GOT International

Urban migrants settle in

From their winter roosts up north in Europe and down south in Africa, Catalonia’s summer flocks are back in force. Within just a half-a-mile stretch of the Congost River in Granollers, no fewer than 30 species, including stonechats, swallows, blackcaps, warblers, grey herons and wagtails, regaled a delighted GOT group at an hour-long morning birdwalk at the weekend. It wasn’t so much the warmth of mid-spring as the longer day – almost 15 daylight hours in late April and getting longer – which meant increased feeding opportunities than lured them back. And the feeding was furious and often frantic at this narrow river habitat sandwiched between a busy town of  50,000 and its sprawling industrial estate

African stonechat on a backdrop of its river habitat (foreground) and factories in the industrial zone

Among the earliest arrivals were the African Stonechats, like this one caught in the mist-nets strung up by avian research group and GOT collaborator Parus Natura. The Stonechat’s distinctive white patches on both sides of the neck, whitish rump, and black head and throat mark it out as a breeding male.

Flight path of  returning African Stonechats (ICO chart)

This chart by the CatalanOrnithological Institute (ICO) shows the flight paths of stonechats caught and ringed in Catalonia. 

 The Congost, upriver.

This stretch of the Congost River, with its ample banks, was the scene of Saturday’s Morning with Nature activities organised by GOT, with the collaboration of the Natural Science Museum of Granollers, the Consortium for the Defence of the Besos River Basin, and Parus Natura. In the background is the Montseny mountain range. 

Barn swallow

The real attention-grabbers of the morning, however, were the scores of Barn Swallows, Common Swifts and Alpine Swifts which formed one integrated mass as they performed their aerial acrobatics in pursuit of prey.

 

Barn Swallows homing in from all over the place

The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, as this ICO chart of its flight path demonstrates. Its deeply forked tail, curved pointed wings and blue upperparts distinguish it from the Swift, to which it is not related. Swallows arrive in early spring from all over  Europe, Asia, and Africa.

 Male (left) and female Blackcaps

Also caught in the Parus mist-nets is this pair or Blackcaps. The Blackcap, a common sylvid (Old World) warbler, is just as widespread as the swallow.

 Blackcap flight paths --ICO chart.

Blackcaps winter in tropical Africa and northern Europe, and come from as far as Cyprus. Male and female have distinct plumages, with the male identified by a small black cap from which it gets its name.The female is endowed with a brownish cap.

 Garden warbler all ringed and ready for release

The Blackcap’s closest living relative is the Garden Warbler which looks different but is just as strongly migratory. Its flight paths, however, looks more like the African Stonechat’s. Garden warblers rarely fly into mist-nets, so this close-up view was a bonus for both ringers and birders. 

The poplar-lined embankment on the industrial flank of the Congost was just perfect for bird-watching, as these GOT birders found. Leading the group and giving a running commentary of all the sightings was ornithologist Roger Sanmarti (in cargo pants and blue cardigan, second from right). 

 Grey heron

This solitary Grey Heron also caught the attention of crowd as it basked motionless in the morning sun. Balanced on one foot and with its long neck retracted, it waited patiently at the edge of the river for a fish or a frog to make its appearance.  

Grey Herons from the north.

A common sight in wetlands, rivers and lakes, Grey Herons usually converge here in summer, principally from northern Europe and Asia.

Grey Wagtail

Another unusual catch for the ringers was this Grey Wagtail. This is a breeding male, distinguished by its black throat and white moustache-like stripes.  It’s upper parts are grey but the underside is bright yellow. Like other wagtails, it walks along the ground constantly wagging its tail and looking for insects. The Grey Wagtail has a tail longer than any other member of the wagtail family.

Catalonian summer for Grey wagtails

Grey wagtails fly in from northern Europe, as far as Sweden, and also from southern and western Spain. April to July is breeding season and the banks of a  fast-running river is the ideal place to build nests.

 White wagtail

A much more common sight is the White Wagtail, which also walked into the Parus mist-net on Saturday. Like their Grey Wagtail cousins, they fly in from north  Europe  and England. Their characteristic feature is the white face, black cap and black throat.  They are grey above and white below.

 Colour the birds ‘workshop’ for kids, with some help from dads, mums and grannies

After the birdwalk, it was time to introduce  the young ones to the avian world, and there was no better way than providing them with crayon colouring sheets of birds, colour pictures of the birds themselves, and lots and lots of crayons. On another makeshift table in the background, older kids and adults who could wield a hammer were given a chance to build their own nestboxes with prefab boards provided free by GOT. 

Toni Arrizabalaga, director of the Granollers Natural Science Museum,  shinned  up this tree near the river to show how to put up a nestbox for small  passerine birds, specifically from the tit  family.

The Congost birds -List complied by GOT birder Ferran Pascual  

African Stonechat, Saxicola torquatus, Tarabilla Común, Bitxac comú, Afrikanische Schwarzkehlchen, Tarier d'Afrique

Alpine Swift, Apus melba, Vencejo Real, Ballester, Alpensegler, Martinet à ventre blanc

Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, Golondrina Común, Oreneta vulgar, Rauchschwalbe, Hirondelle rustique   (See report  Winging Off To Warmer Climes for flight path)

Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla, Curruca Capirotada, Tallarol de casquet, Bergeronnette grise,Fauvette à tête noire (See report  Winging Off To Warmer Climes for flight path)

Cetti's Warbler, Cettia cetti, Ruiseñor Bastardo, Rossinyol bord, Seidensänger, Bouscarle de Cetti

Common Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, Mosquitero Común, Mosquiter comú, Zilpzalp, pouillot véloce

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Faisán Vulgar, Faisà

Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos,  Andarríos Chico, Xivitona, Bilurico das Rochas,

Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris,Estornino Pinto, Estornell vulgar,Star,Étourneau sansonnet

Common Swift, Apus apus, Vencejo Común, Falciot negre, Mauersegler, Martinet noir

Common Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus, Paloma Torcaz, Tudó, Ringeltaube, Pigeon ramier

Eurasian Collared Dove,Streptopelia decaocto,Tórtola Turca, Tórtora turca,Elster,Pie bavarde

Eurasian Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis, Jilguero, Cadernera, Stieglitz, Chardonneret élégant

Eurasian Magpie, Pica pica, Urraca, Garsa, Blauelster, Pie bleue

European Serin, Serinus serinus, Verdecillo, Gafarró, Girlitz, Serin cini

Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin, Curruca Mosquitera, Tallarol gros, Gartengrasmücke, Fauvette des jardins

Great Tit, Parus major, Carbonero Común, Mallerenga carbonera, Kohlmeise, Mésange charbonnière

Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea, garza real, Bernat pescaire, Graureiher, Héron Cendré

Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, Perdiz Pardilla, Perdiu xerra, Rebhuhn, Perdrix grise

Grey Wagtail,  Motacilla cinerea,  Lavandera Cascadeña, Cuereta torrentera, Gebirgsstelze, Bergeronnette des ruisseaux

House Martin, Delichon urbicum, Avión Común, Oreneta cuablanca, Mehlschwalbe, Hirondelle de fenêtre

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, Gorrión Común, Pardal comú, Haussperling, Moineau domestique

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, Garceta Común, Martinet blanc, Seidenreiher, Aigrette garzette

Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, Ánade Azulón, Ànec collverd, Stockente, Canard colvert

Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, Gallineta Común, Polla d'aigua, Teichrallen, Gallinule poule d'eau

Rock Dove, Columba livia, Paloma Bravía, Colom roquer, Felsentaube, Pigeon biset

Sand Martin, Riparia riparia, Avión Zapador, Oreneta de ribera, Andoriña das Barreiras Uhalde-enara

Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus, Gorrión Molinero, Pardal xarrec, Feldsperling, Moineau friquet.

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba, Lavandera Blanca, Cuereta blanca, Bachstelze, Bergeronnette grise

Yellow-legged Gull, Larus michahellis, Gaviota Patiamarilla , Gavià argentat, Weisskopfmöwe Goéland, leucophée

Down river view of the Congost habitat  flanked by the town on the left and its busy industrial estate on the right.

        REPORT & PICTURES BY ABUL FAZIL