March 31, 2009
March 2009 Bird News.We match Gibraltar and the Bosporus for one day!
90 Species seen this month in the Alcossebre area equaling the previous highest monthly total, and one new species was added to the Alcossebre List – Short-eared Owl.
Apart from that it was a very good month for passage birds, and on one day – the 7th March we had a passage of birds that matched Gibraltar or the Bosporus in terms of numbers!
We had a total of 520 White Storks and 70 Common Cranes.
The highest number of White Storks to date.
Nearly every day through- out the month there was some new arrival or some passage movements.
I only lost three days of the daily census due to gale force winds or heavy rain.
The 1st of March started off with a small passage of Martins and Barn Swallows – 62 Crag Martins, 8 House Martins and 2 Barn Swallows heading North East. 7 Purple Herons flew leisurely East over the sea.
There were still at least 120 Linnets in winter flocks, and a count of 19 >Sardinian Warblers was the highest of the month.
On the 2nd March the only Balearic Shearwater (2) for the month flew south. Birds flying east included 80 Cormorants and 14 Grey Herons.
3 Hawfinch were still seen to be wintering.
Overcast and dull conditions on the 3rd March slowed down migrants. Only 23 Crag Martins and 2 House Martins were seen heading North East.
The first Marsh Harrier of the year, a female was exploring a dry river bed on the 4th March.
There was a variety of birds seen on the 5th March, some migrating some not. Birds migrating included 4 Northern Gannets, 52 Cormorants and 5 Lapwings heading North East.
Overnight arrivals included a Grey Wagtail, a Goldcrest and the Great Spotted Cuckoos had increased to 3 pairs.
The winds were gale force on the 6th March and kept me indoors.
However, on the 7th March I had one of these special days. The wind was still gusting to gale force at times but I decided to brave the elements, I’m glad I did, because I had a day of migration to match Gibraltar or the Bosporus!
First of all went I got down to the coast road and looked over the sea, I saw an amazing sight – a total of 370 Northern Lapwings in two groups of 120 and 250 birds, they were really struggling against the gale force winds and were being swept dangerously close to the surface of the sea! Now why they preferred flying over the sea rather than the land I don’t know, and why fly in these conditions anyway?
There was also a total of 362 Cormorants heading North East, but they were well able to cope with the wind.
The wind continued all day. At 1.30pm I got a phone call from friends (Andy and Sylvia) they said there was a huge flock of what they thought was White Storks battling against the wind and trying to fly north. I rushed outside my house and looked up – what a sight White Storks everywhere it seemed. I counted about four or five groups which joined up then broke apart in the wind. I counted at least 520 birds. They kept up a constant noise as the called to one another.
Eventually after about 40 minutes they disappeared from sight northwards.
Insert Photo
Later that afternoon when I was out doing a spot of gardening a flock of 70 Common Cranes flew over calling loudly and heading in the same direction as the Storks. What a day!
The 8th March had a little migration going on. 180 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Little Egrets, 54 Crag Martins and 2 Barn Swallows flying North East.
11 Mediterranean Gulls at Capycorp lagoon was the highest count of the month, and a fine male Rock Bunting was the last of winter, as were 3 Reed Buntings.
A male Corn Bunting was in song in the rural farmland.
7 species were seen migrating and heading North East on the 9th March -434 Cormorants, 17 Grey Herons, 92 Black-headed Gulls, 5 Sand Martins (the first this Spring), 6 barn Swallows and 3 House Martins.
As well as an overnight arrival of 10 Chiffchaffs, there was a possible migrant Cetti´s Warbler away from the usual sites.
A quiet day for a change on the 10th March, with the only passage another bird flock of Cormorants (420) heading East. 28 Sandwich Terns at Capycorp Lagoon was the highest count of the month.
Another quiet day for migrants on the 11th March – a Quail calling in the rural farmland was the first this Spring.
A Willow Warbler at the Sewage Pond on the 12th March was the first this Spring, outnumbered by 8 Chiffchaffs.
The first Northern Wheatear of the Spring arrived on the beach on the 13th March. While another big flock of Cormorants (473) flew east, migrating Grey Herons couldn’t make up their mind which way to go, 9 flew east and one flew south? A Common Buzzard was the last of winter.
Yet more Cormorants (192) flying East on the 14th March were the only visible passage but there were some overnight arrivals – a Northern Wheatear and 2 Willow Warblers.
The last Wren of the winter was seen.
A very quiet day on the 15th March, with the only passage birds 1 Grey Heron, 2 Northern Gannets and 9 Cormorants.
A male Cirl Bunting was the first heard in song this year.
There were still good numbers of wintering Serin – 120 birds counted. Meanwhile the local birds were singing and displaying.
The usual big flock of Cormorants (240) flew East on the 16th March, but overnight arrivals stole the show – 2 Black-crowned Night Herons at the Torre de Capycorp estate were the first this Spring. Elsewhere there was a Northern Wheatear, and Dartford Warbler and up to 10 Willow Warblers.
12 Skylarks were the last of winter.
Barn Swallows (7) seemed to be the only thing on the move on the 17th March.
New birds for the year where a pair of Patagonian Conures (South American Parrots)! Also the first Red-legged Partridge.
View image
A small North Easterly passage of birds on the 18th March included 166 Cormorants, 2 Northern Gannets and 12 Barn Swallows.Overnight arrivals included another Dartford Warbler and 3 Willow Warblers.
Three wintering species disappeared as from today – Blue Rock Thrush, Stonechat and Chaffinch.
A Red-rumped Swallow flying North East on the 19th March with 5 Barn Swallows was a first this spring. The only other birds passing through were 2 Grey Herons.
A bit more activity on the 20th March. 9 Grey Herons flew east, the first Black Kite of Spring flew North West. The first Common Snipe and Common Sandpipers (2) of Spring were at the Sewage Pond, with 3 Black-crowned Night Herons towering over them!
A Blue-headed Wagtail feeding in an Artichoke field was a first for Spring on the 21st March. Later a fine female Sparrowhawk soared over the Sewage Pond. The only birds on the move were 60 Cormorants and 14 Barn Swallows.
There were two more Spring firsts on the 22nd March when 4 Pallid Swifts flew east and a male Common Restart appeared in the rural farmland. The last of the winter Chiffchaffs was seen.
A Black-eared Wheatear was a first for Spring on the 23rd March, seen sunning itself in a tree at the coast.
A fine male Woodchat Shrike appeared on the 24th March near the Sewage pond, another first for Spring. There was a small North Easterly passage of birds – 7 Barn Swallow, 2 Crag Martins, 2 Sand Martins and 2 Pallid Swifts.
Birds started to move in slightly bigger numbers on the 25th March.10 Grey Herons, 63 Barn Swallows, 1 Red-rumped Swallow, 2 Sand Martins and the first Common Swift of the year.
Overnight arrivals included 1 Black-crowned Night Heron at Torre Pond, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a male Subalpine Warbler at the Sewage pond, the latter another Spring first, and 21 Meadow Pipits.
There were still at least 110 Goldfinches still wintering, while the local birds were displaying and nesting.
A fine sight in the early morning sunlight over the sea on the 26th March was the first Greater Flamingos (20) of the, flying East. No doubt Ebro Delta bound. 180 Yellow-legged Gulls followed them.
However the bird of the month was the Short-eared Owl being mobbed by a Common Kestrel in the rural farmland.
The first record for Alcossebre.
The male Subalpine Warbler was still at the Sewage Pond.
An overnight arrival of 5 Song Thrush was the last of winter.
Birds on the move North East on the 27th March included the usual Cormorants (110) 5 Grey Herons, 13 Barn Swallows, and 1 Red-rumped Swallow.Overnight arrivals were a Purple Heron and 4 Black-crowned Night Herons at the sewage pond, plus another Woodchat Shrike.Insert
In contrast to the Spring migrants there were still a few winter birds around on the 28th March. A Hawfinch and Cetti´s Warbler were still here.
A Little Grebe at the Sewage pond was the first this Spring. Mind you he had to dive quickly when a fine male Marsh Harrier flew over the pond!
5 Cormorants flying east added up to an astonishing total of 3,880 birds that passed through this month!
I didn’t get out for my morning bird count on the 29th March because of the rain, however when it eased off about midday I took a walk down to the local Sewage pond to inspect my recently built pallet wood hide – see photo.
For the first time this Spring Barn Swallows and House Martins were passing through in their hundreds!
When I entered the hide the observation flap was open after the wind and just as I looked through it two Purple Herons flew off – another photo opportunity missed!
Later on I met a nice couple (Dave and Jill) from Dorset, and after blether with them I showed them the Sewage pond and the new Pallet wood hide.
Then as we left the Sewage pond and walked to the main road a fine Osprey flew over heading east, the first this Spring.
I couldn’t get out on my morning bird count walk on the 31st March because of heavy rain but I managed a brief foray to the local Sewage pond in the late afternoon and was rewarded by the first Alpine Swift of the Spring and yet another Red-rumped Swallow.
Alcossebre Weather in March 2009.
The first week in March was unsettled with overcast conditions and light showers on four days. In addition we had our famous three days of strong to gale force winds. On the 5th March I recorded wind gusts in excess of 40 miles per hour!
The second week in March was the complete opposite with fine sunny weather and excellent visibility. Temperatures increased by 5 or 6C.
The third week in March continued to be settled with fine sunny weather all week. A few cool Easterly winds in the afternoons kept it a bit chilly in the shade.
The fourth week in March was mainly settled, with three days of sunny/cloudy conditions mixed in. There was a trace of rain on the 28th.
The last three days of March ended like it started with dull, overcast conditions and the heaviest rain of the month.
The average daytime temperature was 20C (68F).
The highest temperature was on the 27th at 27C (80F).
The coldest day was on the 4th and the 30th at 12C (53F).
The average night temperature was 8C (46F).
The coldest nights were on the 5th/10th/13th/17th & 18th at 6C (42F).
The warmest night was on the 7th at 14C (57F).
Total rainfall for the month was 4.3 inches (110mm) over seven days.
The heaviest rain fell on the 30th to the 31st with 2.3 inches (58mm).
Wind strength was mainly light and gentle, with strong to gale force winds on 4 days.
Wind direction was mainly North Westerly for a short while in the mornings, and South West to South Easterly in the afternoons.
On the four days with strong to gale force winds it remained in the North West all day.
Compared to 2008 and 2007 it was 1C degree cooler in both day and night temperatures. There were also 3.1 more inches of rain than 2008.