Laguna Dulce, Laguna del Cerero, Laguna Dulce, Tajo del Molino de Teba, Vulture Feeding Station, Laguna de Toro, Laguna Redonda and Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province, Spain.

A dip around the Campillos Laguna's.

Deb and Ian, Day Nine.

Ebird List for Laguna Dulce.

Ebird List for Laguna del Cerero.

Ebird List for Carretera de Antequera near Laguna Dulce.

Ebird List for Tajo del Molino de Teba.

 

Black Tern (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger).

After getting a message from friends Barbara and Derek Etherton to say that they had spent the day in the area around Campillos and they had seen an adult White-winged Tern (Fumarel Aliblanco / Chlidonias leucopterus) we decided to go and try to find it but dipped.

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

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

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

We arrived at Laguna Dulce to find a good number of Black Terns (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger) were still out on the water feeding along with a couple of Whiskered (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus) and several Gull-billed (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) but there was no sign of the White-winged.

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Other species included Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Black-necked (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) and Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Western Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

We couldn't pick the White-winged Tern up so we decided to pop to the nearby Laguna del Cerero as we had heard that there had been a Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) there which we found quite quickly along with Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera) and more Mallard, Red-crested Pochard, Common Pochard, White-headed Duck, Little, Black-necked and Great Crested Grebe.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

Also seen were European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Eurasian Hoopoe, Calandra Lark (Calandria Común / Melanocorypha calandra), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).

Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii).

Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii).

On our way back out to the road we stopped and checked a flooded field next to a small farm finding Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), a single Wood (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) and several Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and a more unexpected Temmincks Stint (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii).

Black Tern (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger).

We popped back into Laguna Dulce again but didn't add anything new so we headed to Teba for a Coffee before standing on the bridge over the Tajo del Molino de Teba where we saw Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Our next stop was at a nearby Vulture feeding station where there were a good number of Griffon's coming in to some Pig carcasses that had been put out giving us some amazing views.

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We moved on again seeing large numbers of Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) butterflies feeding on roadside plants which included Blue Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum), Ground-pine Germander (Teucrium pseudochamaepitys) and Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum).

Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi).

Broomrape species.

Around at Laguna de Toro, we only found Northern Lapwing and it was equally quiet at Laguna Redonda, so after another quick visit to Laguna Dulce we headed back to the House and spent the rest of the evening on the terrace.

Asparagus.

Later Laura, one of our neighbors rand the bell and dropped off a very nice big round of Asparagus off.  

Marisma de Cetina, Chipiona Puerto, Playa de Montijo, Lagunas de Camino Colorado, Salinas de Bonanza and near Trebujena in Cadiz Province, Spain.

Making a loop back home.

Deb and Ian, Day Eight.

Ebird List for Marisma de Cetina.

Ebird List for Chipiona Puerto.

Ebird List for Playa de Montijo.

Ebird List for Lagunas de Camino Colorado.

Ebird List for Salinas de Bonanza.

Ebird List for near Trebujena.

Deb and Ian going into Marisma de Cetina.

We left Vejer del la Frontera early and headed to Marisma de Cetina and after being take on a slightly odd route by the gal on Google Maps we arrived and straight away we could hear a reeling Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides) before we had even gone through the gate.

Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

We walked up to the first of the hides and around to the dry freshwater pools seeing Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus) and Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla) and Mediterranean Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Alaudala rufescens), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

As we walked back towards the car we bumped into friend John Cantelo who was out birding with a friend, we stopped and had a chat before moving on to Chipiona Port where we had a coffee and some breakfast before spending sometime watching the Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) as well as several Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

After a while we moved just up the road to Playa de Montijo wherewe scanned the shoreline finding Grey (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola) and Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), a group of Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus) which flew in, Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus),  Slender-billed (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull, Little (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Little (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis).

Little (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis).

Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus).

Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Not too far away our next stop was at the  Lagunas de Camino Colorado where we checked the three pools finding Muscovy Duck (Pato criollo / Cairina moschata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) and Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Glossy Ibis, Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Barn Swallow, Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Nightingale and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Our next stop was at a very quiet Salinas de Bonanza where we only managed Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Grey and Kentish Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern and several Greater Flamingo's.

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

We headed towards our final stop of the day was amongst the vines near Trebujena adding Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) on the way, once there we were hoping to find Rufous-tailed Sceub Robin (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes) but due to the strength of the wind we dipped but did find Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina) before making the long drive home in good time and finishing the day up on the terrace with a beer or two.

Desembocadura Palmones, Río Celemín, La Janda, La Barca de Vejer, La Breña y Marismas de Barbate,

Back in Spain with Deb an Ian. 

Deb and Ian, Day Seven.

Ebird list for Desembocadura Palmones.

Ebird list for La Janda--Río Celemín.  

Ebird List for La Barca de Vejer.

Ebird list for La Breña y Marismas de Barbate.

Ebird list for El Estrecho Park Natural--La Zarga. 

Female Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima).

We Started the day by heading just along the coast to Desembocadura Palmones where we hoping to see the long staying female Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) and soon after we parked we found her on the opposite side of the river on the sand bank.

Female Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima).

Female Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima).

We took some photo's of her there but after a few minutes she took to the water and started to feed right in front of us give us some really nice views, we also saw Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), a Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Female Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima).

Female Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima).

We returned to the car and went for a coffee before heading up to the Northern end of La Janda near to Benalup, on the drive we took one of the minor roads as we could see several Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) dropping down into a field but when we got around to the spot it was actually still out of sight, however we did see Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa),  Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Barn Swallow.

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

On the drive down to and at the Rio Celemin we added Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and Common Kestrel.

Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Down by the River we watched a singing Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Glossy Ibis, Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Black Kite, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

We crossed to the other side of La Janda on the road passed the wild Olive fields and the farm  and out to the main Channel but it was fairly quiet and we added absolutely nothing to the day list so we headed off up to La Barca de Vejer where we checked out the cliffs there finding 20 odd adult Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita) as well as several chicks.

Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus).

We continued on through Barbate to the Marismas where drove the track along the South Eastern side of the site, we made several stops and checked different pans seeing Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus) and Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola),  Audouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Crested (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata) and Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and a few Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula).

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Greater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla).

We turned around at the far end of the track and headed off to a spot near Bolonia, armed with info from friend Eva we spent the rest of the day looking for and finding a Ruppell’s Vulture (Buitre Moteado / Gyps rueppelli) on the cliffs where we also had masses or Griffon's and a single Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).

Ruppell’s Vulture (Buitre Moteado / Gyps rueppelli).

Ruppell’s Vulture (Buitre Moteado / Gyps rueppelli).

Other species seen before we headed to Vejer and our hotel included 175+ European Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Booted (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas) and Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) and Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax).

Ruppell’s Vulture (Buitre Moteado / Gyps rueppelli).

Ruppell’s Vulture (Buitre Moteado / Gyps rueppelli).