Tarifa and other areas, Cadiz Province.

Raptor migration and Dragonflies with Steve Jones.

White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Jayne, Lynn, Steve and myself left Sanlucar de Barrameda earlish and made our way south taking the long way back home via Gibraltar for the Girls and Tarifa for Steve and I. 

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

We dropped Jayne and Lynn off at the border and then drove over to the Raptor watch point called Cazalla which is just East of Tarifa, there were just a few people there as it is still early in the migration season and the birds were equally thin in the air but we did manage 2♀ or Immature Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), several of both Booted (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) and Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), 1x of both Honey (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), several Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and 2x immature and 1x adult Egyptian Vultures (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), both Lesser (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and the star bird amongst the raptors a Lanner Falcon (Halcón Borní / Falco biarmicus) which was a fine addition to my Spanish List.

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

We also had several 100 Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) coming through along with a few Pallid (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and a couple of flocks of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

After a few hours there we moved to a site nearer to Gibraltar where we were again lucky enough to find 1♂ and 2♀ Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) dragonflies, apart from being stunning looking insects these beauties are extremely rare. 

Egyptian Vultures (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).

In the same area we had Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Violet (Trithemis annulata) and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and in a nearby field Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

Later we met Jayne and Lynn again and we travelled back to Huétor where we stopped at one of the many tapas bars and had a couple of drinks and something to eat after a successful trip. 

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) male.

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) male.

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) female.

Green Hooktail (Paragomphus genei) female.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata).

Grasshopper Species needing a name.

Bonanza Area, Cadiz Province.

Pools and Salt pans in Cadiz Province.

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

Jayne and Lynn were staying around the town and having a walk along the sea front and Steve and I were heading out birding again, so after breakfast in the town we first headed for the small pools near Bonanza. 

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

As we arrived the first birds we saw were two Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), the first one looking like a nice normal adult bird but the second one was a leucistic bird looking almost white with darker grey patches. 

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

During this visit we saw several more normal looking adults and immature birds but the leucistic bird did not return.

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

However we did add Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides), Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus).

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

 

We moved on after a while and revisited Bonanza after yesterdays success, on the main track in we parked a spent quite a while photographing Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

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

 

In the same area I also saw Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Little Ringed (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and a pair of passing Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Once around the corner and heading down to the pump house we stopped and checked the spot where we had seen the Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus) yesterday but only found Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).

Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

 

Once we were down at the Pump house we were again trying for flight shots of the highly mobile Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons) as well as the Slender-billed, Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis). 

Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).

We also saw a good many other species including Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

We retraced our way along the top track and continued on down to the River but only added Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and on the river Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

We made our way out of the Saltpans and then had a look at the Laguna de Tarelo but it was quiet except for a very large number of Western Cattle and Little Egrets, a few Squacco Herons, Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Black Kite and as we went through the woodlands to the far end we saw more Booted Eagles, Black Kite, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Spoonbill, Red-rumped Swallow and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli). 

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

We moved out on to the open tracks and looked around the other saltpans and wet areas out there but we did not find a great deal but we did see Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Montagu's Harrier's (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus). 

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

We later went back to Bonanaza where we only added Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) but had good photographic chances with quite a few species before we headed back to the hotel and went out for the evening.

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

Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).

Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons).

Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons).

Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons).

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

Chipiona, Bonanza and travelling, Cadiz Province.

A trip down to the Cadiz Coast and a Spanish Lifer.

Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus) by Steve Jones.

We set off and headed west to Antequera and then on over to Jerez and Sanluca de Barrameda, on the way I saw several species including Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax),

Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus) by Steve Jones.

Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus) by Steve Jones.

Once we were in Sanluca we checked in at the Hotel Los Helechos and the went down to Chipiona and parked on the sea front. 

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

We had a walk along the sea front down to the main beach where we had lunch, just off the beach there were large numbers of Terns including 50+ Black (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger), 30+ Sandwich (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), 100s of Little (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons) and a few Common Terns (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

As we walked back along the coast looking out to see we picked up Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and down at the port there were 4+ Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) as well as Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martins, Barn Swallows and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

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

Later we drove back to the hotel and the girls went in whilst Steve and I went for a couple of hours at Bonanza Saltpans, on the drive up the main track we made a few stops and saw Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and just after we turned right and scanned the second pan along a Red-necked Phalarope (Falaropo Picofino / Phalaropus lobatus) which was feeding in the shallow water. 

2x Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and several Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

It was a very distant at first but came a bit closer (allowing Steve to get some good record shot) as it worked it's was towards us feeding all the time, this was the first of two Spanish lifers for me on the three day trip.

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

We continued on down to the pump house and spent some time there trying to photograph the feeding Little Terns and Slender-billed Gulls. 

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

We also saw Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Red Knot ( Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

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

We also saw a single Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope) and several Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii). 

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

We retraced our tracks and made our way back out to the hotel to meet the girls before going out into the main square for a tapas evening.

Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Caspian Terns (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

1st Summer Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons).

Rio Turron, Teba Gorge and Salinas, Malaga Province.

Dragon hunting with Steve.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus).

We drove over to Ardales, on the way we saw 2x Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata). 

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus).

We arrived at the spot we have visited a few times in the past looking for dragons, we parked and walked around the field to the spot were we soon found 4♂ Small Pincertails (Onychogomphus forcipatus), 2♂ Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), 20+ White Featherlegs (Platycnemis latipes), 1♂ Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Striped Grayling (Pseudotergumia fidia), Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora), Holly (Celastrina argiolus), Long-tailed (Lampides baeticus) and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Small White (Pieris rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus).

Birds included Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus). 

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Near the car we also found a large Hornets (Vespa crabro) nest in the Oak tree next to the parking spot.

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Further along the road we stopped again and checked another area of the same river, here we saw more Small Pincertails, Orange-winged Dropwings, White Featherlegs, Copper Demoiselle as well as 2♂ Scarlet Darters (Crocothemis erythraea), 2♂ and 2♀ Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Iberian Blue-tail (Ischnura graellsii), Spanish Brown Argus (Aricia cramera), Mediterranean skipper (Gegenes nostrodamus) and Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Scarlet Darters (Crocothemis erythraea).

Our next stop was just below the bridge over the river which runs through the Teba Gorge, in a couple of small pools there we added 2♂ Epaulet (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and 2♂ and 1♀ Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens) along with 15+♂ Scarlet Darters, 2♂ and 1♀ Iberian Blue-tail and 2♂ and 1♀ Orange-winged Dropwings.

Scarlet Darters (Crocothemis erythraea).

We moved on again to a spot near Salinas but most of the sites there were dry, whoever we did see 1♂ Epaulet, 2♂ Keeled and 2♂ Southern Skimmers (Orthetrum brunneum), Orange-winged Dropwing and Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta).

♀ Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).

♀ Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi).

Keeled Skimmer (Orthetrum coerulescens).