Sierra Morena, Jaen Province and Fuente de Piedra and Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

Day three with Jane and John in Sierra Morena and then birding on our way back to Malaga.

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

We had breakfast and sorted the hotel bills before heading straight out to the same area as yesterday afternoon but taking our time as we could see there was some fog still hanging around. 

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

On the way out we saw lots of Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

Just as we arrived in the prime area we were beckoned by one of the Spanish guys there and told that the Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina) had just been seen and when we reached the spot where he indicated it was best to park we were over the moon that the beautiful animal was fast asleep on a large rock just 110m away from us (according to Google Earth). 

Iberian Lynx (lince iberico / Lynx pardina).

The Lynx lay there for another half an hour before waking up with a very wide yawn and walking off across the rocks and down into the fog. After waiting a short while to see if the fog was likely to clear we decided that it was not and headed for the car. 

Watching the Lynx.

As we were very unlikely to get any better views of the Lynx we started to make our way south to Fuente de Piedra for an afternoon of birding. On the way we saw Golden (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), serveral Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and a couple of Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax). 

Watching the Lynx again.

When we reached Fuente we parked and walked out to the view point and soon started to add new species including Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) all on the small pool off to the right and Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) out on the main lagoon.

Fog in the valley.

In the bushes around us we had a calling Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which we later saw in a Tamarisk tree near the first pool, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackcap, Black Redstart and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Lichens on one of the posts.

The two hides around the back of the center were extremely quiet and we added just Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Lichen covered posts.

On our way back to the car we checked the pool near the watch point and found that Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) had joined the earlier species seen.

Feeding bowls for the Bulls.

We reached the car and headed for Guadalhorce where we parked near the school and walked out on to the reserve and went out along the far hides and down to the sea watch point where we found Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus). 

Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

Out on the sea Black-necked (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), a single Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) and as we walked off the reserve in the fading light we heard a Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and saw a skulking Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) and a pair of Zitting Cisticolas (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

We next made our way in to the city of Malaga where Jane and John were staying in the center, the traffic was not great but I got them as close to the center as possible due to the traffic and masses of roadworks before fighting my way out and homeward.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) pale Morph.

Sierra Morena, Jaen Province.

A full day of searching for Mammals along the River and in the hills.

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

We left the accommodation and drove down to the Río Jándula, on the way we found the sad sight of a fresh road kill Wild Cat (Gato Montes / Felis silvestris) which was not a good start but thankfully things went upwards from that point. 

Spanish Fighting Bulls.

We drove along side the river as far as the dam wall of the embalse seeing Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Spanish Fighting Bulls.

Near the dam we spent a cold couple of hours with a thick fog cover looking at the river, we eventually had good views of a female Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra) as she hide from us under rocks on the bank but eventually settled and spent some time swimming around below us. 

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

In the same are we picked up Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) female.

By around 10:00 it had gone so cold we decided to retreat to the bar near the accommodation for breakfast and a warm coffee but made a stop to check a large raptor which was sat on a pylon which turned out to be a distant Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) in the mist.

Jane looking out over the foggy valley.

After having breakfast we drove out to the area for the Lynx, on the way we had some good views of several Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and a couple of fields of the black Fighting Bulls.

Female Iberian Lynx (lince iberico/ Lynx pardina).

Once we were on site we set up the chairs and scope in amongst a few more viewers also lookng for the Lynx. Whilst we sat there we had Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

John looking for the Lynx.

Mid afternoon saw Jane and I sat in the chairs by the car and John off having a wander when suddenly a female Iberian Lynx (lince iberico/ Lynx pardina) walked out from under a bush just 20 meters in front of us but quickly disappeared down in to the valley below us but not before Jane and I had seen it well. 

Female Iberian Lynx (lince iberico/ Lynx pardina).

John arrived back once he realized a Lynx was about and joined the rest of the watchers who had found the beautiful animal sat under a bush not a great distance away where it spent a few minutes sat before disappearing off around some rocks.

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

We all moved along the road to watch the nest gully where we again had good views of the cat before moving on again to another spot where we got our forth view of this stunningly rare animal before she disappeared into the bushes. 

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica).

Late in the afternoon we drove down to the dam at the far end of the track where we added Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Cabra pyreaica) to the Mammal list and Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) to the birds.

Down at the Embalse.

We drove back up to the Lynx area and then later headed back in to the accommodation and to the bar next door where we had a nice bit of Pork for our evening meal before an early night after a busy but successful day.

The sun getting low through the Oaks.

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) in the sunset.

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) in the sunset.

Guadalhorce and Zapata, Malaga Province and Sierra Morena, Jaen Province.

A mornings birding around Malaga and the late afternoon in the Sierra.

Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra).

I drove down to Malaga and started the day by walking out on to the main reserve, I parked by the school and walked across the bridge where I scanned up stream and quickly noticed a bow wave moving along the left hand bank which I quickly realized was an Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra) which swam away from the bank and crossed to the other side and under the bridge and off down towards the sea. 

Female Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra).

In the same area I also had Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Sardinian  (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Dartford Warblers (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

I walked out on to the reserve and to the two far hides where Luis Alberto had seen a couple of very rare Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) two days earlier but I could not find either of them but did get a good prolonged view of a hunting Short-eared Owl (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus) which flew south and then back north and off up river and out of sight. 

Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

From the top of the bank down to the sea I saw Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), lots of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

At the far end of the track I checked the old river and added Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and from the sea watch point at the end of the track I had a flock of 10 Shelducks (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) fly over me as well as a single Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra), lots of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which appeared to come in from the sea and fly up the river.

Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus).

I retraced my steps back around to the crossroad and took the left turn towards the next hide but it was extremely quiet but I did add a female White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) and on my way around to the main hide Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), out along the river a fishing Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) and a single male Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta).

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).

I spent a short while in the main hide as it was fairly quiet again except for a roosting Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and lots of Stripe-necked Terrapins (Mauremys leprosa).

Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).

I then took a walk out to the beach and back down to the far sea watch point, on the way I saw Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluviali squatarola) x5, Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) x1, Balearic Shearwater (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and a single Razorbill (Alca Común / Alca torda).

Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus).

I walked back around to the bridge and added just Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I left the Guadalhorce area and went quickly to Zapata but only did the canal as the rest of the site was still very muddy and flooded after recent rains, I checked the first part of the track and a few old buildings and found a couple of Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus), a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), lots of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and a male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) which was sat on the window of one of the buildings.

Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).

My next stop was at the airport to meet Jane and John who were flying in from the Uk but due to a delay they were around 4 hours late. 

Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).

Once we had met up we drove north towards Andujar and then out in to the wilds of Sierra Morena, a stunning area which is well known for the Iberian Lynx (Lynx lutra). 

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).

On the way we saw lots of Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).

Once we reached the mountains we chatted to some of the watchers and found out that the Lynx was seen earlier in the day but we did not see it but did add Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), Small White (Pieris rapae) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) before we dropped down to the accommodation where at some point during the night I could hear a Tawny Owl (Cárabo Común / Strix aluco) calling.

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).