Laguna Dulce, Laguna Catacete, Vulture feeding point, Rio Guadalhorce and Zapata.

Out to the west and into Malaga Province for the day.

Day Two.

7 Black Storks (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra).

I again picked Kate and Jim up before we headed out to the west and made our first stop at Laguna Dulce where I was surprised how much the water had dropped since my last visit. Stright away I was pleased to see a group of 7 Black Storks (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) out in the middle of the lake amongst the numerous Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

There was also a group of around 30 Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) roosting with heads under wings but closer to the hide and feeding hard were several Common Redshanks (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), a Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Other species included Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Our next stop was at Laguna Catacete where ther was still a good amount of water but the same species as at Laguna Dulce so we continued on to the nearby Vulture feeding station where we had good views of several Griffons (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) in flight but none were down on the carcases. In the same area we also had Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) before heading south to a short stretch of the Rio Guadalhorce where we looked for some dragonflies but we did not stay long as Kate found the heat rather hard going. 

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Before we moved on we did however record Violet (Trithemis annulata) and Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma), Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii), Bath White (Blanqiverdosa / Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias Común / Colias corcea), False Mallow / Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolinus / alceae) and several Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Our last stop of the day was down near Malaga at Zapata where we crossed the ford and parked seeing Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Squacco (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and more Violet (Trithemis annulata) and Orange-winged Dropwing, Blue / Common and Lesser Emperor.

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma) mating pair.