At Home, Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Sat on my backside on the Terrace.

Ebird List.

After having a walk around the town earlier I decided to have a quiet afternoon sat on the Terrace where I saw all the common species as well as a very nice Male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) which went off east over the Olives.

Around the pool in the garden I also saw a nice male Desert Darter (Sympetrum sinaiticum).

Villanueva del Trabuco, Malaga Airport, Malaga Province and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A talk to the Amigas de Casa, in Trabuco, then a run to Malaga Airport and finally a walk around the fields.

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Ten.

Ebird List for the fields. 

A flock of Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

I left Sharon, John and Caitlin back at the house packing and I went to do a talk to the ladies at the Amigas de Casa in Villanueva del Trabuco, the subject was my recent trip to Australia which I hope didn't put too many of the Ladies to sleep.

Later I headed back to the house and picked up the others as it was there last day with me unfortunately and I had to drop them down to Malaga to catch their flight back home, the drive down was uneventful and I was sadly saying goodbye to my friends and then heading back home again.

On the way I stopped at the fields and had a walk, high lights included Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

I also saw Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x1, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2 and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) x2.

El Temple and the Cacín Valley, Granada Province, Spain.

Out on the local patch.

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Nine.

 

Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe).

We had a steady start but then headed out to the El Temple area and to the fields near to Chimenears but we did not stay long as there were quite a few Macho Bunny Blasters out bravely slaughtering totally defenseless wildlife for fun. 

However during the quick drive down to the main road we did record Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), our first of several Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).

Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus).

On the far side of the road that cuts through the site we checked the Oil Pits area and had good views of large numbers of Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), a female type Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) which was closely followed by a stunning male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus), a good sized flock of Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and as we drove off the site towards Ventas de Huelma we added Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), a couple of calling flyover Green Sandpipers (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and a very smart Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus) which Caitlin spotted just before it disappeared down a Rabbit borrow.

A really bad shot of the Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).

At another site we also had a passing Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti), along with 4x Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), a hunting Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis), another Little Owl and plenty of calling Thekla Larks.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

We dropped down into the Cacín Valley and then went North up the Valley to the Contra-embalse de Cacín where we scanned the lake added Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), 3x Ferruginous Ducks (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), another Marsh Harrier and a couple of Buzzards.

Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua).

Further up the Valley we went out onto some fields near Moraleda where our target was the Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) we had missed out on El Temple and not far into the site four birds flew up from close to the track but landed not to far away so we got out of the car and tried to get better views but when we got to the spot we couldn't find the birds. 

We did however add Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia) and a fast moving Merlin (Esmerejón / Falco columbarius).

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Our last stop of the day was at the crags below Moraleda where we found Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) before heading back in to the house but not before picking up several Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) near Huétor. 

Fuente de Piedra, Arroyo Marin, Malaga Province,

A day out in Malaga Province.

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Eight.

 

Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata).

We headed out along the A92 to Fuente de Piedra, on the pool on the entrance track we found Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax) x8, Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We parked and walked around to the far side of the Visitor's Centre where we scanned the main lake and saw a hundred or so Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) but we were looking for an immature Lesser Flamingo (Flamenco Enano / Phoenicopterus minor) which had been reported a few days earlier but we did not find it unfortunately. 

Immature Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

From this point we also picked up Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula).

Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax).

We moved around to the back two hides over looking the freshwater pools, as we walked round we found a very well behaved Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa), once in the hide we scanned the larger pool finding Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis) and Black-necked Grebe (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa).

From the smaller pool we added  Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata) x3, Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus) x2 and Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis).

Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa).

We returned to the first hide and picked up Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) as well as Small White (Pieris rapae) x2, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x5, Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi).

Immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

As we walked back towards the car we spent a while checking out some flycatching birds we saw another Common Redstart, a female type Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and a Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

Walking back up the Marin.

On the road out we picked up a sizable flock of 6x Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and 36  Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Our final stop of the day was on the way back to the house at Arroyo Marin where we had a good long walk along the valley and we boosted the list by finding Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Common Crossbills (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra) and a Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) which was bellowing from the pines on the hillside but it remained hidden and as we got back to the car we saw two Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) on the crags.

Huétor Fields and at Home, Granada Province, Spain.

A day staying local.

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Seven.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Ebird List for Home.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Stone Curlews (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia).

We had a run down town to do some shopping but before we did we checked the fields just above the town near the petrol stations, high lights included Stone Curlew's (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) and Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

We also saw Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) x2, Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) x1, Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) x2 and Small White (Pieris rapae) x3.

We returned to the house and spent the afternoon birding from the terrace and we did rather well seeing a passing immature Iberian Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) as well as 2x Short-toed (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), 1x Golden (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) and 1x Bonelli's (Aguila Perdicera / Aquila faciatus), 1x Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), 4x Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), 100+ Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) and Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki). 

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Later in the Afternoon we went for a along the fields and along the Arroyo Vilano where we added Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Pied (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) and Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe) to the day list.

Charca Suarez and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Looking for skin changers down on the coast.

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Six.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax).

We were out early and down on the coast as Charca Suarez was open, and we did a loop around the reserve, starting at Laguna Blanca and worked our way clockwise around the reserve finding Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), a couple of calling Eurasian Wrynecks (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Willow Warbler (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus).

Around at the main hide we saw Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca), Common Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Black-crowned Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax), Common Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and further around in the smaller hides we saw Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Red Avadavat (Bengali Rojo / Amandava amandava) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea). 

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

Caitlin and I spoke to a Spanish chap and he said that he had just seen several Mediterranean Chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) so we went to the area where he had seen them and Caitlin almost immediately came up with the goods and found a very smart Chameleon in a Broom Bush.

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

At the same spot we also found a very nice Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis) on a Flag leaf, next we headed out of the reserve and made our way down to the beach and the golf course where we found Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Western House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

Mediterranean Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon).

We headed back towards the house but had a walk along the fields at Huétor where we found the flock of 24 Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), 60 odd Eurasian Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) and a couple of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis).

Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

Stripe-less Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis).

Granada City, Granada Province, Spain.

A day up in the City.

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Five.

 

We spent the day in the City including a visit to Plaza San Nicolás which was a Tad more emotional than expected.

Chipiona Port, Cadiz Province, Spain.

Update on ringed Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) GLJ.

 

Sharon, John, Caitlin and I saw this bird on the 7th October 22 in the Port of Chipiona. It was ringed on Deserta / Barreta Island, Faro, Portugal on the 17th June 22, 132 KM to the west of Chipiona where it has been for a while.

Thanks to Ed MacKrill for doing the work to find this information.

Rio de San Pedro, Marismas de Cetina, Playa Montijo, Puerto de Chipiona. Colorado Pools in Cadiz Province and Osuna area, Sevilla Province, Spain.

Birding or way back to the house. 

Sharon, John and Caitlin, Day Four. 

 

Watching some Lesser Short-toed Larks (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens),

We had breakfast at the hotel and the went just up the road to check the Rio de San Pedro where we looked at the sandy margins of the river finding Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

There were birds everywhere.

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

Next we headed to the entrance of the Marismas de Cetina Salt pans where we parked and then went through the gate and started to scan the water.

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina).

From our first spot we started the list for the site with Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), lots of Avocets (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Black-tailed Godwit (Aguja Colinegra / Limosa limosa), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Slender-billed Gull (Gaviota Picofina / Larus genei), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo).

Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

We walked further into the site and continued to pick up stuff out on the pans and on the drier salt marsh area, species included Lesser Short-toed Lark (Terrera Marismena / Calandrella rufescens), Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and a nice male Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) which sat up nicely so that we could get the scope on it.

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis).

On the freshwater pool along a side track we a couple of Wood Sandpipers (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), lots of Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii) and a couple of Vagrant Emperors (Anax ephippiger).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus).

Our next stop was to the North just passed Chipiona at Playa Montijo but the tide was all wrong for Waders and Terns so we only managed Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Mediterranean Gull (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Northern Gannet (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus) and off the point a little way along the beach several Arctic Skua's (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus) were hassling everything coming into the area.

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

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

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

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

Just down the road we had some lunch in the Port of Chipiona where we had the first of several Little Swifts (Vencejo Moro / Apus affinis) as well as Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Ruddy Turnstone, Lesser Black-backed and a ringed Yellow-legged Gull as well as a much closer fly through Arctic Skua which came right through the Port.

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus).

Arctic Skua (Págalo Parásito / Stercorarius parasiticus).

Our last stop in this area was at the Colorado Road Pools, which were in quite a shit condition as the very low water levels show just how much crap is dumped into the pools, even though they were in a bit of a state there were still a few good birds there including Temmincks (Correlimos de Temminck / Calidris temminckii) and Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Little Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Little Egret, Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser), Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) and a very smart male Black-headed Weaver (Tejedor Cabecinegro / Ploceus melanocephalus).

Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris).

Next we had a drive along the central track at Bonanza but it was amazingly quite and we only saw more Greater Flamingo's, Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenuela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

Greater Flamingo's (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

We returned to the road and started to make our way back to the House but as we passed Osuna we came off the Motorway and drove along the road out into the fields where we boosted the day list with Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) heads down feeding.

Watching the Great Bustards.

Watching the Great Bustards.