Rio Velez, Malaga Province and Zafarraya, Granada Province.

A couple of hours with the camera.

Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

I had a couple of hour down on the river so I started by walking down the east bank from the bridge. I saw several Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), three Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and a single Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) feeding on the margins. Good numbers of Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus) were out on the muddy areas feeding youngsters and a couple of pairs of Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra) were on the larger pool above the beach. 

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

In the vegetation Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Cetti’s Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Robin (Petirrrojo / Erithacus rubecula) were all seen skulking around low down, while Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) called from the reed tops.

On the beach a large digger and several trucks were working to move sand around, noisy but did not bother the birds too much and also made sure the beach was fairly empty. There were several, 13+ Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) of all ages roosting along with several Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), two immature Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and an unexpected adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Somria / Larus fuscus) which I thought might be injured in some way but it was away as fast as any of the other birds when one of the truck drivers got too close.

Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Out on the sea a dozen or so Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) were fishing, as were a few immature Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus). Several of the small local fishing boats were returning to Torre-del-Mar and were followed by good numbers of Gulls and Northern Gannets but they were joined by about 30 Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and 10+ Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea), some approaching to within 20 meters of the beach. While I was watching this a couple of late passage Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) flew in and joined a small group of Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

On the way back up the river to the car I added three Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) which perched on one of the electricity pylons calling loudly, Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).

On the way home we went via the vega de Zafarraya and added Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).