Braza el Este, Costa Ballena and Chipiona, Cadiz Province, Spain.

In search of a couple of new species for my Spanish List.

 

Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) in the fog.

I was meant to be going on another Pelagic but due to high winds it was cancelled but as I had already booked a Hotel in Chipiona I thought that I may as well go anyway and give a couple of scarce American visitors a try.

Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) in the fog.

I drove into a foggy part of Braza del Este I had not been to before, on the way into the site I started the list with Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia).

I arrived at the spot where an American Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Americano / Pluvialis dominica) had been seen for a few days but it was foggy when I first arrived so it was difficult to find anything to start with but as it began to lift I saw several Black Storks (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra), Great (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta) and Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia), lots of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and a Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola) which I am guessing was the bird which caused a bit of confusion for some earlier visitors.

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

As the light improved a bit more species came into view, in a ditch by the side of the track I heard and the saw a smart male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which was spending its time chasing a pair of Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and some Black-headed Weavers (Tejedor Cabecinegro / Ploceus melanocephalus).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Further out on the fields there were lots of waders, most were Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) but there were smaller numbers of Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) but as hard as I tried I could only find a single Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) of the European type.

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Other species seen in the area before I took to the tracks again include Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) but there was no sign of the target so I moved on.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra).

As I was driving towards the part of Braza that I usually visit I had loads of Black and White Storks, Little and Cattle and Great Egrets, Glossy Ibis, L B B Gulls and Eurasian Spoonbill feeding on newly ploughed Rice fields.

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides).

Out along the main track through the Braza del Este I added Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and a Squacco Heron (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) which sat out nicely for a few moments.

Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis) on Lago Norte.

I then made my way over to Costa Ballena getting some lunch on the way, once I was there I parked by Lago Norte where a female type Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis), as I walked around the pool I found good numbers of Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Pochard, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Lesser Black-backed, Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gulls, Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and out on the far side of the pool the Lesser Scaup but just as found it a ********* on a powered Paraglider buzzed the lake and flushed everything.

White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala).

I waited around to see what returned but not much did so I decided to go just up the road to Parque de Los Lagos to see if had relocated there, I arrived and walked out to the bridge where I scanned the pool finding White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Pochard, Northern Shoveler, the Tufted Duck and then the Lesser Scaup. 

Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).

Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).

Common Gull (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus).

The Scaup was on the far side so I walked around there and sat on one of the seats and waited to for the bird to come to me, whilst sat there I also found adult and 1st winter Common Gulls (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis).

Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis) and Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula).

Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis).

Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis) and Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina).

I headed towards my hotel in Chipiona but once I parked I had a look at the port where I found several of the regular Little Swift (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) before walking to the Hotel.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the Arroyo Vilano.

 

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

The regular walk along the Arroyo Vilano, main highlight was the continuing Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Huétor Fields and Sierra de Loa, Granada Province, Spain.

Andalucia Bird Society Meeting.

Ebird List by Joseph Bouvier for Huétor Fields.

Ebird List by Joseph Bouvier for  Sierra de Loja.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

I met the members (27 in total, thankfully fewer than expected as several cancelled due to the weather report), after coffee and breakfast in the Cortijo de Tajar we headed out on to fields  and then later in the day we had a rather cloud covered visit to the Sierra de Loja. 

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

I didn't make any notes on the day or take any pictures, so I am adding two links from Joseph Bouvier's Ebird list for the day and using Photo's from Polly Hartney and Kiersten Hartley Rowland, Thanks.

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A couple of Visits to the Fields on the Patch.

 

Ebird List for the 18th.

Ebird List for the 19th.

 

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

El Temple, Granada Province, Spain.

Taking Andy to Granada via El Temple.

Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra).

We headed towards Granada on the Motorway and then took to the fields near to Chimeneas where we got views of Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis). 

Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris).

Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

We droppe down of the top fields to the mid road and parked on the side of another track where we were looking for and found Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) as well as 2x Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Black-winged Kite (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus).

Just up the road we stopped again and scanned the fields from a higher point, on some chainlink fence we had both Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) and around the oil pit pools White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

Our last stop of the day was further along the same track where we had more flight views of Black-bellied Sandgrouse, a sculking Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and a rather late Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

We then made our way into the city via a coffee on the way where I said goodbye to Andy and he carried on with his trip.

Sierra de Loja and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province, Spain.

Up on the Sierra and down the Valley.

 

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).

Andy and I started off by had a drive up and over to the far side of the Sierra de Loja where we soon found the first of at least 70 Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), at one point we watched a group of around 4 or 5 Hawthorn bushes as we saw a couple of Ouzels fly out, which were followed by more and more and by the time we had circled widely around to the far side we had seen 60 Ouzels as well as a few Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Blackbirds (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and a single Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).

In the same area we also saw Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus).

On the way back down the hill we stopped at the middle Quarry where we picked up a pair of Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and watched a incident with a dog walker trying to stop her dog that was off the lead harassing a sheep which was backed right up to the cliff edge of the quarry with the dog just a couple of meters away continually barking agressivly at it. After about 15 minute she eventually got the dog away and put it on its lead where it should have been the whole time.

Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Anyway, from here we went along the motorway and had some lunch in Moraleda before dropping down the Cacín Valley, we stopped at the crags near Moraleda, the Contra Embalse, above Cacín, Moraleda Fields and Huétor Fields.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

On this route we saw Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos),Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), 200+ White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a very nice Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius) and Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Caleta de Velez, Malaga Province and Zafarraya area, Granada Province, Spain.

Scanning through the Gull on Caleta Port beach.

 

Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).

Andy and I headed down to Caleta de Velez where a colour ringed Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans) had been recorded for several day. 

Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).

We arrived and spent quite a while searching the gulls on the beach but as hard as we tried we could not find the bird, two Spanish birders were also having the same results, we did however see Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) and Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba).

Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).

Caspian Gull (Gaviota del Caspio / Larus cachinnans).

We walked a bit further down the prom and checked the Yacht port out seeing nothing we turned around and made another quick check of the beach again and after a few minutes we located the target bird stood just above the tide line, the light was just wrong but I got some OKish shots before I flew out to sea.

Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

From here we headed back toward Zafarraya but stopped to have some lunch just through the Arch into Granada Province where I have stopped before. 

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

After eating we walked the old railway line adding Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), lots of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Once we reached the car we started to drive back towards the house taking the more cross country route and during the drive we had views of Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus), Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) female.