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Saturday 10 October 2020

Doñana in Huelva Province, Osuna in Sevilla Province and Fuente de Piedra in Malaga Province. Spain.

Birding our way home.

Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).
We left the accommodation and headed to beach and checked the sea but only found Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
Once we realized that there was nothing passing we set off to our first stop at El Acebuche where we parked and checked the picnic area finding Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and a couple of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) all foraging amongst the fallen pine cones.
White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
As we walked around we added
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs),  Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and then out on the board walks we had Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).
Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
As we drove out of the site we had a nice Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and along our way up to Dehesa de Abajo we also had Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a singing Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) which came right up to the car, Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

Once at the
Dehesa de Abajo we parked by a flooded Rice Paddy finding Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Great (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), White Storks and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). 
Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).
I then went behind an Olive tree for a peee and as i stood there I realized I was watching a Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) on a pylon on the other side of the road. We had good views of the bird before it flew off and then I spent a while photographing several species of Dragonfly around the parking area including Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Black Percher (Diplacodes lefebvrii), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
We moved along the road again check some more Paddies and a couple of pools seeing
Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) .
We moved on and hit the motorway but came off at a rubbish dump on the way where we saw lots of White Storks and our one and only Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) of the trip.
Our next stop was ack in the Osuna area where we again scanned the pool seeing Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).
Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Along the road back into Osuna a large kettle of White Storks passed over us and a single Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).
Heading back to Bob we made a very short, probably the shortest stop we have ever made at Fuente de Piedra hoping for a few ducks on the back pool but when we arrived we soon found that it was pretty much dry so we continued on to Bobs.
Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
I had a coffee and swapped my stuff into my car before heading home. We had a brilliant few days birding and I cannot thank Jenny and Bob enough for the kindness, willingness to listen and great friendship, Thanks you both.
Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Friday 9 October 2020

The road to Huelva and the Odiel Marsh,

A day with Bob showing me around several new sites.

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera) male.
We were up and out on the road along the coast heading towards Huelva, on the way we had Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).
Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
Our first stop was at Lagunas de Palos y Las Madres where we found several new species out on the water including
Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), on some posts there were several Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and a Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) which was feeding, Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and we heard a Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).
We followed a path around to another view point hearing Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and seeing Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and as we walked back towards the car a male Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus) flew past, a Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) which was feeding on lily pads on the water, Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla).
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Once we were back at the car we drove just down the road to a second pool with a hide where we boosted the list with Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and several Pied Flycatchers (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca).
Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).
We then headed through the edge of Huelva across the new bridge and then down to the Odiel first calling a Laguna Grande where there were plenty of birds including Black-tailed Godwits (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea) x1, Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and both Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

Around the margins we also saw Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).
Just down the road we stopped again at the Visitors centre where we checked the mud as the tide started to drop and we soon found Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and after a coffee we checked the woods ehind the centre finding Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata).
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata).


We crossed the road out side the centre gates and found 2 Caspian Terns (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) sat on one of the saltpan ridges and on a walk out to a hide amongst the pans we had lots of the waders we had already seen as well as Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), more Greater Falmingo's and on one of the banks 50 or so more Grey Plovers and a nice looking almost summer plumaged Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus) mixed in with them.
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus).

Once we were back at the car we drove down the lenght of the peninsular to the car park at the arrier which prevents you going any further, on the way down we had good numbers of birds including
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Eurasian Curlew, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Common Redshank, Greenshank, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and out along one of the board walks to the sea an immature Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).
As we turned around in the car park we had a female
Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and I photographed some Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum) and an Evening Primrose species which I still need to name.
Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) and Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).
We drove ack along the road to the motorway seeing another Western Osprey on the way before heading to a lake on the outskirts of El Portil called Laguna del Portil where we found lots of Grey Herons, Greater Flamingo's, Great Cormorants, singles of Caspian and a winter plumaged Black Tern (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) on or over the water.
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Whilst in the surrounding bushes and trees we had a single Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), several Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) and as we were leaving we picked up the only Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) of the trip through a gap in the bushes.
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
We continued on through the town and drove down to the sailing club just to the west of the town and started our search for the long staying Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima), from the beach we scanned both ways but found only species we had already seen.
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).
So we walked west a way and then back up on to the road and back along to the car picking up a heard only Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and a flying Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) on the way.
Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum).
We continued on west to El Rompido where we had a drink and then checked the beaches again on both sides of the channel, there was no sign of the duck but we did add Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
Evening Primrose species.
At this point I put a request for help on to a birding network on Whatsapp and a very nice lady from down in Cadiz Province sent me a voice message with information that she had seen the bird near the Ferry point, so away we went again but at this point we did not realize that there was more than one ferry.
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).
We drove back east and found the first ferry and we again scanned the channel but we did not find the bird but did add Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) to the day list.
Black Tern (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger).
We again drove on and thought that we were out of luck but just as we passed El Portil again we saw another ferry sign so I said to Bob we may as well have a quick look so we walked along the board walk down to the beach again but this time dropped lucky.
Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) a very distant view.
I set the scope up and scanned the far sore of the channel and almost straight away dropped on to the bird which was asleep on the sand oposite us but quite distant, we had a good look at it and then watched a boat go right up to it and disturb it from its rest and the bird went on to the sea. At this point Bob walked back to get his camera but just after he left a speed whizzed passed and flushed the bird which flew out and around the headland.
Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) heavy crop.
I walked back and meet Bob on the way, told him what had happened so we walked back to the car and headed ack towards the accommodation adding Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) on the way.
Once we were ack we went for some food and then back after a long successful day.

Thursday 8 October 2020

Osuna, Sevilla Province and the Doñana, Huelva Province, Spain.

Day one of our trip to the Doñana and the Odiel.
 
Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
Bob and I left his place and as we drove along the coast we started the list with Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula). 
We left the motorway just to the west of Osuna and then took to the smaller roads and almost straight away we found several Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) which were roosting up under some small olive trees. Several of them sat nicely for the camera, we got our shots and moved just a short way along the trees finding a covey of around 15 Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), a Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and the first of several Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).
Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).
Further along the road we found a smart Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) sat up on the railway side fence along with a couple of Common Redstarts (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and a Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).
We turned off the road and went up on to the first ridge, in the scrub below we saw Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and from the ridge 19 Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) well out on the fields.
Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus).
In the same area we added Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and in the scrub by the next bridge Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).
At the end of the road we turned left then parked where we had a view of a lake below us, we walked ack along the road slightly where we set the scopes up and soon found several Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), lots of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca).
We set off from the pool heading for the doñana area, on the way we recorded Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus).
We left Sevilla and stopped for a drink before driving through big areas of Rice Paddies passing a couple of small pools where we saw 2 Black Storks (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 2x Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
View over the fields.


Further along the road we stopped at Dehesa de Abajo but it was completly dry, however we had a female Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) in the Tamarisks along with Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), a hunting Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) out over the Paddies and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
We drove back through to El Cruze ar and then around the rice paddies again picking up Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
As we drove out towards El Rocio we found Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).
The main pool at El Rocio was all but dry with just a very small wet area in the far end where there were a few Greater Flamingo's and several Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and closer to us a female type Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and more Common Redstarts.
We called in at the woods at El Rocina where we had a walk seeing Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus)Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).
Sunset from the digs.
Our last stop of the day was at Palacio del Acebrón where we did the walk around the woodlands ut we only added
Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) to the list before heading to the accommodation.
It took us a while to find it but when we did it was great and from the terrace we had our last two species of the day when both House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) did flybys.