March Rarities - 2009

[Peter]

Little Shearwater Puffinus [assimilis] baroli
Cádiz A bird was found exhausted at Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz, on 3.3. It was later brought to Centro de Recuperación de Especies Amenazadas "Dunas de San Antón" and identified as a Little Shearwater (Rafael García Costales). The bird died a few days later.

Presumed Hybrid Western Reef x Little Egret Egretta gularis x garzetta
Cádiz. The 'usual' bird from Cádiz bay Natural Park was seen again on 5.3 at Salina de Puerto Real (Rafael García Costales).

Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor
Málaga On 7.3 four birds were seen at Fuentedepiedra lagoon, Málaga, having been present there since mid-february (Andy Paterson). It is interesting to note that on 23.2 two were recorded at Castro Marim, SE Portugal (Nelson Fonseca y Luis Campina) and that, despite search, no bird was seen at Ebro delta those days (R.Gutiérrez).

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Cádiz. There was a 1w (2nd calendar year) at Salinas de la Tapa, El Puerto de Santa María, Cadiz on 9.3 (Rafael García Costales, Paco Chiclana).

Kumlien's Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides kumlieni FOURTH FOR SPAIN
Huelva. The adult bird found on 3.2 remained at Odiel marshes, Huelva, on 12.3 (Paco Chiclana, Goyo Para, Juan Matute, Javi, Jorge Garzón,Carmen, Mario Martín y Fernando del Valle).

Little Swift Apus affinis 
Cádiz There were five at Guadalquivir river mouth, Cádiz, on 21.3 (Paco Chiclana)
Cádiz On 20.3 there were four at a coastal cave at Sierra de la Plata, Cádiz (Ernest F.J.García)

Moroccan White Wagtail Motacilla alba subpersonata SECOND FOR SPAIN
Málaga There was an euring 5 bird at Málaga harbour on 20.3 ( Manuel Moreno Aráujo, Antonio Tamayo, Israel Lozano, Samuel Peregrina). First record was on 24.3.2007 at Cádiz. Sighting already reported to CR/SEO-BirdLife

Marabou Leptoptilos crumeniferus  D CATEGORY SPECIES
Sevilla Presumed escape. A bird with a yellow PVC ring 'RD o RB', perhaps the same seen at Ojuelos, Marchena, Sevilla on 18.10.2008, and of unknown origin, was seen at Brazo del Este, Puebla del Río, Sevilla on 28.3 (Paco Chiclana,Manolo Villaécija y Jesús Martín).


Source : Rare Birds Spain

Peter