Birds Europe
Great Crested Grebe
A fish eater and a very attractive bird at certain times of the year but vicious and quick predators beneath the surface.
Audoins Gull
Meditteranean based scarce 20 yrs ago but now estimated at 20000 pairs These gulls are mostly pelagic only coming ashore when the weather doesnt suit This recovery is undoubtedly due to much stricter controls on oil tanker wash out as the these birds spend the overnight afloat and so suffer from oiling .Kittiwakes were suffering the same problem off the coast of Africa
Black tailed Godwit on migration seen in the salt ponds of S.E. Spain, breed in the Arctic, fairly common in the U.K.
The Kentish Plover (left) can be found along the south east of Spain. Numbers have dwindled recently. It is known as Charlie the Chortletijo to local children.
The Dotterell (right) is found in NW France. Very tame allowing us to get close with the camera while walking on Menez Hom in Brittany.
Redshank (left) fairly common in UK and rest of Europe, usually seen in small flocks in winter with a 50-60ft tolerance of humans.
Greenshank (right), a solitary bird of winter months, slightly larger than redshank.
Black Redstart Female - these birds are hole nestors and are reasonably common in France and Spain
Benellis Warbler
Fairly common and easy to spot appears to be mostly sedentary this one lives near us in S.E. Spain in the UK nearly all warblers migrate to Africa south of the Sahel region post the breeding season.
Phalarope seen on the more remote areas of the salt ponds of the Mar Menor Spain. Breeds in northern Norway, migrates to live in tropical Atlantic. Does not come ashore.