Wednesday, 22 February 2012

22 Feb 2012 – Lagunas de la Mancha Humeda - Alcazar de San Juan (ADSJ)


The area north of ADSJ contains several large lagoons that hold good numbers of waterbirds during the winter and spring. I was a little on the early side to visit the area and missed many of the migrant marshbirds that you’d expect later in the year, but there was still plenty to see. I followed the numbered lagoons as set out in Rebane and Garcia’s WTWB in N&E Spain, although didn’t bother with the last one (Laguna de Majavacas). I didn’t see White-headed Duck, so it might have been better to have just done a few of the lagoons and then try El Hondo on the way back to Alicante. Oh well, next time eh!
Laguna de San Juan – 100 Greater Flamingo, Pochard, Shoveler, Pintail, 3 Kentish Plover, 3 Little Stint
 Laguna de Villafranca – 200 Red-crested Pochard, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Great Spotted Cuckoo
 Laguna de Quero – nothing of note. Looked fairly polluted and birdless.
Laguna de El Longar y Altillo (Lillo) – Birded the lagoon and then carried on into the steppe habitat on the TO-1131-V track. 8 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (6 of which were drinking from the lagoon, 300 Common Crane, Hen Harrier, male Little Bustard flushed from the side of the road, 50+ Great Bustard, Calandra Lark, Skylark.
Los Charcones de Miguel Esteban – not a lot here, and certainly no White-headed Ducks for which it’s ‘famed’.
It was then off to Alicante for the night where I’ll be meeting some of my family and then heading up to Valencia tomorrow for the Valencia v Stoke City Europa League game – gooooooarn Stoke!!!

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Black-winged Stilt

Red Kite

Spotless Starlings


White Storks

White Storks

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