Laguna Antequera, Malaga Province.

A new species for my Malaga list.

On the way over to the hotel Finca Eslava I again called at the small laguna, the usual flock of Greater Flamingo’s (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber) were feeding on the far bank, along with 5 Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), 13 Avocets (Avoceta Común/ Recurvirostra avosetta), 20+ Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), in the deeper water 5 Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) stalked their breakfast and good numbers of Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) were following a tractor turning over a stubble field. On the water 100 or more Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and a dozen or so Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) all had their heads raised at the sound of the local hunter’s guns in the far corner of the laguna. In the air Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido / Apus pallidus) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) hawked for insects and on the wires a solitary Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) watched for prey in the verge. 

On the margins several Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Crested Larks (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) were seen feeding amongst the Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
On the way back along the track several Cetti’s Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) were heard and large numbers of migrating Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) flushed from the grass. 

Also good numbers of birds were seen feeding on the dead thistle heads, including Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and the star bird an immature Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana) which sat up on the top of a spike for several minutes (they know when you have not got the camera with you). Out on the fields there were 20+ Northern Wheatears (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and a couple of Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).