Zapata, Malaga, Malaga Province, Spain.

A couple of hours birding before picking up friends from the airport.

Steve and Lynn, Day One.

 

I drove down to the airport and went straight through the area out to the far side and out on to the tracks along the Northern edge of the Airport and then North along the Guadlahorce.

I started by checking a lees reed filled part of the channel just as I left the tarmac road where I found the first of many Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and several hawking Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

As I drove along the tracks towards the Rio Guadlahorce I added Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina).

I parked by the Guadlahorce ford and walked up and down stream seeing Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) and African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna).

I returned to the first pool by the road and awaited Steve's message to say they were through the airport but I thought it would be along time coming after reading about all the delays so I got on with the birding and added just Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) before I got their message to say they had their bags and were on their way out.

I drove the short distance down to the airport, parked and got the area near the door and they were with me in less than 5 minutes saying how quick and efficient the whole thing had been and it was the fasted they had ever got through.

We headed up to the house and once they were settled in spent some time up on the terrace chatting and seeing Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle and Collared Doves, Sardinian Warblers and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Later we went down Huètor and had a nice meal and on the way back spent a bit of time searching for and finding the Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which again sat out on the track for Steve to get some photo's. I also heard Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) befre we returned to the house.