September / Setembre 2019
Destacats / Highlights
Remember when..
Fa 15 anys / 15 years ago
Fa 10 anys / 10 years ago
Fa 5 anys / 5 years ago
Novetats setembre 2019 / Bird News September 2019
Destacats / Highlights
Esperant limícoles rars comença el mes sense que, com els darrers anys, hagi arrivat la daurada petita del Pacífic al delta de l’Ebre. Premis de consolació són un presumible híbrid de martinet dels esculls als Aiguamolls i un exemplar pur al Delta de l’Ebre que juga a fet i amagar. A mitjans de mes va aparèixer un tallarol xerraire a Sobrestany, Baix Empordà. Després un altre al Vallès Oriental, on també una cuereta citrina i al Delta Birding Festival, el martinet dels esculls pur.
[Boring start of the month, without the presence of the last years’ Pacific Golden Plover -perhaps in the stomach of a local raptor, who knows-. In the meantime a presumed hybrid Little x Western Reef Egret was seen at Aiguamolls de l’Empordà and a pure (elusive) individual was at Ebre delta hiding from almost everyone. By mid month, a Lesser Whitethroat appeared at Sobrestany, Baix Empordà. Later another at Vallès Oriental, where also a Citrine Wagtail and during the Delta Birding Festival, the pure Western Reef Egret]
Remember when…
- Fa 15 anys / 15 years ago
The juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos found on 30.8.2004 at Bassa del Gall Marí, PN Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Alt Empordà was relocated on 2.9 at the same place (Alex Ollé, Teresa Montràs, Jordi Martí-Aledo, Guy Delcroix).It was still there on 8.9 (Jordi Martí-Aledo). See below a photo of the bird on 5.9 (Guy Delcroix)
There was an adult Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus moulting into winter plumage at the basis of the fangar bay, Delta de l’Ebre, Baix Ebre from 7-9.9.2004 (David Bigas, Sergi Sales, Carles Domingo).See a photo below (David Bigas). It was seen again on 11.9 (David Bigas, José Luís Copete, Ferran López).
One juvenile-1st winter Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus was seen at Punta de la Banya, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià on 5.9 (David Bigas, J.L.Copete, C.Domingo).
The first and only so far Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides for Catalonia, was trapped and ringed at Remolar-Filipines reserve, Llobregat delta, Baix Llobregat on 27.9.2004 (Joan Castelló, Ferran López; Rafael Armada; Ricard Gutiérrez; Armand Ramal, Xavier Sampere, Néstor Urios)
- Fa 10 anys / 10 years ago
The presumed Hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x garzetta seen in August 2009, which is the same bird seen the last years in the area buth with worn feathering in its mantle, looking a bit browner than usual, was again at Tancada saltpans, Ebro Delta, Montsià on 24.9.2009 (Ricard Gutiérrez).
There was an adult Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor at Punta de la Banya, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià, on 1.9 (Ricard Gutiérrez). See a photo below.
An adult Pectoral Sandpiper was found at some ricefields between Sant Jaume d’Enveja and Amposta, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià, on 5.9 (Roser Solé, Josep Tantull).
A juvenile Red-necked Phalarope was seen and photographed on 1.9 at Punta de la Banya, Delta de l’Ebre, Tarragona (Ricard Gutiérrez).
One juvenile Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola, the 3rd that season in the area, was seen at the same place where two individuals were photographed last month at cal Tet, Llobregat delta, Baix Llobregat in early September 2009 (Ferran López). An adult female was trapped at Buda island,, Sant Jaume d’Enveja, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià on 26.9 (Raül Aymí & Xavier Tomás; later seen by Josep Tantull & Roser Solé).
A 1w Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca was ringed at Estanys de Jordà, Santa Pau, Garrotxa in September 2009.
An 1w Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was ringed at Remolar-Filipines Nature Reserve, Viladecans, LLobregat delta, Baix Llobregat on 28.9 (Joan Castelló).
Also during the month, a Scarlet Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrynus was ringed at Canal Vell, Delta de l’Ebre, Baix Ebre (Jordi Feliu; Martí Rodríguez; Oriol Clarabuch/ Ornitho.cat).
- Fa 5 anys / 5 years ago
The Western Reef Egret Egretta gularis gularis seen in late August at Canal Vell lagoon, Delta de l’Ebre, Baix Ebre, was seen again on 2.9 (Àlex Estellé).
A new Presumed hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret, pale grey and white-headed, was seen at Migjorn ricefields, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià on 21.9 (Harold Wijts). It was seen again on 26.9 (Juan Sagardía et al).
On 8.9 a male Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus was seen migrating south over Tavertet cliffs, Osona (Álex Alamán, Jana Marco). On 28.9 a ‘first adult’ was found at Migjorn ricefields, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (Gorka Gorospe, Yeray Seminario et al). Later seen by many people (Bob Flood, Ahsley Fisher, Ricard Gutiérrez, Jordi Martí-Aledo, et al).
The adult Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva found at Migjorn fields on 27.8.2014 was still present there on 1.9 (Ricard Gutiérrez), 5.9 (César Carbonell; Jana Marco, Alex Alamán), 6.9 (Ricard Gutiérrez; Quim Minoves; Josep Tantull, Roser Solé), see photos below (Ricard Gutiérrez) and 7.9 (Josep Tantull, Roser Solé; Quim Minoves).The bird was relocated, in a more advanced stage of moult but showing the same spot near the right leg (hence the same bird) at Migjorn grassfields closer to the sea on 20.9 afternoon (Ricard Gutiérrez, Helena Arbonés). News were broadcasted and it was seen by more authors (Josep Tantull, Roser Solé, Joan Ferrer, Camilo Albert et al). On 21.9 it remained in the same area in company of 3 Golden Plovers P.apricaria (J.Tantull, R.Solé, C.Carbonell, M.Sánchez; Harold Wijts; Ricard Gutiérrez). The bird remained the following week with tens if not hundreds of observers due to Delta Birding Festival: 25.9 (G.Gorospe,V.Palacios, A.Fisher, R.Flood, R.Gutiérrez; O.Clarabuch; M.Franch; K.Mullarney, M.Robb, C.Racionero, J.L.Copete et al); 26.9 (Manolo García-Tarrasón, Francesc Cuscó); 27.9 ( Juan Sagardia, Jus Pérez, Xurxo Piñeiro, Bob Flood, Ashley Fisher et al); 28.9 (Bob Flood, Ashley Fisher, Gorka Gorospe; Yeray Seminario; Ricard Gutiérrez; Jordi Martí et al).
An influx of Pectoral Sandpipers included birds at La Tancada, Montsià onm 1-10.9; L’Aufacada, Montsià on 9.9; Aiguamolls de l’Empordà on 8-13.9; Aiguamolls from 15-16.9; Llobregat delta, Baix Llobregat on 18-20.9; Lleida (two) from 19-29.9, El Serrallo, Montsià on 27.9 and two at Deltebre, Baix Ebre, on 28-29.9.
On 27.9 one adult moulting Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius was found at El Serrallo ricefields, Montsià, and later twitched by tens or hundreds of birders (J.Ruiz et al; J.Bujons et al). Relocated during the afternoon but not the following day. Photo below (Miquel Angel García).
There was a 1w Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola at Camí de Ca l’Inglada Sant Boi de Llobregat, Delta del Llobregat, Baix Llobregat on 4.9 (Eio Ramón). On 20.9 one was seen at Migjorn grassfields, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (Àlex Mascarell) and on 21.9 one was seen and heard at the 112 building at Reus, Baix Camp (Joan I. Barrachina). On 28.9 one 1w was seen at Migjorn grassfields, Delta de l’Ebre, Montsià (Jordi Martí-Aledo, Fina Bonet, Toni Mallol, Manel Gravalós).
A juvenile Scarlet Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus was seen on 11.9 at Pla de la Riera d’Arbúcies, Sant Feliu de Buixalleu, Selva (Arnau Tolrà @ornitho.cat). The twitch was attempted and on 13.9 it was relocated (Aleix Comas). Despite some fails, on 14.9 it was seen agan (Toni Alonso) then seen and photographed (Ferran López; Gabri de Jesús, Anna Maiol; Ponç Feliu).
Novetats Agost 2019 / Bird News August 2019
Latest update: 29 September 2019 / Darrera actualització: 29 setembre 2019
- Híbrid de Martinet dels Esculls i Martinet blanc/ Presumed hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x garzetta (n=1)
(1) Alt Empordà. Perhaps the same white spotted bird seen on 2.8 at Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Alt Empordà was seen and photographed again on 2.9 (Àlex Ollé). See a photo below.
- Martinet dels Esculls / Western Reef Egret Egretta gularis gularis (n=1)
(1) Montsià. On 7.9 a dark pure bird was seen at Ebre Delta, Montsià (Vicent Moya Moràs). The area is not clear if it was in the N or S Delta but it is the same bird seen before by other authors that prove very elusive. On 11.9 it was seen again, when photographed (Cristian Jensen/Audouin Birding Tours), see two photos enclosed. The bird is within a private land and off-limits, hence not twitchtable. On 21.9 it was found again (Cristian Jensen) and later relocated (Ferran López). During the Delta Birding Festival, literally a few hundred observers saw the egret and were able to photograph it, becoming the ‘star’ of the fair. See three photos below (Ricard Gutiérrez). 
The bird was seen until mid last week of September when it may had moved to other Delta areas due to rice cropping: on 23.9 it was seen and photographed again (Polícarpo Hernández et al; Cédric Mroczko @ornitho.cat), 24.9 (Israel Estopa @ornitho.cat; Sergi Arís & Josep Crusafont, see a photo below) and on 25.9 too (José A. Fernández; Lluís Vilamajó @ornitho.cat).
- Arpella pàl·lida russa / Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (n=1)
(1) Osona. On 24.9 a 1w was seen flying over Montesquiu and Pla de Revell, Osona (Carlos Nos, Javier Valladares @eBird). See a photo at ornitho.cat here (opens in another window).
- Territ Pectoral / Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos (n=1)
(1) Baix Empordà. On 24.9 a bird was een at Bassa del Frare Ramon, Baix Ter, Torroella de Montgrí, Baix Empordà (Jan Ulber @ornitho.cat). See a photo here (opens in another window).
- Graula / Rook Crow Corvus frugileus (n=9)
(1-8) Alt Empordà . On 17.9 there were 9 at Estany Europa, Castelló d’Empúries, Alt Empordà (Albert Burgas @ornitho.cat). On 18.9 there were 9 in the same area (Fran Trabalón @ornitho.cat).
- Cornella emmantellada / Hooded Crow Corvus cornix (n=5)
(1-4) Baix Llobregat. Two birds were seen at El Prat de Llobregat on 7.9 (Pere Baucells @ornitho.cat). One was still at El Prat de Llobregat on 14.9 (Carina Domènech @ornitho.cat). On 23.9 there were four at Camí de Ferran Pugi, at Sant Boi de Llobregat, Baix Llobregat (Iván Vega @ornitho.cat). On 26.9 perhaps these same four birds were inside El Prat de Llobregat city (Jaume Bartra @ Delta del Llobregat bird news).
(5) Vallès Occidental. A bird was seen on 14.9 flying over Hostal del Fum, Palau Solità i Plegamans, Vallès Occidental and going towards Gallecs (Abel Julien @ornitho.cat).
- Cuereta citrina / Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola (n=1)
(1) Vallès Oriental. A bird was found at Aiguabarreig de la riera de Polinyà and Besòs river, La Llagosta, Vallès Oriental, on 18.9 (Cristian Bonsoms). Seen later by more authors (Oriol Baena, see a photo enclosed). On 19.9 it was still there (Javi Mendoza, Toni Alonso, Xavi Escobar, Enric Fontcuberta @ornitho.cat).
- Tallarol xerraire / Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca (n=3)
(1) Baix Llobregat. A bird was reported from Ca l’Arana pinewood, Llobregat Delta, El Prat de Llobregat, Baix Llobregat on 6.9 (Stephen Christopher).
(2) Baix Empordà. A bird was seen at Sobrestany, Baix Empordà, on 14.9 (Joan Estrada Jofra, Montse Jofra, Víctor Estrada @ birdingemporda.com).
(3) Vallès Oriental. A bird was found on 17.9 at Bigues i Riells, Vallès Oriental (Arnau Tolrà). Seen later by more authors (Javi Mendoza, Oriol Baena).
