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Saturday 14 December 2013

RAM and Charca del Suarez, Granada Province.

Sea birds survey and a few hours around the pools at Charca.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
I met Juan Perez Contreras up in Granada and we made our way down to the coast near Motril and then on to Cabo Sacratif where we spent some time counting sea birds as the passed the headland or just hung around in front of us, which was what lots of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) were doing which made counting then difficult. We had small numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) moving east and a single Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) which went through heading west.
Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).
Other species recorded included Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a flyby Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).
Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).
After the survey we moved on to Charca del Suarez for a few hours around the pools which in general were quite quiet. From the first hide we had nice views of 2 male and a female Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), several Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which flashed passed in front of the reeds and masses of Common Chiffchaffs which were by far the commonest bird seen all day.
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
We moved on around to the next hide but a couple of workers were there doing some maintainance on the hide so there was not much to be seen close but further out we located two adults and a youngster of the reintrduction Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata). We continued on to the main hide but the light was terrable from here so birding was hard going but we picked up two winter plumaged Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Onward again we walked around to the last small hide, on the way we saw Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and several Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria) and a Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea). From the hide we had nice views of a couple of Swamp-hens, several more Little Grebes and hundreds of Common Chiffchaffs but we did not see anything new for the list except for a late flying Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope).
We later made our way to the exit and just as we were leaving we found two beautiful Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) before heading towards home. On the way our only new species were a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), several Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and once I was back on the patch I added Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) which finished the days birding off nicely.
Later Jayne and I went to friends Jean and Davids house in Loja where 20 or so English and Spanish friends were meeting up for a Christmas meal and lots of puddings, Thanks all for a great evening.

Friday 13 December 2013

Salina's, Malaga Province and Riofrio, Granada Province.

A few hours of localish birding.

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
Jayne and I drove out to the Hotel Paloma where the Ladies from the Trabuco Craft group were having their Christmas Lunch and drinks. I dropped Jayne off and went to do a bit of birding at a small pool near by, as soon as I arrived I was pleased to see large numbers of Sparrows and Finches feeding on the dried out Thistle fields. 
Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
The commonest species was surprisingly Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) with over a hundred birds in the flock, closely followed by Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) along with smaller numbers of Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). On and around the pool I added Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata). 
Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
After eating my lunch I made my way down to Riofrio and had a look along the river there as I wanted to try and get some shots of Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) but the light was getting really quite bad so the results were not to great. I did get a few and also recorded Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) before heading back to the site near Salina's.
White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
 Once back here I dug the Cam-sheet out and sat on the side of the track near a small concrete trench and waited to see what would come down to drink, the first species in were White Wagtails and Linnets, quickly followed by Goldfinch and Common Stonechat. Whilst under the sheet I also saw and heard Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus viridis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). 
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).
After a short while it started to rain so I packed in and went and waited at the hotel for Jayne before heading home.

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Guadalhorce and El Faro, Malaga Province.

A day on the coast.

Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).
We started off by driving into Malaga where I dropped Jayne off at the Lario's Centre for a bit of Christmas shopping and then headed out to one of the DIY places got a few bits and onward to Guadalahorce via a small canal beside the Golf couse nearby. Here the only birds seen were a small group of Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), a single Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), loads of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and a couple of Zitting Cisticola's (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).
My next stop was at the sea watch point at the end of the raised bank at Guadalamar. I spent a short time scanning the sea but it was very windy so I walks a short way up the river but not before I had seen a single Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and several Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).
As I walked along the waters edge up river I saw a single Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) which sat nicely for a photo, a very confiding Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) which was popping off some very small fry with great regularity, a Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and a small group of Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) with wings stretched drying out.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
After a getting some shots of the Little Egret I made my way down to the main reserve and walked out to the main hide, on the way I saw the first Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) of the day zipping over the smaller pool off to my left and on top of the nearer bushes there were several Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), a Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and then down in the grasses several Greenfinches (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).
I walked passed the first part of the main lake picking up White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) on the way.
White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).
Once I was in the main hide I was pleased to see good numbers of Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) in the surrounding trees and bushes, I counted at least 47 birds. These were joined by 3 Great White Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), 3 Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 1 Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and several more Little Egrets. Out on the water were several more Little Grebes which were joined by just 2 Black-necked (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), 4+ more White-headed Ducks, loads of Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna).
Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).
Other birds seen from here included Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus). Next I headed around to the smaller pool but picked up the same sort of species before moving around to the two hides on the far bank. On the way around I had nice views of a pair of hunting Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and heard but did not see a Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus). The first hide was very quiet and the second was not much better but I did get a glimps of a Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) as it flashed in to the pool side cover and a nicely plumaged Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) before heading back towards the car.
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
On the walk a pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) flew nearby a couple of time allowing me to get some decent shots and I had the only butterfly of the day a Large White (Pieris brassicae). 
I got back to the car and went back into the city and had some lunch with Jayne before we headed down the coast to Fuengirola where I again dropped Jayne at the shopping centre and went to El Faro. I was hoping to see the regular wintering Purple Sandpipers (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima) but again dipped. I did however see a nice grou of 20 or so Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), a few more Ruddy Turnstones, Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) and a single adult Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) before heading back to Jayne.

Monday 9 December 2013

Laguna Dulce and Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Province and Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

A mornings birding with good friend Juan Perez Contreras.

Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
I met Juan at the Hotel Corjito de Tajar just off the A92 at Huétor and we set off towards Campillos to have a look at Laguna Dulce. On the way over we got the day list off to a good start by seeing Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), 2x Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and 2 superb Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) perched on telegraph poles on the side of the road, both on stretches where it was not possible to park.
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
When we arrived at Dulce we were surprised how few birds there were on show but soon found that there were many more there than first met the eye but they were on the far shore. We spent a good hour or so scanning the lake and by the time we were leaving we had recorded 12+ Tufted Ducks (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochards (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Other species seen on around the water were Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), 3x Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
We left the hide and made our way along the tracks to the rear of the site scanning the fields as we went, we picked up another Common Buzzard, lots of Serins, Goldfinches and a decent sized flock of Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) with a few Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) mixed in. Our next stop was at a small track side pool which had a nice margin of mud which held several feeding waders including 4 Little Stintd (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), 2 Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), 10+ Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and singles of both Green Sandpiper and Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina). Also on the water we saw several Eurasian Teal and an Immature Greater Flamingo. We continued on through quite a large expanse of Olives, picking up Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) on the way.
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
As soon as we came out into open fields again we were amazed at the sight of around a 1000 or so Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) feeding on the ploughed stubble fields, some flew off straight away but we got great views of the rest as they relocated a little further away from the track, we reached some high ground and Juan did a count of the birds that remained nearby and before long had reached 600. More birds could be seen and heard all around us, it was quite a spectacle. We moved on again and came out onto the tarmac road at the southern end of Fuente de Piedra and continued on towards the view point half way down the western side of the reserve picking out our third Black-winged Kite of the morning on the way.
From the view point we counted 9 Marsh Harriers, another couple of hundred Common Cranes, loads of Greater Flamingo's and good numbers of wildfowl on the pools but nothing new to the list.
From here we went on round until we reached the roadside hide before the centre, we parked and scanned the shore line and then the thistle scrub and added Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) to the list. 
Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).
Our final stop was at the visitor center where we walked around past all the dried up pools and then checked out the hides looking over the fresh water pools at the side of the centre. Things were generally quiet apart from the Greater Flamingo's and massed of Northern Shovelers however we did add Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) to the day list.
Juan then drove us back to Huétor and he headed off up to Granada and home and I went through Huétor and did the same but called via the river on the way finding Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) on the way.