A day Bunting hunting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g4cmheVDhFs0A9BqatPw0smPTI16JYdyobEgj2Mn_iwg0M2rYMSimbq9OiArSOm5VbEh6zyK6bpSuGR2ud15OOSqjSXziajl62HJqVxNht5AgHioJRBFHCtcCRpovETxvjV33vRO7GjAK8GWNK7HxWp_E3aPDbrZPoINmk1VpOlh7EizKOdzXPqABb8/w640-h480/20th-Dec-23-8.jpg) |
Just before the sun peeped over the hills.
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I set off early to get over to La Janda for first light but even with a stop for breakfast it was still dark when I arrived and -1° but it was nice to watch the sun rise at the spot for the
Little (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla) and Rustic Buntings (Escribano rústico / Emberiza rustica) which were found by birders a few days earlier.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU565XxjPuZOCLJ54WUEmQfJv6GIfnlAVu9h39JPs1N1b5w0y8DP6M2zumXbMux4IV92-ssfFNCxR-QHUJLx9hcNr48n0hMu6yOYuWXHKQJTKgT9MMFvf_pAQ2pNh28sRzGoe91ovEein6aIhZkZW14k7_rRKLaZlDUj5LGVRK9wQaE9W32bIEaDnzm4w/w640-h542/20th-Dec-23-2.jpg) |
The first view of at least 10 Little Buntings (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla) seen during the day.
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Once the light had reached a decent level I went for a walk around the site and as time went on several other birders arrived and we all searched, one guy did get to see the
Rustic Bunting (Escribano rústico / Emberiza rustica) but I didn't manage to connect with this rare species but after a while I caught up with my first
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla) in Spain and by the end of the day I had managed to see around 10 birds of this usually rare visitor.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZqTXA_GjcZL6p3N1leAoCpWa1xPTJFUFitSD1CVTuhsrmh5D1j8RGMRCN5wgfMr4RSmWdqGw6LMkPcGpwQrU_it5daLNmm_4ng_jaaTmAzk1NFd2oRhvlYnfMxlyQDhMHfKkdfSIFN1jOLpfuVl4yiLFP6ia28FhbalE6HNw5kYY-ouLI4zU_YwYHy0/w640-h432/20th-Dec-23-3.jpg) |
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8MfQWpEWQVBHhhpAFRnttcrjYtzTqX0dzccUXfyB11VtPwO1I5D73KVmNyT68NtPZ5g0iZgU-fEGbToP8-j1Y3jDvALO_ctmhUrOhDcD8Ho2beDIZnbAWalsGfFqQpGR43gk4O3hiDcplbx44IKTtWAGKaIhMwnaFHstMtkVC_0x9WV6TQxwsK8gH9M/w640-h508/20th-Dec-23-4.jpg) |
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla). |
Late in the afternoon I had a group of 8 Little Buntings in a small willow type tree and then 2 more individuals at a different spot nearby.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmht5lnSklHplG247iZgA20sjpK5ZI_UVc8XlW8PFFA56P2xPLv1PTwD6K1uG5SRbDpd5wKxrEcfXmwGFigXuGW2pgeGtj20iz_drpEjgtED3Nkvm8P_VauEKdJtNFLwrZTlszJAFCuojZ1891jsuOUYfcrMQ42B8L7bQgZkyXNoFcJoqvpETO-PxHE_Y/w640-h534/20th-Dec-23-5.jpg) |
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQBoSd4yPu8aWQENiCqs-cY9ENUOnbTLfodf5OZYYP3lA960uu3boovlEWCo-O5DDFZVOWxXonR64EPYwnQLGKWz8rGXx_AtzzK_znohkYXLZTRaDJ3hRJpZMzydptJ9LcKtkdxnz1zdcWjwjHmRPpfkDZA0LaOGI0FR1zXPs0VtrNEjm6fndvq4WuVo/w640-h448/20th-Dec-23-6.jpg) |
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla). |
Other species seen or heard during the day included 1x Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica),
Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla),
Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos),
Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula),
Black (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and
Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus),
Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus),
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus),
Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra),
Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio),
Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago),
Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis),
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus),
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo),
Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis),
Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus),
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei),
Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and
Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala),
Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris),
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis),
Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus),
Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus),
Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra),
House (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and
Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula),
Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata),
Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata),
Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula),
Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos),
Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis),
Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus),
Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor),
Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus),
Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Small White (
Pieris rapae) and
Paperwhite Narcissus (Narcissus papyraceus).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwVatM9bsT36vhsJAu7qSNzjV1gIsL2yUsC4fUG9pBP6mU0ySf2-W1rphagCuQU5iIsnsqHOa6Dltz7k8ds29Q_lZMLv897_wvBfdsnQnoAxYueLPIeV3Ng7keRmxkegIglSUgqM_KmhBEwduF2WBuv9gFq3ePGJDB7Hz2rfJEmNEh6u8HzyD0mwPV3g/w640-h444/20th-Dec-23-7.jpg) |
Little Bunting (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla). |
I eventually admitted defeat and headed for my hotel in Benalup which was good and I slept well ready for another day of birding tomorrow.