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Saturday 24 March 2018

Fuente de Piedra and Archidona, Malaga Province.

An afternoon Celebrating Andy Patterson's 75th Birthday and a mornings birding.

Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).
I drove over to Fuente de Piedra where I started by scanning the pool on the road in picking up Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Little Ringed (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Sand (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).
I then parked and walked down towards the board walk where I was very pleased to see friends Juliet and David Hird who I had not bumped into since our trip to the Pyrenees back in June 2017.
We spent a while checking the pools seeing a Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).
Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).
We walked from there around to the mirador with the Oak tree, on the way we watched the House Martins coming to shelter behind the reeds on the ground to get out of the wind as well as Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).
From the Mirador we did not add much as it was blowing a very cool gale, we did however find a couple of Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) on the main lake, an immature Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) which did a fly past and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata).
From the larger of the hides over looking the fresh water pools we picked up Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
Andy being presented with a painting of Wandering Albatross's from the Spanish Birders.
From the smaller hide over looking the other pool we saw Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
We walked back around to the car park along the lower path, on our way we found Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and after a visit to the centre a pair of Garganey (Cerceta Carretona / Anas querquedula) were added from the upper view point over the left hand end of the fresh water pool.
We then went around to the bar on the far side of the town but just as I was leaving the site I added Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and a single Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica). At the bar I again met up with Juliet and David and Bob and Jenny Wright as well as around 40 or so Spanish birders and their families to celebrate Andy Patterson's 75th Birthday. We had a good time there and enjoyed a fine spread of food (thanks Andy and Lupe).
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
I left a little earlier than most but wanted to get back home, on my way I stopped briefly to see 3 Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) which Bob had found earlier along with at least 3 male Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).



Friday 23 March 2018

Caleta de Velez and Guadalhorce Pools, Malaga Province.

A day down on the coast to escape from the rain and a new species for the patch in the drizzle on the way home.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
We drove down to Torre del Mar via Puente Don Emanuel picking up a group of passing Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpies (Urraca / Pica pica), at least three Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) on the wires along the way, Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), a couple of Sparrowhawks (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) one of which flashed across the road chasing something, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
After a look around the shopping centre we went for a very nice lunch on the coast before making a very quick visit to Caleta port where I picked up Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and out in the harbour a pale phase Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) which was giving a group of Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) hassel.
We then went further along the coast to Malaga where I parked at the entrace to the Guadalhorce and walked out to the very small muddy edged Laguna, I checked the hide over looking the first reed fringed pool where I watched a male White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) displaying to a couple of females. On the same pool there were good numbers of Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).
Two rather loud English photographers who had left the path and strayed out on to the reserve even though there are plenty of signs to ask you not to so that they could get there photographs. It is more and more common to find camera carrying none birders taking photographs and ignoring the welfare of the birds to get that shot. They walked off down to the sea making rather a lot of noise flushing most birds as they went.
I had a look over the small laguna and soon found the Spotted Crakes (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) that had been reported there for a few days, the first was just a blurrrrrrrrrrrrrr as it ran from the weeds on the far shore into cover on the near side. I was just starting to curse that it had disappeared when the second bird came in to view and walked around in the open of a few minutes giving distant but good length views which was more than could be said for the Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which popped out for a second before disappearing again.
Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).
I had a quick look at the next hide and down on the River bend adding Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and as we drove out I saw a couple of Jackdaws (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) on the bridge.
Once we got near to home Jayne said there is a big flock of birds flying high over the fields to the north of the town of Huétor which turned out to be a passage group of around 140 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), a new species for the area. Once at the house I checked the garden and found a male Hawfinch (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) singing in the Almond tree and at least 4 Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).

Wednesday 21 March 2018

Huétor Fields, Huétor Tajar, Granada Province.

A quick flick around the site to see what the rain has done.

Great Spotted Cuckoos (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius).
On my way down to the Supermarket I had a quick look around the local patch, on the Mesia side of the area I started the list off with a couple of Great Spotted Cuckoos (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which were sitting on a ridge in a track side field. Also seen along the irrigation channels and in the fields were Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which was feeding in a flooded Lucerne field along with several Meadow Pipits (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
On a flooded Asparagus field there were a pair of Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) wading through the thick mud, also in there were several White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a single Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and a bit more surprisingly a stunning male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
I drove back west across the area picking up Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) in a small patch of track side reeds, Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) which was sat in a puddle in the track.
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).
Next I took the eastern track along side the Arroyo Vilano which after the recent storms was a tad wider which meant the track on the far bank was missing. In the poplar plantation the Hawfinches (Picogordo / Coccotraustes coccotrauetes) were still knocking around in the tops, lower down there were both Common (Urraca / Pica pica) x4 and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) in a flock of around 30 birds, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and a very vocal Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) which was sat high up in the central trees.
Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).
Along the Arroyo I added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and just a single Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) which was not surprising as most of the vegetation had been washed away in the floods.
I turned around at the far end of the track and then checked the Juncus field finding the Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which was still hanging around as was my second Bluethroat which I had also seen a few days earlier. 
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
I returned to the road and headed down to the town checking the model aeroplane strip where there were several Meadow Pipits, a small flock of Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) which was flicking through roadside weeds, 5 Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) perched on the caging around the buildings and a female Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) in a small leafless fig tree a few meters further along the track.
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
After going into town seeing House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), I came back out on the western side of the site seeing just 2 remaining Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), both of which were nice plumaged males, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and a male Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
I finished off the list whilst driving back to the house with Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and in the garden Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and 1♂ and 2♀ Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).