Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.

Thursday, 7 October 2021

Second half of the crossing to Portmouth and a drive to Albrighton, Shropshire, Britain.

Wet, Dark and Roadworks filled drive North up to the Midlands.

Trip to UK, Day Five.

I sort of woke up after one of the most uncomfortable night sleep I have had and went up on to the deck for the last few hours of the trip where I saw lots of Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), a couple of Great Skua's (Págalo Grande / Stercorarius skua) and lots of Common Dolphin's (Delphinus delphis).

We arrived in Southampton and after about an hour I was on my way North, slower than expected as the whole route was loaded with roadworks but after a 5.5 hour drive which should have taken just 3 hours I arrived in Albrighton.

Wednesday, 6 October 2021

Ría de San Martín near Suances and Marismas Blancas and Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo in the Bahía de Santander, Cantabria, Spain.

Wetlands on my way to catch the ferry and the first half of the trip to UK.

Going North and trip to UK, Day Four.

Ebird List for Marismas Blancas.

Ebird List for Dársena de Raos y puerto deportivo.

White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis).

Last day in Spain for a while was spent looking around some wetland and coast spots starting at a new site for me called Ria de San Martin, I parked and walked down to the Hide and took the track around the outside of the sewage works finding lots of Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), an escapee White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis).

I walked back to the car and drove back towards Santander where I visited Marismas Blancas a fresh water lake next to the salt water inlets, there were good numbers of duckds on the water including 150 or so Gadwall, 60 Common Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) and a few Eurasian Teal.

Other species included Mute Swan, Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and others listed on the link above.

Santander from the ferry.

From the pool I went around to a spot near to the Santander Airport where I checked a couple of pools and an area of sea front where I added Black-necked (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis) and Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) before joining the que to get on to the Ferry Galicia for my trip over to Portsmouth.

Leaving the port.

I went up on deck for the first part of the trip and just out of the port I had a Sooty Shearwater (Pardela Sombría / Puffinus griseus), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus).

Tuesday, 5 October 2021

Santoña area, Cantabria, Spain.

A rather damp day on the estuary and around the Port.

Going North and trip to UK, Day Three.

Ebird List first visit to hide.

Ebird List second visit to hide.

Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

I got up and headed back to the Observatorio de La Arenilla near Santoña as it was raining and I thought it would be a good spot to sit out the showers.

Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus).

Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica).

Whilst there I saw Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) as well as others, see list above.

A returning fishing boat.

Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

The weather cleared a bt so I went down to the Port and had a walk round checking through the Gull species finding Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) as well as Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis) and Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

The approaching rain.

The weather closed in rapidly so I decided to get a sandwich from a nearby bar and take it with me for a longer session in the Hide.

Ready for some birding.

I arrived at the hide and set up along side a Spanish birder who had been there for a while, during this visit I saw a lot of the birds I had seen earlier in the morning but added quite a few more species including the Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) which flew in from the estuary and started to feed in one of the muddy channels.

Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) Phonescope pic.

Other species seen included an Immature Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) and Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa). Other species on the Link above.

Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) male.

Monday, 4 October 2021

Fuente de Nava and Embalse de Aguilar, Palencia Province and Santoña area, Cantabria, Spain.

Some more birding as I travel North.

Going North and trip to UK, Day Two.

Dawn at Fuente de Nava.

I started the day off by heading out to Fuente de Nava and arrived in the area before first light as I was hoping for Owl species and it worked out well, as I drove on the approach road I saw a white shape perched on a road sign which stayed as I drove passed so I turned around and had very nice views of a Barn Owl (Lechuza Común / Tyto alba) in my headlights.

Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

I continued on and parked on the first of the car parks, I put on a couple of extra layers as it was Piggin freezing before I walked out on to the short boardwalk leading to the screen over looking the reedbeds.

Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) male.

As I stood there watching the sun come up the first Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) started to get up and around along with Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and two Short-eared Owls (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus) which were leaving there roost to feed on the fields.

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

As it got lighter I added Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and ust as I got back to the car I had a very smart male Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) in the roadside ditch.

Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) adult.

I Got back to the car and headed off North again to my second stop of the day at Embalse de Aguilar where a few days ago the second Short-billed Dowitcher (Agujeta Gris / Limnodromus griseus) for Spain had been seen but had departed so I did not expect to se it but thought I would have a look.

Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) Immature.

Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) Adult and Immature.

Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) Immature.

I did find a few waders including good numbers of Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) along with Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Around the margins in the bushes and trees I had a female Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) and Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) before I headed North towards Santoña adding Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and several Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

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

From the hide on the road into Santona I again saw the Male Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) as well as Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus).

Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

My last stop off the day before I headed to my hotel was in the Port in Santoña where I found Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which sat up on one of the big light stands plucking it recent catch.

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Sunday, 3 October 2021

Extremadura and Heading North to Palencia, Palencia Province, Spain

Up to Palencia in a 1300KM roundabout sort of way.

Going North to UK, Day One.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

I Started off the trip by driving down down to John's at Casares to drop his bag off which was left in my boot after our days birding and from there I pushed on North around Sevilla and up as far as Llanos de Cáceres where I stopped for some lunch.

On the way up I saw White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vultures (Aegypius monachus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

I took to the tracks out on Llanos de Cáceresand within seconds I had 6 Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) walking around in a field right by the side of the road but within a few more seconds a pickup came in the opposite direction and the birds flushed up and I only managed some back on flight shots.

In the same area I saw Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

I continued on to my over night stop in Palencia, on the way adding Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) before arriving.

Thursday, 30 September 2021

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk out on the fields.

Ebird List.

Nothing very exciting, just first Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) of the season.

Wednesday, 29 September 2021

Field near Campanillas, Malaga, Malaga Province, Spain.

On my way Home.

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

John and I got a good bit of painting done at the finca during the morning and then I headed off after having some lunch and made just the one call on the way back at the Pectoral Sandpiper (Correlimos Pectoral / Calidris melanotos) fields but there was no sign of the bird.

Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

I did however see good numbers of White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola).

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Cazalla Watch Point, Los Lances Beach, Barbate Saltpans and La Janda, Cadiz Province, Spain.

A days birding with John.

Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

John and I headed out for a days birding off the plot, doing part of a route John had done many times in the past which usually included Laguna Medina but as it was bone dry we did not bother with it and started the day by driving down to watch some of the visible migration near Tarifa.

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

Honey Buzzard (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus) Juvenile.

We arrived and set our selves up and we were soon watching the first of a good number of Short-toed (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and Booted Eagles (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Honey Buzzards (Aberjero Europeo / Pernis apivorus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

As we were watching the raptor's we also had other species including Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirundo daurica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

After several hours of migration things slowed down so we headed off and a walk out to the Hide on Los Lances beach, we parked and checked out the meadows before the boardwalk where we had Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax).

Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

From the hide we scanned through the waders finding Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Bar-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colipinta / Limosa lapponica), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus) and Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Other speices included Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Audouin's Gull (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) and Small White (Pieris rapae).

Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

We returned to the car again and drove up to the Salt pans to the south of Barbate where we parked in the shade of some trees and scanned the pools finding several new species including Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Red Knot (Correlimos Gordo / Calidris canutus), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Caspian Tern (Pagaza Piquiroja / Sterna caspia), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and as we were driving out of the site through the small fields full of live stock we found several of the ugly looking but beautiful in their own way Northern Bald Ibis (Ibis Eremita / Geronticus eremita).

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) male.

Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) female.

We drove passed Vejer and down to the Northern track into La Janda, along the main track along the canal we saw Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), many White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) including a strange looking Melanistic bird, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and quite a few nectaring Monarchs (Danaus plexippus).

Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium).

We turned around at the southern end of the track and returned to the canal crossing and drove up to the farm and out through the wild Olives finding Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia).

Zeller's Skipper (Borbo borbonica).

Our last stop of the day before we headed back to the plot was on one of the side roads on the way back up to Benalup where I was very pleased to find several Zeller's Skipper (Borbo borbonica) along with Blue-eye (Erythromma lindenii) Damsel, Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), and as we drove off the site Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and a Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which whizzed off up river but not before John picked it up and we both had nice views.