Sevilla and Cadiz Provinces, Spain.

A couple of days around some wetlands and along the coast.

Day One.

The Moon and Venus in the sky.

The alarm was set for 04.00 but as I was already awake at 03.40 I thought I may as well get up and get going, the drive over was uneventful with not even a Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) until I reached my first stop at El Pantano where several ran across the track. 

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) arriving in to the roost.

I parked and walked along the track along side the wetland, it was still dark and I could see the Moon and Venus in the sky and as it started to get light the heron roost started to empty. 

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) in the early morning light.

The first were Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which streamed out to their feeding grounds followed by loads of Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) whilst several Night Heron's (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) came in to the roost.

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) immature.

Whilst I walked I heard a calling Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) on the far side of the river bed along with the continous piping from the many Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus). 

White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) nest just to the west of Los Palacios.

Out on the wetland area I could heard and start to see as the light was improving lots of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), some Eurasian Spoonbills (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Herons (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), a group of Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) made an early fly passed, Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), several large groups of Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) which were also leaving the reed bed roost, Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

A few of the arriving Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus) at Cerro de las Cigüeñas.

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

As the light got better I became more aware of this sites one big problem, the fact that the locals think its OK to dump loads of their rubbish here, such a shame.

Little Egrets (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) Immature left and adult right.

I started to walk back along the track towards the car and in some pools that remained in the river bed I had a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) trying to catch it's breakfast and back on the main wetland Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) and as on the last time I was there hundreds of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Just before I reached the car I became aware that the sky was full of Hirundines and Swifts, most were Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) but as the light improved more I picked out several Pallid's (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) as well along with good numbers of Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and the odd Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).

European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

I reached the car and then drove round to the opposite bank and checked the pools all the way down the river until the point at which the road swings off left, along here I had an immature Greater Flamingo, Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) x2 and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) x3, Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius) x8, Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) x1, Western Olivaceous Warbler (Iduna opaca), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), a flighty Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and the back end of a Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) as it flew along the river and away.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) female.

I returned to the bridge and parked for a while scanning the area for the uncommon Laughing Doves (Streptopelia senegalensis) and after around an hour I had had three flight views of single birds and then a pair of birds flew passed me and along the river.

Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer) displaying male.

Yellow-crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer) male.

In the same area I also had a Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), a male Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) over the allotments, Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and a Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) which was sat up in one of the trees along the river.

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

I got back in the car and drove around the town to my next site Cerro de las Cigüeñas a small wetland along the dirt tracks to the west, I dropped down on to the lower track which goes right around the out side edge of the area and had good views of several hundred Glossy Ibis as the spiralled down in to the reeds and bushes.

Female / immature Black-headed Weaver (Tejedor Cabecinegro / Ploceus melanocephalus).

Female / immature Black-headed Weaver (Tejedor Cabecinegro / Ploceus melanocephalus).

I could also see several Night and Grey Herons, Little and Western Cattle Egrets, Greater Flamingo's, White Storks, lots of Black-winged Stilts, Whiskered Terns, a female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was annoying several Squacco Herons in part of the Tamarisk roost area.

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

Lower down there were Mallards, Little Grebes, Eurasian Coots, Common Moorhens and Western Swamp Hens. Higher up in the bushes and branches I found a couple of displaying male Yellow-crowned Bishops (Euplectes afer), Zitting Cisticola, House Sparrows, Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur) and Cetti's Warbler, Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail, Spotless Starling, Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and over head several European Bee-eaters (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus).

I drove further west along the tracks through swarms of Red-veined Darters as well a few Black-tailed Skimmers (Orthetrum cancellatum), Scarlet Darters (Crocothemis erythraea) and Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta).

Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus).

At the far end of the track I joined the main run across Braza del Este after a bit of a search along several small tracks, At the sluice gates I found several very approachable Night Herons which perched well for the camera. I took a track along a channel where I managed to photograph several female / immature Black-headed Weavers (Tejedor Cabecinegro / Ploceus melanocephalus) and had views of Purple Heron, Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) and on my way to the first of the wetland areas along the main track I had a very smart male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) fly across in front of the car.

Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

At the wetland I saw many of the species I had already see but I did add Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

Purple Heron (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea).

Whilst I was watching this area a Spanish Birder pulled up and we had a chat and he gave me some very good directions to a group of Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) so I quickly made my way to the spot, I soon found Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), a female Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and then a group of 4 Marbled Ducks which motored towards cover and by the time I remembered to take a photo and not just sit admiring them 2 had disappeared.

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

I turned around and went back to the 2nd area of wetland where again there were lots of the species I had already seen including another Marbled Duck, Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Collared Pratincole (Canastera Común / Glareola pratincola), a male Little Bittern and Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola). 

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

I drove off the site and then across country to Bonanza Salt Pans, where I drove out to the pump house checking the pans on the way and adding Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), a single Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Ringed (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) and  Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

From the pump house I saw Caspian (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia) and Little Tern (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

I drove back off the site and went and found a room for the night near Chipiona, Cheap but clean and from there I dropped down to the Port where I had views of the Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) and also had a couple of Ruddy Turnstones (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) flyby.

Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

Curlew Sandpiper (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea).

My last stop of the day was at Playa de Montijo, by the time I got there the tide was low and the flats were covered with birds including several new species for the day list, Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) x1, Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Sandwich (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) x1, Common (Charrán Común / Sterna hirudo) x1 and  Black Terns (Fumarel Común / Chlidonias niger) x5, Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) were all seen before I went for some food in Chipiona and then to the hotel after missing the 100 species in the day by just 2, so close yet so far.

Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica).

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

Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).

Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A morning out on the patch with some migrants.

Ebird List for the Fields.

 

As with many of the birds in the fig tree they played hard to get, Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) Female.

I dropped to the dry Arroyo Vilano to check the local patch, on the way I started the list off with Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) which was hunting from a road side wire, House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).

My first stop was on the side of the track looking across the Arroyo to the large Lucerne fields and whilst I was there I added Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), an immature Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) which was sat in a Fig Tree, Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Western House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).

I crossed the road and followed on up the Arroyo to the reed filled section where the irrigation ditches put some water into the dry river bed. Here I could hear a calling Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), on the far bank amongst the dried off vegetation I found 3 Melodious Warblers (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta) and the only Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) of the morning and flushed a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus).

Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin) another shy species.

I made my way back along the track but parked near one of the Fig Trees opposite a poplar plantation, I could hear Eurasian Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) calling from the Poplars and as I sat in the car a female flew into the Fig but stayed at the back of the tree.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) immature.

Other birds were passing through the tree including several Common Whitethroats (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), a couple of Garden Warblers (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), a Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and a female Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) immature.

In the fields there was a calling Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and in the air good numbers of hirudines including some Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica), 2 Common Swifts (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and a flyby Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

I moved over to the Mesia road side of the area where I saw 25 Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were following a tractor out on of the fields and a Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) that was sat on one of the pylons.

Common Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus).

Other species seen here were Eurasian Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) and a European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

I turned around and returned home via the far side of the Arroyo and checked the Lucerne fields adding Western Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), a Short-toed Snake Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which was perched up high on one of the large pylons, a female looking Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), European Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Bath White (Pontia daplidice) before heading around to the Loja fields.

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

Here I found a large roost of Spotless Starlings in a big fig tree as well as Small White (Pieris rapae), Long-tailed (Lampides boeticus) and African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna) and back in the garden a mating pair of Epaulet Skimmers (Orthetrum chrysostigma) and lots of Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).
Evening update, a loop of Huétor added Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) over the fields and down by the river in amongst all the domestic Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata) the long staying Barnacle Goose (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis) was still presant.
I finished the loop and as I drove back towards the house I had a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) fly across the road.

Laguna Chica, Laguna Grande and Salinas area, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours on the far parts of the local patch.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) male.

I had a couple of hours on the distant part of my patch just over the border into Malaga Province, on the way to Laguna Chica I started the list off with Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

I parked amoungst the trees at above a very low water level pool which was surrounded by a thick belt of Tamarisk bushes, on the water I could see Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and in the trees and in the air over the site I also had European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes).

I walked through the scrub around the Northern side of the pool but did not find a single Dragonfly which was a big surprise as the site had been so good in previous years, I did see Common / Southern (Polyommatus icarus / celina) and Adonis Blue (Lysandra bellargus), Iberian Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides feisthameli) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

I returned to the car and drove around to Laguna Grande where the opposite problem came up, there was so much water in it that there was no margin to allow me to search for Dragons, but out on the water there were again Mallards, Common Pochards, Eurasian Coot, a family of Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) two adults and three well grown youngsters, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and a pair of Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus) which as usual were the noisiest species there.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) male.

Other species seen whilst stood above the lake included Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

I moved on again and made my way around to a stream near Salinas where I did eventually find some Dragonflies, a very smart male Southern Skimmer (Orthetrum brunneum) and a male Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) were doing battle for a perch on one of the reed stems and along the ditch I also found several male Keeled Skimmers (Orthetrum coerulescens), a few White Featherleg (Platycnemis latipes) as well as Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Great Spotted (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and a pale morph Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii).

I moved just up the track to another patch of water which turns out to be a large water leak from the mains. A lady resident just above where I was photographing a few more dragons came down as she was hoping I was from the water company. Alsa I explained to her what I was doing and her and her son came down for a look at the dragons and were quite interested.

Here I again had Southern and Keeled Skimmers, Scarlet Darter and added Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi) and a couple of Blue-eye's (Erythromma lindenii).

As I drove off the area and into Salinas for a Menu del dia I had Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata).

Wasp Species.

As always the food for lunch was very good and I later made my way home full but disappointed in the Dragonfly numbers for the day.