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