Rare Birds in Spain Blog

  On 16th October 2020 an Arctic Warbler ( Phylloscopus borealis ) , see enclosed photos (J.L.Arroyo) was trapped and ringed at Manecorro ringing station, Espacio Natural Doñana, Almonte, Huelva. The bird was seen by José Luis Arroyo, Antonio Martínez, Manuel Máñez and Francisco Carro. The bird showed somewhat worn greater coverts which formed the strongest wing bar despite the effect of wear. Median coverts formed a much less visible second bar. This wear and other coloration features brought us to the conclusion of the bird being an adult. According to biometrical data, the bird was a female.  This is the 3rd Arctic Warbler for Spain and by late October it was already accepted by the Spanish Rarities Committee. El pasado viernes 16 de octubre capturamos un ejemplar de Phylloscopus borealis en la Estación de Anillamiento de Manecorro (Espacio Natural Doñana), Almonte, Huelva. Los observadores fuimos José Luis Arroyo, Antonio Martínez, Manuel Máñez y Francisco Carro. Las fo...

  Cyanistes cyanus . Lliçà de Munt, Vallès Oriental, Barcelona. 12.10.2020 © Sergi Torné On 12 October 2020 , 10:25 hours, news broke into one of the WhatsApp channels broadcasting rare bird observations in Catalunya: ‘Cat Twitch’. Vittorio Pedrocchi asked for a BOC photo he had received depicting a shocking (bit burnt image of an) Azure tit ( Cyanistes cyanus ) . Soon later, it was learnt that Alfons Hernández had found it and photographed it at Bassa de Can Dunyó , at Lliçà de Munt, Vallès Oriental, Barcelona. The bird had been seen lingering around the reed beds, trees and the nearby stream, apparently behaving normal. A number of local birders from the comarca (a country like division we have in Catalunya) had departed to attempt relocating this dream bird. However, despite the available image depicted a non-suspicious pure individual, many doubts immediately arose within the group and beyond. Namely, the paucity of records elsewhere in Europe away from Finland and Pol...