anys / 10 years ago

The presumed Hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x garzetta that frequented the Tancada saltpans, at Ebre delta, where it had been seen intermitently, was seen at Barra del Trabucador on 7.3 (Ricard Gutiérrez, Helena Arbonés).

There was a pure 1w Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans at Solius dump, Santa Cristina d’Aro, Baix Empordà on 6.3.2005. Furthermore, two more presumed ‘hybrids’ of this species were at the same place on 6.3 (one) and 7.3 (another) (Carlos Álvarez). One of the birds seen on 7.3 was found again on 13.3 (Carlos Álvarez).
There were two further Caspian Gulls at Solius dump on 14.3. One of the birds was ringed in Poland carrying a yellow PVC ring PAEP. The other was unringed (Carlos Álvarez Cros). See a photo below.

• Fa 5 anys / 5 years ago

The adult Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmeus found at La Massona, PN Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Alt Empordà on 13.12.2014 remained there on 2.3.2015  to 26.3 (David Archer @ornitho.cat) and 31.3, then into April (Quique Carballal).

A strong influx of Pallid Harriers Circus macrourus involving tens of individuals took place from 20.3.2005 on, most of them at Girona counties but also some at Barcelona and Tarragona areas.

On 19.3 a Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus was found at Tancada saltpans, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (Jordi Martí-Aledo). On 20.3 it was seen again (Jordi Martí-Aledo; Ricardo Rodríguez). See a photo below. Relocated on 28.3 at the same site within a Calidris flock (Ricard Gutiérrez). Later seen by more authors (Josep Tantull, Roser Solé).

On 7.3 a 2cy Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans was at Solius dump, Llagostera, Gironès (Carlos Álvarez-Cros @ ornitho.cat) and on 14.3 a 1w was seen at Llobregat river, El Prat de Llobregat, Baix Llobregat (Ferran López).

A Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca was seen on 29.3 at El Trabucador, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (Manolo Sánchez-Blanch).

The Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus relocated on 9.2 was still present at Deltebre, Baix Ebre, by the river Ebre, on 1.3 (Fina Bonet, Toni Mallol, Jordi Martí-Aledo; Cristian Jensen; Jordi Vázquez et al). The bird was still there on 2.3 (Carles Oliver; Cristian Jensen/Audouin Birding Tours),3.3 (Stephen Abbott), 4.3.2015 (Lluís Mir @ornitho.cat), 6.3 (Fran Trabalón) and 7.3 (Juan Carlos Albero), see a photo below. Seen again on 11.3 (Steve West) and 15.3 (Joan Ferrer). The bird remained until late March: 24.3 (Pablo Galiano; (Joan Esteve); 27.3 (@KatyKestrel), and 28.3 (Quim Minoves) tp 29.3 (Manolo Sánchez-Blanch).

• Àguila imperial ibèrica / Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti  (n=1)

(1) Urgell. A 1w bird was seen and photographed at Vilagrassa, Urgell, on 8.3 (Observers to come, via CatTwitch).

• Arpella pàl·lida russa / Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (n=1)

(1) Alt Empordà. A 2cy ♂ was seen and photographed at Vilaït, PN Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Pau, Alt Empordà on 13.3 (Albert Burgas). See a photo below.

• Gavià caspi / Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans (n=1)

(1) Garraf. A 1w (2cy) was seen at Vilanova i la Geltrú, Garraf on 11.3 (Marco Olivé @ornitho.cat; Albert Cama), photo below. On 13.3 it was still there (Marc Olivé @ornitho.cat).

• Capsigrany balear / Balearic Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator badius (n=1)

(1) Montsià. On 20.3 a 2cy female was seen at Buda island, Sant Jaume d’Enveja, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (David Bigas). See a photo below.

 

• Graula / Rook Corvus frugilegus (n=14)

(1-14) Alt Empordà. A group of birds is lingering around Figueres, where apparently breeding again. On 1.3 there wre 14 at Figueres industrial state (Àlex Ollé @birdingemporda.com). On 3.3 there were 11 at Vilasacra (Joan Ventura @birdingempordà.com) and 5 at Figueres, Alt Empordà (Jordi Oliveres @ornitho.cat). At least two were still at Figueres on 5.3 (Miqueas Molina @ornitho.cat) and 6 on 7.3 (Pere Alzina @ornitho.cat), while 3 were buiding a nest at Figueres on 7.3 too (Adrià Compte, Gerard Carrión @ornitho.cat). Six birds were seen at Figueres city near nests on 17.3 (Àlex Hubert @ornitho.cat). Two were seen at Figueres, Alt Empordà on 28.3 (Gerard Carrión @ornitho.cat).

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

(1-3) Baix Llobregat. At least one bird was seen again at Sant Boi de Llobregat, near the Alcampo mall and nearby. Seen on 4.3 (Gemma Soriano @ornitho.cat), 5-8.3 (Carlos M.v. @ ornitho.cat). On 13.3 this bird was seen again near Decathlon shop (Rafa Armada @eBird). The last week of the month there were two at Polígon Industrial Pratenc, El Prat de Llobregat, on 26.3 (Jordi Sánchez @ornitho.cat; photos here and here): they had bred in the area in previous years so perhaps it’s the returning breeding pair. On 28-29.3 a bird was seen at downtown Sant Boi de Llobregat, Baix Llobregat from home of the observer (Carlos M.V. @ornitho.cat; Luís Miranda @eBird) meaning that another pair or group may be lingering around that city where it has been seen also foraging near comercial sites.

(4) Maresme  On 29.3 a bird was seen at Mataró, Maresme (Toni Fernàndez @ornitho.cat).