60 species were seen in the Alcossebre area in January 2020. A full list of birds seen with comments follows. A Red-legged Partridge on the 29th was the first since last September. Two female Common Pheasant seen on the 4th were the first since the 20th March. Great Cormorants were seen daily. Apart from birds seen on Moors rock and the juvenile camp rock roost, 26 birds passed through. Single Little Egrets were seen through out the month along the coast. Up to 20 Cattle Egrets were seen in the rural farmlands through out the month. In contrast to almost daily sightings of the Northern Goshawk, there were only two sightings of Northern Sparrowhawk. Two Common Buzzards continue to winter. Resident Common Kestrels were seen daily – one to three birds. There was only one sighting of the Merlin, on the 1st January. Normal winter numbers here. Up to 10 Common Moorhens were wintering at the Torre estate pond. The first Stone Curlews of winter were seen in the Rio San Miquel dry river bed, on the 25th January. In contrast to the large numbers of Mediterranean Gulls seen this month, only one Black-headed Gull was seen on the 10th January. Audouin´s Gulls were seen daily along the coast – maximum 12 birds. Yellow-legged Gulls were also seen daily – maximum 7 birds. There was only one record of Lesser Black-backed Gull -four birds flew east on the 25th January. Sandwich Terns – the only Tern species seen here all the year round, were in low numbers, 2 to 6 birds. Resident Wood Pigeon were seen daily in good numbers – maximum of 94 birds on the 26th January. Resident Collared Doves were also in good numbers – maximum of 98 birds counted. One or two resident Little Owls were seen or heard daily. A Common Kingfisher was seen almost daily at the Capycorp lagoon/beach Resident Hoopoes were seen daily with up to five birds seen. Common Magpies were getting ready to nest a pair was seen with nesting material on the on the 28th January – a maximum of 28 birds counted. Three species of Lark were seen in January. Resident Crested Larks were in low numbers one to five birds seen daily, mainly in the rural farmlands. Up to 60 wintering Common Skylarks were seen, again in the rural farmlands. Wood Larks don´t winter every year so it was good to see up to eight birds this January, like the other larks seen in the rural farmlands. Wintering Crag Martins were in good numbers.265 birds flew east along the coast on the 29th January. Resident Great Tits were seen daily, one to four birds. They were getting territorial, displaying and calling loudly. Five species of Warbler were seen in January Single Cetti´s Warblers were seen or heard at Capycorp lagoon Wintering Common Chiffchaffs continue to be in low numbers – maximum of 14 birds on the 3rd January Resident Zitting Cisticolas were also in low numbers with one to four birds seen daily, mainly in the rural grasslands. Wintering Blackcaps were in better numbers with up to 22 birds seen daily. Only single Dartford Warblers were seen wintering in the coastal scrubland. Resident Sardinian Warblers were in good numbers, with up to 14 birds seen daily. Wintering Robin numbers vary from year to year, this January up to 10 birds were seen daily. Wintering Black Redstart numbers were higher with a maximum of 15 birds. Wintering Common Stonechat numbers were average with up to six pairs seen daily, mainly along the coastal scrubland. Resident Common Blackbirds never reach high numbers, only one or two birds seen. Wintering Song Thrush numbers were a bit higher, with a maximum of 12 birds seen. Wintering Common Starlings continue to outnumber the resident Spotless Starlings, with flocks of up to 600 birds seen. Only single wintering Grey Wagtails seen. The are quite a confiding species popping up in gardens with either a swimming pool or bird bath. The resident White Wagtails numbers were augmented by wintering birds, up to 30 birds seen daily, particularly in the ploughed fields. Wintering Meadow Pipits were in good numbers – with 50 birds maximum. A single male Rock Bunting in the coastal scrubland on the 27th, was the first this winter. Up to four Reed Buntings continue to winter in the rural farmlands. Wintering Common Chaffinch continue to be seen in record numbers – maximum of 680 birds in the rural farmlands. In contrast, the resident Greenfinch was in low numbers three to six birds seen daily. Resident Goldfinch numbers were augmented by winter birds, up to 80 birds seen daily. Linnet numbers were also augmented by winter birds, up to 65 birds seen daily. Resident Serin numbers were in low numbers, three to nine birds seen daily. Both House and Tree Sparrow numbers were in good numbers, with flocks of 2-300 birds seen in the rural farmlands. Alcossebre Weather in January 2020.
This January will be long remembered for storm Gloria, the worst storm here since 1982! The storm gave us thunderstorms, days of torrential rain, high winds and high damaging seas. The coastal areas were the worst affected. See photos at end. The average rainfall for January here is 3.5 inches this January we got 17 inches over seven days! The first week in January was mixed. The first three days were overcast and dull, the we had four days of fine, sunny weather. Winds were light, NE to start then east or south east. Temperature was average for both day and night. The second week in January started off with overcast and dull conditions, clearing to mainly fine and sunny. We had the first rain of the month on the 10th. Winds were light or gentle. There was a noticeable drop in temperatures. On the 13th and 14th it was 5C below the average night temperature. Day temperature was 2C below average. The third week in January started off with a day of fine and sunny weather. Then arrived storm Gloria which gave us horrendous weather. Thunderstorms, torrential rain, gale force NE wind and very high seas! In three days we had over 14 inches of rain. This filled all the dry river beds. We became the island of Capycorp once again. The fourth week in January was mixed with three days of rain and four days of mainly sunny weather. Winds dropped down to light and gentle.Temperatures were 2C above average day, and 1C above average night. The last three days of January were settled with mainly fine an sunny weather. Average day temperature was 15C (59F). Average night temperature was 7C (44F). Highest day temperature was 20C (68F) on the 30th and 31st. Highest night temperature was 12C (53F) on the 29th and 31st. Coldest day was 9C (48F) on tyhe 20th. Coldest night was 2C (35F) on the 13th and 14th. Total rainfall was 17 inches (431mm) over seven days. Most rain fell on the 21st with 7.1 inches of rain.
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