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Thursday, 16 March 2023

Tarifa, Pinar de Los Lances, Traffico Watch Point, La Janda, La Barca de Vejer, Barbate Marismas, Salina de Cetinas and Puerto Real, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A twitch for a cracking looking bird.
Ebird List for Pinar de Los Lances.

Romulea clusiana.
I was up and on the road by 04:45 to the sound of at least 3 Little Owls (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) calling from the nearby Olives, I set off on my way down to Tarifa and was in the town by 07:30 getting some breakfast.
Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

I then walked back to the Car which was parked nearby and listened out for the single remain Common Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus), as I waited I picked up Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and then I heard a the call I had waited for, the Bulbul was sat in a tree on the edge of the Car Park and then flew off over the wall and in to the town.
Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).
I tried to pay for the Car Park but for some unknown reason the Guy gave me my money back and opened the barrier so I was on my way to a spot just up the road for the target species, a fine looking male
Brass Buttons (Cotula coronopifolia).
Moussier's Redstart (Colirrojo Diademado / Phoenicurus moussieri).
I arrived on site and parked almost straight away I bumped into Anna Hughes and Charles Wilkins, we walked down to the area where they had been the day before but did not see the bird, when we first arrived Anna showed me several spikes of Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla) and as I walked around I also found Romulea clusiana, Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and Brass Buttons (Cotula coronopifolia).
Moussier's Redstart (Colirrojo Diademado / Phoenicurus moussieri) Male.
As I searched for the Redstart with Friend Ricky Owen had told me could be mobile I picked up Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch, Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).
Moussier's Redstart (Colirrojo Diademado / Phoenicurus moussieri) Male.
I walked back along the pines and chatted to Charles for a minute before carrying on a little further South and out into another open area where it was quite a bit more sheltered and less windy, almost straight away I had a bird drop from a dead pine into a narrow pathway between two trees and I soon realized it was the target Moussier's Redstart and what a stunner it was.
Moussier's Redstart (Colirrojo Diademado / Phoenicurus moussieri) Male.
After getting a few seconds on the bird I rushed back and got Charles and Anna followed a few minutes later but the bird disappeared into the trees but as we searched we saw Western Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) before Anna and Charles relocated the bird again in the original dead Pine and we had some very nice views.
Moussier's Redstart (Colirrojo Diademado / Phoenicurus moussieri) Male.
As we watched the bird two more Brit birders turned up, one was Peter Ashley a birder I have long known by name from social media so it was good to catch up eventually.
Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).
After getting good views of the bird I decide to head for the coast and see if there was anything passing on or above the sea but it was so windy I did not last long and only saw several Sandwich Terns (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis) before I set off North to La Janda where I had a quick drive up the track along the main canal and the out at the Northern end, on the way I saw Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Zitting Cisticola, Common Stonechat, Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), a very smart male Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica), several Vagrant Emperors (Anax ephippiger) and a couple of nice clumps of Peruvian Squill (Scilla peruviana).
Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).
My next stop was at La Barca de Vejer where I payed a short visit to the cliffs where the
Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita) were already sitting on nests along with several Feral Pigeons (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and some Jackdaws.
Peruvian Squill (Scilla peruviana).
I moved on again and headed to the salt pans at Barbate, on the first pan there were large numbers of smaller waders, most were Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba) along with smaller numbers of Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plovers (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).
Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Larger waders were Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa) and other species included Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).
Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).
Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).
I moved up to a point where I could see some more of the pans and added Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail, Zitting Cisticola, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and as I sat there I could hear a couple of Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola) calling over head but when I got out for a look there was actually a flock of about 60 birds dropping down on to the islands.
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).

Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Before I left I again had several Vagrant Emperors which I tried to get some pictures of but failed so I headed off North again to Salinas Cetinas, I parked at the gate and walked in and out to the first hide, there were plenty of Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Greater Flamingo's and Shelducks (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna) out on the main pans but no smaller waders at all so I took a right and walked along the track checking the fresh water pools where I found Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and a single Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).
Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens).

Also out on the pools there were a few Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), 2x Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).
Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium).
Other species seen as I wandered around included Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), lots of Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail, Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens) and more Vagrant Emperors (Anax ephippiger).
Three-Leaved Snowflake (Acis trichophylla).
Marcus-Kochia triloba.
Scilla verna ssp ramburii.
Time was moving on so I headed for my hotel which was in Puerto Real but as I was leaving I made a stop on the track after seeing Barbary Nut (Moraea sisyrinchium), Three-Leaved Snowflake (Acis trichophylla), Marcus-Kochia triloba and Scilla verna ssp ramburii.

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