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Friday 1 January 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

New Years Day birding with Juan Perez on the local patch.

I meet Juan at the bar at the bottom of the road, we moved just along the Arroyo and parked before walking my usual walk out to the far side of the Poplar plantation and back again.
The most interesting species seen during the walk were Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x31, Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) x9, Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x70+, Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x3, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) x82 and Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) x11.

Thursday 31 December 2020

Braza del Este, El Pantano near Los Palacios and Osuna area, Sevillia Province, Spain.

Wetlands and Fields on my way Home.
 
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
I was again out before light and arrived at Braza del Este just in time to see the dawn murmuration of the Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
As I drove out to the first of the ends in the river there were hundreds of Ibis whirling above the marshes along with big numbers of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
I parked by the first crossing of the river and watched as many more Glossy Ibis came flying over and heading out to their feeding grounds. 
Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).
On the water around this area I also had good views of Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and a fishing Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
More Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
On the other side of the road large numbers of
Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) flying out of their roosts, Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), the first of loads of Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).
I drove up the track towards the second area of water but just as I started off I notice a Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) sat on a post in one of the side ditches, so I reversed and rolled down towards it and the bird sat brilliantly and was still there when I reversed up on to the main track again.
Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
On the second area of water there were Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), even more Glossy Ibis, a cracking Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) which did a flyby and on a wet field next to the river there were several Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and two Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia).
Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra).
The track to continue on looked a tad muddy so I turned around and returned to the first area of water and parked up a smaller Tern flying towards me which I managed to some shots of, It was the White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus) which had been seen a few days earlier and just the third I had seen in Spain.
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
In the same area I also had Grey Heron which flew in and started to feed, Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).
White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).
White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).
White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).
I was then aware that everything was flushing up and I then picked up a female / immature Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) quartering its way across the marsh.
White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus).

More Glossy Ibis came flying through as did the White-winged Tern again but this time it sat on a stump out in the water but right into the sun. 
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
I drove along on of the tracks that follow the river where there were lots of Western Swamp-hens, Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and along the fence post there were two Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).
I returned to the main track and scanned the river again seeing a fine male
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) in the reeds just in front of me, several Eurasian Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), a group of female type Black-headed Weavers (Ploceus melanocephalus) which flew past and most surprising 3 House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) which flew along the road heading North.
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
The Caspian Tern flew in again and started fishing right in front of me, I also picked up 6x
Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and I also had a nice pair of calling Penduline Tits (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) in the reeds.
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
I left the site and went to another spot on the side of Los Palacios where I checked the dry river bed and then the pools, here I found Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), 2 more Marsh Harriers which were seeing off a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus) and there were also a couple more male Bluethroats.
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Around the Laguna there were lots of Black-winged Stilts, Eurasian Coots, Common Moorhens, Eurasian Spoonbills, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Western Swamp-hen, a
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata), Mallard, Northern Shoveler and the first Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) of the trip.
Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) some of the 48 seen.
I continued on towards home and made a brief visit to the Osuna area where I scanned the fields from the two Railway bridges where in two flocks I saw 48
Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), 5 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).
Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Last stop of the day was on the fields near the house where I found the 30 odd Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea).
Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Wednesday 30 December 2020

La Janda, La Zarga, Barbate, Costa Ballena and Chipiona Port, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Back down South for a days birding.
 
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) and the Moon.
I started off well before dawn and arrived at the Northern entrance whilst it was still dark, so I sat and waited for the light and listened to the Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) leaving their roost fields and heading out to feed.
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) in the morning sun.
Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) in the morning sun.
I the poor light I also saw and heard Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), the first of a great many White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
More Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).
Once the light got a bit better I started to drive towards the bridge crossing the main channel, on the way I had several Zitting Cisticola's (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) come up from the track side along with good numbers of Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).
White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) in the morning mist.

White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) in the morning mist.

Further along the track the rice fields were flooded and there were lots of White Storks in the morning mist along with a few of the many Common Cranes, as well as
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).
Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
I reached the turn to the farm and then followed the track, as I drove towards the canal half way along I saw large numbers of Great Cormorants (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) in V formation heading towards the sea and also had Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and on the same pylon as I had see it a few days ago a smart looking Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
As I drove up through the farm area and then out onto the area of Wild Olives I found
Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).
I dropped down on to the road up to Benalup where I had lots more White Storks, a good number of
Western Swamp-hens (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), a nice flock of Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and a second Black-winged Kite.
Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
I turned around and drove back towards the junction back towards the farm, on the way I had a
Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) down on the small river, even more White Storks and out on a flooded field several Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and a few Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
As I drove back across to the main Channel I picked up
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Back out along the main canal I found a couple of Great Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), a flyby Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and a hunting Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which shot out over the fields flushing everything on it's way.
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) female.
On my way off the site there were several Common Stonechats, Corn Buntings, Zitting Cisticola and Common Chiffchaffs.
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Once I was off La Janda I dropped down to Bolonia and then out on a track to a cliff where I saw loads of soaring
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) as well as Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
I Started to head back up the coast to Barbate Marshes where I parked up and walked out on one of the track on to the salt pans, here I had a 
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) do a flyby and 6 Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) start walking away from me along the shore of the larger pool.
Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) mostly.

Out on the other pools there were lots of Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Black-winged Stilts, Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

I again headed North to a new site for me, I was looking for a
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) which had been seen at Costa Ballena for a few days.
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra).
I arrived and found a large flock of around 150
Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), lots of Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallards, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), many Mediterranean Gulls (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and amongst them a single Common Gull which sat and roosted on the grass margin.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).
In the same area I also had
Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and many Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).
I again moved on and went to the Port at Chipiona again where I met Ricky again who was giving the Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides) another try, we spent some time walking round but did not find anything and in the end spent some time scanning the Jetties from the Wearhouse area.
Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).
After a while I had a brief view of a Gull drop down towards the far beach but It was a long way off so I was not sure, I decided to drive round and check and when I got there I found the bird sat on the beach but I arived just as a guy walked down to walk his dog and he flushed all the Gulls out on to the sea.
I called Ricky and he arrived in time to get some good scope views of the bird and some distants shots which he kindly let me use here.
Iceland Gull (Gaviota Groenlandesa / Larus glaucoides).
After some time the bird took off and flew out to sea so we moved back to the Warehouse again and watched the Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) go to roost be fore heading off.