Algeciras, Palmones--Paseo Marítimo and Los Lance Beach, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Out for another windy and wet morning with Ricky.

Ebird List for Algeciras.

Ebird List for Palmones.

Ebird List for Los Lances.

 

House Bunting (Escribano sahariano / Emberiza sahari) male.

Ricky and I were off early to an area of Algeciras town where we were hoping to find some of the recently colonising House Buntings (Escribano sahariano / Emberiza sahari), with there being 20 odd birds in the area we were fairly confident of finding a few.

House Bunting (Escribano sahariano / Emberiza sahari) male.

House Bunting (Escribano sahariano / Emberiza sahari) female.

We arrived and soon found a single bird singing from a TV ariel which was the first of at least 9 birds seen alongside Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

We returned to the car and made our way back along the coast to Palmones, we parked at the first part of the river and walked the full length of the Paseo Maritimo seeing a couple of Common Shelducks (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) but we later found these getting feed at one of the bars and carrying rings, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), several Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Yellow-legged Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Eurasian Collared Dove, Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Black Redstart, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling, Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous).

Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous).

We walked back down the river to the car and headed back through Algeciras and onto Los Lances beach near Tarifa, we parked at the start of the Sendero de los Lances but took our shoes and socks of and crossed to the beach as soon as we got there because Ricky saw a Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous) come down on the beach.

Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous).

Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous).

Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous).

Unfortunately a dog walker got to the area first and the exhausted bird was off again, however we did see another 6 birds along with Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Yellow-legged Gull, 100+ Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Little Egret.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

Looking Northish along the Los Lances Beach.

Looking Southish toward Tarifa Island.

Ricky searching for the next Leach's.

After a couple of hours we headed back to Ricky's place where Sonia did us some lunch and we had another piece of her wonderful cake and a coffee before I started to make my way back home but I did pop into Guadalhorce for a very quick visit to see if I could find some reported Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) as it would be a year tick and get me closer to my 350 target.

There was no sign of the Scoters but I did see Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

I continued on home, as I crossed Puerto de las Pedrizas I saw a couple of immature Golden Eagles (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) soaring low over the motorway and as I passed through the Huétor Fields I finished off with Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua). 

45mm fell whilst I was away.

A big thanks to Sonia and Ricky for a great few days away, I will miss Sonia's food which was great and both of their company.

La Janda and Observatorio de Guadalmesí, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Back out in the rain for some good birding with Sonia and Ricky. 

Ebird List for La Janda.

Ebird List for Observatorio de Guadalmesí.

 

La Janda as we arrived, looking cloudy and wet.

We all headed out getting some breakfast at Cafeteria E.S. Miraflores before going around the coast past Tarifa and on up to La Janda where we took the main track, as we rolled down towards the main canal we saw Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Spotless (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

At the first bend we checked the bushes, down by the canal and out on the fields on the far side, in these areas we saw Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium elaterium), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), lots of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and a good number of Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

As we continued on along the canal track the rain just kept getting worse and made checking the Rice fields difficult, however we did manage to find Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), a Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruff (Combatiente / Calidris pugnax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) out on one of the Rice Paddies.

At the farm turning we decided to go straight on and check the area out but we didn't really pick up much new and when we came to a rather muddy patch of infill we decided not to risk it and turned around, we then turned right along the track up towards the farm and made a stop by the Canal Secundario but on the way there we had a flock of Common Woodpigeons (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) which also contained at least 3 Stock Doves (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas).

At the Canal we saw a Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax) and Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata).

We again pushed on, passing the farm and going through the wild Olive fields before we dropped down to the Celemin area, during this drive we saw lots of Narcissus serotinus, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x1, Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). 

Down by the Celemin we stopped for a while checking the bushes and fields from the car as the rain had returned, as we sat there we picked up Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). 

The conditions as we drove out of La Janda.

After a while we decided to call it as the rain was just getting heavier, so we drove out and then made our way across to Vejer del la Frontera and the back south towards Tarifa but checked the Northern entrance into La Janda as there had been a Great Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Norteño Koenigi / Lanius excubitor koenigi), I think that was the correct SubSpecies but as hard as we tried we couldn't find it, however we did see Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris).

As we went South the weather got quite a lot better so Ricky took me to a place I had never been to called Observatorio de Guadalmesí.

We turned off the main road onto the minor road and made our way out to the Torre de Guadalmesí where we spent a while doing a sea watch, on the way out we saw Common Kestrel, Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Eurasian Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Common Blackbird, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch and Corn Bunting.

Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

Thekla's Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

We reached the tower and parked so that we could scan the sea, picking up a single Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) which flew low over the waves out of the Med, over a 100 Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and at least 13 Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta Canaria / Calonectris diomedea borealis) or Scopoli’s Shearwater (Pardela cenicienta mediterránea / Calonectris diomedea) but they were just too far out to get a positive ID, Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis) and Great Cormorant. 

Looking across to Morocco and Ceuta. 

Looking back along the coast towards Tarifa.

The rain again started so we headed back to Sonia and Ricky's where we had some nice food again and a couple of drinks whilst listening to music and chatting.

Costa Ballena, Chipiona Puerto and Playa de Montijo, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Out birding in Storm Claudia and getting an unexpected Lifer.

Ebird List for Costa Ballena--Lago Plaza del Mar.

Ebird List for Costa Ballena--Parque de Los Lagos.

Ebird List for Chipiona--Puerto.

Ebird List for Playa de Montijo.

 

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Ricky and I again headed out to the North along the A-381, on the way we hit a really nasty patch of weather which made driving very difficult but it started just as we were about to pull off and have some breakfast in Restaurante Venta Andrés, we had a couple of coffee's and a Tostarda before going back to the car and finding the sun was now out.

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

We reached Costa Ballena and went to the pool near to the coast but the weather was windy and very wet so we scanned the pool and the surrounding areas from the car finding Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) domestic, Muscovy Duck (Pato criollo / Cairina moschata) domestic, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) domestic, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

After a while the rain eased and Ricky had read a message that there was a good movement of Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous) so we walked to the beach but the wind was still very strong so we were really surprised at the amount of shelter we got from a small Tamarisk.

We set the scope up and started to see Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis) and after about 10 minutes the first of 5 Leach's Storm Petrel but Ricky didn't get on this or the second but had great views of the 3rd which passed close into the beach, we saw another two after this. 

Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

After sometime we returned to the car and drove up to the Parque de Los Lagos where we did a loop of the lake adding Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) x2 and Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) x2, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) x6, Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Greylag Geese domestic, Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Common Sandpiper, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Grebe, Black-headed, Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus canariensis), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus),  Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Magpie, Sardinian Warbler, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Small White (Pieris rapae) x3.

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina).

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).

Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca)♀.

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

The rain started again so we headed back to the car and then made our way up to Chipiona Port where we sat and had some lunch whilst watching the Little Swift, Eurasian Crag Martin, Ruddy Turnstone, Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Little Egret.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Chipiona beach with the nest squall on it's way.

Our final stop of the day was at Playa de Montijo where the tide was dropping but so was the rain, we sat in the car and waited for this latest squall to pass and then went for a quick look out on the beach where we found Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Slender-billed (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei), Black-headed, Mediterranean, Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Caspian (Pagaza Piquiroja / Hydroprone caspia) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Eurasian Crag Martin, Sardinian Warbler, Common Blackbird and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

The rain returned so we did, to the car and then back to Ricky's where we again had an absolutely lovely meal and chilled with a cider.