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Saturday 28 April 2018

Malaga, Mollina and Fuente de Piedra, Malaga Province and Villamanrique de la Condesa, Sevilla Province.

The start of the adventure.
Day One: Doñana and Extremadura tour.

The day started well when I found Magdalena and Pierre very quickly at Malaga airport, which meant we were soon on our way North towards Antequera picking up a flock of Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) before we got out of the city and then a displaying pair of Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) just before we switched motorways at Antequera.
2x Lesser Flamingo's (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor) and many more Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Our first stop was near the town of Mollina where we searched an agricultural area for birds but only found Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) before heading off to Fuente de Piedra.
As we drove through the town we saw a couple of White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) on a chimney down by the railway station and on the entrance road pools we boosted the list considerably with Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).
We parked and then walked up to the visitors centre where Perre and Magdalena used the facilities whilst I went to the Mirador at the back of the car parking and scanned the Lagoon from the higher point finding Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
We then went around to the Oak tree Mirador where we quickly located 2 Lesser Flamingo's (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor), 1000s of Greater Flamingo's, more Gull-billed Terns and a couple of very distant Shelducks (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna).
We then visited the two hides at the back of the reserve over looking the fresh water pools where we saw lots of the species already on the list but also added White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) x2, Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus).
We walked back to the car and then went for a coffee in the town before setting off for Sevilla airport where we were meeting the other guests, on the way we saw a couple of Collared Pratincoles (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola) on a muddy fields, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans). 
We arrived at the airport and eventually decided that the van would go under the height barrier which it did just. I then left Pierre and Magdalena with the van and went to meet the others but found the flight celayed slightly. After a short while Nick, Mike, Ann and Bob came through the doors with their kit and we returned to the van and then headed out to the Ardea Purpurea Hotel near the town of Villamanrique de la Condesa. Once we were checked in we went for a walk out in to the woods nearby where we started the full groups list off with Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and I heard a calling Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) which was the only one that was heard or seen during the tour which was a bit of a suprise and a little worrying. We returned to the Hotel and had a nice evening meal before turning in.

Thursday 26 April 2018

Padul Wetlands, Granada Province.

A pleasanter than normal visit to the wetlands.

Male Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
Jayne and I headed up into Granada and out to the new very large hospital where we made our way up to the 7th floor for Jayne's treatment. Once she was settled I headed out for a few hours birding down at Padul parking by a bar above the reserve and then walking along the wooded margins to the larger woodland near the visitors centre where Juan Pérez Contreras had seen a Wood Warbler (Mosquitero Sibador / Phylloscopus sibilatrix) the day before. On the way out I picked up Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Collared (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and
Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and in the over hanging Fig trees a migrating Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
In the taller trees dozens of Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) were calling and and nice male Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) was feeding up ready to push on further North, a couple of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), I also picked up a warbler in the taller Poplar trees which could well have been Juan's Wood Warbler but I did not get good enough views in the brief time I saw it to be 100% sure so it will have to go down as one that got away.
Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra).
However in this area and on the track back to the car I located Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).
Once back at the bar I had a sandwich before driving around to the smelly and normally rubbish filled channel on another part of the reserve but when  arrived I was very pleased to see that a lot of work had been done to clear the channel and surroundings of most of the rubbish and that the worst of the vegetation infront of the hide had been cleared. 
Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).
Anyway I walked around the boardwalks in the area and spent a while in the hide with company of a domestic duck adding Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), at least two displaying male Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and a flying Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).
Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).
I returned to the car and drove around the remainder of the reserve and on the far side along side some small ellotment type areas I found 5+ Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), another Purple Heron, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Great Reed Warbler (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), a couple of singing Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis) and a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix). I drove out at the far point near the visitor centre and headed back up to Jayne at the hospital.

Tuesday 24 April 2018

Cacín Valley and La Malaha, Granada Province.

Birding in the Cacín Valley with Chris, Audrey and Mick all from the UK.

Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) just after a bath.
I picked Mick up from Realenga and we went and met up with Chris and Audrey at the Cortijo de Tajar Hotel by the A92 before driving out on to the fields near to Morleda. We made out first stop shortly after taking to the tracks and began the day list with Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), several rattling Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), several calling but distant European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), a well hidden calling Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), both Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) just after a bath.
We moved on around the next bend which bought us closer to the Red-rumped Swallows so Chris managed some shot at quite close range and we also had another couple of Hoopoes which were seen in flight this time and a male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
Further along the track we stopped again and listened to but did not find a Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and some nice Orchid species including Bumblebee (Ophrys bombyliflora), Dark Spider (Ophrys incubacea), Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina), Mirror (Ophrys speculum) and Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea).
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
Just a little further on we stopped again to look at some nicely perched European Bee-eaters sitting on some unpicked Wild Asparagus spikes. Whilst we were watching them an unexpected Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) flew up on to the woody lower part of the plant and in the area nearby we had better views of a Sardinian Warbler and added Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a rather shy Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which dived for cover just as we located it.
Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
We moved up on to the upper almong grove areas and then out on to the cereal crop fields nearby, on the way through the almongs we had a walk along one of the side tracks seeing a pair of Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), several Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), the first of quite a few (more than expected for spring passage) Whinchats (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), a Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), heard a Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and checked through a passing group of Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) for other species. 
As we approached the ruined Cortijo we watched several Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) on the track in front of us and could see a pair of Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) sat on the back wall but they were off as soon as we arrived. 
We made one final stop just as we were leaving the area when I picked up a Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris) feeding in an area that had been cleared of almond trees, in the same area we saw two stunning Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) which sat up in the remaining tree tops, heard a Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) calling and best of all had two male Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) fly past.
Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).
We cut across coutry and headed for the fields in the La Malaha area picking up a smart Little Owl on the way.
Once on the fields at La Malaha we started to hear the rhaspberry calls from the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) but as hard as we tried we could not find a bird out in the open, however we did get good vews of Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), a very smart Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), the first of a few Booted Eagles (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and a soaring Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and my first Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) of the year.
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) looking annoyed.
As we drove across the area we saw several very nice Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) but on one of the fields we found a bird that looked a bit different so we took some shots even though it was a bit distant and after checking on our return it turns out it was the Grey-headed (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi) passing through on its way up to scandinavia and just as we were going to head off 3 flying Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) cruised aroud the sky never coming in close but gving us good identificaton vews.
Our next stop was in a local bar for a coffee and to collect a sandwich for later before gong out towards Cacín making a stop near to a recently chopped Poplar plantation where we had another pair of Booted Eagles, Spotted (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo). We continued on and made a couple more short stops and seeing a couple more flighty Rollers, Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea) before dropping down in to the Cacín Valley.
Grey-headed (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi).
We left Cacín and headed north along the valley to the Embalse de Cacín where we parked and walked down to the margins to see what was around and soon found that there were good numbers of waders on the muddy areas as the water levels were quite low, these included 20+ Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), 10+ Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), a single Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), 2x Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and several Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) along with 2 Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Grey-headed (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava thunbergi).
Out on the water there were qute a few Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and as we walked back to the car a bathing Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus). Around the edges we picked up White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) as well as Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and a couple of the many Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).
We drove the short distance up to the bridge over the Cacín and walked along the track towards the dam checking the large White Poplars at the end where we found Willow (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Garden (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) and Bonelli's Warblers (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) as well as Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) which we only heard, Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).
We moved further up the valley seeing Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) on the way and made our last stops along the road below the crags at Moraleda where we scanned the cliffs and added Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura) before heading back to the hotel and then home.

Sunday 22 April 2018

La Malaha and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province.

A days birding with Lauren and Julian in the valley.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
I met Lauren and Julian on the edge of the Albaicin area of Granada City and we headed out to the South and then west to a spot where we saw several pairs of Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) which showed well in flight and sat on the farm building.
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
In the same area we checked a dry barranco lined with Tamarisks where we saw Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), a very shy but noisy Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), a passing pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), a couple of Hoopoes (Abubilla / Upupa epops) which were calling and then chasing each other around the trees, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).
We moved down to an area of fields near to La Malaha and we were soon watching a very smart Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which was sat in the road at first but then flew up into the field along side the road, Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and at least 6 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) including at least 4 males chasing down a female, Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
We moved on through to the road down into the Cacín Valley and just a short way along the road we parked and scanned the olives and poplars picking up Turtle Doves (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), a male Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and along the road several Yellow Bee Orchids (Ophrys lutea).
On the next bend we scanned the bushes and trees and I was surprised to find a rather late Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Further along the road we saw a Booted Eagle struggling to get up off the ground with a huge Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida) and a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea). 
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
Next we had a stop in a bar in Cacín and then a short walk along the river adding Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), a group of stunning summer plumage Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and my first Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) of the year, a nice female.
Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
We drove up the valley to the Embalse where we walked down to the waters edge and scanned the muddy margins where we counted at least 20 Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) as well as several Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), a rather more unexpected Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) which flushed from the reeds, Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and out on the water Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo). 
Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and an Ocellated Lizard (Lacerta lepida). 
In the air we saw a pair of soaring Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and several Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) mixed in with lots of Commons.
Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).
We moved just down the road to the bridge over the Cacín adding just a calling Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and at our last stop up on the fields near to Moraleda a Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) before heading back in to the city.
Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).