Ribera de la Algaida, Rambla Morales, Cabo Gata Park Natural Salinas,

A cracking days birding in Almeria with Garry Pearson.

Ebird List for Ribera de la Algaida. 

Ebird List for Rambla Morales.

Ebird List for Cabo Gata Park Natural, Salinas-Observatorio 1.

Ebird List for Salinas-Observatorio 3.

 

Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).

I was up with a 04:45 alarm and soon on my way down to meet Garry near Almeria and we then headed down towards Roquetas de Mar but before we got there we went to a spot which was new to me called Ribera de la Algaida.

Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).

Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana).

We parked and walked out to a spot where the pools had flooded the track a bit to look for a Spotted Crake (Polluela Pintoja / Porzana porzana) which had been seen for a few days and within 15 minutes we had short but good views of it in one of the puddles before it moved off, the spot was very shaded so the photo's aren't great but a cracking bird to see.

Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and another Wader.

Just a short way along the track was a nice shallow pool full of waders which included our second target species a Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) and a bonus Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) which along with the Crake were all tear ticks. 

Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Ruff (Combatiente / Calidris pugnax), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and another Wader ????

Other species seen here included Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus) and Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruff (Combatiente / Calidris pugnax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus),  European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

On the walk back to the car we picked up a Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and a couple of  Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica).

Looking over the narrower end of the Pool at Rambla Morales.

The wider end of the Pool at Rambla Morales.

We pushed on and after some breakfast we went to Rambla Morales, as we walked the Rambla down towards the main pool, in the dry areas and upper parts of the pool there were at least 4 Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), Mallard, Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), several White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), a single Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), 3 Green Sandpipers, Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Fagonia cretica and Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope)

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) male.

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) male.

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala) female.

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Down on the wider part of the pool there were a couple of immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 80 odd Black-winged Stilts, Sanderling, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra),  Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii).

Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

As we walked back up to the car we added Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Alaudala rufescens), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Small (Pieris rapae) and Large White (Pieris brassicae).

Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Naval manuvers off Ramble Morales.

Looking out west.

Fagonia cretica.

At the first hide along the side of the Salinas we saw more Greater Flamingo's, Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei).

Reichardia tingitana.

Silene littorea.

In this are I also had a look at some of the plants which included Lycium intricatum, Silene littorea, Sweet Alison (Lobularia maritima), Seaside Daisy (Asteriscus maritimus), Reichardia tingitana, Winged Sea Lavender (Limonium sinuatum) and Sand Lotus (Lotus creticus).

Winged Sea Lavender (Limonium sinuatum).

Euphorbia Species.

New birds at the second hide were Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), 

Slender-billed Gulls (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei) and Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

We went a little further on and check a spot where you can see where the Gulls roost, most birds there were Audouin's but there were also quite a few Lesser Black-backed as well but nothing else so we pushed on to the hide nearer to the town which had been busy when we passed earlier but we didn't add anything new so we pushed on up to Garry's house.

After a sit and a chat we got sorted and then went down to a bar on the edge of town seeing some very nice ceramic work on the way, a tad different as it had a Witch theme and the positioning of a mirror in the gents loo was a bit surprising !!!! we had a few drinks and some nice food before heading back and turning in ready for another early alarm.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A late evening walk around the Lucerne Fields.

Ebird List.

 

Late sun catching the snow on Sierra Nevada.

I had been getting some jobs done at home most of the day so I went for a early evening walk just before dusk, just after leaving the car I saw 4 large birds coming from the east which turned out to be White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) which landed looking for a roost spot for the night.

Other species included Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Near Cuevas Bajas, Fields north of Antequera, Laguna de Capacete, Laguna de Toro, Laguna Redonda and Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province, Spain.

Birding a new area with Garry from Almeria.

Ebird List for Observatorio de Aves, Cuevas Bajas.

Ebird List for Laguna de Capacete.

Ebird List for Laguna de Toro.

Ebird List for Laguna Dulce.

 

Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla).

We started the day by heading over into Malaga Province to the Observatorio de Aves, near Cuevas Bajas which Barbara and Derek Etherton had pointed me to and I am so pleased that they did as its a wonderful spot.

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) female.

We arrived and checked the trees by the pool and then did a walk around the pool and then across a field to a rather disused hide and then back again, In the trees around the pool we started the list off with Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) x3, Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Eurasian Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and my first Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) of the year, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor),  Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and my first flock of European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster) for the year.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Dark Morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas).

Out on the field area we saw Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina).

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) female.

Back around by the pool we continued to search for our target, Garry stayed by the river looking for a singing Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes) and I walked back to the car, 5 minutes later I heard a Drumming Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) which Garry obviously heard at the same time as I heard him whistling me so I headed down to him and we searched the tree where the bird was but it flew out much lower down than we though and the landed in a sapling Poplar in the field before moving over to the big tree where I had been.

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) female.

We moved around there but the male flew back to where it had come from but a female replaced it and gave us some nice views. 

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) female.

In the same area we added Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamón Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) heard, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a dark Morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild),  

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker (Pico Menor / Dryobates minor) female.

We decided to head in to Cuevas Bajas and have some breakfast before we went back South to the fields to the North of Antequera via a garden center as I needed some new Geraniums, out on the fields we saw Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x2, Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Woodchat Shrike and Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

Our next stop was at Laguna de Capacete where we were hoping but dipped on the Ring-necked Ducks (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris) I had seen a few days earlier, we did see Black-necked (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), False Mallow / Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolina / alceae) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2, Green-Striped (Euchloe belemia) x1 and Large White (Pieris brassicae) x1.

Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Large White (Pieris brassicae).

Green-Striped White (Euchloe belemia).

False Mallow / Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus tripolina / alceae).

We drove just a bit further along the road, through a small flood to Laguna de Toro seeing Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus) x5 and a Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

Laguna de Toro.

Laguna de Toro.

Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus).

We turned around and popped into a very quiet Laguna Redonda only adding Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) before we moved on again.

Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera).

Our final stop was at Laguna Dulce where there was still a good level of water and a few birds which included 4x Whiskered (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard, Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Large White and Lesser Emperor.

Whiskered Tern's (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).

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

We headed back to Huétor and had a coffee before Garry headed off back to Almeria and I went home.

Large White (Pieris brassicae).

Embalse de Bermejalis, near Moraleda and Embalse de Cubillas

Out looking for orchids during the day and then some evening birding.

Ebird List for Embalse de Bermejalis.

Ebird List for Embalse de Cubillas.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

 

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

I started the day by going to collect some logs and then I headed over to Restaurante La Abadía where I had some breakfast before meeting up with Friends Kiersten and Anne  for a day of Orchid hunting, we started by heading out to the Pine woodlands surrounding Embalse de Bermejalis where we parked and did a walk and straight away we were in amongst a good number of spikes of fresh looking Italian Man Orchids (Orchis Italica).

Italian Man Orchid (Orchis Italica).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

In the same area we picked up Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera) in good numbers and lots of  Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis) but most were passed their best, my first Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus) of the year, Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus) and a calling Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

Somber Bee Orchid (Ophrys lupercalis).

We walked on to a greener area on the edge of the Pines finding Fan-lipped (Anacamptis collina), Giant (Himanthoglosum Robertiana) and Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum), White Asphodel (Asphodelus macrocarpus), White Rockrose (Helianthemum apenninum), Glandora prostrata subsp. prostrata, Wild Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum) and Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus).

Ophrys x juanamarii.

Ophrys x juanamarii.

Ophrys x juanamarii.

In the same area we also saw and heard Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Hipocromatic Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Hipocromatic Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

We continued on walking and in another area of Pines we found many of the same plants but as we searched Kiersten called me over to look at what she thought were a hybrid of some sort and she was bang on, she had found 12 spikes of the stunning Ophrys x juanamarii,which has the parents Ophrys Tentredinifera X Ophrys Lupercalis.

Sawfly plant but it had a species of Solitary Bee sat on the lip.

We started to head back to the car and I then found a very smart looking Hipocromatic Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera) which I left Kiersten and Anne to photograph whilst I popped down the hill slight and on my way back up to them I came across another Sawfly plant but it had a species of Solitary Bee sat on the lip.

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea).

Once we were back at the car we headed to a spot near to Moraleda where we checked an area in an area of abandoned Almond trees, here we found several spikes of the beautiful Dark Spider Orchid (Ophrys incubacea), many Bumble-bee (Ophrys bombyliflora), a single flowering Yellow Bee (Ophrys lutea) and more Sawfly, Fan-lipped and Somber Bee.

Bumble-bee Orchid (Ophrys bombyliflora)

Yellow Bee Orchid (Ophrys lutea).

In the same area we had Bellis microcephala, Southern Red Bartsia (Parentucellia latifolia), Southern Blue (Polyommatus celina) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

We moved on again and headed up to Granada and then on to Embalse de Cubillas where our main target was the hybrid Ophrys x juarezi between Ophrys Dyris and Ophrys Lupercalis and after parking we soon found several spikes of Dyris and Lupercalis and then the Hybrid.

Ophrys dyris.

Ophrys x juarezi.

Ophrys x juarezi.

Ophrys x juarezi.

Other species seen in this area were more spikes of the rare Ophrys x juanamarii, Sawfly, Fan-lipped and Mirror Orchids, Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli).

Ophrys x juanamarii.

Ophrys x juanamarii and Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera).

We again returned to the car and headed back along the motorway to where we met and had some lunch before we headed off after a good and very enjoyable day.

A melanistic Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

A melanistic Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

I got home and shortly after arriving there I was joined by friend Garry Pearson from over in Almeria for a bit of birding, after having a coffee and a chat we headed down to the fields where we soon found Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and a flock of Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) including a melanistic bird.

A normal plumage Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus).

We continued walking along the track and in the weedy fields we found a group of 5 female Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) as well as Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis).

4 of the 5 female Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

We returned to the house and then later we went down town for some food and a drink in 3 Calles.