RAM, Motril Port and Charca Suarez, Granada Province.

A good day down on the coast with some good birding friends.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

I set off quite early to make my way up to Granada where I picked Juan Pérez Contreras up from his house and then we both headed off down to the usual point at Peñón de Jolúcar on the eastern side of Torrenueva near Motril to carry out February's RAM sea bird count.

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

When we got there we met up with Bob Wright a friend who runs the New Birding Axarquia blog before we all headed up to the high point for the sea watch. We were soon there and set up, after a few minutes Juan said it was time to start the count and we were soon building up a decent list of species in fairly good numbers. The list included Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and two of the much more uncommon Med / Yelkouan shearwaters (Pardelas Mediterráneas / Puffinus yelkouan), singles of both Arctic (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) and Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) I unfortunally did not get on to the latter but the former was a nice year tick.

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

We also recorded very good numbers of gulls but the commonest by far we Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), followed by Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and a single adult Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), a Kittiwake (Gaviota Tridáctila / Rissa tridactyla) which was seen by Juan and a single Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) which did a flypast.

On the way back down to the cars we had a look at the bank finding several spikes of Ophrys foresterii, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which flashed between the apartment block by the car.

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

From here we went towards the fish port and all piled into one car to go in and have a look through the gull flocks there, we saw plenty of Med, Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed and Yellow-legged, Great Cormorants, Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

We then made our way out and collected the rest of the cars before heading for Charca where we had a wonder around the hides, right by the entrance Juan and I had two Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) in the trees. After checking the first hide seeing Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) I headed to check the trees where some Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) sometimes roost but found nothing.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

From here I went to catch up with Bob at the small hide over looking the Laguna del Taraje, on the way I had good but brief views of a wintering Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) and heard a couple of Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).

Male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I got to the hide but Manuel the warden and a colleague were working on the roof so Bob had moved on, I stayed a short while and had views of the Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon) which was wintering here along with Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio). 

Female Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I moved on checking the very quiet new scrape where I only added around 15 or so Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) and a small flock of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis). I eventually caught up with Bob in the main hide where we spent some time checking through the birds there and added Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), my first Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) of the year, Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis). 

Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).

Again we continued on around the rest of the hides and ended up back at the small hide over looking Laguna del Taraje where we stayed until the reserve closed at 13:00. On the walk around to this point we saw a couple of Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies, Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and heard a screeching Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

We sat in the hide for a while and were joined by Juan and Fran and after a short while we heard a small group of Penduline Tits in the reeds at the side of the hide which Juan managed to call in by making a very convincing squeaking noise. This gave us time to get some nice views of a difficult to see bird, from here we headed back to the gates and had a chat with Manuel before making our ways home after a very pleasant and productive morning.

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

Rio Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

A nice sit on the beach after a not so nice visit to the dentist.

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Jayne and I headed down to Periana where I was to have some work done on the teeth which turned out to be a lot less of a problem than first thought. Once the drilling and rebuilding was done Jayne and I headed to Malaga via the coastal Motorway, our first stop was at Brico, then Ikea, Dealz i Malaga and finally the Lario's where I dropped Jayne for a couple of hours shopping whilst I headed for Guadalhorce.

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Once I was there I had a look at the sea from the watch point but it was quiet except for a good number of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), a couple of Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) which were folowing a small fishing boat, 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 Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo). 

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

After a while I walked out to end of the sandy spit which formed when the river broke through, here I spent the next two hours just sat with the bins and camera, watching and photographing what ever came close enough. The first birds were a small group of a dozen or so Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and a single Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), followed by several Sandwich Terns and Great Cormorants. Whilst I was sat here and on a short walk upstream along the river I also recorded Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba). 

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

In a small drainage chanel near the road I watched a large group of Crag Martins feeding low over a small pool, they were joined for just a single pass by my first House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) of the year. Also seen whilst in this area were Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

I went back into Malaga where I picked Jayne up and then we headed back towards the house.

Huétor Fields, Laguna de Rigedor and Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

Bustards, Curlews but no Sandgrouse.

Mike and Patty from Iowa in the US.

I met Mike and Patty from Iowa in the US at the Cortijo de Tajar hotel just off the A92 and we headed out on to the fields nearby and at the first spot we located around 40 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax)but they were hard to see in a Lucerne field which had got quite tall so we moved around another view point and walked down a track to get a bit closer. Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

The sun was in the worst position possable from this point but we did manage to get better views and picked out a few males which were already starting to pop up and down in a rather half hearted attempt at displaying. In the area we also saw

We jumped back into the car again and called at a small semi-derelict Cortijo on the road back into Huétor were we had good views of a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which was sunning its self on the roof, its mate flew out of a small garage behind and landed on the same roof but out of sight.

Again we continued on towards Huétor and stopped on the road side to check the fields where the wintering flock of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) spend their days, we scoped them and had nice views. We also had a flock of at least 25 Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria) on the same field and a flock of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) which flew across the site in the distance. Whilst we were parked here we also saw Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). 

We turned around and headed back up the road towards the local bar and then cut across country by the Arroyo Vilano where we made a stop to check the fields on the far side. On the river side we had several Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), both male and female Blackcaps (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a skulking, uncooperative Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). Further along the rio we made another stop where I usually see the locally common Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cyanus) but they were not showing then selves today and we only added Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) to the day list. 

We retraced our way back along the track and then went to another nearby poplar plantation and soon had a good number of the Iberian Magpie flying throught the trees in front of us giving nice views.

We turned around and made our way to a small pool on the side of the A92 via Mesia. We parked and scanned the pool and soon had Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) on the day list along with a new species for the site for my list an Egyptian Goose (Ganso del Nilo / Alopochen aegyptiaca). We also had a single Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) fly in and drop into the reeds at the far end of the pool before we made a move out to the far side of the motorway near to Moraleda. On the way we had another Little Owl sat near the entrance to its soon to be nesting site in a concrete block, a couple of  Common Stonechats (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and the first of several Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis). We took a couple of tracks out on to the fields looking for the elusive Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) which remained elusive and unseen but we did get views of Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) but not a lot else. We dropped down in to the Valley and parked by the side of the Rio Cacín and had a walk towards the dam of the nearby embalse, here we picked several new species including Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) which were just heard up in the Pines, Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) but again I only heard these as the flashed through the trees with out showing.

We moved up to the side of the Embalse just up the road and scanned the water seeing the same species of ducks and other water birds seen earlier along with a pair of Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca). In the air we had soaring Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), a pair of Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and on a nearby pylon a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus). We drove a little further down the valley to Cacín where we were hoping to have lunch, on the way we saw three Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) sat up in some Almonde trees near the road. When we got to Cacín we found that both bars were shut so we decided to drive towards Ventas de Huelma, on the way we parked on the road side and scanned the ridges. We soon picked up Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia) and a single Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) low over the Olives and then another two Eagles were seen soaring more distantly. From here we drove on towards Ventas and then made our way back to the Hotel where we started the day, once we there Patty and Mike went in for a late menu del dia and I said goodbye and headed home.

Laguna Grande and Laguna Chica, Archidona, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours walking and birding with the Iznajar Walking Group.

Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia).

I met Jeff Parkes and four other members of the group on the service road along side the A92, from here we walked up hill towards Laguna Grande. On the way up we saw several early flowering Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia), Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule) and Field marigold (Calendula arvensis) along with Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Once we reached the top of the hill we had a look over the water and picked up good numbers of wildfowl including Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) x8, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) 40+, Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) x3, Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) x7+, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) x46, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) x3 and at least 2 more Grey Herons.
Other species seen in this area included Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), a couple of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and several disused Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) holes. Jeff then took us along side the laguna and showed us tree rubbing spots used by the local Wild Boars (Jabalí / Felis silvestris), in the same area and further along the walk we saw plent more signs of this distructive species where they had rotten up large areas amongst the scrub and around the Oaks where they were eating the fallen Acorns.

Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

We continued on a roundabout track out towards Laguna Chica adding only Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) on the way and several Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) on the water.

We continued on in a large circle back around to Laguna Grande, on the way we saw a single Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and a couple of Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) in the mud. 

Once we reached the pool again we retraced our steps back down to the cars and said our goodbyes before heading off.

I went back towards home across country on a road through Fuente Camacho and then up on to the Loja / Zafarraya road, along there I had Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).