SIERRA de LOJA.

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Sunday, 30 August 2026

Campiña de Trebujena, Marismas de Trebujena, Costa Ballena and Presa de Embalse de Bornos in Cadiz Province, and Laguna Dulce in Malaga Province, Spain.

Looking for Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, a dip in the sea and a drive back home.
Ebird List for Campiña de Trebujena.
Ebird List for Marismas de Trebujena.
 
One of the local wildlife ceramic plaques. 
We were up and out just as the sun was rising, looking for Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin (Alzacola Rojizo / Cercotrichas galactotes) in the Agricultureal areas around Trebujena, as I couldn't remember where the spot I usually go to was we just pottered around and after a few minutes I picked a bird up on a chainlink fence but it dropped off before Paqui saw it, however a few seconds later it came back up and she had views but it was a bit distant so we will need to return at some point.
In the area we also saw Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), European Turtle (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila penntuas), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Zitting Cisticola (Cistícola Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero políglota / Hippolais polyglotta), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Linnet (Pardillo Común / Linaria cannabina), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis) and Corn Bunting (Escribano Triguero / Emberiza calandra).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
The next spot back at the site we were at at the end of the day yesterday on the Marismas de Trebujena, on the fenced off pool we found Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) domestic, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), European Turtle DoveEurasian Collared Dove, Common and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Eurasian Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sternula albifrons), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), 
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).
Little Grebe
(Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), 
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Little (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), European Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus)Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common BuzzardCommon Kingfisher (Martin Pescador Común / Alcedo atthis),
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).
Black-crowned Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).
White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Eurasian MagpieCrested LarkGreater Short-toed Lark (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Zitting CisticolaCommon Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sand (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), Barn and Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Cetti's (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian WarblerSpotless StarlingEuropean Stonechat, Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and Corn Bunting.
Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus).

Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).
Pied Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta).
Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa).
Black-crowned Night Herons (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).
We also saw Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) before we headed off to Costa Ballena for a dip in the sea.
Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) 1st winter.
Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) AD.
We arrived at the car park by the beach and got set up before having half an hour in the Sea which was very nice.
Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) .
Later we checked out the lake where we found MallardCommon Pochard (Porrón Europeo / Aythya ferina), Black-winged StiltEurasian Whimbrel x3, Common SandpiperRuddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Black-headedMediterranean, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Yellow-legged Gull, Eurasian CootCommon MoorhenLittle Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Grey HeronLittle EgretWestern Cattle Egret and European Bee-eaterBarn SwallowWestern House MartinMonk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Sardinian WarblerWhite WagtailLesser (Anax parthenope) and Blue / Common Emperor (Anax imperator), Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) and African Grass Blues.
We started to make our way back towards Huétor but called in at the Presa de Embalse de Bornos but the Rio Guadalete was smelling so bad that it was making us feel sick so we moved on very quickly seeing nothing.
Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) .
Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) .
Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata) .
Further on we called in at Laguna Dulce where we picked up a few new species including 
Marbled Duck (Cerceta pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris), Red-crested (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Thinornis dubius), Black-necked (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Stripe-necked Terrapin (Mauremys leprosa), Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis) as well as big numbers of both Red-veined Darter and Violet Dropwing.