La Janda, Cadiz Province.

Heading down to La Janda Rice Fields for some birding.

Kate and Jim Day Three.

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Kate, Jim and I headed off along the Motorways down to La Janda where we were targeting the rare Zeller's Skipper (Borbo borbonica) which I had seen in the area. On the way down we recorded Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) female.

We drove in from the Benalup end of the site and parked after a few hundred meters, we eventually managed to get out of the car as the wind was so strong it made even opening the door hard going. In this area we had Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and further along the track near the turning toward the main canal we had a good group of Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) along with a few Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) mixed in with them.

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) male.

We drove across the Olive fields adding Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and near the farm on the hill we saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) female.

Out on the far side of this track out in the field we found several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) which were hunting over a recently ploughed field and a couple of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) drifted across in the back ground.

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) teneral male.

Down by the main canal we picked up a single Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), the first of a few Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), an immature Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) which was on some twigs in the center of the canal holding ofn for dear life in the wind, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) teneral male.

We had some Lunch and then headed back across the site but we entered from the Northern end of the main canal where I found the first Zeller's Skippers on some of the track side Sticky Fleabane (Dittrichia viscosa) plants but they were impossible to photograph because the wind was just savage.

Red-legged Partridges (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Pheasants (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) being feed for the hunters 😟😟😟

As we drove back along the tracks over to the Benalup side of the area again stopping near the farm checking under the trees again for the roosting Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) but we failed to find one but found a Little Egret had joined the Glossy Ibis on the pool we had looked at earlier.

White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) feeding in the rice fields.

Out on the far side we did find an area of Sticky Fleabane plants that were a little more sheltered and managed to get some shots of the target Zeller's Skippers as well as seeing Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina ssp hispulla) and Swallowtail (Papilio machaon).

Immature Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

As we drove back along the track to Benalup we had a small flock of Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) pass over the road, several Yellow Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) which flew over on their way to roost, a scolding Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and a Migratory Bird Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis).

Glossy Ibis and a Little Egret.

We stayed near Vejer de la Frontera at the very nice El Paso hotel where Sandra and her family made us very welcome. I left the window open on the room hoping to hear some of the Owl species I have heard call there in the past.

White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) infront of Benalup.

Zeller's Skipper (Borbo borbonica).

Migratory Bird Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis).