Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.: Parque de Málaga, Río Guadaiza and Guadalhorce, Malaga Province, Spain.

Wednesday, 22 February 2023

Parque de Málaga, Río Guadaiza and Guadalhorce, Malaga Province, Spain.

A days birding before picking up Friend Steve Jones from Malaga Airport.

Ebird list for Parque de Malaga.

Ebird List for Rio Guadaiza.

Ebird List for Guadalhorce.

Red-breasted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Papirrojo / Ficedula parva).

I set off early and parked on the outskirts and walked the last 3kms into the park but I was still early so I went for some breakfast in a bar nearby.

Red-breasted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Papirrojo / Ficedula parva).

I returned to the park and almost instantly I could hear the target Red-breasted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Papirrojo / Ficedula parva) calling from the taller trees and I soon located it and then watched it for the next hour on and off.

Red-breasted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Papirrojo / Ficedula parva).

Whilst there I was joined by José A. Campos and his wife, other species seen included Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Rose-ringed (Cotorra de Kramer / Psittacula krameri) and Monk Parakeets (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Cyanistes major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) collecting mud.

I had good views of the bird so I moved on to Guadalhorce where I spent a while birding and chatting with Andy Paterson, the target here was the Bonaparte's Gull (Gaviota de Bonaparte / Chroicocephalus philadelphia) which had been around for a while but we did not find it, however we did see Slender-billed (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), 12x Sanderlings (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and a Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) which was a good year tick.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera de Chukotka / Motacilla tschutschensis).

I said bye to Andy and headed back to the car and the down the coast to the Rio Guadaiza where the Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera de Chukotka / Motacilla tschutschensis) had been wintering, I arrived and sat on the stoney shore of the much lower flowing river and I was soon watching 4 different species of Wagtail including White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Spanish (Yellow) (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and the Eastern which was showing quite a bit better plumage colours.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Lavandera de Chukotka / Motacilla tschutschensis).

In the same area I also recorded Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei).

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

After getting good views of the target I drove back along the coast to the beach at Guadalhorce and I then walked out to the hide over looking Laguna Grande, here I spent quite a while birding and chatting with several other birders including Peter Alexander.

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia).

Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) Male.

Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) Female.

As we scanned the Laguna we added Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and the 7th and 8th Gull species of the day, a Little Gull (Gaviota Enana / Larus minutus) and the Bonaparte's.

Laguna Grande.

I walked back around to the car and then I parked by the airport and waited for Steve who arrived on time and after picking him up we headed back to the house.