Rarest of the rare 2012 [El más raro de los raros 2012]

As in 2011 edition, we enclose a selection of perhaps the rarest sightings obtained in the country during 2012. Please vote  the poll (right side of the blog) to see which species sighting can be considered the rarest of the rare 2012!. You can choose several choices, not only one. If interested in the different sightings, follow the links to the original report of the species in the Rare Birds in Spain website. Happy rarest of the rare 2012 and a better 2013 year!

[Como en la edición de 2011, se incluyen una selección de las citas tal vez más raras que se hayan obtenido en el país durante 2012. Por favor, votad en la encuesta (en el lado derecho del blog) para ver qué cita puede ser considerada la más rara de entre las raras de 2012!. Podeis escoger diferentes opciones dado que la elección es complicada. Si estais interesados en obtener más información de las citas en cuestión podeis seguir los enlaces a las páginas originales de la web Rare Birds in Spain. Feliz raro de los raros 2012 y un mejor año 2013 para todo el mundo!

Los candidatos son/ Candidates are

C1. American Black Duck Anas rubripes (Lugo)
(C1) Lugo There was a male at Cospeito, Lugo (D.Calleja, J.Otero, L.J.Salaverri et al) on 24.1. According to SGO a new individual but the bird was there already on 20.12.2011 (David Calleja Marcos). See a photo below © David Calleja 24.1.2012

 

C2.White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (Navarra) 7TH FOR SPAIN
(C2) Navarra. On 31.12.2011 a 1w was found at Carcastillo, Navarra (José Antonio Pérez-Nievas). There are initial images here. The bird remained into 2012 in the same area: it was seen on 3.1 (Diego Villanúa, Javier Train; Ricardo Rodríguez, Juan Ignacio Dean , Gonzalo Dean, Raquel sp ). See photos below (Ricardo Rodríguez).Still there on 5.1 (Mario Alonso), when videoed. Photo © Ricardo Rodríguez 3.1.2012.

 

C3.American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus (A Coruña)
(C3) A Coruña The adult bird found on 28.12.2011 at Lires, Fisterra, A Coruña was still at the Lires beach on 3.1.2012 (Manuel Quintana Becerra y Conchi Ovín Ania), 4.1 (Delfín González), see a photo and video below, and 7.1 when it moved between Lires, Cee (morning) and Nemiña, Muxía (in the afternoon) (Fernando Pereiras, Xabier Varela; Nacho Castelao, Pedro J. Menéndez;Óscar Llama). There is another photo in the rarebirdspain yahoogroups On 14.1 it was seen again at Nemiña, Muxia, A Coruña (Xabi Varela; Toño Salazar y Mario Alonso; Javier Gómez-Aoiz, Antón Pérez). See a photo below and a thumbnail here showing wing pattern (J.Gómez-Aoiz). Still there on 30.1 (Stefan Aki Ragnarsson). Photo © Delfín González 4.1.2012 

 

C4.Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei (Lugo) THIRD FOR SPAIN

(Lugo) Lugo On 13.1 a bird was identified at Os Galos, Ribadeo, Lugo (Pablo Fernández García). See initial photos in his blog. Bird had been found in previous days by Carlos Murias but went unidentified as a Yellow-browed Warbler until 13.1. On 14.1 it was still there, see a photo below and thumbnails here (Pablo Fernández García and others). On 15.1 it remained very confident and was seen and photographed again (Pablo Fernández,Pedro J. Menéndez,Antonio Martínez Pernas y Ricardo Hevia). See another photo below. See more photos in Pablo's blog here. On 19.1 and 20.1 it remained in the area (Pablo Fernández García). It was seen again on 22.1 (Alfonso Rodrigo), see a photo below. On 24.1 it was seen again and on 31.1 too and into February (Pablo Fernández García) Photo:© Pablo Fernández García 14.1.2012

 

C5.Desert Warbler Sylvia deserti (Canary Islands)
(Two records from the Canaries in march 2012) Tenerife. There was one at El Médano, Tenerife on 19-20.3 (Birdforum) The bird was South-west of El Medano in western end of dunes between hotel Playa Sur Tenerife and gun emplacement at Peña María and (2) Lanzarote One was seen and photographed apparently on 24.3 at the coastal stretch between Punta de Las Mujeres and Jameos Del Agua, Lanzarote (Michael John O'Mahony). See one photo below courtesy of the author. However, the bird was relocated on 25.3 by local observers (F.Javier García Vargas, Antonio Unquiles). They have built a blog page on this sighting in their blog Aves de Lanzarote here.Photo:© Michael John O'Mahony 24.2.2012

 

C6. Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris (A Coruña)

(C6) A Coruña. There was a bird off Estaca de Bares cape, A Coruña, that was seen and photographed from mainland on 21.4 (Ricardo Hevia, Antonio Martínez Pernas). Photo:© Ricardo Hevia 21.4.2012

C7. Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus (Cádiz) FIRST FOR SPAIN
(C7) Cádiz. On 5.4 a subadult was seen entering in direct flight from Africa from Punta Carnero, Algeciras, Cádiz at 17:21 hours (Carlos Torralvo/Fundació Migres, David Barros/Ornitour, Patricia Peris, Nicolas Vandestrate, Edward Eyles, Piet Van Jersel, Henk Kuiper, Cristina Berazadi y Ángel Barros). Initially misidentified was correctly picked up by Javier Elorriaga. First for Spain (and Morocco probably) of an Afrotropical bird reported as a vagrant at least in Tunisia, Egypt, Israel and Iraq (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001). Photo:© David Barros - Ornitour 5.4.2012 

 

C8. Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus humei (Canary Islands)

(C8) Fuerteventura. There was a bird at Costa Calma, Pájara, Fuerteventura on 6.4 (Juan Sagardía, David Pérez). This bird is not the Yellow-browed Warbler reported during the winter there. See a photo below and thumbnail here. If accepted it will become the 4th for Spain. Photo:© Juan Sagardía 6.4.2012

 

C9. Marmora's Warbler Sylvia sarda (Alicante) FOURTH FOR SPAIN

(C9) Alicante. One male Euring 5 was trapped and ringed at Tabarca island, Alicante, on 3.5 (Alberto Plata). See a photo below (A.Plata). Read the story in Spanish in Alberto's blog here. A review of current accepted data of this taxon in Spain is available here in the Rarebirdspain blog.

Photo:© Alberto Plata 3.5.2012

 

C10. Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae (A Coruña) 1st SPECIES-LEVEL CONFIRMED RECORD FOR SPAIN

(C10) A Coruña. A bird was seen 17 nautic miles off Malpica de Bergantiños, A Coruña during a seawatch on 26.8 (Daniel López Velasco, Juan Sagardía Pradera, Óscar Llama Palacios, Eduardo Amengual Ramis, Jose Portillo, Jus Pérez Martín, Gabi Martín, Quique Carballal y Pablo Gutiérrez). See a photo below (courtesy of Pablo Gutiérrez) and the full set of photos in his blog Travelling Birds here, recommended! Photo:© Pablo Gutiérrez 26.8.2012

 

C11. Black-Bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica (Canary islands) 2nd FOR SPAIN, 3RD FOR WP

(C11) Lanzarote. On 18.8 one bird was seen at Banco de la Concepción, Lanzarote, where last year the 1st for Spain was also recorded in September 2011 (Lanzarote Pelagics). See a special photopage here! Photo:© Juan Sagardia 18.8.2012

C12. South-polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki (A Coruña)
(C12) A Coruña. On 4.8 one was seen from Estaca de Bares, Galicia (Dani Lopez, Ricardo Hevia, Alfonso Valderas, David Martinez y Antonio Sandoval).

C13. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus (Girona) 6th-7th for SPAIN
(C13) Girona There were two at Delfià, Girona on 24.8 (Fran Trabalon), the 2nd record for Catalonia after the 1989 sighting of Llobregat delta, Barcelona and the 1st in Spain involving 2 birds!. The birds continued there on 25.8 (Daniel Roca et al) and 26.8 (Marc Gàlvez, José Guerra: Jordi Comellas at ornitho.cat). See three photos below. Left the area on 28.8 when not seen neither on 29.8.Photo:© Fran Trabalón 24.8.2012

 

C14. Swinhoe's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis (Canary Islands)

(C14) Lanzarote. On 15.9 one bird was seen at Banco de la Concepción, Lanzarote (Lanzarote Pelagics).

C15. Red-footed Booby Sula sula (Canary Islands) 2ND FOR SPAIN 1ST FOR CANARY ISLANDS

(C15) At sea, between Tenerife and Gran Canaria. On 23.9 a subadult was seen on board and flying around Royal Navy vessel HMS Protector - W1 (Steve Copsey). See photos below and the full story in English in his blog here. Presumably the same bird was seen around the ship c.200-250 nautic miles S of the Islands on 24.9 (Steve Copsey). 2nd for Spain Photo:© Steve Copsey 23.9.2012

 

C16. Double Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus (Canary Islands) FIRST FOR SPAIN

(C16) El Hierro. There was a 1w at La Restinga harbour, El Hierro island, Canaries on 22.10 (Marcel Gil). Perhaps even since the previous day (Marcel Gil). See images below and more in his personal blog Birding by Train. Still present on 24.10 when photographed again, see below (Marcel Gil). And on 27.10 too when photographed and videotaped at close range (Juan Sagardía). Photo:© Marcel Gil 24.10.2012

 

C17. Eastern Stonechat Saxicola maurus (Asturies) FIFTH FOR SPAIN
(C17) Asturies . On 28.10 a 1w male was found at Cabo Peñas, Gozón (Manuel Quintana Becerra y Conchi O. Ania), See a photo below and thumbnail here. The bird was still there on 29.10 (Clemente Álvarez Usategui). Photo:© Clemente Álvarez Usategui 29.10.2012

 

C18. Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi (Asturies) 7TH FOR SPAIN
(1) Asturies. On 20.10 one was seen at close range at Cabo Peñes, Gozón, Asturies (Daniel López Velasco; C.A.Usategui).

C19. Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes (Teruel) 2ND FOR SPAIN
(C19) Teruel . On 18.10 a recently dead bird was found at Villarroya de los Pinares , Teruel (F.Javier Moreno /Jose Luis Lagares/ Fernando Salas). See photos here.

C20.Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda (1) FOURTH FOR SPAIN

(1) A Coruña. There was one at Estaca de Bares, Mañón, A Coruña on 1.11 (Antonio Martínez-Pernas, Ricardo Hevia). 3rd for mainland Spain after 2005 and 2011 record. Photo © Ricardo Hevia.

C21.Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus (Cantabria) 7TH FOR SPAIN
(C21) Cantabria . The bird found on 29.10 at La Riva, Pantano del Ebro, Cantabria remained there on 2.11 (Manuel Estébanez),3.11 (Toño Lastra, C. D. Romai;Ricardo Rodríguez) and 4.11 (José Luís Pacheco, Manu Estébanez). See a thumbnail here. Primaries were in perfect condition, as whole plummage. Behaviour as expected for a wild bird (C. D. Romai, com. pers.). The bird was relocated at Pantano del Ebro, Cantabria on 24.11 (Mario Alonso). See a photo below. This bird was still present at Pantano del Ebro, Cantabria on 30.11 (Diego Santamaria, Javier Morala y Mario Alonso Blanco). It remained there on 6.12 (José Guerra, Marc Gàlvez). It was still at Lanchares, Pantano del Ebro on 9.12 (Ángel Ruiz Elizalde, Javier Aizcorbe, Manuel Estébanez, Javier Portillo, Antonio Sanz, Pablo Galiano, Joan Ximenis et al.). See a photo below (Ángel Ruiz Elizalde). Still there on 16.12 (Mario Alonso). And on 21.12 (Mario Alonso) to 23.12 (Quique Carballal) Photo:© Mario Alonso 23.11.2012

 

C22. Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri (Huelva) FOURTH FOR SPAIN

(C21) Huelva. On 12.11 there was one 1w at playa del Parque Nacional de Doñana, Almonte, Huelva (Rubén Rodríguez Olivares, Ana Rodríguez y Elias Rojas). See photos below and a thumbnail here (Rubén Rodríguez).

 

C23. Bufflehead Bucephala albeola (Huesca) THIRD FOR SPAIN

(C23) Huesca . There was a male at Sopeira reservoir, Noguera-Ribagorzana river, Huesca (c. 500m from Lleida border) on 1.12 (Leonardo Fajardo, Estela Rabadán). See photos below and a thumbnail here. Not seen on 2.12 (L.Fajardo). Not relocated despite search along the week. Photo:© Leonardo Fajardo 1.12.2012

 

C24. White-tailed Eagle Haliaetus albicilla (Cáceres) EIGHTH FOR SPAIN
(C24) Cáceres . There was one 1w at Talaván reservoir, Cáceres on 6.12 (Julio Gutiérrez), see photos below, to 9.12 (Javier Cuesta, Enrique Álvarez Gómez). Seen at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe, on 24.12 (J.L.Rivero).

Photo:© Julio Gutiérrez 6.12.2012