SIERRA de LOJA.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE BLOG ON A PHONE PLEASE CHANGE TO WEB VIEW AT BOTTOM OF PAGE AS IT WILL LOOK BETTER.

Friday, 27 March 2026

Fuente de Piedra in Malaga Province, Marisma de Adventus, Marismas de Trebujena, Salinas de Bonanza and Playa de Montijo in Cadiz Province, Spain.

Travelling out West ready for a Pelagic Tomorrow.
Ebird List for Fuente de Piedra.
Ebird List for Marisma de Adventus.
Ebird List for Marismas de Trebujena.
Ebird List for Salinas de Bonanza.
Ebird List for Playa de Montijo.

The sunrise.
I drove out to Fuente de Piedra getting there before the sun was up but there were a few birds already up and active including the first of a very good number of Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), a couple of Common Shelducks (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).
An early morning Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) on the roadside pool.
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) on the roadside pool.
I walked to the far end of the roadside pool and then took the track the field to the end of the Boardwalk, out on the fields on the tower I had several 
Western Jackdaws (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) x2, a flyby Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
The Boardwalk.
As I walked across the Boardwalk I began to hear a distant call which I thought sounded like a Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides) so I moved on to the far end where I heard both Sedge (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) and Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and the first Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).
Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides).
Savi's Warbler (Buscarla Unicolor / Locustella luscinoides).
I reached the spot where I could hear the Savi's Warbler which I eventually found singing from the fence across the reeds, as I walked on I found more Greater Flamingo'sEurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada) and Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca).
At this point I met another birder who was visiting from Canada, he got views of the Savi's, we then continued on up to the Mirador and scanned the main Lagoon and the bushes below us finding Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) which was sat on the magins, a flyby Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Common Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos).
The view from the Mirador.
We moved on again around to the two hides, at the Observatorio El Laguneto we found 
Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola).
Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

From the smaller Observatorio de las Palomas we added Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris), Red-crested Pochard (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina) x3♂, Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
We then walked back to the Mirador where I headed back to the car then I headed off towards Trebujena, on the A92 just passed La Puebla de Cazalla I saw a very large cloud of 
Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) over the large rubbish dump so I pulled off and spent a while getting some photos, I also picked up White StorkWestern Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum), Mallow-leaved Convolvulus (Convolvulus althaeoides), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum) and Tree Mallow (Malva arborea).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
I again continued on seeing a fine looking 
 Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) before I reached the Marisma de Adventus where I parked and scanned the fields picking up Western Cattle Egret which were doing what they should be doing, Western Marsh HarrierEuropean Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Crested and a flock of Greater Short-toed Larks (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Barn SwallowSpanish (Yellow) Wagtail and Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus).
Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) doing what they do.
The fields.
Looking further along the road.
I drove further along the track seeing Mallard, Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and Large White (Pieris brassicae).
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) .
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) .
At the far end of the track I parked and checked the ditches and grasslands where I found my first 2 Dragon's of the year, Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathinerum) and Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) with both were teneral .
Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) .
Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).
Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).
In this area I also saw Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swifts (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), European Bee-eater and Sedge Warbler.
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).
Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).
Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba).
One of several very nicely done ceramic plaques around this area.
Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum) covered gateway.
I turned around and headed back along the track to my next stop at the pools on the Marismas de Trebujena near the Rio Guadalquivir, after parking I did a short walk-up to the Rio seeing Marbled Duck,Red-crested PochardBlack-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), Gull-billed TernEurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Greater FlamingoWhite StorkGlossy IbisWestern Cattle EgretWestern Marsh HarrierZitting CisticolaBarn Swallow and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae). 
Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).
Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).
Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
I returned to the car and drove the road along the side of the River but it was generally very quiet with the new reserve only having a few more Flamingo's on it, at the end of the track I turned along the channel and then took the rather bumpy track through the Pines of Algaida where I was pleased to find at least 4x Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger) ♂, Acys trichophyllum, Cerinthe GymnandraScarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), Lysimachia loeflingiiLysimachia monelliHalimum calycinum and Cape Dandelion (Arctotheca calendula).
Acys trichophyllum.
Cerinthe Gymnandra.
Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis).
Lysimachia loeflingii  ????
Lysimachia monelli.
Cape Dandelion (Arctotheca calendula).
Vagrant Emperor (Anax ephippiger) .
Once I was through the woods I headed around to the Bonanza Saltpans where it was again pretty quiet but I did see Grey (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus), Common RedshankSanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei), Glossy IbisCrested LarkBarn SwallowCommon Blackbird, House SparrowEuropean Greenfinch and European Goldfinch.
Bonanza Saltpans.
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus) .
Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus) .
Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei).
Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Chroicocephalus genei).
My last stop of the day was at Playa de Montijo, I walked down to the beach and scanned the shoreline seeing Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus), GreyCommon Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish PloverEurasian Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), SanderlingDunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Collared PratincoleSlender-billedAudouin's (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Little (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Caspian (Pagaza Piquiroja / Hydroprone caspia), Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo) and Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis), Great CormorantLittle EgretEuropean Bee-eater, Barn SwallowLarge White x3 and Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli) x2.
Playa de Montijo.
Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons).
Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).
Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).
Eurasian Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).
Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola).
Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).
Large White (Pieris brassicae).
My final stop of the day was at my hotel for the night where after checking-in I had a couple or three bottles of beer and then crashed after a long days birding.

No comments: