Off Tarifa and La Janda Area, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Another Pelagic with Javi from Birding the Strait's.

Day Two.

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis) first of the morning.

I left my hotel in Algeciras and drove along the coast to Tarifa and then waited for Javi and the other guests to arrive, as I sat there I started the day list off with Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) immature and adult.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) immature.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) adult.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) adult.

Once the rest of the group and the captain had turned up we boarded the boat and headed out of the harbour and out to sea, first of all we had a couple of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) an adult and immature.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) immature.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) immature.

The Gannets were soon followed by Cory's (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis) and Balearic Shearwaters (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus), lots of Black Terns (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger) which were crossing and heading North and a couple of Great Skuas (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

Cory's Shearwater (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris borealis).

While we were out at sea we also had very good numbers of Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and smaller numbers of Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Long-finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas), Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) and a low flying Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Black Terns (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger).

We returned to port and I went to have a look at the cliffs near Traffico watch point finding Booted (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 

Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis).

Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis).

Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis).

I then decided to have a look up around La Janda where I found a dozen or so Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita) on pylons at the side of the road before I took to the main track along the main Canal seeing Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

Long-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas).

Tuna fishermen from Morocco.

I took the road out to the farm adding Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) and a teneral male Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger) which was the first one I has seen perched.

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

I then headed back to my hotel where I walked out into the town for something to eat.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger).

Cazalla Watch point and El Trafico Coast, Tarifa, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Watching some visible Migration across the Striat's.

Day one.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

I drove down to the Cazalla Watch Point above Tarifa so that I was in the area for a Pelagic trip on Saturday (tomorrow), I parked and set my chair before a few more birders arrived and things started to move.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

In general is was quiet but I started the day with a very smart Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) which did a flyby and was followed by the first of quite a few Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) as well as Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita Camprstre / Anthus campestris), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) mobbing a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) mobbing a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

As things started to warm up the raptor numbers increased with lots more Black Kites coming through from the distant hills including one bird which was being mobbed by 4 Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) as well as good numbers of Short-toed (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Ravens (Cuervo / Corvus corax) mobbing a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) mobbing a Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

During the morning I also saw smaller numbers of Common Kestrels (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), singles of Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) and Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra).

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

I pack away at around 15.00 and had a quick look at the cliffs and sea at the coast near the Traffico watch point where I added Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Sierra Tejeda, Granada Province, Spain.

A short visit to the Sierra again.

Steve and Lynn, Day Twenty two.

 

Emerging Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum).

We decided to spend Steve and Lynn's last day back in the Sierra Tejeda which had given us so much already and we again had a great walk but this time down stream from the first area of car parking.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) Teneral Male.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) Male.

We went straight into the water and Steve quickly found the first of a few Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) but this first one was still emerging from it Exuvia, there were other Teneral and adult insects seen throughout the walk.

Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene).

We also found a recently emerged Western Spectre (Boyeria Irene) which was tucked in low amongst some vegitation as well as Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis), Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi), Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator) and a nice male Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).

Copper Demoiselle (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) female.

Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum) immature male.

Birds seen during the wade along the downstream section included Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Rock Dove (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and a couple of Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) feeding in the willows.

Volucella zonaria.

Other species seen included Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Volucella zonaria, Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Common Toad (Bufo bufo) and Throatwort (Trachelium caeruleum).

Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Common Toad (Bufo bufo).

Just up the road we stopped again and had lunch and checked the area along the streams there where we added Small (Pieris rapae), Bath (Pontia daplidice) and Wood White (Leptidea sinapis), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), African Grass (Zizeeia knysna) and Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus) and a few passing European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) before heading back to the house so that Lynn and Steve could pack before returning to the UK tomorrow.

Zafarraya Irrigation Pools, the Old Railway Line and KM 23 on the Road to Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

In the lowlands around the Sierra de Loja.

Steve and Lynn, Day Twenty one.

 

Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria).

We drove down the side of Sierra de Loja and out on to the fields near Zafarraya where we checked out several of the irrigation pools including one quite well naturalised one where we had Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica),  House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) and overhead a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea).

Around the margins and over the same pool we had Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria), Iberian Bluetail (Ischnura graellsii) and Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum).

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Futher away from the pool we had several nice Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), a nice Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora), Small White (Pieris rapae), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and an unidetified Long-horn Beetle which shot off before I got a shot.

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

We moved on down to the disused railway line on the otherside of town where we had a walk and found Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) along with another Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora), more Small Coppers and a nice  Bath White (Pontia daplidice).

Velvet Wasp (Ronisia barbarula).

Velvet Wasp (Ronisia barbarula).

Our final stop of the day was amongst the Oaks North of Zafarraya where we had our lunch and a walk around the Grasslands finding several more Cardinal Fritillaries, Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia), Purple Hairstreak (Favonius Quercus), Sage Skipper (Muschampia proto), Velvet Wasp (Ronisia barbarula), Cone-head Mantis (Empusa pennata) and up in the air another Booted Eagle, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and a couple of passing Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).