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Saturday 26 April 2014

Malaga to Vejer del la Frontera, Malaga and Cadiz Provinces.

GRANADA WILDLIFES spring tour.
Day One.

Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).
I met up with Judy, Lynda, John, Nick and Mike in Malaga and we all started the tour with a drink and lunch in a bar not too far from Guadalhorce (after the groups sleepless night a coffee was needed to start the eyes again) where we started the list off with Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Our first proper birding stop was at the mouth of the Guadalhorce on the Guadalmar urbanisation, once we were up on the back we soon picked up a couple of Kentish Plovers (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), two Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and a very smart Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) which was feeding up and down the river mouth.
We then walked out to the sea watch poing and scanned a very quiet patch of water but we did add Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), a single Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and lots of  Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).
Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia).
After a while we took a walk a short way back along the river, in the reeds along the margins we saw a single Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), several Eurasian Coot  (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and one of many Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus). Along the river bank we also had Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) and a couple of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
We did not go onto the main reserve due to the number of car robberies, so we headed off down the coast via the three toll roads to Los Barrios marshes and the Rio Palmones.
We checked the marshes from a nearby minor road but they were generally quite quiet but we did see several Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and a few Mallards (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) on the ground but the real action was in the air with good numbers of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) passing through, along with several Short-toed  (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum var discolor).
In this area we also saw the first Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) for the trip.
Around on the other side of the motorway amongst the fields and along the river we picked up more of the above and added Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) heard only and a fine male Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) which was perched on a fence near the road. Monarch (Danaus plexippus) and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon) were also added to the Butterfly list.
In the same area we identified a few wildflowers including Blue Alkanet (Anchusa azurea), Fedia (Fedia cornucopiae), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Spanish Thistle (Scolymus hispanicus), White Mignonette (Reseda Alba), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Hoary Cress (Cardaria draba), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum var discolor) and Eruca (Eruca sativa).
Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).
From here we then headed up to Vejer de la Frontera to the Hotel El Paso, a very nice little place on the side of the main road below the town. We settled in and some of us went for a short walk down to the cliffs nearby to view the breeding colony of Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita). We counted 12 nest on the ledges and also saw good numbers of Western Cattle Egrets coming in to roost and saw a couple of dozen Jackdaws on the same cliffs before heading back and having a nice evening meal at the hotel cooked by the owner Sandra.
Over night some of the group head both Tawny (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) and Scop's Owls (Autillo Europeo / Otus scops).

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Above the Cacín and Sierra de Loja, Granada Province.

Day tour with Rob Jones from the UK.

Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis).
I met Rob at the service staion on the A92 and then we made our way along to Moraleda and on to the fields nearby. On the drive Rob had his first lifer of the day when we saw a pair of Rock Sparrows (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) on the outskirts of the town, in the same area we recorded Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).
We moved out on to the fields and quickly picked up a small flock of Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), a 2nd summer male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and a singing Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra). Once we were through the Amond plantation we had views of a nice male Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), several Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and from the Cortijo we saw a small flock of 5 or so Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) on a distant field so we got back in the car and went to try and find a track out to the spot so that we could have better views.
Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus).
We reached the spot but could not find the Sandgrouse but we did catch up with a fine male Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata). We returned to the main track and had flight views of a male Little Bustard and two more Black-bellied Sandgrouse which disappeared into the distance. We moved on around the site and had views of a pair of Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus), a female Montagu's Harrier, Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Robs fourth lifer a Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis). 
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
We made our way to the next spot which was out on Huetor Fields where we werelooking for the flock of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which had been in the area for a while but we dipped on this species but added Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). 
Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).
Our final site of the day was on Sierra de Loja, where we started off in the old Quarry and picked up another lifer in the form of a male Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), along with Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). We pushed on up along the crags and made one stop to check the hawthorn bushes, here we both saw Spectacled Warbler (Curruca Tomillera / Sylvia conspicillata) and I picked up a singing Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) but it dropped out of site before Rob got on it.
Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
We continued on towards Charca del Negra adding Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) which was another new species for Rob, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), the first of several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius). Once at Charca we had good views of a displaying male Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Roquero Roja / Monticola saxatilis) and more Rock Sparrows before we moved on around to the Goat caves and then back passed the Pools.
Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus).
Once we were back on the main track we turned right of a while and checked out the crags in this area but did not added anything until we were on our way back when we saw a fine adult Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) come under attack from a Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus). We dropped back down the hill geting some nice photographs of the species we had alread seen before checking the small quarry again and this time we were rewarded with nice views of the resident Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo). From here we dropped back down to Robs car and then made our way home.
Eagle Owl (Buho Real / Bubo bubo).

I think Rob finished the day off with 8 or 9 lifers and we both got some nice photo's. Thanks for your company Rob on a cracking days birding.

Monday 21 April 2014

Guadalhorce and El Faro, Malaga Province.

A good day except for the weather.

Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons).
Jayne and I headed off down the coast where I dropped Jayne at the Larios center in Malaga before spending a few hours birding at the nearby Guadalhorce pools. I parked near the school and walked along the embankment to the bridge and across in to the reserve.
On the way I picked up Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).
Once on the reserve I headed for the main hide over looking Laguna Grande where I soon located a summer plumaged Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) feeding along side a dozen or so Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and a couple of Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) which as usual were the commonest wader by far.
As I scanned around the rest of the pool I could hear and see a flock of 17 Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons) which tried several times to land on a small muddy island but were seen off by the pair of Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) which were holding territory over it.
Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).
Next came a single Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) which flew in and landed out of view behind one of the wooded islands, followed by White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) in the bushes behind the hide, Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons).
I next walked around to the hide over looking Laguna Escondida, from here I added Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) on the track behind the hide, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) before I headed on around to the hide on Lagunade la Casilla via the mound, from the mound I saw Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).
Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
From the hide I had nice views of several more White-headed Ducks, Common Pochard and added a fine male Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) to the day list before going on to the next hide over looking the wader area on Rio Viejo.
Here there were 9 more Curlew Sandpipers, Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), 2 immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and lots more Black-winged Stilts.
Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
On the lower section of the Rio I picked up the first of several Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and a couple of fly over Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur). I continued on down the track to the sea watch point which smelt so bad of pee that I decided to watch the birds from the beach, here I saw a fine breeding plumaged Med Gull along with loads of Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), a couple of  Lesser Black-backed  (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and some Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).
I then made the mistake of deciding to walk along the beach, things went well for the first half of the walk and I picked up Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), 2x Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) and a feeding flock of 70+ Little Terns and the the heavens open and I got soaked. I eventually made it back to the main hide for a second visit and met up with Rob Jones and some other Birders, I stayed here for a while chatting to Rob and added Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) to the list before moving back around to Laguna Escondida where I had a chat to a Danish Birder and whilst we talked we saw what looked like two male Black-headed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus) do a flyby.
Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima).
The whole time I was in the hide it throw it down so when it eased off a bit I did a run for it and headed back to the car picking up a Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) as it flew over the church on the way.
I went back in to Malaga and picked Jayne up and we went for lunch near the airport and the on to Fuengirola where I again dropped jayne at the shopping centre and headed for El Faro beach. As soon as I arrived I was surprised to see a single Purple Sandpiper (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima) on the rocks along with several Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), 6 Common Redshank and a pair of Kentish Plovers. I walled along to the seawatch hide and spent some time scanning the waves but only picked up a few Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / 
Pied Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus).
Morus bassanus) so I decided to walk a little further along the roadside. Just as I started off 2 Eurasian Oystercatchers (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) flew past and down the beach towards the hide, they landed on the rock further along so I dropped down on to the beach and went for a better view. Just as I got to a good spot a couple of dog walkers came along and flushed the birds back in the direction I had just come from so I only got flight shots but I also relocated the Purple Sandpiper before returning to the car and heading back to Jayne and then home.