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Saturday 14 April 2018

Granada Coast, Granada Province.

A cracking mornings birding with good friend Juan Pérez Contreras.

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
I met Juan out side his place and we headed off down the Motorway to the beach at Carchuna and turned in along a track which followed a channel down to the beach.
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).
The first birds seen included Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) all of which were in the gardens at the start. 
Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).
In the channel we had at least 2 Robins (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), several Common Moorhens (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and a migrating Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) and in the air House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
At the botton of this track we arrived at the beach, we turned left and drove to the far end and turned around so that we had the sun behind us, as we drove along we made several stops where we scanned the sea and beach picking up Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) x6, Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) x7, Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) x5, Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) x1, Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) x8, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).
Our next stop was at a spot near the eastern end of the port where we checked the channel that runs in to the sea there, on the way we saw Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and a Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) on a roundabout below the motor way into the port.
Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).
From the bridge over the channel we saw and heard Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) before heading for Charca adding a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) on the way.
Whilst we waited for the reserve to open we had at least 7 possibly 8 Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) 3 dark and upto 5 pale phase birds pass over heading East. 
Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).
Once we were in we went and checked Laguna del Taraje where we found the long staying male Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra). 
Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).
We next went to Laguna Blanca and soon found the cracking Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) which had been there for a while along with Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) which was only heard and a Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea) which I missed but Juan saw.
Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).
We moved around the reserve to the main hide, on the way we picked up a singing Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and several Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria). 
Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).
From the hide we saw Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Red-knobbed Coots (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), 19x Great Cormorants,  2 more Green along with a single Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).
Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).
We moved again checking the plantation on the left of the track on the way where we found Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) x3, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and a Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) which flew in and landed in one of the trees.
Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).
At the next hide over looking Laguna del Trebol hearing and seeing a Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).
Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
We next went back past the main hide and went around to the small hide over looking Laguna del Taraje where we heard a singing Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and a Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) along with Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
We went back to the hide over Laguna Blanca where I again had a very brief view of the Spotted Crake along with a very close Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), a Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and 2 male Blue / Common Emperors (Anax imperator).
Red-knobbed Coot (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata).
We finished off at the hide looking over Laguna del Lirio and just before we had to leave added a very smart male Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).
Red-knobbed Coots (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata).
On the way back up to Juan's after leaving Charca we picked up Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and back on the patch 1 male and 2 female Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Friday 13 April 2018

Huétor Fields, Granada Province.

Montagu's Harriers still on the patch.

During a very quick stop along the Arroyo Vilano in heavy rain this afternoon I picked out 2 female and a male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which were sitting on wooden posts looking soggy and well hacked off. These birds have been on site for a week or so now and look settled.

Thursday 12 April 2018

Rio Guadalhorce, Villanueva del Trabuco, Malaga Province.

A short walk along the river on the edge of town.

I took Jayne over to the Amigas de Casa meeting in Trabuco and whilst she was in there I went for a walk along the river just opposite. I soon started the list off with Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus). 
A bit further along the track there was a small waterfall and I spent a while scanning the trees there picking up Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and a flyover Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus). 
Further along the track in a large Oak tree I was surprised to find at least a dozen Siskin's (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) feeding and as I walked back along the track I found another couple of pairs in the newly leafing Ash trees.
As I walked back towards the bar where Jayne's meeting was I boosted the list by seeing Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and just as I got back to the road a pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) flew over.