<\/p>\n
On the 7th<\/sup> we took the bus out to S’Albufera where we immediately got great views of Night Herons along the bushes on the far side of the avenue. There were the usual large numbers of Cetti\u2019s Warblers expressing themselves loudly and we even saw one or two. On the left side of the avenue there were regular views of Marsh Harrier \u2013 never possible to determine how many over a half-hour period.<\/p>\n We walked down to the visitor centre and checked in. We got a new map which is useful because they have erected a few new platforms around the site and they seem to have done quite a bit of work in general \u2013 perhaps as a result of an easing of \u201causterity economics\u201d. Then it was off to the \u2013 rather busy \u2013 Sa Roca Pools hides which just happened to have a large mixed flock of waders right outside the window. I got a bit confused when someone was referring to Alpine Waders until I eventually realised that the person referring to these was doing so because they were Calidris alpine<\/em> \u2013i.e. Dunlin! Also among the flock were scatterings of Sanderling and Little Stints \u2013 only a couple of feet from the hide.<\/p>\n An Osprey flew in and showed very well for ages. There were Kentish and Little Ringed Plovers, a single Snipe and half a dozen Purple Swamphen. There were numerous Cattle Egret and some Lapwing and even a confusing bird that the hide seemed to eventually agree was probably a female Wheatear \u2013 it was certainly acting like one.<\/p>\n Rather disappointingly we did not see any Stone Curlew. Previously these had been regularly seen in the dry scrubby filed to the left of the pools but I did not meet any birders all holiday that had seen them there this autumn!<\/p>\n We went round to the other hide overlooking the Sa Roca pools but it was pretty much the same birds from a different angle.<\/p>\n