I took a birding trip up the coast to the L'Abufera Lagoon. It is a interesting site, centuries in the making. Initially there was a large sand bank that trapped the salt water and created a huge salt water lake and marsh area. The local inhabitants took up their tools and closed off any remaining openings to the sea. Then they diverted a local river and forced to to empty into the lagoon / marsh. Over the course of 100 years the water shifted from salty to brackish to fresh. It is now a 50,000 acre park surrounded by rice farms. As one of the few remaining marsh lands along the coast it is a haven for bird species of all sorts. Over the course of the day my guide saw 58 species but I only saw 49 of them. Nine of these are new to my Lifebird list, which is sitting at 913 birds!
8:30 did not seem like and early start but the sun was just rising
We drove along the coast and this was a pretty roundabout
We are here along the main lake
Great wooden walkways
An observation tower
The progression of the creation of a fresh water lake
A black redstart on a cool roof
There were large stables still in place
Great Flamingos
So many ducks
A stonechat singing away
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Red-crested Pochards Lifebird #1 for the day
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Marbled ducks are critically endangered in Spain
A marsh harrier looking for breakfast
An egret flying
The grasses grow tall
Lots of informative signs
Teals and ducks
It takes a good scope and a steady hand to survey this group and pick out the new ones
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Like these Green Winged Teals LB#2
My guide's car
Bridges
The marsh harriers were everywhere
Going up the tower
This park is vast
The pochards love it
A Long Tailed Tit
An Eared Grebe LB#3
Great crested grebe
Another area to look
Common Greenshanks LB#4
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Audouin's Gull LB#5
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Spotted Redshanks LB#6
an open expanse of water and an old farmstead in the distance
Western Cattle Egrets lined up along the water
A road between the lakes
Zitting Cisticola LB#7
A Whiskered Tern
Cawww cawww
Back in the day steam engines were the workhorses of the farmers. These chimney's are all that remains of the steam engines
After harvesting the field is burned and the ashes left to replenish the soil
A pretty windy day for burning
A huge combine
Working hard
Another bird blind
Explaining the local views
White wagtail
Western Yellow wagtail
Rice farming
Booted Eagle LB#8
Glossy Ibis
Little grebe
Some flamingos
More of them
So pretty in pink
Good habitat!
Ant they are off!
A huge flock
No one is allowed to live in these old houses anymore. They are only used to store farm equipment
An Eurasian Kestrel and a pair of wasps
Western Swamphen LB#9
The canals and gates deliver water to the rice fields and allow for draining at harvest time
A boat with the town's name
Heading back down south
On the coast road we see the lighthouse
Nice lighthouse
The buildings along the ridge that we can see from our balcony
We looked out at the beach
A barnacle goose! Normally found in Scandanavia
The islands can be seen very clearly
Great sunset
Poof!
Lost soul
