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Did I manage to spot the White-headed Duck in the Torrox lagoon for the first time?

As I was preparing an upcoming activity for Birdwatch Cadiz, around the Torrox Lagoon, I took a quick look at my previous observations for this place on the eBird website. Did I see that correctly? A few days before, three White-headed Ducks had been spotted! I had seen this species in other locations, but never around my local patch. I interrupted my preparations to go and take a look for myself. It was still quite warm when I arrived, but I knew that, as always around this lagoon, I would be entertained for several hours.


Common Sandpiper
An interesting start: a Common Sandpiper

Immediately at the start I saw a Common Sandpiper, followed by a pair of Crested Larks looking for food in the grass. There were also a decent number of Red-rumped Swallows flying around: it was the first time this year that I saw them in such large numbers.



Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow

Crested Lark
Crested Lark

I also immediately heard a Nightingale and a few Reed Warblers singing among the reeds. That's all well and good, but I mainly came to see the White-headed Duck. I found myself walking much faster than usual, impatient to photograph this endangered species. As I expected, I didn't see them in the first half of the lagoon. There were a number of Black-winged Stilts, which are not very often present here, and a number of Moorhens with chicks.



Moorhen with chick
Moorhen with chick

The Moorhen's brood consists of five to nine eggs, and the young can fly when they are about one and a half months old. I rarely see these birds flying, they only do so when it is really necessary, for example when there is danger. They prefer to stay on the water.


At first glance, in the second half of the lagoon I didn't see any White-headed Ducks either. Of the six Great Crested Grebes that I had seen two weeks earlier, I now saw only one. I think they may have been busy breeding among the reeds.



Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe

My attention was drawn to a pale spot among the reeds. A Black-crowned Night Heron! More than a hundred meters away, but very clearly visible. Soon a fellow bird flew over and together they sat among the reeds for almost half an hour.


Black-crowned Night Heron
The first Black-crowned Night Heron

Two Black-crowned Night Herons
After a while the second one arrives

I now realized that I would not see any White-headed Ducks, but there was no time for disappointment. I waited patiently for the Black-crowned Night Herons to fly up. After about ten minutes the time had come! A raucous screech echoed across the lagoon!



Black-crowned Night Heron in flight
The Black-crowned Night Herons have taken off!

Two Black-crowned Night Herons fly through the air
Both birds fly off

Two Black-crowned Night Herons fly through the sky

As darkness slowly fell I was able to take some nice pictures of a group of Red-rumped Swallows, which gathered in the bushes at the water's edge. They flew up and down between the branches and the lagoon, catching insects and occasionally resting. It was striking how many young birds there were.



Red-rumped Swallow
Red-rumped Swallows in a bush

Juvenile Red-rumped Swallow
Juvenile Red-rumped Swallow

No White-headed Ducks in the end, but I did manage to take a few decent photos for an upcoming photo contest!

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