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Species index (n= 4 + 22= 26) + 2 Only Canary Islands + 3 Gibraltar
GALLOANSERAE

NEOAVES

RARITIES ONLY FOR THE CANARY ISLANDS*

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GALLOANSERAE

Bean Goose Anser fabalis rossicus (1)
(1) Zamora One bird remained at R.N. Lagunas de Villafáfila, Zamora, on 1.4 (Cristian Osorio y Alfonso Rodrigo). See a photo below (A.Rodrigo).Still there on 7.4 (Toño Salazar, J.M. Pérez García, Cristian Osorio y Alfonso Rodrigo). See another photo below (Alfonso Rodrigo). This individual remained in the area on 20.4 (Alfonso Rodrigo)

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris (1)
(1) Madrid There was a drake at laguna del Soto de las Juntas, Madrid (Adolfo Rodríguez Pérez et al)

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis (1)
(1) Asturies The ♂ found at La Furta, Corvera, Asturies on 22.3 continued in the area on 12.4 (Clemente Álvarez Usategui)

Goosander Mergus merganser (1)
(1) Girona The ♀type bird seen last month at Ter river bridge by Torroella de Montgrí remained there on 6.4 (Julio Pérez Cañestro at frontera.cat) and on 9.4 too (Julio Pérez Cañestro at frontera.cat) .

NEOAVES

Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris (1)
(1) 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). See photos below.

Western Reef Egret Egretta gularis gularis (1)
(1) Castelló. There was a dark phase individual, presumably adult, at Marjal d'Almenara, Castelló, on 26.4 (Malcolm Wilton-Jones). See a photo below. This bird moved to Laguna del Cañizar, Teruel, where found on 30.4 (Felipe Rosado, Fernando Salas, Miguel Angel Martin y Carmen Liberos). See two thumbnails here.

BATELEUR Terathopius ecaudatus (1) FIRST FOR SPAIN, FIRST (OR 2ND) FOR EUROPE
(1) 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. Read the full story at BirdCadiz website, with the full collection of photos from David Barros. One of them kindly cropped and resized below (David Barros). 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).

Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (1,2)
(1) Girona. On 14.4 am adult male was seen flying over Pedret i Marzà, Girona (Marc Bertran at fronterers.blogspot.com

(2) Girona. On 24.4 one individual was seen at Fangassos grans, PN Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona (Àlex Ollé at frontera.cat)

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus (1)
(1) Cádiz. One bird was seen flying with a branch, noting probable breeding, in a location within Cádiz province on 17.4 (Stephen Daly).

Lesser-Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina (1)
(1)Gibraltar. On 10.4 a bird was seen flying over the rock (communicated by Charles Perez/ GONHS)

Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga (1)
(1) Alicante. On 29.3 the Estonian Greater Spotted Eagle Tonn left Spain after having overwintered once again at El Hondo, Alicante according to satellite data. Check its latest location and route here

Lanner Falco biarmicus (1)
(1) Barcelona. On 23.4 an adult was seen over Can Dimoni, Llobregat delta, Barcelona (Albert Burgas)

Corncrake Crex crex (1)
(1) Asturies There was a bird at Ría de Villaviciosa, Villaviciosa, on 13.4 (Elías García Sánchez).

Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor (1)
(1) Cádiz There was a bird at Los Lances beach, Cádiz on 12.4 (1 ind Los Lances beach, Cádiz (Yolanda corrales & Carlos Torralvo, Andrés de la Cruz, Miguel Gonzaez y Javier Elorriaga/F. Migres; Stephen Daly). On 13.4 it was still there (Fernando del Valle; Javier Elorriaga). See photos below and thumbnails here. On 15.4 it was seen again (Javier Elorriaga, Ricardo Campos, Jose Luis Garzón y David Cuenca) and on 16.4 too (Antonio Ternero) while on 17.4 it was seen actively feeding on beetles (Eddy Eyles)

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos (1-2,3)
(1-2) Girona There were 2 birds at Estanys del Matà, Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona on 7.4 (Àlex Ollé, Toni Alonso, Olga Martí at frontera.cat) and one on 8.4 (Gabri de Jesús, Júlio Lorca, Anna Mallol at frontera.cat). The two birds were relocated at Estany del Cortalet, PN Aiguamolls, on 14.4 (Àlex Ollé, Jordi Martí-aledo, Daniel burgas, Xavi Larruy, Juan Bécares). See a photo below (Àlex Ollé). One of them was still present nearby on 18.4 (Sylvain Berney at ornitho.cat) and 26.4 (Erich Streich at ornitho.cat)

(3) Ourense There was a bird on 23.4 at esterqueiro de Sandiás, La Limia, Ourense (David R. Vieites)

Great Snipe Gallinago media (1,2,3,4)
(1) Girona There was a bird at Estanys dels Torlits, Massis de l'Albera, Girona on 3.4 (Enric Capalleras at frontera.cat).

(2) Girona On 3.4 too there was another bird at Estany d'en Massot, Aiguamolls de l'Empordà (Àlex Ollé at frontera.cat).

(3) Girona On 17.4 there was one individual at El Matà, PN Aiguamolls, Girona (Gabriel de Jesús at Ornitho.cat)

(4) Girona On 25.4 one was seen at Les Ferreries, Campllong, Girona (Gerard Dalmau)

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus (1,2)
(1) Tarragona There was a bird at RN Punta de la Banya, PN Deltade l'Ebre, Tarragona on 2.4 (Jordi Martí-Aledo). This bird remained there on 4.4 (Jordi Martí-Aledo)

(2) Tarragona There were two birds at RN Punta de la Banya, PN Delta de l'Ebre, Tarragona on 4.4 (Jordi Martí-Aledo)

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides (1,2)
(1) Bizkaia There was a bird at Mundaka, Bizkaia on 6.4 (Juan Carlos Andrés). See a photo below and more in Juan Carlos blog here.

(2) Asturies There was a 2w at El Musel, Xixón, Asturies on 8.4 (Pablo Fernández, see many photos in his blog here). This individual remained at the same site on 11.4 (Pablo Fernández, see another post in his blog, communicated to rarebirdspain facebook page, with more photos).

Lesser-crested Tern Sterna bengalensis (1)
(1) Cádiz. A bird was seen at Los Lances beach, Tarifa, Cádiz on 28.4 afternoon (Carlos Torralvo y Javier Elorriaga).

Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis (1)
(1) Murcia. A bird was trapped and ringed at Isla Grosa, Murcia on 7.4 (Francisco García Cartellanos, Jacinto Martínez, Almudena Lerín, Huberto Guinea y Ángel Sallent). See photos below and thumbnails here plus a Spanish language review in the Anuario Ornitológico de la Región de Murcia here.

Little Swift Apus affinis (1-2,3)
(1-2) Almería. Two of the three birds seen initally on 21.3.2012 remained at Rambla Morales, Cabo de Gata, Almería on 2.4 (Raimundo Martín) while one remained on 5.4 (Tomás Izquierdo Palma through rarebirdspain facebook page;José Luis Molina Pardo y Gemma Maria Clemente Orta), see a thumbnail here. On 18.4 one bird was seen again at the same site at Rambla Morales (David Elliott-Binns). On 19.4 there were two again in the same area (Jose Luis Molina Pardo)

(3) Illes Balears. There was one on 25.4 over S'Albufera de Mallorca, Mallorca (Johannes Tallroth)

TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD Mimus gilvus (1) PROBABLE SHIP-ASSISTED BIRD
(1) Gibraltar. The bird found on 24.2 at Gibraltar was seen again on 7-9.4 (Charles Perez/ GONHS). There is an special photopage in this website here courtesy of the authors with photos and comments on the record.

Black-headed Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava feldegg (1)
(1) Valencia. A male was trapped and ringed at Tancat de la Pipa, PN Albufera, València on 4.4 (P.Vera/SEO-BirdLife, L.Soler, B.Fortea, C.A.Prieto, V.de Alba). See two photos below and a thumbnail here.

Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola (1,2)
(1) Girona. There was a male at el Matà, PN Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Girona on 1.4 (Maria Llover et al at Frontera.cat & ornitho.cat)

(2) Fuerteventura. There was a male at Tias golf course, Lanzarote, Canary Islands on 5.4 (David Pérez), which remained there on 6.4 (F.J.García Vargas) and 7.4 (Juan Sagardía). See a photo below.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus (1)
(1)Gibraltar. The bird relocated on 14.2 at Mount garden, Gibraltar was seen again from 7-11.4 when it has moved to the lower part of the garden (Charles Perez/ GONHS).

Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus humei (1)
(1) 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.

Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis (1,2)
(1) Illes Balears. There was a bird at Mallorca island on 8.4 (Lalo Ventoso, Susana Quintanilla, Maties Rebassa, Juanjo Bazán). See a photo below and two thumbnails here (M.Rebassa)

(2) Barcelona. There was one at Ca l'Arana pinewood, Llobregat delta, Barcelona on 12.4 (Ferran López) that was still there on 19.4 (Ferran López at Consorci Delta Llobregat)

Hooded Crow Corvus (c.) cornix (1)
(1) Girona. The bird seen at els estanys de Platja d'Aro, Castell- Platja d'Aro, Girona on 28.3 remained there on 13.4 (Gabriel de Jesús at ornitho.cat)

Scarlet Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus (1)
(1) Gran Canaria. There was an adult male at Telde, Gran Canaria, on 18.4 (Miguel Avelino).

Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla (1,2)
(1) Burgos. There was a bird on 9.4 at Suzana gravel pits, Burgos (David Martínez Andrade). See photos in the Anuario de Burgos website here.

(2) Barcelona. There was one at Folgueroles, Barcelona, on 23.4 (Andrés García Ródenas at ornitho.cat)

RARITIES ONLY FOR THE CANARY ISLANDS** Those species which are rarities only within the islands and are dealt with by CR/SEO are included here. Such records should be submitted to Juan Antonio Lorenzo at canarias @ seo.org** Canarian records of species which are rarities nationwide are included in the main text in violet type.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (1)
(1) Gran Canaria. The juvenile bird found on 17.9.2011 at Gran Canaria was still at Charca de Maspalomas, S.Bartolomé de Tirajana on 4.4.2012 (Miguel Avelino).See a thumbnail here.

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica (1-3)
(1-2) Fuerteventura. There were three at laguna de Rosa del Taro on 6.4 (Juan Sagardía, David Pérez).

*** Ringed birds in Spain have to be submitted and accepted by CR/SEO-BirdLife, according to Environment Ministery of Spain and the authonomous communities agreements, to be accepted as valid ringings in the national database. Otherwise, non submitted or rejected records will be deleted and ringings will not be included in national or international databases. Ringers not submitting rare bird ringings will be listed. Submitting ringing records is hence specially encouraged as a contribution to global bird knowledge..

Disclaimer

REPORTS OF NON RARITIES OR FORMER RARITIES
Please consider the option to send reports of former rarities or interesting concentrations of non rarities to be featured in the Birdspain Blog, also linked in the homepage of this website.

Suggested citations / Citaciones recomendadas /Citació recomanada:

• Whole document/ Documento entero/ Document sencer: Gutiérrez,R. (ed) (year, latest update), Recent Reports: [month year]. Rare Birds in Spain. Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm 
• e.g. Gutiérrez, R. (ed) (2002, April 3). Recent Reports: April 2002. Rare Birds in Spain.Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm 
• Single records/ Citas sueltas/ Cites aïllades: Author (year). [Species] in Gutiérrez,R. (ed) (year, latest update), Recent Reports: [month year]. Rare Birds in Spain. Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm 
• e.g. Rebassa, M. (2002) Great White Egret Egretta alba in Gutiérrez, R. (ed) (2002, April 3). Recent Reports: April 2002.Rare Birds in Spain. Retrieved from http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm

From March 2005 this webpage only includes records of birds needing homologation by CR/SEO. For other local rarities contact local bird reports or records committees. See here those rarities only for the Canary Islands also dealt by CR/SEO. Changes in application to the rarity list from January 2006. New rarities include Sylvia curruca, Crex crex, Sterna bengalensis and others. Larus delawarensis and Anthus richardi have been withdrawn from the rarity list and are not be included from 2006.

Recent reports includes the latest sightings from the whole of Spain which are both personal observations, communications or have been released in E-Mail lists. Please contact the authors before using any photo for anything else than personal reference. Any submitted news to this page will be forwarded to the Spanish RC for their knowledge if enough substantiated but inclusion in this page does not imply acceptance or homologation of any kind which needs a form to be sent.Photos could be cropped for editorial reasons.Gibraltar news are included thanks to Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society but this has no more implication than the sake of completeness given this area situation. Names of localities are featured as given by the authors of the records, that should be cited as those. Today news are marked with a icon. We would welcome to receive a spare copy of those journals using these news for commercial purposes. Contact RG at address at the front page. From April 2005 only news of rarities needing homologation by the Spanish Rarities Committee are included. Reproduction of the contents of this page in commercial websites (e.g. *.com) or for commercial purposes is forbidden if not agreed in advance.. Go back to top

Citas recientes incluye las últimas novedades del conjunto del país que tanto son observaciones personales, comunicaciones al autor o noticias difundidas en listas de correo. Por favor contacten los autores para cualquier uso de las fotografias fuera del estrictamente personal.Cualquier cita que se envie a esta página sera reenviada al CR/SEO para su conocimiento, pero su inclusión aquí no implica su aceptación u homologación de ningún tipo y son responsabilidad de sus autores y del envío de la ficha correspondiente. Los nombres de las localidades se incluyen como son enviadas por los colaboradores, que deben ser citados como autores de las citas. Las fotos que se envíen podrán ser recortadas por criterios editoriales.Las noticias más recientes se marcan con Desde Abril de 2005 se incluyen únicamente citas de  rarezas que necesitan homologación por el Comité de Rarezas de SEO/Birdlife. La reproducción total o parcial de los contenidos de esta página está prohibida en sitios web comerciales (p.ej. *.com) si no se autoriza de antemano. Ir al inicio de la página

Cites recents inclou les darreres novetats del conjunt de l'estat que són observacions pròpies, comunicacions o noticies difoses a llistes de correu. Si us plau contacteu amb els autors de les fotos per a a qualsevol ús fora de l'estrictament personal. Qualsevol cita que sigui enviada a aquesta plana serà rebotada també al CR/SEO si bé la seva publicació aquí no implica la seva aceptació o homologació de cap mena i és responsabilitat dels seus autors que haurien d'enviar la fitxa corresponent emplenada. Els noms de les localitats són posats tal i com són enviats pels autors, que han de ser referenciats com a autors de les cites. Les fotos que s'envïin podran ser retallades per criteris editiorals.Les notícies més recents són les marcades amb.Desd'Abril de 2005 únicament s'inclouen cites de rareses que necessiten homologació pel Comité de Rarezas de SEO/Birdlife.La reproducció total o parcial dels continguts d'aquesta plana és prohidia per a qualsevol lloc web de caire comercial (e.g. *.com) sinó s'ha autoritzat de forma prèvia. Tornar a l'inici de la plana.

Lamentablemente, de momento no hay versión castellana disponible. Lamentablement, de moment no hi ha versió catalana disponible.
 

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Rarity distribution
APRIL 2012
(only national rarities)

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Previous years
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011

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Rarity forecast
compare currrent rarity number with average of last 5 years

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Average number of rare species (blue) and individuals (violet) per month 2005 -2009

 

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Latest highlights:

The Valencia Black-headed Wagtail, ringed on 4.4 (Pablo Vera).

The late Iceland Gull from Mundaka, Bizkaia (Juan Carlos Andrés)

The Little Swift at Rambla Morales, Almería on 5.4 (Tomás Izquierdo)

The Cream-Coloured Courser at Tarifa on 12.3 (Stephen Daly). See also photos at rarebirdspain yahoogroups page (links in the homepage!)

The Laughing Dove at Isla Grosa, Murcia on 7.4 (Fran García).

The Siberian Chiffchaff at Mallorca on 8.4 (Maties Rebassa)

The Hume's Yellow-Browed Warbler at Fuerteventura on 6.4 (David Pérez)

The Black-browed Albatros from Estaca de Bares mainland, one of the highlights of April, no doubt (Ricardo Hevia)

The Western Reef Heron moved from Castelló to Teruel (Miguel Angel Martín middle, Felipe Rosado, below and above)

Only Canary islands highlights

The long-staying Flamingo at Gran Canaria remained at Maspalomas pond on 7.4 (Miguel Avelino Suárez)

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