Observatorio Cazalla, Tarifa and Los Lances Beach Hide, Cadiz Province.

A drive South and some birding in the Afternoon.

Immature Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).

We were up and about earlish and after a second very good breakfast drove south past Jerez down to the Gibraltar border where I dropped Jayne and Barb for some retail therapy in the town before driving out to the Cazalla watch point just above Tarifa. 

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

During the drive I saw a small flock of Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

I arrived and bumped in to Peter Jones with in seconds who I had not seen for quite a while, we chatted and caught up with a bit of what had been going on but saw very few birds, I thought this was probably because I was late but Peter said it had been like this for the two day he had been there. 

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

We did however see several Egyptian Vultures (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus),  more Western Cattle Egrets, Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and several Monarchs (Danaus plexippus). 

Bar-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

After a couple of hours I decided to drop down the road to the Los Lances beach hide where I met Alan??? and his wife from Northumberland who were on there holidays. 

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

We spent the next couple of hours seeing some nice species and having a good chat, species seen included Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Red Knot ( Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), a single Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola) which dropped in on the beach, Caspian (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) and Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Yellow Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a flyby Honey Buzzard. 

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

After a very pleasant afternoons birding I left the birders in the hide and went back to Gib border where I met Jayne and Barb before we drove back home. 

European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) being mobbed by Spotless Starlings.

As we were just about to cross from Malaga to Granada Province Jayne picked up a massive bird just to the North of the A92 which turned out to be a very nice European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), which drifted off towards Archidona very quickly but not before I managed a few distant shots.

European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) being mobbed by Spotless Starlings.

We made a stop in the town of Huétor at 3 Calles bar for some food before going back to the house.

During the 3 half day birding stints I was pleased to pick up 119 species of bird in total.

Bonanza Salt pans and Pools, Sanlucar Beach and Chipiona sea front, Cadiz Province.

A morning on the salt pans, afternoon on the beach and and evening in the bar !!

Red Knot ( Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

The day started with a good breakfast at the Hotel Barrameda and then getting Jayne and Barb set up for a day on the beach, once they were there I headed off to the salt pans just to the North of Bonanza. 

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

The main track up through the center was very quiet right up until the last pool on the left where I scanned the edges and found a couple of Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), 3x Little (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta) and 1x Temminck Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii), 4x Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and a dozen or so Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) on one of the more distant pools.

Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

I turned right and drove down towards the pump house at the far end seeing Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) in the ditch on the left and good numbers of  Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Caspian (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) and Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons) on the pans to my right. 

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

I got to the pump house and met two more birders there, both from Germany but one was on holiday and the other from Marbella. 

Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

We spent some time scanning the pools and pans here and soon boosted the list with several new species including Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), 3x Red Knot ( Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), 3x Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Willow  (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and two Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) which flew right over us, Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and out on the large lake several Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), 3x Great White Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) and loads more Greater Flamingo's. 

Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).

The German lady (Briget I think, sorry useless with names) followed me in her car to the small pools in the fields nearby, a site she had never visited before but on the way out of the site I added Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) to the list. 

The Saltpans.

We arrived and parked and stright away added a calling Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) to the day list as well as several Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), a very smart Marbled Duck (Cerceta Pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris) wnich was the second year tick of the day after the three Red Knot seen earlier, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), another Kingfisher, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), several Common Sandpipers and a single Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).

I then made my way back to Sanlucar and spent the rest of the day on the beach with Jayne and Barb where I did not add much except for a single pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) which drifted over the Stone Pines on the far shore, a Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) which was flying south east down the coast towards Tarifa, 3 Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) which flew in land towards the saltpans and several Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterflies going inland along the beach.

Marbled Duck (Cerceta Pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Later we drove down to Chipiona and had a very breezy walk along the sea front where I saw singles of both Eurasian Curlew (Zaoaito Real / Numenius arquata) and Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus) as well as an immature Lesser Black-backed Gull with a ring on. 

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

After the walk we returned to Sanlucar and to the square near the hotel for some Tapas and then a birthday Whiskey back at the Hotel, thanks Barbara.

Italica near Sevilla, Sevilla Province and Chipiona, Cadiz Province.

A morning around the Roman ruins and then an afternoons birding at Chipiona.

Jayne and Barb.

Jayne, Barbara and I left the house quite early and headed west along the A92 to the Roman remains at Italica just to the north of the city. 

On the way over I had from the car view of Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) x2, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Black (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba).

We arrived at Italica, parked and went in free of charge which at the time I thought was amazing for such an atraction. 

We spent a couple of hours wandering around the place but came away a little disappointed, the Mosaics were very nice and the amphitheater was well worth a look but the rest of the site was very disorganised and looked more like weedy allotments. 

In the far corner there was a lake and a hide where I had a quick look and found Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and around the rest of the grounds Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

We also had Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) and Lang's Short-tailed Blues (Leptotes pirithous), Small White (Pieris rapae), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Mediterranean skipper (Gegenes nostrodamus).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

We finished at the remains earlier than expected so after a coffee we decided to drive to Bonanza for lunch in a sea food resturant we have used before, on the way I saw again from the car White  (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Short-toed  (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and a Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli). 

Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

We had a very nice lunch and then made our way to the Hotel Barrameda in the center of the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda which we like very much. 

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Once we were sorted there I left Jayne and barb to have a couple of hours before we hit the town later and went birding to Chipiona port, I arrived but did not find any of the Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) this spot is best known for so I had a walk along the beach where I had Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo), Sandwich (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Caspian (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) and immature Black Terns (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger). 

Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

On my way back to the car I called in at the port again and this time found a group of birders watching 12 Little Swifts which spent some of the time hanging in the strom breeze which gave us some good chances to take a few shots.

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

I returned to Sanlucar and we all went for a walk along the sea front and stopped in a bar for a drink before returning to the main square and the tapas bars for some food which included the locally famous Tortillitas de Camarones which were as usual superb, I also enjoyed a very nice Pork in gravy tapas as well before we hit the pit.

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Sun set from a bar on the Sanlucar sea front.

Northern Granada Province.

Birds and butterflies in the desert like areas of Granada Province.

Trumpeter Finches (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus).

After dropping Jayne and Barbara off in Granada City I went up the A92 and into the dry lands beyond Baza to look for some birds out there, on the way I picked up Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Trumpeter Finches (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus).

I arrived at the site and parked by the small patch of water which was leaking from a water tanks and almost instantly had the first of 20 or so Trumpeter Finches (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus) which came in for a drink. 

Trumpeter Finches (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus).

This first group was mainly moulting adults with a couple of immature birds as well, during the morning different sized flocks dropped in along with Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) but the latter two species always stayed out of view behind some weeds when drinking. 

Trumpeter Finch (Camachuelo Trompetero / Bucanetes githagineus).

The only other species seen in this area were Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Common / Southern (Polyommatus icarus / celina) and Long-tailed Blues (Lampides boeticus).

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

I had some shots and it was getting hot so I headed south early and had a nice Menu del Dia on my way back towards Granada, after I had eatern I was still early so I turned off the Motorway near Baza and checked an area of Wild Caper (Capparis spinosa) and soon located several Desert Orange-tips (Colotis evagore) and by the time I had walked around the site I had seen more than fifty insects on the wing.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

I by now was running slightly late so cracked on back to Granada and arrived just 4 minutes late to pick Jayne and Barb before heading home.

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Desert Orange-tip (Colotis evagore).

Hacho, Loja, Granada Province.

A Pipit in a Redstart tree.

After a tip off from Sam Woods whilst birding earlier in the week I had a quick look amongst the Pine Woodlands on the northern slope, on the way up there I had several species flash up from the roadside and away into the Olive groves including several lemon rumped Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), a Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) which also flashed a rump at me as she went but it was white this time, a mob of Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).

Once I had parked I searched the sun scorched areas between the pines and almond tree looking for signs of the Tree Pipits (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis) that Sam had seen a few days earlier but thought that I had probably left it too long and the birds had moved on south. I did however find 7+ Pied Flycatchers (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula). 

I turned around and started to walk back down towards the car when I saw a nice male Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) which hoped up into a small Hawthorn bush. As I watched this smart bird I was aware that there were actually 4 Redstarts in the same bush, the other 3 were female types and as I scanned higher up I found the target Tree Pipit sat right on top. I had a good view of it but as I raised the camera for a record shot it flew off and dropped over the edge of the quarry and away in to the pines on the far side. 

Having see the main bird (thanks Sam) which was a year tick putting me on 272 I drove down to La Fabrica where I parked the car and walked back to meet Jayne and Barb. On the drive down I added Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) x2, Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), and on the walk back up European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica).

Later we all walked down to La Fabrica via the Olive grove track for some lunch, on the way I had Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small Whites (Pieris rapae), Blue-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).