Presa de Embalse de Bornos, Rio Guadalete at Arcos de la Frontera, Lago Plaza del Mar and Parque de Los Lagos in Costa Ballena, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Heading out west for a few days birding with Paqui.

Ebird list for the Presa.

 

Our first view of the Moon as it comes from behind the clouds.

Paqui and I were off early as we were hoping to get views of the overnight Luna Eclipse but there was a large band of cloud which was covering the Moon when we set off.

The last of the Luna Eclipse seen near Antequera, Malaga Province.

As we got to Antequera the Moon appeared from the cloud so we made a stop at a service area just after coming off the motorway and took some photos through the scope.

The bank of cloud which had covered the Moon.

We continued on and made our way to our first planned stop of the day at the Presa de Embalse de Bornos, on the way we saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and an Egyptian Mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) which crossed the road in front of us.

Looking down stream at a rather grey smelly Rio Guadalete.

We reached the Presa where we were surprised by how bad the water smelt and grey it looked, bird numbers were down but we did see Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), a group of 4 Caspian Terns (Pagaza Piquiroja / Hydroprone caspia) which flew up and over the dam onto the Embalse, Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), 2x migrating Western Ospreys (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Whilst there we also saw several Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) and Iberian Barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei) before we headed off to the Rio Guadalete below Arcos de la Frontera where it smelt slightly better but not much.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

We arrived at the Rio and checked a spot near the bridge but all the vegetation had been strimmed down and further down the River the margins had been completely scrapped so I wasn't confident that we would find much and I wasn't wrong.

Crossing the very slippery weir on the Rio Guadalete.

A mirky looking Rio Guadalete.

The bridge over the Rio Guadalete.

A scrapped out Rio Guadalete.

As we walked we found lots more Violet Dropwings as well as smaller numbers of White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii), Red-veined Darter, Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta), African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna) x8, Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis), Blue-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) ♂.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) ♂.

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) ♂.

Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) ♀.

African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna).

Bird wise we had nice views of some European Bee-eaters, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Western House Martin.

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster).

We decided to head to Costa Ballena where we wanted to check the two lakes on the large urbanisation, on the way we stopped for a nice lunch before checking the southern Lago Plaza del Mar where I was hoping to see the long staying Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis) but unfortunately dipped.

1st winter Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

However we did find Mallard, Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Black-headed, Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Eurasian Coot, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus canariensis), Grey Heron, Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) and African Grass Blues.

African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna).

We returned to the car and moved up to the northern Parque de Los Lagos where we did a short walk and added several new species including a nice juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

The Northern Lagoon.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

We also recorded Mallard, Common Pochard, Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Little Grebe, Ruddy Turnstone, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Egret, Common Kingfisher, Western House Martin, White Wagtail, Banded Groundling, Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) ♂.

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) ♂.

We again returned to the car and headed off to Lebrija where we stayed in the Hostal Mellizo and had a few drinks in the nearby Restaurante Miano before turning in.

Laguna Dulce, Laguna del Cerero, Laguna Salada, Laguna Capacete and Campillos, Malaga Province, Spain.

A morning out with Paqui, Barbara and Derek.

Ebird List for Laguna Dulce.

Ebird List for Laguna del Cerero.

Ebird List for Laguna Salada.

Ebird List for Laguna de Capacete.

Ebird List for Campillos.

Paqui and I headed off early to meet Barbara and Derek Etherton in Campillos for a mornings birding, we were all at the meeting point on time but it was still quite dark so after putting all our stuff in the Derek and Barbara's car we headed off for some breakfast in the town.

Laguna Dulce.

After a coffee and a tostarda we went to Laguna Dulce but took the back track first as Derek and Barbara had done this route a few days earlier and had seen a good number of waders on the small areas of water behind the reeds which can't be seen from the hide, we found Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruff (Combatiente / Calidris pugnax), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) and Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).

The back pools.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♂.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) ♂.

As well as the waders we saw Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) x20+, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x150+, 2x Egyptian Geese (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), big numbers of Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Calandra (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and lots of Corn Buntings (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

We continued on around the back track to the road on the way we added Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), a distant Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), a couple of passage European Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) and 3 Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) which were also heading west, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and just before we reached the road we had a big flock of Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis). 

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus).

Spotted Redshanks (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus).

Around at the hide we spent a while scanning the pool finding Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), 4x Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Black-necked (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), 8x Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), a ♀ Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

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

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

Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) ♀.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) juvenile.

Our next stop was on the other side of the main road at Laguna del Cerero, it was quieter but we did add Western Olivaceous Warbler (Zarcero bereber / Iduna opaca), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) along with another Purple Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Greater Flamingo's, Red-veined Darters and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♀.

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) ♀.

We moved on again to the Laguna Salada where there were more Greater Flamingo's and at least 3x Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), 3x Spotted Redshank, 2x Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a ♀ Montagu's Harrier and ♀ Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta).

Laguna Salada.

♀ Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta).

♀ Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

A bit further along the road we stopped at the Laguna Capacete and took a track to check some waders, here we found Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and a Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) which were new for the day list along side more Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Common, Green Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper.

Other species were Eurasian Coot, Greater Flamingo, Little Grebe, Griffon Vulture, European Bee-eater, Common Kestrel, Crested Lark, Barn and Red-rumped Swallow, Spotless Starling, European Stonechat,House Sparrow, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and European Goldfinch.

Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus).

Our final stop of the morning was around Campillos where we had brilliant views of a stunning Long-eared Owl (Búho Chico / Asio otus) which sat very nicely for us, a nice way to end the mornings birding.