Miraflores Golf Course, Malaga Province and Sierra Morena, Jaen Province.

A Spanish Lifer and an afternoon Lynx chasing with Steve Jones from the UK.

Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis).

I was going down to Malaga to meet Steve Jones for four days searching for Mammals but things were somewhat nastier weather wise than expected with heavy snow at the highest points and rain lower down. I had headed off a little early so I could call in at one of the pools on the Miraflores Golf Course where an immature Long-tailed Duck (Pato Havelda / Clangula hyemalis) had been for a few days. I arrived and found the bird easily but the light was dreadful and so were the photographs that I took. In the same area I found Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

I also call in at the rocky beach near El Faro where I boosted the list with Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

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

I met Steve who was in a little early so we were on our way North earlier than expected and up through the snow near Antequera, around Cordoba, through Andujar and out to the site for the Lynx. On the way we saw Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), 100+ White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) in a soaring flock, Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and a flock Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Once we were on site for the Lynx we settled down and watched the area infront of us where we saw Green (Pito Real / Picus viridis) and Great Spotted Woodpeckers (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Dartford (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Red (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) and Fallow Deer (Gamo común / Dama dama) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) but the Lynx which had been seen early in the day avoided us.

At dusk we drove back along the road to the accommodation at Los Pinos, where we had a good evening meal in the bar before turning in ready for our second day in the area.