El Faro, Fuengirola, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours sea watching and looking for waders.

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Jayne and I wanted a few bits (a new heater) from down on the coast at Malaga, from Iceland and for box fillers to send out to our son Alan so we headed for Malaga and Fuengirola. After sorting the Malaga end of things I dropped Jayne at the Miramar centre and headed for the new sea watch hide at El Faro where I spent just over two hours looking out to sea. 

Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra).

On the walk along the coast to get there I picked up a few Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), a single Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Once I reached the hide I soon picked up the five species of Gull I would expect, there were loads of Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) along with a single adult and an immature Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Whilst I was there four groups of  Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) totalling around thirty flew past heading west, further out to sea I had a group of three Arctic Skuas (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) which were landing on the sea and waiting for any passing Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) then giving them hell until they dropped any food they had. During the couple of hours I also saw two more single Arctics and at least three Great Skuas (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) all passing West.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).

Other species passing were loads of  Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), dozens of  Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) along with a single Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea). 

I then went and met Jayne and we finished off the shopping before heading home.