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Thursday 6 October 2022

Tarifa, Mirador del Estrecho, Cazalla Observatorio de Aves, Playa de Los Lances, La Janda and Barbate, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Birding the west of Cadiz Province.
Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Three.
 
Common / Garden Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus).
We were up and out quite early but went just up the road looking for some breakfast and then the one and only remaining Common / Garden Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus), we eventually got some breakfast and then went for a walk around the car park where the Bulbul usual hangs around picking up Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) but we had no luck with the Bulbul so we walked back to the car and packed away our kit and got into the car to leave, just as I started the engine we heard a call from just over the fence and straight away we recognized it as the target.
Common / Garden Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus).
We all jumped out again and were soon watching the Bulbul as it moved between the bushes and trees, after a while it sat and preened for at least 15 minutes giving us some nice views before flying back into cover.
Common / Garden Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus).
We moved on much happier towards the Cazalla watch point but as it is on the other side of the road we had to dive up to the Mirador del Estrecho to turn around but as there were some Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) close to the View point we decided to spent a while there watching them, we also picked up a nice Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Our next stop was at the Cazalla Watch point but it was generally quiet as we had expected and we only added Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) to the list before moving on to Playa de Los Lances, where we parked and walked out to the hide over looking the beach pool.
Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).
We scanned the pool and the beach finding several species of wader including
Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus) along with Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Western Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava flavissima), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis).
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).
We went Northish to the La Janda and went in via the Southern and just around the first corner along the main Canal we parked and scanned the fields finding White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Grey Heron and Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).
As we carried on along the Canal we had more Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), large numbers of Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).
Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) immature.
We took the track out towards the farm, on the way we had an immature Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor Perdicera / Hieraaetus faciatus) and on the far side along the road towards Benalup-Casas Viejas where we picked up Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Booted Eagle and plenty of Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) 25+, Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua) x14, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x4 and Long-tailed Blue (Lampides baeticus) x3.
Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) immature.
Our last stop of the day was out at a very windy Barbate Salt Pans where we found
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Western Cattle Egret, Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) female.
Once we had finished being blown inside out we headed North to the Hotel Restaurante Las Canteras de Puerto Real where we were staying the night, later we went for a walk and had a nice meal before returning to the hotel for a drink.

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