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Saturday, March 9, 2013

02/03/2013. First boat trip of the year: inner part of the ria of Arousa


By 8:30 a.m. of Saturday 2nd March, a group of birders were ready to depart from O Grove harbour and to enjoy a boat trip at the inner part of the ría de Arousa. The date was somewhat late for some wintering waterfowl (e. g., most of the surface-feeding ducks), but there was a great chance to observe interesting species, as Red-breasted Mergansers, Black-necked Grebes and some auk species. And they were there! Short after leaving the harbour, we recorded a group of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, besides a good number of Sandwich Terns and Common Gulls. Further north, Razobill and Great Black-backed Gull were spotted, and, close to O Vao beach, at A Illa de Arousa, the first Common Scoters were located. Passage next to As Cunchas and O Porron beached was productive aswell: three Red-breasted Mergansers and another group of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin. At Rianxo bay, we enjoyed with good nombers of Black-necked Grebes (most of them with their elegant summer plummage), Common Scoters and even a early Common Swallow. The route towards the island of Rúa had several highlights, with the observation of two very quite Great Northern Loons and eight Common Guillemots. The way back to O Grove harbour passed next to the islet of O Galiñeira, bringing us the chance of observe more individual of some species previously seen in other areas of the route.

This table details the numbers for each species seen in the route. In bold: highlights. In italic: approximate numbers.

English name
Latin name
Total
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigra
94
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
3
Great Northern Loon
Gavia immer
3
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricolis
60
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
191
European Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelis
49
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
2
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
2
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
15
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo
3
Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
10
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
1
Greater Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticula
120
Kentish Plover
Charadius alexandrinus
2
Sanderling
Calidris alba
61
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
4
Eurasian Curlew
Numenius arquata
8
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
18
Great Skua
Stercorarius skua
3
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
294
Mediterranean Gull
Larus melanocephalus
18
Common Gull
Larus canus
3
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellis
569
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
95
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus
9
Sandwich Tern
Sterna sandvicenis
17
Razorbill
Alca torda
4
Common Guillemot
Uria aalge
8
Wood Pigeon
Columba palumbus
1
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
1
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
3
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
15


Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz
European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) & Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)2/03/2013 (c) Juan Diéguez Vázquez
Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz


Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez
Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Razorbill (Alca torda), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Razorbill (Alca torda), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Diéguez Vázquez

Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez
Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez
Great Northern L3oon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz

Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz
Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez