Menorca

A report on my trip to Menorca in October can be viewed here.

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Gran Canaria

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Saturday 1st - Saturday 8th October 2016 Hoopoe - Maspalomas A week in the hot sunshine of Gran Canaria at the start of October produced some good birds despite this island not getting much representation in the available range of published bird guides. This isn't surprising since it doesn't hold any populations of the endemic Canary pigeon species which can be found on Tenerife and La Gomera, and Blue Chaffich is much easier to find on Tenerife; next to impossible on Gran Canaria.  Based in Maspalomas at the southern tip of the island, my birding was incidental, or confined to the occasional short solo exploration on foot, in between simply being on holiday. A brackish lagoon, La Charca, stretches behind the beach at Maspalomas, cut off the sea by the beach, and with the dunes along one side. La Charca was always interesting to visit and turned up some good birds. The highlights included (no particular order): Canary Island Chiffchaff - common and vocal virtually ever...
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Todd's Canada Goose

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Saturday 16th January 2010 The Canada Goose showing characteristics of the race Branta canadensis interior , commonly known as Todd's Canada Goose , was in the Rushy Pen at Slimbridge WWT this morning (photos in poor light above and below) , before flying off with other Canada's at 9:40am. This is a very interesting bird, showing several features which together set it apart from its feral counterparts. My observations of the differences are: it is slightly smaller with a more slender neck; shorter bill; narrower white cheek patch; the black on the chin is linked to the black of the neck; at the bottom of the neck at the back, the black joins the brown of the mantle, with no white in between; the pale fringing on the scapulars etc. is much less distinct; the tertials are more contrastingly paler, giving the effect of a pale wing panel; it has a pale eye-ring; and if these features don't help - it has a limp! Other sightings this morning included: Sharpness Docks A female/imm...
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Saul Warth/Frampton?WWT

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Friday 24th April 2009 Above: Saul Warth at low tide I started off the day's birding at Fretherne/Saul Warth, not much on the high tide but a Common Sandpiper at the edge of the river was a year tick. I then made to long walk round to view the south flash from the towpath viewpoint, where a pair of Garganeys were present, plus seven Black-tailed Godwits , 40 Sand Martins , 41 Shelduck , including an apparent RuddyX, and small numbers of Teal , Shoveler , and Gadwall . Next it was on the Splatt Bridge and the walk to Green Lane. A Cuckoo was calling from the direction of Nebrow Hill, and a Lesser Whitethroat was between the canal and Green Lane. From the viewing platform, a nice male Ruff , approaching breeding plumage, was on the 100-acre, plus six Redshanks and two Little Egrets . Next, Slimbridge WWT and a nice summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper was on the Top New Piece (record shot below) along with a near-summer plumaged Spotted Redshank . A walk down to Middle Point was un...
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