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Saturday, 3 November 2018

RAM and Charca Suarez, Granada Province.

Out and about on the Granada Coast.

Wintering Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).
I met Juan Pérez Contreras, his wife Beatriz and Chika their dog at their place and we headed down to the coast and up on to Peñón de Jolúcar where we carried out the monthly sea bird count. Species included 5x Great (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) and1x Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus), 16x Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and 53x Scopoli's / Cory's Shearwaters (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea / borealis), 49x Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), 5x Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), 43x Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), 1x Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), 2x Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and 1x Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and 14x Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
Wintering Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).
More land based birds included 1x Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), 2x Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), 5x Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), 2x Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
Female Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
Once the bird count was completed we made our way to Charca Suarez wetland where we walked out to the hide over looking Laguna Blanca, on the way we saw loads of Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta)Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus), Common Kestrel, Collared Dove, Black Redstart and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). Once we were in the hide we soon found several female Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), 3x Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), 2x Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), in the far reed beds an Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), a couple of groups of Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which were flitting around the reeds, a single male Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), 5x Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret, Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), 2 calling Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), at least three wintering Wrynecks (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) two of which were calling loudly and a female Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which spent quite a while feeding right in front of the hide and joined the Wryneck for a few seconds in the Pampas Grass.
Female Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
We walked around towards the main hide over looking the largest of the Lagoons adding Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), a couple of Monarchs (Danaus plexippus), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), several Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis) and from the hide we picked out a good number of Common Pochards, 4x Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), 50 or so Mallards, Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), the first of 14 Red-knobbed Coots (Focha cornuda / Fulca cristata) but most were seen on the next pool, Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
On the way to and from the next hide we had Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs canariensis), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Large White (Pieris brassicae), Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
We walked back to the hide over looking Laguna Blanca but we did not find any new species so we went and checked the hide at the far end of the long pool we know as the Bittern hide, here we had brief views of a wintering Moustached Warbler (Carricerin Real / Acrocephalus melanopogon), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and a single Western Willow Spreadwing (Lestres viridis).
Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).
Juan and I went out of the reserve and met Beatriz and Chika on the beach before heading back home via Granada.
Stripe-less Tree Frogs (Hyla meridionalis).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Friday, 2 November 2018

Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

A few hours around the pools after dropping Jayne for her trip to the UK.

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Jayne and I headed down to the coast and in to the airport where Jayne was catching her flight back to the UK to spend time with our Son and Grandson.
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
I went over to the nearby Guadalhorce and started up by the coast and spent some time watching the water from the watch point, I started the list with Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and several Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) over the nearby buildings.
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
I drove down to the other end of the area and parked by the church and entered the main reserve and headed for the main hide, as I walked there were clouds of Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta) as well as several Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Large White (Pieris brassicae) and Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).
Once in the main hide I picked up Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Little Egret, Great Cormorant, Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) x5, Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and a female Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
I walked around to the next hide over looking another pool where I saw Northern Shoveler, Little Grebe, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Eurasian Teal and Mallard.
From a mound just along the way I had a hunting male Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
I walked down to the beach on the far track as far as the watch point seeing nothing new along the way, out to sea I had all the Gulls seen earlier, Northern Gannet and Sandwich Tern and along the beach as I walked towards the entrance back into the reserve I also had Common Stonechat, another Marsh Harrier and most surprisingly a single Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) which flew up from amongst all the debris which had been washed up after resent storms.
I walked out of the reserve via the main hide again but did not add anything until I was just about to drop down of the river side bank to the car when I saw 4 Great Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) drop in to the areas around Laguna Grande.