Guadalhorce river mouth pools and Zapata, Malaga Province.

The last day with John and Sharon.

John and Sharon, Day Five.

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Jayne, Barb, Sharon, John and I headed down to the coast where I dropped Sharon and John off at Guadalhorce and then took Jayne and Barb to the beach at Torremolinos and then I returned and chased after John and Sharon.

I parked and crossed the bridge and went straight on through the reed channel seeing a Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Black (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and on a small pool between the first two hides Cassilas and ViejaI had a fleeting look at a Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) which shot across the near margin and in to some reeds. I met Sharon and John and we went back to the spot but did not see the bird again as two guy from the Environmental agency were testing the water and throwing in some sort of chemicals????

Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

We went back to the first hide where I saw White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and in between this hide and the next we had a fly over male Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and a winter plumage Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) on the deeper part of the wader scrape.
Once we were in the hide in front of the wader scrape we picked up Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and a Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) which was sat in on of the usual dead trees but little else so we continued on down the track towards the sea watch point.
On the pool / old river we found a single Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) x1, Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) x8 and Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x5, Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) x2, a couple of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a male Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) which was hunting between the bushes next to the track.

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

In the bushes between the scrape and the beach we had Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and in the sky a couple of Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).
On the beach we scanned the sea and picked up Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) x5 and on the shingle a couple of Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
We retraced our steps back along the track towards the scrape hide picking up a couple of migrating Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), once there we added Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) before heading around to the main hide picked up a calling Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos). Along with Vagrant Emperor (Emperatriz emigrante / Anax ephippiger), Banded Groundling (Brachythemis impartita) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

Around at the main hide we saw Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
From here we headed back to the car and then went have some lunch before visiting Zapata at the far side of the airport. We drove along the entrance channel and then under the runway and down to the river. Along the channel we had Yellow and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Kingfisher, Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Coot, Common Moorhen, Serin, a female Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and both Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Along the river we also had several dragonflies including Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperors (Anax parthenope), Orange-winged (Trithemis kirbyi) and Violet Dropwings (Trithemis annulata), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Before going to the airport we went to the sea front and added a few more species to the trip list including Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), more Monk Parakeets and another Vagrant Emperor. Next we went for a coffee and then to the airport.