Torcal de Antequera, Laguna Herrera, Malaga Province and Huetor Fields, Granada Province.

Saturday Stroll.

Spanish Ibex (Capra pyreaica hispanica).

I did the birding in reverse today with the walk at Torcal coming first and then a quick visit to the Laguna afterwards. At Torcal we did the Yellow route through the fantastic rock formations, on the way around several Blue Rock Thrushes (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) were seen, as were good numbers of Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), along with a few Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor). We also had good views of several groups of Spanish Ibex (Capra pyreaica hispanica) and two species of butterflies, Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

On the Laguna there were quite good numbers of birds about, with over 50 Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), along with Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) made for a nice selection of waders. Other species seen included Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrrojo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

On the drive home I stopped briefly on the fields near the house and added over 400 Stone-curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and around 150 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) to a good list.

Rio Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

A flying visit.

Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

I had just a couple of hours for a quick look around the reserve so I headed straight for the beach and had a scan from the sea watch point first. A single female Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) was seen diving quite a distance out and at least two Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) passed west stopping breifly on the sea only about 20 metres out. The usual gulls were all present including 100s of Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Somria / Larus fuscus), 100+ Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), lots of Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a few Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis). I then walked along the beach to the far sea watch point, on the way I added several flocks of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a single Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia). 

Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

From the sea watch point Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocorax carbo) and Mediterranean Shearwater (Pardela Mediterránea / Puffinus yelkouan) were all seen. I then moved on to the reserve and walked along the embankment towards the wader hide, on the way Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) were seen.

From the hide things looked grim for a short while with just a single Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and a few Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) on view, then things started to appear from the reeds and side channels. The first were two Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and a small group of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), followed by a single late passage Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) which flew in and joined the Dunlin. Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) soon showed up along with a cracking male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which showed well for the next ten minutes on the mud to the left of the hide. 

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber).

On the walk around to the next hide over looking the reed fringed pool I had some very good views of a couple of Cetti’s Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Robin (Petirrrojo / Erithacus rubecula), Meadow Pipit (Bistita Común / Anthus pratensis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

From the hide Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Avocets (Avoceta Común/ Recurvirostra avosetta).

I missed the next hide out and had a look over the main pool, adding White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), a small group of five Avocets (Avoceta Común/ Recurvirostra avosetta) were roosting in the shallows and a single Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber) eventually woke up for a few minutes before tucking it's head back under its wing again. Good numbers of Migrant Hawker ( Aeshna mixta) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) dragonflies were still on the wing along with a couple of Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) butterflies.

Other birds included Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falco tinnunculus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer Domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Laguna Herrera, Antequera, Malaga Province.

Numbers are up again.

Just a brief visit this morning as I am running a bit later than usual. The number of Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) had incressed to around 70 birds, Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) were steady in the mid twenties, Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) had doubled and 3 Avocets (Avoceta Común/ Recurvirostra avosetta) had reappeared. A couple of winter plumaged male Reed Buntings (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus)were new for my site list. They were part of a much larger finch and bunting flock which was made up of 50+ Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), well over a hundred Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Other birds seen included 8 Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) the very pale bird was one of 5 birds, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber) x1, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulga / Falco tinnunculus) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinula Chloropus),

El Chorro and Laguna Herrera, Antequera, Malaga Province.

RFH Walk and the Laguna.

3 immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber).

Today’s walk was around the usual Sunday morning loop at El Chorro with a three KM uphill extension added in by Antonio. In amongst the pine trees on the first part of the stroll several Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) were heard chipping as they flew over and at least one male was in full song from one of the taller trees. A Tit flock passed through the Eucaliptus trees along the river and included Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonero Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus). Also seen in the woods and along the river were Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cetti’s Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

On the uphill stretch we were out in a more rocky terrain were we saw a couple of male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) having a scrap, Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and once at the top we added a dozen or so Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), some in flight but most were still perched on the crags. On the way back to the hotel after the hike I picked up Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocorax carbo) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) on the firs of the lakes and on the fields near Campillos I added 7 Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and a couple of Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).
Once the clients were dropped off at the hotel I went for a quick look a the Lagoon thinking the hunter might have cleared off but several were still prowling on the margins. 3 immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus ruber) were still at the site along with 25 Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), 30+ Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), 12 Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), 70 odd Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Avocet (Avoceta Común/ Recurvirostra avosetta). On the margins and in the dykes I added Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), 60+ Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), along with a couple of Common Starlings (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), 3x Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Meadow Pipit (Bistita Común / Anthus pratensis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and 100s of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).