SIERRA de LOJA.

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Saturday, 21 February 2026

Pelagic off Chipiona, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A morning out on the water with Manuel of Oxyura Birding and several others.
Ebird List for Pelagic 1.
Ebird List for Pelagic 2.
Ebird List for Pelagic 3.
Ebird List for Pelagic 4.
Ebird List for Pelagic 5.

1st Winter Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).
After one of the worst nights sleep I have ever had, not a problem with the hotel but bad timing as it was the first night of the town's Carnival and as much as I like people to have a good time I do wish the couple of guys on the drums without a single bit of musical talent had ******* off somewhere else.
Looking down to the Port entrance just before we headed out.
A group of Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) in the port entrance.
Anyway I was up and met Manuel and the rest of the crew for today's boat trip at the Port of Chipiona, as we were getting ready to head out we started the day's list with Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and several Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).
Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).
Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).
Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).
Common Scoters (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra).
We left the port and headed along the coast of the Parque Nacional de Doñana picking up a ♂ Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and as we turned out to sea a flock of Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus).
As we headed out to deeper water and soon picked up the first of quite a few Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus) and Leach's Storm Petrel (Paíño Boreal / Hydrobates leucorhous), Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua)Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii), Sandwich (Charrán Patinegro / Thalasseus sandvicensis) and Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo).
The Gull numbers just starting to build up.

European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrel (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
European Storm Petrels (Paíño Europeo / Hydrobates pelagicus).
We cruised around quite a bit and did just the one chum which only attracted a couple of Petrels mostly because of the amount of gulls that had been following us and the bread trail.
Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua).
Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua).
Great Skua (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua).
Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo).
Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo).
Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo).
Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo).
Common Tern (Charrán Común / Sterna hirundo).
On the way back in towards Chipiona we added 1st Winter 
Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
1st Winter Common Gull (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus).
Going from the blue sea to the soil filled brown.
Back in the Brown water but the Gulls were still following us.
As we approached the shallower waters there was a very distinct line where the water flowing out from the rivers was meeting the seawater 
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) probably.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) probably.
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).
Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus).
In the port we again saw the / a Great Black-backed Gull before we disembarked and headed off, I had planned to do some more birding but was feeling knackered, so I headed straight back home.
Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

1st Winter Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta).

 

Friday, 20 February 2026

Parque de Los Lagos / Costa Ballena, Puerto and Playa Cruz del Mar in Chipiona, Playa de Montijo, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A morning birding around Chipiona.
Ebird List for Parque de Los Lagos / Costa Ballena. 
Ebird List for Puerto de Chipiona. 
Ebird List for Playa Cruz del Mar in Chipiona. 
Ebird List for Playa de Montijo. 
 
Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).
I set off west at 05:20 seeing absolutely nothing during the drive until I reached the flooded areas along the A-471 around Lebrija, Trebujena and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, species seen were Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Western Marsh (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) ♂, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica). 
Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina) .
Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).
I reached Costa Ballena and checked the Parque de Los Lagos hoping for some Gull species, unfortunately it was disappointing as I only found 20 odd Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and singles of Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei).
Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei).
Other species seen as I walked the loop included 
Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) domestic type, Muscovy Duck (Pato criollo / Cairina moschata) domestic, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Mallard domestic types, Common Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Glossy IbisBlack-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) x2, Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla Común / Upupa epops), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito ibérico / Picus sharpei), Common Kestrel, Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Barn and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Western House (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Eurasian Crag (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros)European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), lots of Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) but I couldn't find the tristris type bird that had been around, Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Europeo / Certhia brachydactyla), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba),  Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), Eurasian Siskin (Jilguero Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and European Serin (Serin Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).
Borage (Borago officinalis).

Large White (Pieris brassicae).

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).


Whilst I did this walk I also saw a few other bit which included 
Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), Borage (Borago officinalis), Large (Pieris brassicae) x3 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x1, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x2, Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x5, Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) x2, Carpentor Bee (Xylocopa violacea), Yellow-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Yellow-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta).
After this walk I went down to the Lago Plaza del Mar, it was even quieter here with just Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coota single Black-headed Gull and Common Sandpiper being seen.
I returned to the car and headed up into Chipiona to the Port where I had a later breakfast before spending a while scanning through the Gulls and watching the wonderful Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).
Also there were Black-headedLesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged GullGreat CormorantBarn Swallow and Eurasian Crag Martin.
Chipiona Beach.
The Fish Corral.
I walked around to the beach and scanned through the Gulls that were roosting in the Fish Corral as there was no water being held in there because the wall had a large gap in it, I checked through the mostly 
Lesser Black-backed Gulls I came across a larger bird which I was pretty sure was a 1st winter Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) which was confirmed from the Photo's later.
1st winter Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).
1st winter Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).
1st winter Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).
Here I also saw Yellow-legged Gull, Eurasian Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Grey (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Anarhynchus alexandrinus) and Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus).
My final stop of the day as I was flagging was at Playa de Montijo, as I walked down to the beach a 
Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) flew along the shoreline.
Other species included Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), 30+ Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta), Black-headedMediterranean and Lesser Black-backed GullEurasian WhimbrelGrey, Kentish and Common Ringed PloverSanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Great CormorantWestern House MartinEurasian BlackcapSardinian Warbler and Spotless Starling.