Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
Sites visited 5th April –Coastal mountains 6th April – Alcala + Stork factory + Alcaidesa Alto + Pinar del Rey + Benalup (Bustard site) 7th April – Osuna 8th April – Barbate, La Janda etc 9th April - Bonanza 10th April - Grazalema 11th April – Tarifa Weather
Highly unsettled for 2/3 of the week before calming noticeably towards the end. Heavy rain on the morning of the 8th of April and winds of up to 60mph throughout the week until this point. Sun and calmer winds on the final 3 days meant far easier birding. Temperatures ranged from chilly (12oC with the wind) to comfortable (21oC) towards the end of the week.
Base
Antigua Fonda and another house in Alcala de los Gazules. Each sleeping 8 with all facilities available. Restaurants in the town also available. Lesser Kestrel colony above the house a highlight
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
5th April – Arrival and first sites Arriving from across Europe on different airlines meant different arrival times. But by 2:30pm we were all in place, had collected the hire cars near Malaga airport and were on our way. Between Malaga airport and our first stop the following birds were recorded:
Feral Pigeon House Martin House Sparrow Spotless Starling Yellow Legged Gull Barn Swallow Goldfinch Common Kestrel Fan-Tailed Warbler Monk Parakeet White Stork Jay
Our first stop was the La Canada shopping centre in Marbella for some much needed refuelling. The evidence of how good Spain is for watching raptors soon became apparent with Booted Eagle, Short-Toed Eagle and Osprey viewed from the car park, needless to say everyone had the bug very quickly. Other species seen here were:
Common Swift Collared Dove Pallid Swift White Wagtail Blackcap Robin
Once refuelled we headed further down the coast to our first proper birding site. Just before arriving we stopped at a small ford, which in the past has been the nest site to RedRumped Swallow, however on this occasion none were present. We did however see a few bird species here, the highlight being 2 European Bee-Eater distantly across the fields.
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Also seen here were:
Woodpigeon Greenfinch Serin Barn Swallow
After a short while we headed to our first proper stop of the day, a small mountain range just in land of the coast. Due to the presence of a pair of nesting Bonelli’s Eagle the site will remain nameless. After parking in a small meadow we were immediately greeted by the iconic song of a Nightingale, our first of 5 at this site. The low bushes and hedges were also alive to the ever present Sardinian Warbler, a very easy bird to find in this area. Once everyone was assembled we began our walk towards the small sierra. Almost immediately the target bird of our visit was on show as a pair of Bonelli’s Eagle soared gracefully over the sierra, giving prolonged but distant views, a Raven joined them momentarily. We decided to head further into the Sierra, the path quickly deteriorating from a smooth dirt track to rocky boulders which were often awkward to scramble over. The walk up gave more singing Nightingale and Sardinian Warbler and these birds were joined by more familiar species such as Blue Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Wren and Great Tit.
This Nightingale was incredibly showy
Climbing up we quickly came across the resident colony of Crag Martin, which often gave close views as they whizzed around in the late afternoon sun. Very quickly another target species of this site gave itself up. Heard from further down the valley but finally seen was a stunning male Blue-Rock Thrush in stunning breeding plumage. Close by was a female carrying nesting material and further up the valley 3 more males were present. However the best was yet to come. With everyone gathered together we watched in wonder as one of the Bonelli’s Eagles flew over us at close range for several minutes before landing on top of the one of the peaks of the Sierra. With time pressing on we decided to head down the track and back to the cars. Upon reaching the flat track area again a small bird was singing from the top of an exposed tree. This was our first Cirl Bunting of the trip and gave excellent views for everyone as it sang in the evening light. Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
The resident Bonelli's Eagles of the sierra put on quite a display
This small rocky area had provided a great start to the trip and a refreshing walk after being in cars and planes for most of the day. Other species seen here were:
Short-Toed Eagle Greater Spotted Woodpecker Spotted Flycatcher (Possible, heard only)
Other animals and plants seen at the site were (To Follow)
Mirror Orchid Stick Insect
As the light was fading when we were leaving the small sierra by the time we reached Alcala de los Gazules, our base for the week, it was completely dark. This lack of light proved an issue as finding our accommodation in the maze like streets of Alcala was no easy task. However after a few phone calls to our host for the week we finally arrived and got ourselves to the local restaurant for dinner, joined by a local man known as “The Poet”! The drama level reached new heights as it became apparent that one of our cars was really not fit for further use, several issues included the underfloor hanging off and a very temperamental fuel gauge. After a few phone calls to the hire company they finally told me that I would not be able to return to Malaga for a new car as I was not the registered driver on it. I called my good friend Jeffrey (Lifesaver as ever!) who managed to sort out a taxi and for the old car to be collected for the next morning. However this still meant that two of our group (Danni and Michael) would have to return to Malaga on the morning of the 6th (120 miles away) and pick up the new car. I really cannot express enough gratitude to them for doing this for the group when it should have been me that went back to Malaga (It later transpired that I could have gone which left everyone involved feeling very let down by the hire company). By the end of the day I think everyone was just glad to get some sleep. It was a very sour end to what had started off as an excellent beginning to our trip.
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
6th April – Alcala + Stork factory + Alcaidesa Alto + Pinar del Rey + Benalup The first full day began and, thanks to Jeffrey and Antonio, we were able to begin birding from the start of the day. However it wasn’t really the same without Danni and Michael who began the long trip back to Malaga to get the new hire car. Birding for the day began from the roof terrace of our accommodation. Alcala is well known for its superb Lesser Kestrel colony and it seemed we were right in the middle of it. On the first morning a total of 41 Lesser Kestrel were viewed, their calls and the sheer number made for quite a spectacle. Also seen from the rooftops were the first Vultures of the trip. Up to 65 Griffon Vulture were seen to the south west of the village (Viewed from second house), more on this shortly. Also recorded from the roof of our second house were:
Barn Swallow House Martin House Sparrow Black Kite (71 seen) Spotless Starling Cattle Egret Bonelli’s Eagle Raven Common Swift
Once everyone was gathered we headed off, guided for the morning by Jeffrey, south out of Alcala. Within a mile of the village we noticed a lot of Griffon Vultures flying very low and some appearing to drop down. Fortunately Jeffrey also noticed this and we quickly diverted down the service road to see what was going on. On arrival we saw that the Griffons were indeed on the ground and coming in to a carcass, not a regular site (in fact this was my first in 10 visits). It was quite an amazing thing to see for the assembled group. The sky was now full of Vultures trying to land at the carcass, the strong winds holding them up in the air which allowed for fantastic photo opportunities. Along the tree line behind the One of the many Griffon Vultures assembled mass of Griffons we also noticed a juvenile Egyptian Vulture cruising low, however we did not see it come down to the carcass.
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Moving along the road a short way we managed to get a better view of the feeding frenzy. Sat a short way from the group, closer to us, were two striking full adult Egyptian Vultures which instantly stood out from the Griffons due to their smaller size and mostly pure white colouring. The total of Griffons noted here was around 130, quite a gathering and an incredible thing to witness for the group. Jeffrey’s sharp eyes picked up a smaller, darker Griffon Vulture sat on the ground close to a more regular Griffon Vulture. His instincts instantly told him this was something different, a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture! This juvenile type bird made identification very tricky, but it was subtly different enough to see some differences in the field and was definitely worth attention. However from photos and subsequent information we have ruled out Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture. While viewing the mass feeding a number of other bird species were present close to our position, including a few firsts for the trip. Crested Lark, Corn Bunting and Woodchat Shrike all gave excellent views on wires and in the scrubby areas close to the motorway. More Black Kite (46) were observed in the distance and so were two Booted Eagle and three Raven. Also noticed around the area of the Vultures were:
Jackdaw Fan-Tailed Warbler White Stork Mallard
We decided to move on and visit an area where the group could view and Osprey nest and the Embalse de Barbate. Fortunately the nest was occupied and we had prolonged, but distant, views of two Osprey in the area. Generally the Embalse is quite birdless but a few species were milling around the edge of the water, including:
Common Sandpiper Little Egret Grey Heron White Stork (On nest) Great Cormorant
The photographers of the group were also able to get close views of Red-Rumped Swallow, three were resting on nearby wires and allowed for very close views.
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Also noted in the fields around this stop were:
Northern Wheatear Stonechat Serin Collared Dove Blackcap Nightingale Spotless Starling (280) Booted Eagle (2)
With news that Danni and Michael were on the way back from Malaga we decided to head closer to them and meet them at Alcaidesa. On the way we stopped at a site known as the “Stork Factory”. The reason being is White Stork nests sit atop every pylon and tree in the area, it is quite a sight and worth a visit for fantastic views and photos of this species. Once we found them we headed up to the upland area behind Alcaidesa known as Alcaidesa Alto. The wind here made finding birds very tricky and in the short visit here we observed the following:
Willow Warbler Chaffinch Linnet Short-Toed Eagle
With the wind increasing in intensity we decided to head to the woodlands of Pinar del Rey, a pine forest just inland of the Gibraltar area. These pine forests are fairly limited on bird species but we did manage to see the birds typically expected in a site like this. Close to the car park three Crested Tit gave excellent views in the shade of the pine trees and further into the woodland our first Western Bonelli’s Warbler briefly showed well. The often cryptic Short-Toed Treecreeper was also present but sadly only heard by the group. Also seen at Pinar del Rey were:
Jay Great Tit Booted Eagle Greater Spotted Woodpecker Bee-Eater (5)
It was to be the insects, reptiles and orchids that provided the most interest to the group at Pinar del Rey. With Jeffrey, Antonio and several of the group (James, Jonnie and Ben especially) turning over every rock in sight we quickly came across some fascinating species. Reptiles were represented by the rapid but often showy Algerian Psammodromus lizard, a common lizard to the area, and a species of Sand Lizard which proved equally as fast as the Psammodromous. Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
Butterflies and moths were out on the wing as well, despite the strong winds. Painted Lady, Common Blue, Clouded yellow, Bordered Straw, Silver Y and Blair’s Mocha were all seen during our walk here. However it was the arachnids which really captivated the group. The Gibraltar or Spanish funnelweb spider was the first to be revealed. This large black spider looks impressive but its venom is not deadly to humans. The next find, the equally impressive but slightly more potent Mediterranean Scorpion (Buthus occitanus), became a favourite for the group. Rather than run for cover this arachnid stood its ground and allowed everyone to enjoy finding this often hard to find creature.
Buthus occitanus at Pinar del Rey
Also within the woodland of Pinar del Rey we found the following species of Orchid:
Sawfly Orchid Tongue Orchid Mirror Orchid Birds Nest Orchid
Completing the species list were the following:
Broom Rape Common Toad Oil Beetle
A wild flower meadow just before the woodland gave the following plants:
Wild Spurge Wild Gladioli Convolvulus sp Milkweed Borage
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With the wind picking up we decided to head off to some new sites. We said our goodbyes to Jeffrey and Antonio and headed for the agricultural area around the town of Benalup. The wind by this point was reaching gale force levels and the birding became incredibly difficult. Using the cars as mobile hides we managed to pick up a few species that inhabit this area. The trip’s first Yellow Wagtail and Cuckoo were both seen here but the highlight, as we approached the end of the track, was two stunning Montagu’s Harriers. The views were brief but to watch them dance over the meadows was a real highlight of a difficult first full day for the group. Also seen at Benalup were:
Red-Legged Partridge Moorhen Woodpigeon Collared Dove Pheasant Marsh Harrier Common Buzzard
A short drive after leaving Benalup took us to one of my favourite sites in the area for finding Little Bustard. Despite the winds they did not disappoint. A single male showed superbly and also gave its characteristic call, which initially led to us finding the bird. A second male was also present, heard, but sadly did not show itself. After everyone had their fill of these strange but iconic Spanish birds we headed to our last stop of the day at La Barca. The cliffs here are becoming well known as the best place to find Bald Ibis and 9 pairs were present here for our visit. Despite the rarity of this species the breeding colony of 250 Cattle Egret on Cattle Egret trying to balance in the gale the opposite side of the road gained a lot more interest from the group. The weather by this point was the worst it had been all day, with rain threatening, and we decided to make a hasty retreat back to Alcala and the houses. A rather chaotic day had ended on a few high notes and it must be stressed again how grateful I am to Danni and Michael for heading back to Malaga, without them the rest of the trip would have been a disaster.
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
7th April – Osuna After the chaotic and disrupted first day we were all hoping for a calmer day up in the agricultural plains of the Osuna triangle. Unfortunately the weather decided to play the same card as the day before. Thinking that by going inland we would escape the wind we started early for Osuna (unfortunately we never did escape the wind). The morning started with yet more Lesser Kestrel action over the houses (35 this time) and they were joined by numerous Swifts and a small group of Griffon Vulture. Along the drive to Osuna we managed to pick up a few species from the car. These included our first Cetti’s Warbler and Glossy Ibis of the trip, both seen from a petrol station near Jerez. As with a lot of drives the following species were seen on the route to Osuna:
Yellow-Legged Gull (250+) Common Kestrel (3) Barn Swallow (Many) Black Kite (67) White Stork (28)
Upon arriving at Osuna we headed to our first stop, a bridge over the main road through the area. In the past I have observed both Great and Little Bustard from this spot, but sadly neither was present this time. We did manage our first Hoopoe on the bridge, which showed at close range momentarily, and our first Iberian Grey Shrike which perched itself on a fence alongside the unfinished railway which runs through the area. Soon Osuna began giving up its secrets and we racked up a decent list of species, despite the wind. Montagu’s Harrier, Gull Billed Tern, Raven, Osprey, Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Short-Toed Lark were all observed either on the bridge or along the road between this bridge and the next one. Another Hoopoe and Iberian Grey Shrike were also observed. Also seen here were:
Lesser Kestrel (1) Red-Rumped Swallow (2) House Martin (6) Linnet (3)
Red Kite over Osuna
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Our next stop was some old ruins which surrounded a beautiful white house set back from the main road. This area has been excellent for Roller in the past but like the Bustards are site 1 they weren’t present on this occasion. However along the track leading to the house we managed to see Woodchat Shrike, 16 Corn Bunting, Marsh Harrier and Fan-Tailed Warbler, with the Corn Buntings giving particularly good views. Upon reaching the ruins we were greeted by the song of Crested Lark, with up to 7 in the area. Looking to the west the area opens up into olive groves and beyond that more fields. A short walk down this track revealed one of the highlight moments for the group. At least 3 pairs of Montagu’s Harrier were interacting and passing nest material within close proximity of the path we were walking down. We were given fantastic and prolonged views of this bird of prey which is sadly becoming quite difficult to track down in the UK, but is much easier to find in Spain. In the area it was estimated that up to 11 Montagu’s Harriers could have been there after an initial count of distant and near birds. This site also gave us our first Calandra Lark of the trip with 6 birds in close proximity of the ruins, however better views of this species were to be had later in the week. We headed back to the ruins where another Hoopoe was present and a Yellow Wagtail flew over the group as we headed back. We moved on and crossed the next bridge onto a track which crosses the interior of the Osuna triangle. The track was generally birdless but Corn Bunting at Osuna quickly redeemed itself with a very showy male Little Bustard to the left of the track. We were able to watch this bird for a good while as it moved slowly away from us across the field, a really great bird to observe for such a period of time and at such range. At the end of the track we had a flyover Peregrine. Reaching the end of the track we again turned north west along the northern part of the triangle. We moved slowly along the road and scanned the fields on either side in the hope of picking out Bustards or Sandgrouse. A short way along the road a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier caught our attention and as it looked like a good place to scan we stopped the convoy. To our delight, and surprise, the Montagu’s Harrier flushed two male Little Bustards who flew straight towards us and right over our convoy across the road and disappeared into the field on the opposite side. In all my trips to Spain I have never seen a Little Bustard in flight so to have two fly over us at such close range was quite an experience and great for photos.
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
Still buzzing by this event we headed for our next destination, yet more ruins in the northern corner of the triangle. A Little Owl sat in an old barn en route was our first of the trip. This next track was in bad condition and progress was slow and difficult with cars full of people. Close to the start of the track our convoy managed to flush 2 Stone Curlew from close to the track and shortly after a European Roller was found sitting on top of a small post in the middle of a field to the west of us. This bird gave good views as it moved along the fence line before disappearing out of sight, a first Roller for many of the group. Finally we reached the ruins which would be our next stop. Our main target here was Black-Bellied Sandgrouse but after an extensive search none could be found. The ruined farm did give up two more European Roller and a personal highlight in the form of a Barn Owl (My first in Spain!). Among the rocks and rubble of the old buildings we also managed to find a Horseshow Whip Snake and the bizarre looking Iberian Worm Lizard, both of which were excellent reptiles to see up close. With the wind picking up once again we decided that our time in the farmlands was over and with everyone a bit car weary we pressed on to try some of the wetlands near Lantejuela. We arrived a short while later at the Laguna del Gobierno, a wetlands site close to Lantejuela. Here we bumped into Andy (An English birder we had planned to meet up with later in the week). Thanks to his vastly better Spanish he had arranged entry to the reserve and we joined him for a walk around the old sewage works. Horseshoe Whipsnake Despite the wind a good list of birds was seen. Our first Greater Flamingo of the trip (22) were present here and they were joined by over 25 White-Headed Duck, a new species for many of the group. A wide range of wetland species were present here and some of the group were treated to brief but close views of a Purple Swamphen as it ran from one set of reeds to another across one of the smaller ponds. The complete list of birds seen here is as follows:
Greater Flamingo (22) Coot (13) White-Headed Duck (27) Pochard (18) Red-Crested Pochard (14)
Purple Swamphen at Laguna del Gobierno
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Gadwall (8) Cetti’s Warbler (2) Black-Necked Grebe (17) Mallard (7) Black Winged Stilt (20) Moorhen (2) Nightingale (1) Shoveler (16) Yellow Wagtail (1) Little Ringed Plover (1) Little Egret (1) Common Sandpiper (1) Redstart (1) Green Sandpiper (2) Marsh Harrier (2) Glossy Ibis (3)
This was to be our last stop of the day and from here we headed back to Alcala de los Gazules.
Black-Necked Grebe
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8th April – Barbate, La Janda Once again mother nature decided to play havoc with our trip and bought us the strong winds which had plagued us for the first 2 days. However she also now decided to bring us a deluge of rain as we braved the wild and windy Barbate Marshes. A late start meant we didn’t arrive at the marshes until around 1:30pm, although the lie in was well needed by many of the group. Barbate is always a great place to find wading birds and it has become a personal favourite of mine for photographing Collared Pratincole. Despite the stormy conditions a total of 48 Collared Pratincole were present and gave the group prolonged and close views as the charismatic bird tried to avoid being blown into the estuary. Out on the estuary itself there were many species of wader for the group to browse through. These consisted of:
Black-Winged Stilt (3) Dunlin (50) Little Stint (24) Kentish Plover (6) Ringed Plover (60) Curlew Sandpiper (1) Redshank (6) Common Sandpiper (2) Greenshank (2) Grey Plover (2) Green Sandpiper (1) Sanderling (30)
Collared Pratincole at Barbate
Also out on the estuary was a pair of Stone Curlew and 12 Spoonbill, however both species remained distant. Passerines were also well represented in the grasslands and scrub surrounding the track. Up to 12 Short-Toed Lark were moving at close range along the track, sometimes giving good views. The ever present Crested Lark were also well represented (14) and so were Corn Bunting (25). Calandra Lark were also in good numbers here (15) and on occasion showed very well in grassland near the track. The standout birds here were 2 female Black-Eared Wheatear which gave superb views in the grassy areas near the track, a most wanted for many of the group.
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Other species seen at Barbate in around 2 hours of birding included:
Little Egret (8) Yellow Legged Gull (35) Hoopoe (1) Yellow Wagtail (3) Spotless Starling (1) Stonechat (4) Willow Warbler (3) Grey Heron (3) Tawny Pipit (2) Woodchat Shrike (2) Meadow Pipit (3)
With the weather clearing, but the wind still incredible strong, we decided to head up to Sierra de la Plata in the hope of seeing the resident Egyptian and Griffon Vultures. Sadly no Egyptians were on show, although no one could blame them as the wind was bitterly cold and approaching 60mph in gusts by this point. We did however manage a total of 45 Griffon Vulture attempting to land on the cliffs but held up massively by the strong winds. Also present at the Sierra were:
Booted Eagle (1) Stonechat (1) Linnet (4) Swift (5) Swallow (3) Serin (2)
The weather made the visit very unpleasant but there was still time for the group to find a very young Fire Salamander close to a small pond at the top of the sierra. With the weather once again closing in we decided to make a retreat for the lowlands of La Janda. While just as windy it is often far easier to bird in this area than looking for passerines and Vultures atop a mountain. The long drive through the area gave up a good list of birds with highlights including Merlin, Great White Egret and Water Rail (Heard only). A quick stop at the pond, where Purple Swamphen can be quite showy briefly gave 1 of these large and strange birds.
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
The full list of species seen in La Janda was as follows:
Little Egret (14) Cattle Egret (4) – The usually full colony was deserted as the birds had not returned to breed yet Spoonbill (1) White Stork (8) Cormorant (4) Grey Heron (3) Moorhen (6) Green Sandpiper (1) Peregrine (1) Booted Eagle (2) Pheasant (48) Jackdaw (240) Serin (50) Goldfinch (90) Linnet (30) Greenfinch (30) Corn Bunting (32) Common Buzzard (1) Marsh Harrier (2) Stone Curlew (1) Black Kite (1) Fan-Tailed Warbler (6) Cetti’s Warbler (1) Sand Martin (2) Swallow (45) Crag Martin (2) Reed Warbler (1) Woodchat Shrike (5)
What was meant to be a rest day (We did start at 2pm after all!) quickly became another quite intensive day of birding and we returned to Alcala tired and windswept but ultimately satisfied with another days work in very difficult conditions.
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
9th April - Bonanza With a hope and a prayer (and a low pressure finally shoving off!) we woke on the 9th with calmer winds and blue skies in force, FINALLY!! The plan for today was to visit the eastern bank of the Guadalquivir river, consisting of various sites with different habitats, known locally as Bonanza. Before leaving another rooftop check revealed 14 Lesser Kestrel and 25 Common Swift. With a 50 mile drive ahead we set off relatively early in order to get to Bonanza in good time. A stop at a petrol station actually proved quite eventful as a few of the group uncovered a good sized Ocellated Lizard, which was tolerant to holding and much photo taking. Also present in the area was a variety of larks with Calandra Lark (6), Crested Lark (4) and Short-Toed Lark (2) all present. Another unexpected bonus was a female Black-Eared Wheatear in a field close to the petrol station. Along the rest of the journey the following birds were seen:
Barn Swallow (20) House Martin Griffon Vulture (9) Woodpigeon (2) Corn Bunting (8) Gull-Billed Tern (45) – All over agricultural fields near Sanlucar Yellow-Legged Gull
Marsh Harrier
Ocellated Lizard
After driving through the maze which is Sanlucar we eventually all arrived at the start of the Bonanza saltpans. I have visited this site many times in the past but what was waiting for us on this occasion was quite extraordinary. Around 800 SlenderBilled Gull were present on the pans in varying intensities of their pink chested breeding plumage. To see this many at such close range was truly spectacular and a great start to our Bonanza day. On the first pool a pair of Kentish Plover were also very confiding.
Slender-Billed Gulls at Bonanza
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Moving into the main saltpans revealed a whole host of waders. To save words here is the full list:
Curlew Sandpiper (88) Black-Winged Stilt (35) Dunlin Sanderling (23) Ringed Plover (25) Avocet (50) Little Stint (22) Greenshank (1) Spotted Redshank (2) Turnstone (1) Whimbrel (3) Grey Plover (2) Common Sandpiper (4)
A real wader surprise was to come with the finding of a winter plumage Red-Necked Phalarope. They do pass through the area in early April but to find one ourselves was superb. Passerines were also very evident in the area around the pans, especially Spectacled Warbler. Up to 3 of these small Sylvia warblers moved through the sueda, but only gave fleeting views. Other passerines of note were:
Yellow Wagtail (Iberian race) (7) Northern Wheatear (1) Fan-Tailed Warbler (5) Crested Lark (6) Calandra Lark (1) Bee-Eater (4)
Birds making up the list for the salt pans were:
Yellow-Legged Gull (40) Shelduck (32)
Greater Flamingo (13) Black Kite (9) House Sparrow Mallard Booted Eagle (2) Little Egret (3) Gadwall (2) Sardinian Warbler (1) Cattle Egret (3)
Little Stint
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Red-Crested Pochard (2) Caspian Tern (1) Cormorant (1)
After several hours at the salt pans (there was a lot to see!) we decided to move on to Pinar de Algaida, a stone pine wood to the east of the salt pans. Upon arrival it was evident that there was a lot of migrant species within the woodland, however our immediate attention was drawn to the lake that sits on the west side of the woodland. A number of ducks and herons were present including the striking White-Headed Duck and a good number of Pochard. Also on this pool were:
Red-Crested Pochard (12) Glossy Ibis (1) Coot (3) Garganey (1) Night Heron (7) Cattle Egret (35) Spoonbill (2) Little Egret (15)
After a browse through the birds here we headed into the mosquito infested woodland. The trees were alive with passerines and there was a surprise in the form of 2 Wryneck who showed briefly to a few members of the group before disappearing in the thick vegetation. Also present in the woodland were:
Booted Eagle (2) Black Kite (3) Bee-Eater (2) Willow Warbler (2) Garden Warbler (2) Nightingale (1) Subalpine Warbler (1) Blackcap (6) Sardinian Warbler (9) Collared Dove (2) Serin (120) Greenfinch (4) Goldfinch (1) Great Tit (2)
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
With the mosquitoes becoming too much of an annoyance we moved on to an area where I had heard Azure-Winged Magpie in the past. Unfortunately our luck was out for this species but another Wryneck was heard and two superb Sharpe’s Woodpecker gave distant but excellent views on the pines. Also along this stretch of track were around 7 Crested Tit. With the track section complete we moved on to the north eastern marshes. In previous years this area has been a fantastic wet marshland, home to hundreds of breeding Whiskered and Black Terns. However this year it is bone dry and all the Terns are gone, a very sad sight for what was a superb colony. In this area the most numerous birds were the Black Kites (26) and Booted Eagles (8), which breed at the north end of the pine woods we had just crossed. More migrants lined the fence lines along the first part of the track with the following birds seen:
Woodchat Shrike (2) Northern Wheatear (2) Bee-eater (55) Cuckoo (1) Whinchat (1) Yellow Wagtail (30)
In the hope of finding more birds we headed north-east to a small wetland area near the Booted Eagle at Bonanza Guadalquivir River. Very quickly we stumbled upon one of Europe’s rarest ducks, Marbled Teal (9). These delicate and shy birds showed very well for a short while before disappearing behind the back of a small island, never to return. More wetland birds were present here with the following seen:
Avocet (65) Glossy Ibis (11) Red-Crested Pochard (26) Lesser Black-Backed Gull (1) Yellow-Legged Gull (13) Black-Headed Gull (3) Grey Heron (1) Collared Pratincole (2) Black Winged Stilt (8) Greater Flamingo (52) Cormorant (2) Lesser Short-Toed Lark
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The best was yet to come as the eagle eyed Ben Porter spotted a small lark tucked into the drained ditch. After a scramble to get on the bird it revealed itself as a Lesser Short-Toed Lark. While known at this site these birds can be surprisingly tricky to pin down so all credit to Ben for spotting this bird and getting everyone onto it so quickly, a great find. As we left the area our only Purple Heron of the week flushed from a tiny ditch beside the road. After all the places we had visited which are ideal for Purple Heron it was very strange to find one in such an unlikely place. Our final stop of the day was the seaside town of Chipionia. The group had had another long day so deserved a fairly easy bird to end. Pulling up at the site I had in mind we waited for barely a moment before the star attraction showed itself. In total 13 Little Swift swooped and dived around us at incredibly close distances, much to the delight of everyone in the group. These charismatic and lively little Swifts were joined by 18 Common Swift, 2 Pallid Swift, 30 House Martin and 2 Barn Swallow in the evening sunlight. Out to sea 15 Sandwich Terns moved past in the time we were there and while having dinner at a local restaurant we managed to pick out 2 Mediterranean Gull and a single Great Skua.
Little Swift at Chipionia
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
10th April – Grazalema With the winds dropping further and the sun well and truly shining we decided on a day in the mountains. Despite being just 50 miles to the western end of the Grazalema range the road is a twisty and narrow forest route which while stunning doesn’t make for quick driving. The birds were doing their best as well to prevent our progress as we crossed the Alcornocales forest. A large kettle of 210 Griffon Vulture had formed over a high ridge and this attraction gave us a chance to stop and stretch our legs. Also high in the sky were 4 migrating Booted Eagle and a Sparrowhawk which powered through. 9 Raven moved across a nearby valley, their cronking call resonating around the trees. The woods held a few passerines with Nightingale (4), Western Bonelli’s Warbler (2) and Chiffchaff (5) all present. Our route through the Alcornocales eventually bought us to the town of Ubrique and the start of the Sierra Grazalema National Park. From here we headed through Benaocaz and Villaluenga del Rosario until we reached the Seville to Ronda road.
Birds seen along this route were numerous so have been listed here for ease:
Black-Eared Wheatear (1) Pallid Swift (2) Short-Toed Eagle (1) Serin Blue Rock Thrush (3) Garden Warbler (1) Crag Martin Blackbird Black Redstart (1) Chough (4) Iberian Grey Shrike (1) Cirl Bunting (2) Nuthatch (1) Jay Short-Toed Treecreeper (3)
Chough near Montejaque
Our next stop was a small plateau to the north of the Seville to Ronda road. Up here we met Peter Jones, a resident of the Serrania de Ronda and as always a brilliant source of information (And a top bloke, despite being a Hammers fan!). The woodland up here was alive with migrant birds and on arriving an Orphean Warbler sung briefly from a collecting of bushes but was sadly never seen or heard again. Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
Sylvia warblers were in abundance here with Subalpine Warbler (7) and Sardinian Warbler (5) in full song. Other warblers were also present in the form of Willow Warbler (1), Blackcap (3) and Western Bonelli’s Warbler (2). As the group spread out more birds began to show. The highlight of the site was the finding of 3 Rock Sparrow and 4 Alpine Swift, we also had the following species:
Great Tit Blue Tit Short-Toed Treecreeper (5) Nuthatch (4) Hoopoe (2) Jay (3) Griffon Vulture (25) Bonelli’s Eagle (2) Greenfinch (2)
In addition to the birds there were also several orchid species present at this site. Yellow-Bee Orchid, Sawfly Orchid, Mirror Orchid and Limodore Orchid, a strange orchid which looked like purple asparagus, were all easily found. With everyone having enjoyed this area we moved on to one of my favourite areas in the mountains, Llanos de Libar. This mountain valley proved once again to be an incredible place for birding and we managed to see pretty much all of the expected species. Despite a slow start the resident Black Wheatear population soon gave itself up with no less than 14 birds in the first mile of the valley. There was also a very obvious raptor migration happening that afternoon as well with 52 Black Kite and 35 Booted Eagle seen over the valley in a short time. The valley saved one last surprise with a distant Rock Thrush sat on one of the peaks. Sadly it was the far more drab female but still a very good bird to see and one that can’t have been present long. Other birds seen at Llanos de Libar included:
Sardinian Warbler (13) Rock Dove (30) Black Redstart (12) Crag Martin (14) Blue Rock Thrush (4) Chough (13) Griffon Vulture (33) Bee-Eater (55) – Moving through on migration Woodchat Shrike (1) White Stork (4) Robin (1)
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Hawfinch (2) Short-Toed Eagle (1) Rock Bunting (3) Linnet (2) Goldfinch (40)
With time pushing on and a longer drive back (We took the long road back after the twisty nature of the short route) we decided to leave the mountains behind with another successful day completed.
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11th April – Tarifa So the final day. With the weather disrupting our plans early in the week we didn’t have a chance to visit the strait of Gibraltar to observe bird of prey migration from Africa. Finally the weather was favourable enough for us to head down to the coast and we started at the raptor watchpoint of Cazella. It is widely known that the main site is now closed so we crossed the busy coast road to the watchpoint on the south side of the road. From here we had fantastic views across the strait to Africa and waited in anticipation for what might cross, we didn’t have to wait long. Very quickly the birds of prey were up and it was a repeat of much of the week with Black Kite (44) and Booted Eagle (17) being the main species observed in the first few minutes. However things began to change as more species came in off the sea. Singles of Sparrowhawk, Montagu’s Harrier and Marsh Harrier were all seen and our excitement peaked with what looked like a Long-Legged Buzzard. The light and distance meant clinching the id was difficult but it showed many features that would attribute it to a juvenile cirtensis Long-Legged Buzzard. Migratory passerines were also evident in the area with the following moving around the scrub around the watchpoint or flying over:
Nightingale (3) Sardinian Warbler (3) Blackbird (2) Linnet (5) Bee-Eater (6) Melodious Warbler (1) Garden Warbler (1) Barn Swallow (14)
After a 50 minute vigil we decided to move down to Playa de los Lances, the long beach running west from Tarifa. The main target here was the internationally rare Audouin’s Gull. There seems to be bigger groups of these birds in September and as such just 3 birds were present for our visit, but still very enjoyable to see. Overall the beach was fairly quiet but there still a few enjoyable species:
Yellow Wagtail (13) – 9 iberiae and 4 Flava Woodchat Shrike (1) Gannet (1) Oystercatcher (2) Kentish Plover (2+3 juv) Fan-Tailed Warbler (3) Short-Toed Lark (3) Little Egret (2) Yellow Legged Gull (13) Grey Heron (2)
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog
Corn Bunting (20) Sandwich Tern (1) Blackbird (3)
With the weather now clearing up nicely we cut our time at Los Lances short and headed to the coastal raptor watchpoint of Trafico, which sits above the Punta Camorro. From my visits here this is developing as one of my favourite sites for photographing birds of prey in Spring, especially in south easterly winds as birds are forced low over the cliffs. This visit did not disappoint with a good number of birds moving across the strait through the late morning. Joining the Black Kites (35) and Booted Eagles (30) were a fantastic movement of 68 ShortToed Eagles, a truly amazing spectacle as these large eagles moved into Europe just metres above us. There was also a good number of passerines in the open woodland and scrub on the cliffs which included:
Northern Wheatear (1) Linnet (8) Yellow Wagtail (1) Blackbird (4) Cirl Bunting (1) Willow Warbler (3) Song Thrush (1) Cuckoo (1) Hoopoe (1) Short-Toed Lark (3) Barn Swallow (19) Garden Warbler (1) Nightingale (7) Sardinian Warbler (3) Bee-Eater (20)
One of many Booted Eagle at Tarifa
The rest of the birds seen at Trafico consisted of:
White Stork (14) Lesser Kestrel (9) Sparrowhawk (4) Marsh Harrier (1) Common Kestrel (1) Montagu’s Harrier (1) Yellow-Legged Gull (Many)
Short-Toed Eagle from Trafico
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Gannet (1) Sandwich Tern (4)
At this point we decided to split up as some of the group wished to return to Sierra de la Plata in the hope of seeing Egyptian Vulture, an adult bird was seen overhead just moments after arriving. Those that stayed at Trafico enjoyed more migration with the following seen during another spell of excellent raptor passage:
Booted Eagle (84) Black Kite (38) Short-Toed Eagle (6) Griffon Vulture (83) Marsh Harrier (3) Sparrowhawk (3) Common Kestrel (1) Black-Eared Wheatear (2) Northern Wheatear (3) Blackbird (6) White Stork (15) Chiffchaff (1)
Egyptian Vulture over Sierra de la Plata
With everyone now back together, and after a detour via Bolonia to try and see European Chameleon (Which unfortunately we didn’t), we headed again to the Barbate wetlands. Our first visit here was a wet and windy one so with the sun shining and light winds it was a far more pleasant early evening experience. On arrival 5 Bald Ibis were perched on overhead pylons at the start of the track, a Collared Pratincole over Barbate nice change to see them away from the cliff face at La Barca. Once again the Collared Pratincole colony was on top form, with 65 birds present and performing brilliantly in the evening light. Waders were present although now far more distant as the tide was out.
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These included:
Sanderling (6) Curlew Sandpiper (2) Black-Winged Stilt (4) Ringed Plover (2) Kentish Plover (4)
The passerines were again numerous and enjoying the far calmer conditions, including:
Crested Lark (6) Short-Toed Lark (3) Calandra Lark (7) Chiffchaff (1) Willow Warbler (1) Fan-Tailed Warbler (3) Yellow Wagtail Linnet (7)
Caspian Tern powering through over Barbate
The list of birds at Barbate was complete by Cattle Egret (9), Little Egret (1), White Stork (5) and Spoonbill (1). So that brings us to the end, almost.... I had planned a visit to one of my favourite sites for Black-Winged Kite for the final evening, a last surprise for everyone. Fortunately the weather was spot on for it, with no wind and bright sunshine ending the day. A few nervous minutes passed but then a distant Black-Winged Kite was picked up hunting over fields to the north of where we were positioned, we were also joined by Andy Walker for this vigil. Shortly after a second bird was seen close by and we were fortunate to witness interaction between the pair including one bombing the other in the air. A fantastic way to end our week with these special little birds of prey and the fantastic sound of a Quail singing in a field close by. Also around our position were the following birds:
Marsh Harrier (3) Common Buzzard (2) White Stork (1) Cattle Egret (7) Common Kestrel (1)
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Species list 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42
Common Shelduck Gadwall Mallard Garganey Northern Shoveler Marbled Duck Red-crested Pochard Common Pochard White-headed Duck Red-legged Partridge Common Quail Common Pheasant Little Grebe Great Crested Grebe Black-necked Grebe Cory's Shearwater Northern Gannet Great Cormorant European Shag Black-crowned Night Heron Cattle Egret Little Egret Great Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron White Stork Glossy Ibis Northern Bald Ibis Eurasian Spoonbill Greater Flamingo Black-winged Kite Black Kite Red Kite Egyptian Vulture Griffon Vulture Short-toed Snake Eagle Western Marsh Harrier Montagu's Harrier Eurasian Sparrowhawk Common Buzzard Golden Eagle Booted Eagle
43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84
Bonelli's Eagle Osprey Lesser Kestrel Common Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Water Rail Common Moorhen Purple Swamphen Eurasian Coot Little Bustard Eurasian Oystercatcher Black-winged Stilt Pied Avocet Eurasian Stone-curlew Collared Pratincole Little Ringed Plover Common Ringed Plover Kentish Plover Grey Plover Sanderling Little Stint Curlew Sandpiper Dunlin Ruff Whimbrel Common Sandpiper Green Sandpiper Spotted Redshank Common Greenshank Common Redshank Ruddy Turnstone Red-necked Phalarope Great Skua Black-headed Gull Slender-billed Gull Mediterranean Gull Audouin's Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Yellow-legged Gull Gull-billed Tern Caspian Tern
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85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126
Sandwich Tern Common Tern Little Tern Black Tern Rock Dove Common Wood Pigeon Eurasian Collared Dove Monk Parakeet Common Cuckoo Barn Owl Eurasian Scops Owl Little Owl Tawny Owl Common Swift Pallid Swift Alpine Swift Little Swift Common Kingfisher European Bee-eater European Roller Hoopoe Eurasian Wryneck European Green Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Calandra Lark Greater Short-toed Lark Lesser Short-toed Lark Crested Lark Woodlark Sand Martin Eurasian Crag Martin Barn Swallow Red-rumped Swallow Common House Martin Tawny Pipit Meadow Pipit Yellow Wagtail Grey Wagtail White Wagtail Winter Wren Dunnock European Robin
127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168
Common Nightingale Black Redstart Common Redstart Whinchat European Stonechat Northern Wheatear Black-eared Wheatear Black Wheatear Common Rock Thrush Blue Rock Thrush Common Blackbird Cetti's Warbler Zitting Cisticola Sedge Warbler Eurasian Reed Warbler Melodious Warbler Spectacled Warbler Subalpine Warbler Sardinian Warbler Western Orphean Warbler Common Whitethroat Garden Warbler Eurasian Blackcap Western Bonelli's Warbler Common Chiffchaff Willow Warbler Common Firecrest Long-tailed Tit European Crested Tit Eurasian Blue Tit Great Tit Eurasian Nuthatch Short-toed Treecreeper Southern Grey Shrike Woodchat Shrike Eurasian Jay Common Magpie Red-billed Chough Western Jackdaw Northern Raven Spotless Starling House Sparrow
169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178
Spanish Sparrow Rock Sparrow Common Chaffinch European Serin European Greenfinch European Goldfinch Common Linnet Cirl Bunting Rock Bunting Corn Bunting
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Conclusion and acknowledgments So that finally brings us to the end. A completely crazy week with over half of it seriously disrupted by awful weather and the start disrupted by car trouble which could have easily have been avoided. A species list of 178 birds is a very good total for the area in early April given perfect conditions, however considering the weather we had the total is very impressive. My thanks goes to everyone who attended the trip. Everyone played their part in an eventful but successful weeks birding and I really hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Special thanks goes to Danni and Michael for their efforts to get a new car on the first day, a selfless act which meant the trip could continue. My wholehearted thanks to Jeffrey and Antonio for guiding the group around for half of this day as well. I must also thank the people who are a constant source of up to date information on the area. These include: John Cantelo, Peter Jones, Jeffrey Saez, Kevin Wade, Eva Bratek and several others. Finally a massive thank you to my partner AJ for keeping me sane during a hectic, and often stressful week. Her presence and constant support made the whole thing a lot easier, I owe her a relaxing holiday for sure. Hopefully this trip report has been a useful read. If anyone has any questions on visiting the area then please do not hesitate to contact me via the details at the top of this report. Thank you for reading and good birding.
Oliver Reville 2015 oliver.reville@gmail.com http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsur http://oliverreville.wix.com/avesdelsurblog