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Friday 28 February 2014

Local Patch and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A day with Helen and Douglas in my favourite valley.

Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
I left the house a little early as I wanted to check a couple of spots on the local patch to see what was still about, on the fields to the west of the town I found around 25 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) the one male was looking quite splendid in his newly aquirred summer plumage. In the same area there were several Collared Doves (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), a nice male Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and a calling Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
Helen and Douglas watching the Lesser Kestrels.
My next stop was along the track out towards the Mesia road where there are a couple of reed filled ditches and a couple of newly dug pools, as soon as I stopped a small bird popped up out of the ditch and sat right out in the open on the edge of a Lucerne patch right out in the open. Straight away I realised that I was looking at only my second Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) for the local patch and third I had seen in Spain.
After the second or so excitement things got somewhat blue in the car when I found that the camera was still in the boot, the BBC bleeeeeeeeep machine would have been red hot for several seconds. So after finding my mistake I just enjoyed watching this cracking little bird until it flew off into another nearby ditch and out of sight. In the same area I found Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata). From here I headed to Moraleda where I was meeting Helen and Douglas on the way I added a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) to the list which was sat on a road side pylon.
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
I was a little early still but Helen and Douglas soon arrived and we headed out on to the nearby fields looking for the resident but hard to find Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) at this site but they lived up to there elusive charicters and we did not see them we did however get very nice views of a perched Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua),along with both Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra). Once we were out on the fields we had much better views of several Calandra's which were showing well on the deck near the track and in the Almond plantations there were good numbers of Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serins and Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). Up near the abamdoned Cortijo we spent some time scanning the area, from here we had good views of a confiding Thekla Lark, Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) and we heard a wailing Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus). Next we headed to the fields and plantaions around the solar farms and soon added a fine Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), several Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) to the growing list.
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
Once we had check the site over well we headed down into the Valley and drove south towards Cacín, our first stop was in amongst the Pine trees but it was quiet hear and all we saw were a few Common Chaffinches and heard both Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). Next we parked at the bridge across the Cacín and checked the mixed river side trees. As we walks North along the road the sun put in its only decent appearance of the day and this immediatly bought up a few raptors including the first of 6 Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) seen during the day and a soaring Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) one of 3 seen. In the same area we also saw Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Cetti's Warbler, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica). Up near the dam on the second part of this walk we watched a Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) struggling to eat a huge great Carp, eventually we guess that it gave up and flew up on to a nearby barbed wire fence to dry out a bit on a rather precarious perch.
Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
We moved on up the road slightly to have a look over the Embalse de Cacín, on the water there were good numbers of Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and several more Great Cormorants. Around the margins we saw a couple of Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and in the air an immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) and a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) were joined by hords of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).
Our next stop was right down at the far end of the Valley above the Groge where we had exallent flight views of and adult Bonelli's Eagle, Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and heard but could not locate Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) before retracing or way back to Cacin where we stopped for some foo.
Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).
From Cacín we headed along the ridge road looking for Raptors and we soon had another Short-toed Eagle which was followed by a 1st winter Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). once we reached the far end of the ridge road we went and checked out an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) site but due to the amount of work going on in the fields near it the bird was not on show so we returned to the end of the ridge road and took another track which lead us across country back to our first site of the day.
On the way along this road we picked up a dark phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis). Once back at the first site we had another quick drive around looking for new species but we did not pick anything up so we headed back to our meeting point and then I headed off home.
Thanks Helen and Douglas for your company on this days birding.

Thursday 27 February 2014

Laguna Herrera and Arroya Marin, Malaga Province.

A surprise on the fields of Antequera.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).
After taking Jayne over to the craft group meeting in Trabuco I decided to check out whether the recent rain had put any water into Laguna Herrera, I was not disappointed but there was not as much as I had hoped for. I arrived and turned in to the track to get my first surprise, a female Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) not a species I have seen before at this site or any where else in Malaga Province before.
Further along the track I picked up several small flocks of finches and buntings which included Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a single male Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus). In the ditch I saw a couple of feeding Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a single Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and both White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus).
On the fields to the right of the track which usually flood there were quite a few Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), half a dozen Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) and a male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was sat on the newly mounded soil.
On the lagoon I could see plenty of birds of birds so I continued on down to the barn and parked and scanned the water, most of the birds were Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) with around a 1000 birds sat in the shallows.
Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).
They were joined by good numbers of Black-heads (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a few Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) as well as Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), 8+ Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), 20+ more Green Sandpipers, 24 Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 11 Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata). 
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
I continued on along side the pool and picked up a couple of Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and a male White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) at the far end. I then moved along the tracks along side the dyke and through the fields until I turned right heading back to the Antequera road.
Along this track I scanned the distant fields and about half way to the road I picked up a cracking male Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) at almost the exact spot I had seen one on 28th Sept 2010 (cannot believe its been over three years), the bird was distant but I had nice views of quite a while before it flew off towards the Laguna. In this same area I saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
I reached the road and went back to the track out to the Lagoon, right at the start I scanned the fields and relocated the Bustard right out in the centre of a very large cereal field so I decide that I was not going to get any better views so I headed over to the Arroya Marin.
Once I was in the valley I parked on the track side and just waited to see what turned up,almost straight away a couple of Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) showed up collecting spaiders webs from amongst the bushes and trees. In the same area I also recorded both Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).
Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).
I then returned to Trabuco and collected Jayne and we headed home via the Garage for a new handbreak cable to be fitted to the car and Mercodona.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Charca de Suarez, Motril, Granada Province.

A couple of hours birding down on the coast.

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).
Jayne and I made our way up to Granada to get some building bit before going to Juan Perez and Beatriz's.  Juan and I went down to Charca birding, we arrived there a few minutes before 5:00 thinking that we would have an hour in the reserve but we found that the times in Feb are different and the gates were still locked. Whilst waiting we did se a nice Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).
A few minutes later Manu turned up and we had two hours in the reserve, our main reason for coming down was to try and see the Little Crake ( Polluela Bastarda / Porzana parva) that Steve Powell and the Axarquia bird group had seen last Sunday morning. We failed to see that bird but had a good selection of species as we went around the reserve. We first of all had a look from hide over looking Laguna del Lirio where the Crake had been seen, over the pool there were good numbers of both Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), along with lots of Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and at least 3 Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
On the water we picked up Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and in the reeds at the far end of the pool there was a single Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio). On the margins we also saw a single Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a single Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
We next made our way around to the second hide over looking Lagun del Trebol, on the way we stopped and scanned the willow scrub and found at least four adult Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) amongst the tangled branches and at the junction to the hide a chap pointed out to us a very smart Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) which was hanging on in the top of a tree.
From the hide we picked up a Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).
Western Swamp-hen  (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
After a while we continued on around to the main hide having another look at the Chameleon again on the way. From the hide we scanned the pool and found several new species for the trip including a number of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and at least three Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
We moved on again making our way around to the hide on Laguna Tarajewhere we had nice views of one of the wintering Moustached Warblers (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon).
After a while here we decided to return to the first hide and give the Crake another try but again we did not have any luck and did not add any thing else to the list except for a single Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) Butterfly and heard several calling Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis) before heading home.

Sunday 23 February 2014

Granada City and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A morning at the market and an afternoon down the valley.

Jayne and I went up to the market on the out skirts of Granada mainly to get some fruit as the prices in the local supermarket seem to have gone daft. On the way up there we had sightings of a flock of around 30 or so Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) feeding in a Lucerne field, 20+ Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) in another fields nearer to the city, a couple of perched Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and a single Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) hovering over the verge. We spent the next few hours walking around the market picking up an Ikea bag full of fruit and veg (which weight a tonn, well a good few KGs anyway) before going for some lunch nearby. Around the market I was aware that there were a few small species flicking over including Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto). We drove back home and dropped food off before heading back out and heading to the agricultural areas above the Cacin Valley where we checked out the fields along several dirt tracks, in the area we recorded Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs). I was hoping to see a newly arrived Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) but I was not lucky in the one Almond plantation where I went to look but I did see Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and several Province Hairstreaks (Cardenillo / Tomares ballus) which were getting a battering in the strong breeze along with a single Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice).
From here we dropped down into the Pine woods along the side of the Rio Cacín where we made a short stop which was very productive with Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) being either seen or heard. Along the roadside below the pine trees we also spotted several spikes of Ophrys forestieri and in the air we saw a single Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychlorus) and several Large Whites (Pieris brassicae).
We continued on down to the Embalse and scanned the water and reed beds from the roadside adding Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) which was in the dead trees in the water.In the air above the water there were good numbers of hirundines, most were Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris),but there was a good scattering of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica). 
We again continued on down the valley and our next stop was at the gorge just above the Embalse de Bermejalis, here we had cracking views of a female Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) which was heard from deep down in the gorge and Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).
Down at the Embalse we stopped at a bar and got an Icecream and scanned the water which apart from a flock of farmyard Geese and a single Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) was empty. 
We parked on the roadside a few Kms further on and scanned a low crag where Juan Perez and I had seen an Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo) and the bird was sat in the same hole but a little further back as the wind was quite cool, in the air above us we also had nice views of a passing Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and on the rocks a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) could be heard singing.
Again we continued on to Ventas de Huelma and the across country to Castillo de Tajarja and started to head back towards home, on the way we had good views of a small colony of newly returned Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
Just before we got home we drove along the Arroya Vilano where we finished the day list off with Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta). 

The day List finished off at 72 species.