Rio Guadalhorce near Zapata, Malaga Province.

A return to Zapata.

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Going back to yesterdays original plan Jayne and I headed off down to Malaga where Jayne had a look around the Larios centre whilst I revisited the ford area along the Rio Guadalhorce near Zapata. On the track along the entrance canal I checked some reed patches and soon had a stunning male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) sat high up on a reed head with a male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and a Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus). 

Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca).

In the same area I had good views of the first of at least four Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

I moved on to the ford where I soon had a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) shooting the rapids and a couple of Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) further up stream by the next concrete bar.

Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

I looked for the Grasshopper Warbler (Buscarla Pintoja / Locustella naevia) that I had seen yesterday but could not find it but I had views of Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperors (Anax parthenope), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) and Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria). 

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Further upstream near the concrete bar I had a look at the main pool and added Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and a distant soaring Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) which never came to my side of the motorway bridge. 

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

On the mud near the concrete bar I found a single Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and in the marginal vegetation a scolding Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and a second Bluethroat. 

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

The last birds of the visit were a noisy group of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) as the flew across the ford. 

I then drove back in to the city and met Jayne for some lunch and then continued the shopping.