Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A return to the Fields.

Ebird List.

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

I did the walk out to a point just passed the Poplar plantaion. High Lights were a single Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x3, several Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x8 and a couple of male Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) x2.

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Later I went down the town to Mercadona and on the way back I stopped at the Fields just out of town where I caught up with Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Out on the patch looking for Migrants.

Ebird List.

Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) female.

I did the usual walk around the Lucerne Fields and headed out towards the Poplar Plantation but at the crossroad I turned towards Huétor and walked right to the town and then came back along the Dog S**T track to the railway and then finished off the walk by coming along the main Montefrio Road.

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

Along the first part of the walk I saw a Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), female Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 

Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

Along the road to town I added a flyby Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) and Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

As I walked up Dog S**T track carfully I had nice views of good numbers of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) getting on for 400 birds, Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) and 2x Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Barbate Marshes and La Janda, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Another unsuccessful try for the AGP.

Ebird List for the La Janda main Canal.

I was out in the area where I had been yesterday for the American Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Americano / Pluvialis dominica) before light and spent another 4 hours searching the pools for the bird with out any luck but still enjoyed some nice species.

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) and Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Around the pools I picked up many of the same species as yesterday including Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) x3, Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

I gave up in the end and headed off to La Janda again but as I left the site I found two Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita) and lots more Western Cattle Egrets in the cow fields.

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

I came in at the Southern end of La Janda and drove the main canal to the turning up to the farm, along this stretch I saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), an immature Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), 50+ Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), probably the same immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) as yesterday, 2x Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), both Common (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) through a blistering heat haze.

Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) immature.

I took the turning up towards the farm and then dropped down the other side onto the road towards Benalup adding Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Bath White (Pontia daplidice) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) to the list before I headed off home.

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Harvesting the rice while many hungry hunter watch.

Barbate Marshes, La Janda, back at Barbate Marshes and a night around Barbate Town, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Good days birding with Ricky Owen but a bad bit of timing.

Barbate Pools.

I met Ricky at the entrance to the Salt Pans / Lakes and straight away alarm bells started to ring when we saw several people laying out tape to restrict access along the road, Ricky checked with the guys and they said we were OK to walk out to the pools we want to look for the American Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Americano / Pluvialis dominica) which had been around for a few days.

Barbate Pools.

We started to walk out picking up Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus),  good numbers of Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis). 

We reached the end of the Western side of the pools and then turned along the track through the pools, as we walked we saw Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and then the first of the noisy bird flushing Rally Cars came passed the lakes, impressive but noisy.

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

We continued on adding Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

We reached a small wooded Bridge and we turned around and walked back around the pool until we could look back across to the area where Ricky had seen it a few days earlier and we picked up a bird quite a way off which showed a good supercilium and looked right but it was distant so we tried to get closer but the birds flushed up again with all the noise and we never found it and as it was quite distant I did not count it as hoped for better views later but it didn't happen unfortunately.

Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

We decided to cut our loses and headed off to La Janda where we just did a drive along the main Canal, as we drove we picked up Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), an immature Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), 2x Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a female Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

I said goodbye to Ricky at this point after a nice few hours birding and went back to Barbate but as hard as I tried I could not turn any of the Grey Plovers into the American Golden and all I managed to add was Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) before I went and found my hotel and later walked around the town looking for something to eat.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) immature.

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) immature.

Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) female.

Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) female.