It was the driest January since 2016.
The highest day temperatures since 2008. The coldest night temperatures since 2002. The first week in January was dry, with most days having a good amount of sunshine. There was a thick sea mist to start on the 1st and 2nd. A strong north east wind overnight on the 5th continued until the 6th. Temperatures were 3C above the day average, and 1C below the night average. On the night of the 7th January the temperature dropped to 0C, unusual here. The second week in January was mixed with three fine, sunny days and four days with cloud. There was some light rain on the 11th January. Winds were mainly light or gentle, with the exception of the 10th January, when there was a strong north east wind. Temperatures were 4C above the day average and 1C above the night average. The night of the 10th January was very mild 13C above the average! The third week in January gave us lots of sunshine, so warm in the daytime but cold at night. Winds were light or gentle east or south east. Temperatures were 3C above the day average, but 6C below the night average. We had six nights with 0C, again very unusual for here. The fourth week in January continued with fine and sunny conditions, with the exception of the 23rd January when we had some light overnight rain. Winds were light or gentle. Temperatures were 3C above the day average and 4C below the night average. The last three days of January were again fine and sunny. A strong north easterly wind came in on the night of the 31st January. Temperatures were 7C above the day average and 5 below the night average. The average day temperature was 18C (64F). The average night temperature was 3C (37F). The highest day temperature was 22C (72F) on the 31st. The highest night temperature was 10C (50F) on the 5th. The coldest day temperature was 15C (59F) on the 14th, 17th, 19th and 20th. The coldest night temperature was 0C (32F) on 8 nights! Total rainfall was 0.1 inches (4mm) the average rainfall for January is 3.3 inches (81mm).
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The full list of birds seen with comments follow. Single Red-legged Partridge were seen in the rural farmlands. One to three Ring-necked Pheasants were also seen or heard in the rural farmlands. An impressive 800 Balearic Shearwaters were seen offshore this month. Great Cormorant numbers were low, one to eight birds, usually on the Moors rock or roosting at Capycorp beach. Unusually no Northern Gannets were seen this month. Single Grey Herons were seen at Capycorp beach on four occasions. One or two Little Egrets were seen along the coast or at the Torre estate pond. Up to six Cattle Egrets were seen in newly ploughed fields in the rural farmlands. An impressive six species of bird of prey were seen this month. Single male Hen Harriers were seen hunting over the rural farmlands and dry river beds. A single Eurasian Sparrowhawk was seen mobbing a Common Buzzard on the 29th January. There were still at least two Common Buzzards wintering. Up to three resident Common Kestrels seen daily. A Peregrine Falcon flew south over rural farmland on the 17th January. A Merlin was seen stooping on a male Hen Harrier on the 13th January. Up to six Common Moorhens were still wintering at the Torre estate pond. The numbers of Mediterranean Gulls had dropped from last months record totals, to a maximum of 122 birds, still the most numerous gull. Audoiun´s Gulls and Yellow-legged Gulls numbers were low, not more than one or two seen daily. Up to 70 Sandwich Terns were counted roosting with the Mediterranean Gulls at Capycorp beach. While Common Wood Pigeons numbers were high at a maximum of 175 birds, Eurasian Collared Dove numbers were well done at a maximum of 33 birds. Only single resident Little Owls were seen or heard this month. Only a single Common Kingfisher seen this month at Capycorp beach on the 17th January. Only one or two Eurasian Hoopoes seen this month, again low numbers. Eurasian Magpie numbers were high, with up to 28 birds counted daily. Resident Crested Lark numbers were average at six birds maximum. Unusually no Skylarks or Woodlarks seen this month. Resident Great Tits were getting ready to nest, with three pairs seen daily. Wintering Common Chiffchaff numbers were low, one to five birds seen daily. Only one or two resident Zitting Cisticolas seen were very low numbers. Wintering Blackcap numbers were well above average at a maximum of 27 birds counted. Resident Sardinian Warblers numbers were average with up to 11 birds counted daily. Wintering European Robin numbers were at their lowest for years, only single birds seen. E.G. In 2005 I was counting 35 to 40 birds a day! Wintering Black Redstart numbers were average at up to 14 birds counted daily.Females out numbering males. Wintering Stonechat numbers were also average with 7 birds seen daily. The female wintering Blue Rock Thrush was still on the local stone tower at the end of the month. Single resident Common Blackbirds were seen daily. Males started singing from mid January. Wintering Song Thrushes continue to be below average, with a maximum of seven birds seen daily. Single wintering Grey Wagtails were seen either at the Torre estate pond or in my garden/pond. Resident White Wagtails, like the Cattle Egrets were seen in the newly ploughed fields in rural farmland – up to 10 birds counted daily. Wintering Meadow Pipits were in average numbers with up to 10 birds seen daily, mainly along the coastal scrubland. Wintering Reed Bunting numbers were very low, only one or two birds seen daily. Five species of Finch were seen this month. Three species have been missing this month, Eurasian Siskin, Brambling and Hawfinch. Wintering Common Chaffinch numbers were low, maximum of 41 birds counted. Resident Greenfinches were displaying and singing from mid January. Resident European Goldfinch numbers were still swelled with wintering birds – up to 70 birds seen daily. Wintering Eurasian Linnets were also in good numbers, up to 50 birds counted.
Resident Serins were like the Greenfinches in nesting mode, displaying and singing. 56 species were seen in the Alcossebre area in December 2021. |
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