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Saturday 5 March 2022

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

The patch walk.
Ebird List, 48 species.

Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica).

Parked by the Arroyo as usual and walked the Lucerne fields, then I took the tracks along the Arroyo as far as the railway bridge, highlights of the Lucerne fields were my first Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) on the patch, 4x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).
One of the regular Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).
Along the Arroyo between the Walnut trees and the road bridge I had a couple of
Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtails (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and masses of Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).
One of several Hummingbird Hawkmoths (Macroglossum stellatarum) around the Almonds by the Goat Pens.
Along the far section I couldn't find the
Penduline Tit (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) but I did manage a couple of Bluethroats (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and just after I finished the Ebird list a fly over Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).
On the walk I also saw some butterflies including
Small (Pieris rapae) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Clouded Yellow (Colias corceua), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli).
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

 

Friday 4 March 2022

From Ventanueva across Huétor Fields and home, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk back home from the Mechanic.
Ebird List, 41 species.
 
I dropped the Car off at the garage in Ventanueva and walked back to the house via Huétor and the fields, highlights included Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x8, Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) x2, the regular Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), a couple of Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Thursday 3 March 2022

Costa Ballena, Colorado Road Pools, Bonanza Saltpans in Cadiz Province and Fuente de Piedra in Malaga Province, Spain.

Another run around some of the sites near to Sanlucar.

Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis) 1st Winter / 2CY.
I started the day back at yesterdays last stop, Costa Ballena tryng to find the Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis) amongst the Common Gulls (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).
Ring-billed Gull (Gaviota de Delaware / Larus delawarensis) 1st Winter / 2CY.
I arrived to find that there were very few Gulls at
Parque de Los Lagos but I did find a few Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).
Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).
Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) bored by the birder with a camera.
As there were not many Gulls around the Pool I walked along the canal to the Lago Norte but it was the same here and I only managed to add Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).
Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) adult.

Black-headed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus) male next building.

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

During the walk between the two site I also added Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a calling Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei).
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).
Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).
Back at the top pool I noticed some Gulls had gathered on one of the bridges on the far side of the island so I walked around there and quickly found a couple of Common Gulls, plenty of Black-headed and a 1st winter Ring-billed which was my main target for this trip, well happy.
Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).
Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).
I returned to the car and then drove via Sanlucar to the Colorado Road Pools where I parked in the Pines and checked the smaller pool where I again saw the two Marbled Ducks (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio).
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus)
On the larger pool some of the Temmincks Stints (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) were still there along with White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), 2x  Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).
Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).
Around on the back pool there were as usual good numbers of Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), a couple of Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), a male and several female Black-headed Weavers (Ploceus melanocephalus) and my first Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) of the year.
Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
My next stop was at the saltpans, on the drive up I added Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) which look like the long billed / long legger ssp alpina, at the end of the road I walked along the track beyond the blue gates after chatting to the workmen there and added Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) and Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).
A few of the Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
I was going to go to Braza del Este but as the clouds were building and I was Knackered I decided to head off home, on the way I stopped of at the rubbish dump again where there were still hundreds of
Black (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and a couple of Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), lots of  Western Cattle Egret and a good number of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).
Further along the A92 I made a stop at Fuente de Piedra but only did the pool by the board walk and along with a young Spanish lad had views of a very sculking Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) before actually heading home.

Wednesday 2 March 2022

Bonanza Saltpans, Colorado Road Pools, Laguna del Tarelo, Bonanza Saltpans, Playa de Montijo, Chipiona Port and Costa Ballena, Cadiz Province Spain.

A few sites around the Chipiona / Sanlucar area and some good birds.

Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).
I left the Hotel Los Heloches and made my way to Bonanza Saltpans where I met Steve and Elena, before they arrived I saw Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Steve and Elena arrived and we saw some of the same species before a thick bank of fog came and we moved on to the nearby Colorado Pools, we parked and checked the smaller of the pools finding that the amount of plastic rubbish and waste that is now dumped was out of control and the site is going down hill quickly unfortunately. 
Marbled Ducks (Marmaronetta angustirostris).
On this pool we did find Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and 2x Marbled Ducks (Marmaronetta angustirostris).
4 of the 7 Temmincks Stints (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) and a Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).
On the larger pool opposite we found 20 or so White-headed Ducks (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and 4 Temmincks Stints (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii).
Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) Adult.
Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) Immature.
Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
As the fog started to reach us at the pools we walked around to the third pool where we saw 40+ roosting Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and back on the pool as we found the Temmincks Stint numbers had risen to 7 and as we stood there watching the fog clear we added a few Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris)fly over head, Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).
Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).
Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).
Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).
We drove up to Laguna del Tarelo calling in for a coffee on the way, we drove along the southern side of the lake and found Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and on the disused pans a little futher on we added Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica) and large Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) which was carrying a Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) take away.
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus).
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).
By now the fog bank had cleared so we returned to the Saltpans and had another look, as we drove up to the T-junction we saw Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).
Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola) and Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica) and Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

We drove around Sanlucar and then on to Playa Montijo where the tide was higher than I had expected and the birds were being hasselled by a Knob and his German Sheperd but they were still landing in close to us and giving some nice views, species included Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Dunlin, Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Ringed Plover, Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and out to sea Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Cape Dandelion (Arctotheca calendula).
On the beach I also saw several patches of Cape Dandelion (Arctotheca calendula) which Brenda Jones helped me with a name for.
Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).
Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).
Just up the road we called in at Chipiona Port and were soon watching at least 12
Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) before moving on again down the coast to Costa Ballena.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) None breeding Adult 3CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) None breeding Adult 3CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) Adult.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) None breeding Adult 3CY.
We parked at Parque de Los Lagos and almost straight away we had a none breeding adult
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) and as we went for a walk around the pool we found four more of the reported 8 birds of several different ages including a full adult, 
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 2CY.
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) 6 of the 8 birds together.
Other species included
Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei). 
Steve and Elena headed off home and I returned to the Gulls and the went back to Los Helechos in Sanlucar.