Canal Vell, Spain, 5-18 September 2018

In early September, Carlton, Andy, Ron and Jerry visited the ringing site in the Ebro delta, about 200km south of Barcelona. A site which Carlton had visited previously (for general details of the site and his previous reports, see 2017 - here & 2016 - here), but it was the first time for the others. Carlton and Andy were there for two weeks, but Ron and Jerry for just the first week. LRGp have previously had a Blackcap caught here in 2006, so it was good to visit, and see the site for ourselves. As previously, the 21 nets (a mix of 6, 9 and 12m) are set for a standardised time - closed early afternoon, before being opened again (at about 6pm), for an evening session, and the most productive net rounds were usually during the evening.

First week - the catching was reasonably steady, averaging c45 new, and c25 retraps per day, a little below the historic average for early September. Only one morning session had to be curtailed, during a very heavy rainstorm. The total for the first week was 306 new and 165 retraps, with the main species Reed Warbler - 206 (as would be expected in a reedbed site), followed by Willow Warbler - 17. A surprise was the low numbers of Sedge Warblers, maybe not yet arrived, or perhaps they take a more westerly migration route. A few Great Reed Warbler and Savi's Warbler were caught, with some adults undergoing primary moult (as sometimes happens in southern breeding populations), suspended in the case of Savi's. The local Reed Warblers were small (wings about 58 - 62mm) and grouped with those from N Africa as ssp ambiguus in Demongin. They could be relatively easily differentiated from the passage birds from further north. There were two recoveries in the first week, a Bluethroat from Belgium, and a Reed Warbler from the Czech Republic.

Adult and first year Savi's Warblers have a variety of moult strategies (this one in suspended/arrested moult, aged as adult because of amount of wear of old primaries)

With biscuits at hand, Jerry eagerly awaits the next round of birds

Second week - following Jerry and Ron's departure on Tuesday afternoon, Carlton and Andy continued as a "two man team" until Kelvin and Robin arrived from north Wales on Saturday evening. Although two people can manage well enough, when ringing isn't too busy, it always makes life easier to have extra help, especially at either end of the day, or when there are larger numbers throughout the day (as sometimes happens). The weather during ringing periods remained good, although sometimes, a late afternoon storm threatened (thankfully passing with only light and/or brief showers). The week continued with the same mix of species/numbers, but there were some additionals - Fan-tailed Warbler (added on the evening of Jerry and Ron's departure), with single Kestrel (retrap), Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Chiffchaff, Penduline Tit and Reed Bunting (local large billed ssp witherbyii), plus several Nightingale and Blackcap. Daily totals were initially as per the first week, although the penultimate day saw the lowest, of just 15 + (10). The following day (and Carlton/Andy's last day), clearly demonstrated how the weather conditions can change things. During the preceeding evening, there were signs that a storm was probably building, and during the night the heavy rain started. A pre-dawn decision to close the nets (before any birds could get caught) was made. The rain soon cleared, so the nets were re-opened at 8am, and it was evident that a lot of birds had been grounded by the rain. Although the session was shortened, the morning produced 95 + (14), including 4 Subalpine Warbler, the first Blackcaps, a Whinchat and another Nightingale. The evening session (after Carlton/Andy's departure), added a further 23 + (12), making it the highest day total of the trip. The second week also produced a third recovery - a Savi's Warbler from France.

Yellow Wagtail - a young male.

Kingfisher Adult in 'split' primary moult, also renewing inner secondaries.

The average daily total for the 2018 trip was 45.9 + (24.6), compared to 2017 with 70.7 + (24.3), and 2016 with 63.3 + (29).
Species details below, those in brackets trapped in the previous two years, but not in 2018.

(Little Bittern)
Kestrel    (1)
Moorhen    1
(Wood Sandpiper)
Collard Dove    3
(Scops Owl)
(Hoopoe)
Kingfisher      28 + (37)
(Wryneck)
Swallow  11
Yellow Wagtail    1
Nightingale    2
Bluethroat  32 + (14)
Redstart  13 + (4)
(Stonechat)
Whinchat    1
Blackcap    2
Garden Warbler    4
Whitethroat    1
Subalpine Warbler    5
Fan-tailed Warbler    3
Savi’s Warbler    9 + (11)
Cetti’s Warbler  40 + (21)
Sedge Warbler    2 + (2)
Reed Warbler              393 + (204)
Great Reed Warbler 10 + (18)
Willow Warbler 40 + (21)
Chiffchaff            (1)
(Firecrest)
Pied Flycatcher 33 + (10)
Penduline Tit   1
House Sparrow   7 + (1)
(Tree Sparrow)
(Greenfinch)
Reed Bunting (ssp witherbyii)   1

Total 643 + (345)


Most of the delta has been converted to rice paddies, which were just beginning to be harvested. Large numbers of an introduced species (Louisiana Crayfish) are exposed by the harvesting, and large numbers of gulls/herons/egrets/ibis are attracted to feed on them, moving from field to field as the harvesting progresses. An evening roost count (birds flying over the ringing site to an island in the lake) recorded 2 Squacco Heron, 16 Purple Heron, 68 Little Egret, 141 Great White Egret and 1175 Glossy Ibis, plus 39 Night Heron leaving their daytime roost. No Grey Heron or Cattle Egret were seen, despite them being present on the paddies. During the afternoon breaks from ringing, attempts were made to read some of the colour ringed Glossy Ibis feeding on the rice fields. Not an easy task as they were often on the move, and had their legs generally hidden by the stubble, or were easily spooked and prone to taking flight en-mass. However, with persistence, three rings were read. The white darvics will probably have been fitted in the Camargue, as the French population of Glossy Ibis winter along the Spanish coast, especially on the Ebro delta.

Mixed feeding flock, consisting of mostly Glossy Ibis

A Colour ringed Glossy Ibis probably having had its ring fitted in the Camargue 

An excellent trip, with first class accommodation/company/food (mainly cooked by Carlton), and some quality birding on the nearby coastal lagoons/wetlands.