Algeciras, Tarifa, La Janda, Conil de la Frontera and Costa Bellena, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A day looking for some interesting species in Cadiz Province with Ricky and Sonya.

Ebird List for Tarifa, 14 Species.

Ebird List for La Janda, 36 Species. 

Ebird List for Conil de la Frontera, 35 Species.

Ebird List for Parque de Los Lagos, 27 Species.

 

Garden / Common Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus).

I left the house early so that I could meet Friends Ricky and Sonya in Algeciras where I was hoping to see a longish staying male Blue-winged Teal (Cerceta Aliazul / Anas discors) but unfortunately it was hiding somewhere out of sight whilst we were there but was seen by another birder later in the day, we didn't stay long really as the area was not to pleasant smelling a large amounts of what smelt like raw sewage was being let directly into the river which Ricky really enjoyed 😃😃😃

Garden / Common Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus).

Whilst we were there we did see Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

We returned to the cars, Ricky and Sonya headed for a site near La Janda and I made my way to the Municipal car Park in Tarifa where I was hoping to see the single remaining Garden / Common Bulbul (Bulbul Naranjero / Pycnonotus barbatus), I parked and stayed in the bottom corner of the Parking area and picked up Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Sardinian Warbler, Yellow-legged Gull, Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and after around 20 minutes I heard the distinctive call of the Bulbul and found it in an Orange tree just outside the car park where it stayed calling occasionally and was still sat there when I left.

 Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

 Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla).

Romulea clusiana.

My next stop was in the Pines just to the North of the town where I found quite a few spikes of Two-leaved Gennaria (Gennaria diphylla), Romulea clusiana, Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) and Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima).

Short-eared Owl (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus).

Short-eared Owl (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus).

I pushed on again and made my way to La Janda, on the way I saw Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), White Wagtail and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

I drove along the track next to the main Canal but it was extremely quiet and I only saw Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Grey Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and as I took the track across to the farm and then on wards through the wild olive fields I added House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

I reached the point where a few weeks ago I had seen several Little Buntings (Escribano pigmeo / Emberiza pusilla) so I spent a while checking the trees and I soon found at least 3 Buntings but also added Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), the first 3 of quite a few Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Chiffchaff, Jackdaw, Corn Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Cetti's Warbler, Western Cattle Egret, Barn Swallow, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), 1 of 4 Short-eared Owls (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus) that had been flushed from a tree nearby earlier as well as Small White (Pieris rapae), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Caspian Terns (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

I moved on again and popped into the cliffs at Vejer de la Frontera where I checked in on the breeding colony of introduction Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita) and found 17 birds.

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

I checked my phone and saw that Ricky and Sonya were heading for a spot near Conil de la Frontera where there has been a Richards Pipit (Bisbita de Richard / Anthus richardi) for a few days, he had sent me a pin to a place to park and where they would be looking for the bird so I headed up there as it was by now only 20 minutes away.

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Once I was on site I could see Sonya and Ricky away up the beach near the Búnker de Castilnovo so I made my way there seeing Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

Sonya and Ricky off in the distance.

Ricky and I walked up the Dune area towards the Torre Vigía de Castilnovo and just before we reach it Ricky picked up a large Pipit but it was behind a clump of Juncus to me but it walked out into the open and sure enough it was the target bird, a Spanish Lifer for me as I have dipped on on several occasions.

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Sand Lotus (Lotus creticus).

Other species seen as we walked around included Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), White Wagtail, Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw, Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Northern Bald Ibis and Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) x3.

Richards Pipit (Bisbita de Richard / Anthus richardi).

Richards Pipit (Bisbita de Richard / Anthus richardi).

appy with seeing the Pipit Ricky and I returned to Sonya and we had some food as that they had kindly bought some for me as well, I must say it's the best Empanada (made by Sonya) and Pork Pie (made by Ricky).

Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Sonya and I walked back towards the car whilst Ricky and another Spanish birder that he knew continued to search for the bird, just as we left them the bird flew up and we heard it call but we didn't see it but a few seconds later it flew again and we all managed to get brief but good views.

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

Also seen during the walk we saw Sand Lotus (Lotus creticus), Western Dappled (Euchloe crameri) and Small White (Pieris rapae), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and 3x Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica). 

Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).

Sonya and I reached the car and I headed off North to Costa Bellena, on the way I saw Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna).

Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus) 1st winter.

I first visited the larger Laguna Norte looking for a Bonaparte's Gull (Gaviota de Bonaparte / Larus philadelphia) that had been reported, I parked and walked around the surroundings seeing Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Western Cattle Egret, White Wagtail, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), Black-headed, Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed, Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Audouin's and a 1st winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus) with a colour ring.

Bonaparte's Gull (Gaviota de Bonaparte / Larus philadelphia).

Bonaparte's Gull (Gaviota de Bonaparte / Larus philadelphia).

Also seen at the site were Small White, Small Copper, Red Admiral and a single Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger), next I went to the Hotel and checked in before going up to Parque de Los Lagos where I found the 1st winter Bonaparte's Gull amongst a group of Black-heads as well as Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) x3, Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) x16, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).