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
|
 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) & Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)2/03/2013 (c) Juan Diéguez Vázquez |
 |
| Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) 2/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez |
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Razorbill (Alca torda), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Razorbill (Alca torda), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Diéguez Vázquez |
 |
| Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
.jpg) |
| Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez |
 |
| Common Guillemot (Uria aalge), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
.jpg) |
| Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez |
 |
| Great Northern L3oon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Juan Gómez Escariz |
 |
| Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), 02/03/2013 (c) Xoán Diéguez Vázquez |
