It was quiet at Salgados today. The surrounding fields had few birds, no pipits, two or three wagtails and several Stonechats were all that were showing on a walk to the North end. In the field here were six Eurasian Magpies and a Starling flock of around sixty birds. I expected some Skylarks but none here. A lone female Kestrel was sitting in the bushes. Waders seen included 8 Avocet, 12 Lapwing, 3 Common Snipe and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. Surprisingly, two Ruff were feeding in the grass, close to the viewing screen. Winter plumage Ruff. A smaller than usual number of Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls were on the lagoon. One juvenile Mediterranean Gull was present as was a single Caspian Tern. The resident Marsh Harriers were active most of the day with this female flying over the larger lagoon and hunting the nearby reedbed. Mid-afternoon at the viewing screen, I was lucky to catch sight of a Short-eared Owl flying along the dunes. The owl was at some distance and appeared to drop into the dunes, being mobbed by a Magpie.
This is my second Short-eared Owl of the Autumn. Comments are closed.
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