Barcelona........just

13 May - my 2.5 days in Catalonia became 1 day, and an early return home, due to Carles becoming ill. However, we had a productive day in breezy conditions. Early morning in the coastal woods produced obliging Golden Orioles, Hoopoe, Flyover Bee-Eaters and Iberian Green Woodpecker, with a supporting cast of Crested Tit, Hoopoe and Serin. A morning visit to the hides at Llobregat was good for photography in morning light - Black-winged Stilt and Collared Pratincole but few other waders due to the high water levels, though Ruff, Redshank, RP and LRP were present. 2 Whiskered Terns were feeding along with a good collection of Herons - Purple, Squacco and Great White, alongside the more numerous Grey Herons and Little Egrets. Great Reed Warblers sang from the reeds, and the breezy conditions resulted in some low-flying Alpine Swifts. The first of 5 (!) Hobbies for the day cruised over. Garraf plateau was very scenic, and late morning here produced Black-eared Wheatear, an obliging Subalpine Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, and both Tawny and Tree Pipits, also a singing male Ortolan Bunting. The coastal cliffs nearby held several pairs of Blue Rock Thrush, and singles of Crag Martin and Red-rumped Swallow completed the full set of hirundines for the day. Finally, a return to Llobregat gave several Little Bittern views both perched and in flight, and flyby Purple Herons. In the evening shower clouds over the city produced a large feeding flock of Swifts.......at least 6 Alpines, distinctively large and powerful amongst a larger number of Common Swifts. Around 90 species logged, before planned Pyrenees day curtailed by Carles becoming ill. Still worth the trip for the photo opportunities at Llobregat hides, always excellent.