BIRDING TRIP: Marismas de Cetina, Puerto Real, Spain

I set off early in the morning to arrive around sunrise at Cetina Salt Marshes. Summer has arrived at the south of Spain, so because of the high temperatures I didn't expect to see many birds really. My only goal was to spot Black-tailed Godwit, a species I had not seen before.

This is really an amazing site. If you arrive early enough to avoid the afternoon heat, you get to see so many interesting species. The starts of the morning were a whole colony of Kentish Plovers, I think I saw more than twenty of them. Just lie flat on your belly and let them come to you to get some amazing shots. 

Some Kentish Plovers

As they are a protected species, quite a lot of them were ringed. I did not see any breeding activity today.

A lovely Kentish Plover pair on a small rock

A cheerful Kentish Plover running towards me



Kentish Plover hiding on the ground



Another ringed Kentish Plover

Kentish Plover flying by


Another remarkable species present here was the Pied Avocet. There may easily have been a few hundred of them. It's always fun to see how they chase much larger birds away from their territory. This time some gulls were mobbed until they left.

Pied Avocet showing some karate skills in mid-air




Things got even worse for the gull as the Avocet got help from a wingman …


Eventually the Avocet backed off

Time to relax

As for my targeted species: I did see them and managed to photograph them in the water as well as in flight. One of them seemed to have an antenna attached.

Blacked-tailed Godwit

Blacked-tailed Godwit in flight

Another amazing sight was a flock of Yellow Wagtails in a bush: around twenty of these birds together.

A flock of Yellow Wagtails

Yellow Wagtail in flight carrying food

There were so many more species to spot. Below are the most interesting photos of the morning.

Hoopoe

Zitting Cisticola

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole in flight

Collared Pratincole displaying on the ground

Black Kite

Black Kite

Black Kite

Grey Heron

Common Swift about to eat an insect in flight

Another worthwhile visit to this place during which I spotted thirty different species. Next time I really should bring a hide or come at dawn to photograph the flamingos against the orange glow of the summer sunset.

Henry.