Bremen, Germany.

The second Christmas market of the trip and a Carol service in the city Cathedral.

Around the Market.

We picked Alan up from Belsen and the weaved our way through the minor roads to the motorway to the city, we arrived and parked near the centre. We soon found the market and had a very nice couple of hours walking around the stalls before going in to the Cathedral where we listened to a small Choir singing carols for several hundred people.

Art in the town.

Later we again went around the market had some food and drinks before making our way back to Belsen by a slightly round about way as we went up the motorway in totally the wrong way and eventually reaching the North sea coast before turning back. During the day I saw Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Common (Gaviota Cana /Larus canus) and Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Christmas Decorations.

Town Center.

Stained glass window.

Church Door.

The Cathedral.

Bergen / Munster area in Germany.

A run around the local area and another meal with Alan.

Day Two.

War Cemetery.

Alan was working so Jayne and I headed in to Bergen the nearest town and did the shops and as we walked around we visited Church, War Memorial and the War Cemetery. In the cemetery I saw a single Treecreeper (Agateador Norteño / Certhia familiaris), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tits (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Local Church and War Mermorial.

During the afternoon we went for a drive out and about and ended up in Munster, not the big Munster but a smaller town to the North of Bergen. During the drive I saw a single female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

Entrance post at Cemetery.

Later we met Alan and we drove down to a small town called Celle and experienced our first German Christmas market and a great experience it was. Jayne and Alan had a Gluhwein and later we all went and had a very nice Indian meal before heading back.

Jayne and Alan in Celle.

Jayne with a glass of Gluhwein.

Stall in the Market.

Travelling from Home to Bergen/ Belsen in Germany.

Travelling out to see Alan in Germany.

Day One.

FIRST THE MOAN.

We made a 02:15 silly O'clock start down to Malaga airport and caught a flight out to Cologne in Germany which all went well until we arrived and had to rely on instructions given by EASYCAR.COM. From the start things went totally wrong, directions said wait in arrivals for their representative. Half an hour later we moved to step two and called the phone number and got a does not exists message, we thought this may have been our Spanish phones not working in Germany but a very kind German gentleman rang the number three times with the same response so by now we were wondering if we had been stitched by some scam. I next tried to find an information desk but before I managed that I asked for direction at an airlines desk and was told that the company I was looking for actually have a desk in the airport. So armed with new direction I found the car hire company and was told by the guy there that they have told EASYCAR dozens of times that all the information they give out is a load of garbage. Any way then came the second shock, the car was ready and the chap agreed that I had paid in full and had taken out the extra insurance to cover my excesses but would still have to pay them a €1000 deposit for excesses as the insurance was with EASYCAR and nothing to do with them and if I lost the €1000 to them I would have to try and claim it back from EASYCAR when we get home. I did not have the time or will to argue so I paid and went on our way. OK the car was very nice and served us well for the week but we were both well stressed and had waisted over two hours sorting it out. All in all booking through EASYCAR was a nightmare and I would not recommend any one to use this bunch of incompetent pillocks.

The Hotel.

Once we were on the way the printed direction we had down loaded from Google earth worked a treat and we were soon out of the airport and on the motorways heading for our hotel in Offen near to where Alan is working. On the way I recorded a few species from the car including Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Rook (Graja /  Corvus frugilegus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and two Great White Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

The back entrance from our room.

Mid afternoon and we arrived at our hotel which was on the edge of a very small village called Offen, we checked into the Michaelishoff and sorted out out stuff as we were going to be here for five nights. Later we met up with Alan and went for a nice Greek meal in Bergen.

Above Rosario, Malaga Province.

A few hours at a cracking new site.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

I dropped Jayne and Bev off at their Christmas meal with the rest of the Crafty ladies on the out skirts of Villanueva del Rosario and then I headed up in to the hills near by on a track Bev had shown us earlier on the way to the meal. I drove for a few KM and then parked and checked out an area of Hawthorn Bushes and soon had Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Song Thrushes (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). 

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

I continued on up the hill and parked at the upper view point and checked an area of rocks and scree where I added Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

I dropped back down to a track off to the left of the main track where I was checking some high sheer cliffs very optomistic checking them for a wintering Wallcreeper but I only managed a nice Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) on a small stream.

Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis).

From here I dropped back down the hill and went to the hotel where I was picking Jayne up from, in the parking area I added Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Huetor and Moraleda Fields and the Cacin Valley, Granada Province.

A days birding with Lorraine and Mel on the local Patch and in the Cacín Valley.

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

I met Lorraine and Mel at the Cortijo de Tajar Hotel just off the A92 near Huétor Tajar, once we had sorted the kit out we headed off out on to the fields where we checked the fields to the West of the town for the flock of Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which winter there. We arrived and started the list off with a couple of hundred Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), a dozen Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaria), a single Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), lots of White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), a few Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and then we picked up the Bustard flock in the deeper Lucerne field. We scanned the field and counted about 50 birds in total but we did not get great views as they were deep in the vegetation. In the area we also added Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

We eventually moved on and had a look along the Arroyo Vilano, on the margins we had views of a couple of Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and several Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) in the far Pomegranate trees.

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

We moved a little further down the site to a track side ditch where we soon had views of Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulg aris), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), 20+ Common Waxbills (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and some flight views of one of the two Jack Snipe (Agachadiza Chica / Lymnocriptes minimus) that have been wintering in the area.

Our next stop was on the other side of the A92 on the fields near Moraleda but this site did not live up to expectations as it was quieter than I have ever known it, after a drive around the site we had only seen Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus).

Lorraine and Mel watching two Golden Eagles.

We moved on and dropped down into the Cacín Valleyto the bridge where we started by checking out the bridge and then down the track, we had views of Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla). We then had a look at the Embalse just up the road where the day list got a boost with Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei). 

Our last stop of the day was along the road between Cacín and Ventas de Huelma, on the way we had some very good views of 3 different Golden Eagles (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos), a single Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and a Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia). From here we headed back to the hotel and Lorraine and Mel headed back down to the coast.

Guadalhorce, Malaga Province.

Well yesterday was almost the last day of the tour.

Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).

On the way down to Malaga we called in at Guadalhorce for a final few hours birding at the beach and on the reserve. We walked to the sea watch point and scanned the sea but it was quite quiet, however we did see Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cuellinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) x2, Common Scoter (Negrón Común / Melanitta nigra) x7, Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres) x2,

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) x2, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala),  Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

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

We drove to and parked outside the school and walked into the reserve and out to the main hide where we added Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).

Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

From the second hide we added Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus).

Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis).

From here we made our way back to the car and then to the airport.

The Alhambra, Granada Province.

Last day and the tour ends with some Culture and just the odd bird or two.

We spent the morning in the City of Granada and then the afternoon and evening in the fantastic Alhambra. During the day we did see Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Laguna Herrera, Fuente de Piedra, Teba Groge and Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province.

Day three of the trip but a bit closer to home.

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

We started the day in the Laguna Herrera area where we checked the lower track and soon located a decent sized flock of 69 Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) feeding on a freshly sown cereal field along with Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Skylarks (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).
We moved on around the site to where there has in the passed been a lake but all we found was a small puddle in a ploughed field and it only held a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and in the reeds and fields we saw Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Our second stop was at Fuente de Piedra, on the way in we checked the small pool on the road side and picked up Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).
We parked and made our way out to the Mirador at the front of the center where we were hoping for but dipped on the Lesser Flamingo's (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor), however we did see good numbers of their larger reletives Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), hundreds of Lesser Black-backed Gulls as well as a few Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus).

Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala).

We moved on around to the two hides around the back of the center but they were generally quite quiet but we did add Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). 

We made our way back around to the Mirador and checked through the Smaller birds in the bushes below us where we found a couple of male Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos). We dropped down on to the lower track and had views of Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) and Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) before we reached the car.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We drove around the western side of the lake and stopped off at the Mirador on the way but as usual most birds were to far away but we did see Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) both of which were new for the day.

Lunch came next in a bar just opposite the BP garage on the way into Campillos and then on down to the Raptor watch point on the side of the road to Teba which looks up to Sierra de Penarrubia's crags. As soon as we stopped we picked up 6 Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a pair of Bonelli's Eagles (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus) and an unexpected late November adult Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) along with Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Bath (Pontia daplidice), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small Whites (Artogeia rapae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Broad leaved Iris (lirio de invierno / Iris planifolia), Friar's Cowl (Arisarum vulgare), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis) and Autumn Buttercup (Ranunculus bullatus). 

Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

We moved just down the road and walked most of the way along the gorge of the Rio de la Venta hich runs in to the nearby Emabalse de Guadalteba where we had nice views of or heard Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Rock Pigeon (Paloma Bravia / Columba livia), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius) as well as Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). 

We called in again at the Cliffs and had a soaring Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), more Griffon Vultures and the male Bonelli's Eagle which was display flying. 

Our last stop of the day was at Laguna Dulce but we were surprised how quiet the lake was with just a small flock of the usual hundreds of Eurasian Coots being seen, the only new species for the day were Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), other species were Marsh Harrier, Snipe, Eurasian Teal, Little Grebe, Northern Shoveler and Northern Lapwing.

El Hondo and Santa Pola Saltpans, Alicante Province.

A morning on the reserve and a look around the Santa Pola Saltpans.

Reedy channel at El Hondo.

We all got up and followed Juan Perez and Beatriz to the North Gate of El Hondo reserver where we joined a rather longer line of cars than expected, Whilst we were waiting for the warden we saw Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Great White Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Once we were in we drove to the furthest point as the local Brits all raced to get into the first smaller tower so we continued on and parked near the second one. We walked to the nearby platform and scanned the pools picking up Red-crested Pochards (Pato Colorado / Netta rufina), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), lots more Kingfishers including 4 at the same time in a nearby ditch.

Reed beds looking south from the hide.

The weather was not really in our favour for seeing the Eagles as it was overcast and misty so we decided to have a walk back through the reserve to the smaller platform, on the way we had views of Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

As we got to the platform the other birders had moved so we scanned the pools from the high point and soon added Black-necked (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebes (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei). I had a walk along the track a little further and had a single fly over Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla), even more Kingfishers, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and during the walk back we had a couple of Great White Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) and two Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) fly along the channel.

Looking North from the hide.

Once we were back at the cars we had a coffee and the decided that we would go out early as we had actually had better birding from the two hides near the south gate yesterday but this plan did not work as when we reached the gat we found that we were locked in so we returned along the track to a track which lead out to a boardwalk and to a view point.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

Along the walk we had views of Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Serins (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), another Iberian Green Woodpecker and as we were walking back we had a splendid male Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus) fly across the channel and disappear in to the reeds.
Once we were able to get out of the gate we made our way around to the visitors centre where Juan and Beatriz been the day before, as soon as we arrived we checked the pool at the rear where we saw a couple of collared Red-knobbed Coots (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) one of which had a strange orange coloured bill and damaged Shield. Also on the pool we had even more Kingfishers, Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) and Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra). From the pool we walked out along the tracks to the hides out on the reserve but we did not see much on the water except for a fine winter plumaged Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).
From the back of the hide a large raptor was seen perched in a distant tree which turned out to be TONN again. We walked back to the cars, on the way we had good views of a male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus).

Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis).

We decided that we would like to get a better view of the eagle so we a drive around the tracks in the general direction of where we had seen the bird. We stopped at a deadend in the road and scanned the area to find we had driven right passed the bird which few passed us a few minutes later. Whilst we were in this area we had a flyby Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and another of the omipreasent Kingfishers.
Once we found our way out of the fields we had some lunch beforedriving a slightly roundabout way out to Santa Pola saltpans on the coast, here we all got the scopes out and scanned the pools and quickly boosted the wader list with Red Knot ( Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Black-winged Stilt, Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta) and Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

Other species seen included Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), a couple more Great White Egrets, Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), an Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) and a hundred plus Great Crested Grebes.
Later we moved back to the Southern hides where we again saw Greater Flamingo's, Avocet, Northern Shoveler, Booted Eagle, Marsh Harrier, a very nice female Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), 5x Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) and a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

Later in the day we moved back around to the towers we had been at yesterday until just on dusk where we saw Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Western  Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta),  Great White Egrets, Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), 3x Ruff, Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Water Rail, White Wagtail and the last new species for the two days an immature Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius).
We said goodbye to Juan and Beatriz who were staying an extra day before driving back to the house, on the way it was very very windy but the journey went well and quickly.

Travelling to and in the El Hondo area, Alicante Province.

Second trip out of Andalucia this year, this time for some special Eagles.

Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis).

The group set off early and made our way up the motorways through Granada, Almeria, Murcia and in to Alicante to the well known wetland reserve of El Hondo. On the drive we picked up Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and near the reserve whilst we were searching the small lanes of the site we also picked up Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and the first Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Common Buzzards (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

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

As with so many Spanish reserves El Hondo has very restricted entry time but we were booked in on the visit sheduled for tomorrow morning so we spent the rest of this morning around the south gate and the two hides nearby. We parked on the roadside and walked out to the first hide, on the way we saw Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and the first of dozens of Kingfishers (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) we were to see over the two days here.

Great Spotted Eagle (Águila Moteada / Aquila clanga).

Once we were in the hide we got good views of 200+ Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), an Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) which was perched on a post in the water, plenty of Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), and in the trees on the far side of the reeds dozens of Woodpigeons (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and a single Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas).
I went for a stroll back to the road, on the way I had two male Penduline Tits (Pájaro Moscón / Remiz pendulinus) in the reeds along with a male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which was skulking around on the mud at the side of the lake. In the trees by the road I located a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) flushed up from a ditch at the side of the road and two Bramblings (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) flew over calling.

Great Spotted Eagle (Águila Moteada / Aquila clanga).

Next came lunch and after we had eaten we headed back to the hides but this time I checked out the second one which was a little further along the track. From here I had views of Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Eurasian Curlew (Zaoaito Real / Numenius arquata), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), two more Western Ospreys, Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Little Grebes (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). In the ditches and around the pools I also saw several Insect species included Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta) which were quite common, Vagrant (Anax ephippiger) and Lesser Emperors (Anax parthenope), Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii), Bath  (Pontia daplidice), Large (Pieris brassicae) and Small Whites (Artogeia rapae) and a butterfly lifer a very smart Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus).

The towers.

We wondered back to the first hide adding Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
At around 15:00 we decided to have a drive around the south west corner of the reserve where we some how or other found our way to an abandoned visitors centre near Santa Agueda where some of the group checked out two towers at the site whilst some of us keep a check that the gate was not going to be locked behind us, whilst I was on gate watch I saw two cracking Bluethroats, more Reed Buntings, Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and then the bird of the day TONN the Great Spotted Eagle (Águila Moteada / Aquila clanga) complete with defunked transmitter. The rest of the group saw the bird just as it landed in a large pine tree which was where we watched the bird preen for a while before it again flew heading for the trees in the centre of the reserve. Whilst it was in the tree we moved around to a track to get a better view, here we met a nice Spanish chap who told us the gate to the centre was never locked so we all returned there and checked the towers again. Species seen from here included a fine Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), 2 Little Stints

Great White Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

(Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Snipe, Black-winged Stilt, several Great White Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) and in the scrub behind us a Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata).
Once it was getting towards dusk we headed for the hotle near Elche which was found quite easily, just as we were unloading two of out friend Juan Perez and his wife Beatriz turned up along with Chika there lovely little dog. We got the rooms sorted and then all went out for a meal in a local bar.

During this days birding we saw a total of 82 species of bird which was a good total considering the weather had been very dull but thankfully dry.