Part 4
Across the border into NE Spain
The juxtaposition of rocky headlands and coastal marshes makes for rich birding habitats ... the Cap de Creus which has been very creditably saved from Club Med developments is an exciting area ... one of the iconic species there is Thekla Lark ... the song came from a little rocky summit amid the vast almost bare landscape of rock with a few vegetated gullies ...
... the quality of the song was very different from the piping wistful notes of Crested Lark and had more of a chattery nature ... The dense breast streaking and darker mantle colour stood out ... then a short low song flight ...
... Blue Rock Thrushes were also present in this ideal habitat for them ... but a pair of Red-rumped Swallows put in an all too brief appearance as they disappeared over a ridge ... equally tricky were some Alpine Swifts around the lighthouse ...
... along with Pallid Swifts ...
The dunes near San Pere Pescador ( also well protected by extensive roped-off sections ) held good numbers of Crested Larks ...
... so much sandier in colour than the Theklas and performing higher song flights ...
... this area had pools where Black-winged Stilts showed nicely ...
The most exciting wetlands nearby are at the reserve of Aiguamolls d'Emporda ... here White Storks breed with about ten nests easily visible ...
... and the Nightingales were equally as confiding and showy as at Collioure ...
... and a Melodious Warbler was less wary than those in France ...
... the fields that only a few decades ago had been rice paddies now held a wealth of wetland species ... and good numbers of Black-winged Stilts were on nests ...
... while some fledglings were alread making their way in the world ...
... Glossy Ibises fed in drier areas ...
... a few migrant Whiskered Terns lingered ...
... as did a couple of 1st-Summer Little Gulls ...
... feeding adult Flamingo ...
... and immature ...
were remarkably confiding ...
The larger water bodies attracted some herons ... this Night Heron put in a brief appearance ...
... a Great White Egret flew in ...
... and the only Spoonbill of the trip showed its bill for a few seconds before resuming a roosting position ...
... a Marsh Harrier was seen off by ever vigilant Black-winged Stilts ...
An afternoon walk to the Etang Europa part of the reserve initially seemed less productive but proved to be worthwhile as the drier habitat yielded calling Stone Curlews and singing Corn Buntings ...
... the Cattle Egrets were doing their archetypal thing ...
... and gave some nice views ...
... the Yellow Wagtails were similarly white in the throat to those in the Gruissan area but showed even weaker supercillia, with none in front of the eye ... perhaps these had more of a cinereocapilla influence in their genes ...
... some Bee-eaters hawked over a cereal field, perching sometimes on the tamarisks ...
... around some derelict farm buildings a flock of about twenty Monk Parakeets fed noisily but posed nicely on fences ...
... in contrast with earlier birds that had called from palm trees but remained hidden ...
... a Purple Heron flapped its elegant way by ...
Heading a little way inland to Garriguella we stayed for a few days in the hospitable company of Charles-Etienne and Christine at their Mas hidden away in the rolling hills amid olive groves and the occasional small vineyard ...
... a Short-toed Eagle circled over a ridge and Sardinian Warblers chattered away in the bushes while more distant Bonelli's Warbles sang from the taller trees ...
Hoopoes sang from outside the bedroom window at dawn ...
... before the breakfast of exquisite scrambled eggs and fruit prepared by Christine, a Subalpine Warbler flitted briefly from a bush and a Raven croaked ...
... as we walked the tracks that criss-crossed the little hills a Goshawk sailed into view and quickly departed ... a Cirl Bunting sang its rattly song ... and Hoopoes duetted ...
... before an excellent dinner of barbecued fish produced by Charles-Etienne, along with lovely accompanying dishes by Christine, a flash of yellow was a male Golden Oriole flying up from feeding on one of the terrace areas ...
... after some territorial confrontation one of the Hoopoes resumed its perch on the eucalyptus tree ...
... we were sorry to have to collect our van from the olive grove and head north ...
