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Trip Report: The Rio Guadalhorce, Malaga

Posted by & filed under Barn Swallow, Birds of Prey, Black Redstart, Black-headed Gull, Black-necked Grebe, Black-winged Stilt, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Booted Eagle, Cetti's Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Cormorant, Crested Lark, Feral pigeon, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Hoopoe, House Martin, House Sparrow, Kentish Plover, Kestrel, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Mallard, Moorhen, Non-passerines, Passerines, Pochard, Redshank, Robin, Sardinian Warbler, Seabirds, Serin, Shoveler, Spotless Starlings, Stonechat, Teal, Trip Report, Wading Birds, Waterfowl, White Wagtail, White-headed Duck, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-legged Gull, Zitting Cisticola.

Located just outside Malaga, the mouth of the Rio Guadalhorce may at first seem an unlikely site for birdwatching. However, the complex of ponds and scrubland that sits between the two arms of the river – widened and engineered to avoid flooding upstream – is a key stretch of wetland habitat within Andalucia, and with over 280 species recorded a visit was long overdue.

The day proved to be hugely enjoyable, and we put over forty species on the list in just a few hours. Information boards mapping the paths and the location of the hides made exploring the reserve pretty straightforward, and the birdwatching proved to be terrific almost as soon as we arrived…

The first hide we stopped at gave us fantastic views of Little Grebes and White-headed Ducks, and a spectacular fly-over from a pale-form Booted Eagle, my first of the new season.

Barn Swallows and House Martins swirled overhead, and a good range of everyday species quickly got the day-list off to a great start. Spotless Starlings, House Sparrows and Crested Larks all showed well of course, as did Blackbirds, Robins, Stonechat and Black Redstarts.

Good numbers of Fan-tailed and Cetti’s Warblers called throughout the day, and Sardinian Warblers and Chiffchaff put the warbler count at four species for the trip. We picked up Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Serin, Great Tits and Blue Tits on the walks between the hides, along with fly-overs from Grey Herons and Kestrels.

The hide on the largest pool proved to be highly productive. Wildfowl species included Mallard, Pochard, Teal and Shoveler. Coot and Moorhen were both plentiful…

…and in the distance we soon identified a winter plumage Black-necked Grebe – my first in Spain.

White Wagtails were to be expected, but a Yellow Wagtail – either Motacilla flava (Central Europe) or Motacilla iberiae (Spain and NW Africa) – was a wonderful addition to the day. Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull kept the day-list going…

…while a Little Egret hunting in the shallows.

Wader species included Kentish and Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers and Redshank, and elegant Black-winged Stilts.

A Hoopoe ignored us completely and foraged happily on the path as we walked out towards the shoreline…

where we watched flights of Cormorants leaving the reserve to go fishing out at sea.

All in all a wonderful trip, and we’ll take a closer look at some of the species we encountered over the next few days. Feral pigeons – yes, they do count! – and an unidentified parakeet put the day-list at 44, and moments before we finally got in the car we found this Greenfinch which put the final count for the day at 45.

It was wonderful to see what this remarkable reserve has to offer, and it will be great to get back there later this spring.  Many thanks to our birdwatching friend Marianne for doing the driving!

There are many more birding destinations that we will be visiting over the coming weeks – if you would like more information on how to join us, details about our birdwatching trips and holidays are just a click away. Southern Spain has some truly remarkable birding to enjoy…for all our latest news, please keep reading our posts and trip reports!

Black-winged Stilt

The Black-winged Stilts of Fuente de Piedra

Posted by & filed under Black-winged Stilt, Trip Report, Wading Birds.

Always graceful and almost impossibly elegant, the Black-winged Stilt is without a doubt one of Europe’s most beautiful and distinctive birds. Our recent visit to Fuente de Piedra gave us fantastic views of this species, and photographing this remarkable wader was once again one of the highlights of a busy birdwatching day…

The Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus is a summer visitor to western Europe, returning each year from wintering grounds in Africa to Mediterranean breeding grounds in the spring. They favour shallow coastal lagoons and lake margins, and can feed in fresh, brackish and salt water habitats.

The seeds of aquatic plants are occasionally taken but their diet is mainly insects and their larvae, picked expertly from the surface of the water with their long, needle-like, delicate bills.

They walk and run through shallow water – often leaning well forward to probe for food – but those incredibly long, pink legs give them an advantage over many waders and they sometimes wade out into deeper waters beyond the reach of other species.

The pristine, snow-white body and head and glossy black wings are pretty much unmistakable, and its ID is usually a straightforward affair. In the breeding season males develop a greater amount of darker, grey colouration on the head – note the plumage of the individual shown below – which they moult out gradually after the summer.

Black-winged Stilts nest on loose colonies close to the water’s edge, in a scrape on the ground or sometimes on a raised nest built from vegetation. Predators and other intruders that stray into their territory are mobbed noisily, and chased off with loud, grating “kreet…kreet” calls.

The Black-winged Stilt is just one of the many fascinating species to be found at Fuente de Piedra, and we’ll be returning to this wonderful reserve later in the season. If you would like more information on the birdwatching trips and holidays we run in southern Spain, click here…and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our posts and trip reports!

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Trip Report: the first days of spring at the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra

Posted by & filed under Barn Swallow, Birds of Prey, Black Redstart, Black-headed Gull, Black-winged Stilt, Cattle Egret, Corn Bunting, Golden Eagle, Greater Flamingo, Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Passerines, Seabirds, Southern Grey Shrike, Stonechat, Trip Report, Wading Birds, Wood Sandpiper.

It’s the first day of March, and with a couple of birdwatching friends birdwatchalpujarras is off to visit the saltwater lagoon of Fuente de Piedra. This fascinating stretch of wetland habitat can be productive at almost any time of year, and with the spring passage upon us the first of the season’s migrants may just have begun to arrive from African wintering grounds…

We arrived in the sunshine after an early start – with the first Barn Swallows  I’ve seen this year waiting to greet us, perched on wires around the car park.

Goldfinches, Stonechat, Black Redstart, White Wagtails and House Sparrows all showed well around the visitors centre, where we decided to check out the smaller ponds first.

Other species of wintering wildfowl had already moved on, but the pools around the entrance to the reserve still held good numbers of Shoveler, along with a few Mallard. With the local Kestrel patrolling overhead we picked up Coot and Moorhen here of course, along with Cattle Egrets, Black-headed Gulls and a few Lapwing.

The breeding population of Greater Flamingos starts to return to Fuente de Piedra in December, and we could see rows of pink specks out in the heat haze shimmering over the shallow waters of the lake. The margins held a number of waders, including Redshank, Common and Green Sandpipers, and also Wood Sandpipers – a brand new species for me, and a personal highlight of the visit…

As always though the beautiful Black-winged Stilts stole the show, and we had fantastic views of these elegant birds throughout the day. Nice to see a few Teal too – a fairly common species back home but another first for me in Spain.

Away from the water’s edge, a Southern Grey Shrike caused consternation amongst the House Sparrow community when it arrived on the visitor centre’s roof, and then proceeded to give great views as it called loudly from its favourite look-out posts.

There were huge numbers of Corn Bunting around the reserve today, and their jangling, metallic calls – like rattled keys or broken glass – accompanied us as we took a drive around the lake to check out some other viewing points. Poor rainfall this  winter has obviously kept water levels down, and some seasonally flooded areas were dry…

The surrounding farmland still gave us a distant  Golden Eagle however, and we stopped to take a last look back out over the reserve before moving on. A hunting female Marsh Harrier brought a predictably unwelcome response from a huge flock of roosting gulls out on the lake, and we could pick out the darker Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the throng as they noisily rose to see the intruder off.

A wonderful few hours – and we’ll be certain to return to this remarkable reserve regularly over the coming season. Fuente de Piedra is just one of the many fantastic birding destinations we report from through the year. If you would like more information about our birdwatching trips and holidays down here in southern Spain, click here for more details…and please keep checking our posts for all our latest news!

 

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January at the wetland reserve of Padul

Posted by & filed under Birds of Prey, Black Redstart, Blackcap, Cattle Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Crested Lark, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Passerines, Robin, Sardinian Warbler, Southern Grey Shrike, Stonechat, Trip Report, Wading Birds, Water Pipit, Zitting Cisticola.

Recent visits to the reedbeds of Padul have proved to be well worthwhile, and with the month drawing to a close we’re off to get another look at this unique stretch of wetland habitat.

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Despite the chilly wind blowing in across the lake, we managed quite easily to list some thirty species today. We’ve commented before on the improvements made around the reserve, and new hides and duck-board walkways make for some easy-going walks along the prouctive, seasonally flooded margins.

Cettis Warbler

Cettis Warbler

Scolding Blackcap and Sardinian Warblers clicked and churred in stands of trees and bushes as we passed by, and once again the sheer numbers of Chiffchaff we saw was staggering. Fan-tailed Warblers showed clearly – but fleetingly – along the way, but we picked up really great views of Cetti’s Warblers, putting five warbler species on the reserve day-list again.

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier

The brilliant, new lakeside hide gave us fly-overs from Cattle Egrets, Herons and our regular female Marsh Harrier, and Shovelers joined the usual Mallards and Cormorants out on the open water…

Comorant

Comorant

Good numbers of Coot and Moorhen were no surprise of course, and with White Wagtails and a rather cold-looking Water Pipit logged for the day we moved on.

Water Pipit

Water Pipit

A drive through the open fields at the back of the reserve brought Sonechat, Crested Larks and some great views of one of our “must-see” species here, the Southern Grey Shrike.

Southern Grey Shrike

Southern Grey Shrike

A slow stroll back through bushy, scrubby ground finally got us a Reed Bunting…

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

…along with nice views of a Meadow Pipit. Robins, Blackbirds, and the usual tits and finches all followed…and passing Kestrels, and the Spotless Starlings, Black Redstarts and House Sparrows around the visitor’s centre, put us with over thirty species for a breezy but hugely enjoyable day!

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

We’ll be back at Padul regularly as the new season unfolds, so please keep checking our trip reports if you think you might be interested in joing us on one of our birdwatching trips or holidays, all the information you need is right here!

Nuthatch, Firecrests and a Southern Grey Shrike…December on the hillsides of Lanjaron

Posted by & filed under Birds of Prey, Buzzard, Coal Tit, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Passerines, Rock Bunting, Southern Grey Shrike, Stonechat.

With a flight booked for Christmas in the UK, I’ve still had time for one last trip up the mountain before the break, and we headed off last week on familiar tracks for Puente Palo.

Stonechat

Stonechat

The hillsides had a bleak, exposed feel to them that day… and it has to be said as we wound our way up towards the tree-line the birds were few and far between. A few House Sparrows around the scattered buildings as we climbed away from village of course, and just a few tough little Stonechat and the odd Black Redstart stood guard along the track…so it was great to see our local Southern Grey Shrike again before we left open ground.

Southern Grey Shrike

Southern Grey Shrike

We heard and then saw at least one Firecrest soon after we entered the tree-line, and picked up a couple of Rock Bunting as we continued on up to the conifers and pines of Puente Palo…

Rock Bunting

Rock Bunting

…where we stopped for lunch, and watched Blue, Coal, Great and Long-tailed Tits foraging in the tree-tops. We heard the shrill, laughing call of an (Iberian) Green Woodpecker before we left, and had great views of a Nuthatch before tackling the slow drive back down.

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

Flocks of churring, suspicious Mistle Thrushes – truly wild, and very difficult to approach – flapped away noisily as we wound our way downhill, and both a Kestrel and a Buzzard showed well on roadside perches before we left the woodland behind and headed down the mountainside to the village.

Kestrel

Kestrel

Thanks to our birdwatching friend Terry for the terrific shot we finish with today. Merry Christmas to all our readers…we’re already looking forward to the New Year, so please keep reading our posts when we return in January. And if you’d like to know more about the birdwatching trips and holidays we offer down here in southern Spain…all the details are only a click away!

The Bluethroat…a brand new species for December!

Posted by & filed under Bluethroat, Passerines.

Every so often, the time and effort we put into this wonderfully addictive hobby pays off…and so it was at Padul last Thursday. I can’t remember how long I’ve wanted to see a Bluethroat, and after talking about this very species the day before, we found this handsome fellow towards the end of a productive and hugely enjoyable day at this important wetland reserve.

This long-distance migrant breeds locally in France and the Low Countries, up into Scandinavia, northern Europe and Siberia, and on into Asia. There are pockets of distribution in central and northern Iberia where it appears to have a year-long presence, and while most western birds winter in NE Africa, some – as we can confirm today! – spend the colder part of the year in southern Spain.

The Bluethroat Luscinia svecica is a bird of wet woodland, thickets, swamps and reedbeds…so the marshland habitat of the Padul reserve provides it with perfect, seasonal surroundings. The white spot on the throat shows this individual to be of the southern European race – northern birds have a red patch, eastern birds none – but its hard to speculate on how far this winter visitor has travelled. The ring on its right leg could hold some interesting information…

The bright, blue plumage on the chest made the ID straightforward to say the least of course, but the long thin, legs and bold, white stripe over the eye are also key points to look for. Females and juveniles are rather more muted in colour…and I have to say I’m thrilled that on this occasion we didn’t have to struggle too hard!

A life-list first for me, and a fantastic start to the new month. We’ll continue to look at some of the other seasonal species from the Padul reserve over the next few days, so keep please keep reading our posts, and if you’d like more information on our birdwatching trips and holidays, click here…we can share some terrific birding whatever the time of year!

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Trip Report: magical winter birdwatching at the Padul wetland reserve

Posted by & filed under Blackcap, Cattle Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Passerines, Robin, Sardinian Warbler, Serin, Southern Grey Shrike, Stonechat, Trip Report, Zitting Cisticola.

As our birdwatching friend Marianne and I stepped out of the car at Padul this morning, I made a point of suggesting we might be lucky with one of our regular species at this wetland habitat, the Southern Grey Shrike. As it happened, the shrike never made an appearance…but was quickly forgotten as we enjoyed a fabulous walk, and listed nearly thirty species for the day!

Serin

Serin

The site was heavily flooded after a few days of seasonal rain, but the recently completed duck-board walkways turned exploring the water-logged reserve into a relaxing, leisurely stroll. We parked at the new visitors centre and started the day-list with many everyday species. Feral Pigeons, Spotless Starlings and House Sparrows were quickly followed by Blackbirds and Stonechats, and bright, streaky yellow Serin.

Coot

Coot

The lake itself had good numbers of Coot, with a few Moorhen and Mallards for company. One of the new lakeside hides brought wonderful views of a Little Grebe – a first for me in Spain – and some close-up glimpses of Cetti’s Warblers, the first of no less than five warbler species we identified through the day.

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Large numbers of migrant Chiffchaff and Blackcap have joined resident Sardinian Warblers for the winter, and we picked up a Fan-tailed Warbler within no time at all. Robins, Great Tits and a nice group of Long-tailed Tits all showed well in the flooded stands of trees, and we swiftly added White Wagtails along the way.

Female Linnet

Female Linnet

Another superbly positioned new hide proved to be highly productive, with great views out over the reedbeds and the muddy lake margins. Finches and other songbirds – including Goldfinch and this rather nice female Linnet – came down to forage and bathe in the shallows. Cattle Egrets passed by, Grey Herons stood watching motionless from favourite perches and Cormorants dived for fish out on the open water.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

A female Marsh Harrier was a superb addition to the day, and confirming the ID of winter plumage Water Pipits gave us another first ever sighting for the new month. All in all a wonderful few hours, but the day had one more fantastic surprise in store. A male Bluethroat, a life-first for me and without a doubt a highlight of the birdwatching year!

Cormorant

Cormorant

A truly memorable day – 27 species in all, and ample proof that the birding down here in southern Spain can bring some fantastic surprises at any time of year. We’ll take a good look at some of today’s marvellous species over the next few days so please keep checking our posts, and if you’d like to come and enjoy our spectacular birdlife yourself, the details of our birdwatching trips and holidays are only a click away!

Trip Report: Wheatears, Shrikes and Golden Eagles!

Posted by & filed under Birds of Prey, Black Redstart, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Buzzard, Coal Tit, Crested Lark, Dartford Warbler, Golden Eagle, Green Woodpecker, House Martin, Jay, Kestrel, Mistle Thrush, Non-passerines, Northern Wheatear, Passerines, Red-rumped Swallow, Sardinian Warbler, Southern Grey Shrike, Stonechat, Trip Report, Woodchat Shrike.

We had guests on board today as we once again headed off up the mountain, to get a good, end-of-the-month look at what the local hillsides have to offer at this changeable, busy time of the year.

Stonechat

Stonechat

We ended up having a thoroughly good time today, and managed to put some interesting local favourites on the list for our new friends. We were accompanied as always by noisy Stonechat and parties of Crested Larks as we started to wind our way uphill, and family groups of both Sardinian and Dartford Warblers showed well within no time at all.

Juvenile Dartford Warbler

Juvenile Dartford Warbler

We saw no Bee Eaters at all today – not one – not at any of the points where, at the start of the month, we’d seen dozens. Small parties of Spotless Starlings and Mistle Thrush appeared to have replaced them in the tree tops along the track. We picked up the local Magpies and a Kestrel or two as usual, and then one of the first really nice ticks of the day: an Iberian Green Woodpecker.

Mistle Thrush

Mistle Thrush

We built up quite a good haul from the chats and thrushes group as the morning progressed. Stonechat and Mistle Thush to start with of course, to which we added Blackbirds and both Northern and Black Wheatears. A Black Redstart got the family count to six species, before we took a break at a favourite stop-off with long views out over the valley.

Black Wheatear

Black Wheatear

Our patience here paid off. We finally spotted a male Blue Rock Thrush away down the slope from us, which put the family list for the day to a respectable seven…and then, what we’d all been hoping for. Up to three Golden Eagles, patrolling the hillside across the valley, a long way off but close enough to be able to pick out the distinctive white plumage in the tail of a juvenile.

Terry, Ian and Sonia

Terry, Ian and Sonia

Wonderful stuff, and when these huge birds of prey eventually drifted away, we wound our way up through familiar oak woodland to the pine trees of Puente Palo. We added Great, Blue, Coal and Long-tailed Tits to the list after lunch, along with screeching Jays and just a glimpse of a Buzzard.

Terry and Ian

Terry and Ian

On the drive down we picked out one or two Red-rumped Swallows from among the last, tough little Housemartins of the year, and Kiersten spotted just one, very late adult Woodchat Shrike. We rounded of the day nicely with a Southern Grey Shrike, giving us our two shrike species in one morning…quite possibly for the last time this year.

Southern Grey Shrike

Southern Grey Shrike

Many thanks to Terry and Sonia for their company today, and we’re thrilled we found one or two species on their must-see list. You too could enjoy some of the best birding southern Spain has to offer – all the information about our birdwatching trips and holidays is only a click away! And for all our latest birding news, please keep checking our posts…

Trip Report: a seasonal visit to the wetlands at Padul

Posted by & filed under Cattle Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Passerines, Trip Report, Wading Birds.

It’s a sunny September morning, and the Birdwatchalpujarras team are joining our Spanish Highs Mountain Guides friends to show an enthusiastic band of walkers around the reedbeds and pools of the local wetland reserve at Padul.

Our new Irish friends had more than a passing interest in a certain game of rugby, and with the latest scores from the World Cup streaming miraculously into various pieces of electronica we took a leisurely stroll around one of our favourite local stretches of habitat.

Not a day for serious birdwatching perhaps, but it was great to enjoy the walk and catch up on the latest improvements to the hides and paths, as they continue improve the access and walkways around the reserve. We did see – and hear – some birds today of course, and we lost count of the number of calling Cetti’s Warblers we heard along the overgrown margins of the reeds.

We had fly-overs from Cattle Egrets and Grey Herons, and watched familiar Coots and Moorhens from the hides…nice to snap a pair of Great Crested Grebes, a common enough species but a nice little first-of-the-year for the day-list and another new tick for the month.

All in all a pleasant few hours, and it was great to see that the conservation work at Padul is continuing to unfold…even if we did have to avoid marauding crayfish along the paths!

We’ll be reporting from many other locations over the coming weeks, so keep checking the posts for all the latest news. And if you’d like to join us for some of the best birding southern Spain has to offer, click here for more details about our birdwatching trips and holidays.

Black-eared Wheatear

Wheatears, Warblers and the first few Bee Eaters of the year

Posted by & filed under Bee Eater, Black Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Crested Lark, Dartford Warbler, Non-passerines, Northern Wheatear, Passerines, Sardinian Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Stonechat.

We’re in the second week of April, and with the weather improving every day migrant, summer species have continued to appear on the hillsides around the village.

Stonechat

As ever, Crested Larks line the track above the olive groves, and summer-plumage, male Stonechats are standing guard over their breeding territories as always.

Spectacled Warbler

Spectacled Warblers have now returned from African wintering grounds, and can be seen alongside their resident Sardinian and Dartford Warbler cousins. Note the distinctive grey hood, brown back and clean white throat of the male shown above.

Black Wheatear

Black Wheatears are also present all year, but as ever remain distant, wary and difficult to approach…

Northern Wheatear

and I faired little better with this female Northern Wheatear today, but with just enough for the ID it also made the list for the week.

Black-eared Wheatear

A male Black-eared Wheatear showed well a couple of days ago – another first for the year – and the hirundines and swifts have now been joined by newly-arrived Bee Eaters, even if they are feeding a very long way up!

Bee Eater

Our trip reports will keep you up to date with all our latest birding news, as a busy month continues to unfold…

Crested Lark

and if you’d like to see what southern Spain has to offer for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year. Click here for more details!

Subalpine Warbler

The Subalpine Warbler – on the list for April!

Posted by & filed under Passerines, Subalpine Warbler, Trip Report.

Another of the typically Mediterranean Sylvia warblers, the Subapline Warbler Sylvia cantillans returns each spring to the scrubby, dry hillsides of southern Spain, and it’s great to have our first ever images of this striking species to finally post today.

Subalpine Warbler

Not the clearest of shots, but there’s just enough here to clinch the ID. Note how the plain, grey hood stretches down the back of this male, and how the brick-red plumage of the chest extends up onto the throat. Note also the characteristic, white moustache – seen here curving down from the base of the beak – that when viewed properly, helpfully puts its identity beyond any real doubt.

Subalpine Warbler

A nice tick for the month, and from a simple, two-hour walk around the crags below the village. If you would like to join us on one of our birdwatching trips or holidays, you’ll find more information here…and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our trip reports!

Woodchat Shrike

Early April around the village of Lanjaron

Posted by & filed under Alpine Swift, Barn Swallow, Birds of Prey, Black Wheatear, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Rock Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Chough, Common Swift, Crag Martin, Crested Lark, Dartford Warbler, Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail, House Martin, Non-passerines, Passerines, Red-rumped Swallow, Sardinian Warbler, Serin, Sparrowhawk, Spectacled Warbler, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Woodchat Shrike.

With the weather finally improving I headed out to the crags below the village today, to find a number of our summer species have finally returned from African wintering grounds.

Stonechat

The walk out gave me Goldfinch, Serin and Blackbirds, and a bright, spring-plumage Stonechat as I left the main road. Sardinian and Dartford Warblers were calling loudly in the scrub but remained difficult to find, as did their newly-arrived, Spectacled Warbler cousins. The Crested Larks were an easier spot of course, while I picked out Barn and Red-rumped Swallows, House Martins, Crag Martins, Common Swifts and my first Alpine Swifts of the year.

Crested Lark

With Woodchat Shrikes now showing well along the track I heard and finally saw a Chough and saw a pair of Sparrowhawks before heading back down into the valley. A Black Wheatear stayed distant, but a brief stop brought slightly closer views of a bright, male Blue Rock Thrush.

Blue Rock Thrush

The walk across the riverbed brought White and Grey Wagtails, and I picked up tits and finches, Blackcap, Cetti’s Warblers and Chiffchaff as I climbed up through the park and back to the main road.

Woodchat Shrike

An enjoyable few hours of spring birding on a familiar, local walk. If you’d like to see some of southern Spain’s wonderful birdlife for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year. Click here for more details – and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our trip reports!

Griffon Vulture

The Griffon Vulture – brand new shots to start the month!

Posted by & filed under Birds of Prey, Griffon Vulture, Trip Report.

Not for the first time, a large raptor circling quietly over her house had Kiersten reaching for her camera today – as she found a passing Griffon Vulture had drifted straight onto the list for April.

Griffon Vulture

There is no doubt that numbers of Griffon Vultures in southern Spain have increased enormously in the last thirty years, and we have thought for some time now that there may be a small, but more or less resident population here in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Griffon Vulture

At this time of year of course there is also a seasonal influx of passage birds, as thousands of juveniles return from African wintering grounds. Griffon Vultures can wander extraordinary distances…but rarely this close to the village, and Kiersten’s latest shots are a perfect start to the month.

Griffon Vulture

Seen well this enormous scavenger is of course unmistakable, and with a wingspan of over 2.5 metres – over eight feet – its wings always look long, broad and deeply fingered.

Griffon Vulture

Also note the very obviously short tail, and the pale, whiter plumage of the head and neck. Even at a distance, this species often has a completely unique profile in the air, and can appear quite distinct when compared to even the largest eagles.

Griffon Vulture

A fantastic, roof-top encounter with one our most spectacular birds of prey. If you’d like to see some our wonderful birdlife for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year.

Griffon Vulture

Click here for more details…and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our trip reports!

Blue Rock Thrush

The Blue Rock Thrush – our latest shots of a local favourite

Posted by & filed under Blue Rock Thrush, Passerines, Trip Report.

March has been a wet and windy affair so far, and with the weather showing no real signs of improving I stayed on the home patch today, and went to look for one of our more colourful – and elusive – year-long residents.

Blue Rock Thrush

A widespread, breeding species across much of the Mediterranean region, the Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius is a common enough sight in southern Spain…but they’re alert, wary and suspicious, and getting good, closer views can be quite a challenge.

Blue Rock Thrush

Essentially it’s a bird of dry, stony, boulder-strewn hillsides, but they can also be seen around ruins and old buildings, and with a bit of patience you can find them surprisingly close to the village.

Blue Rock Thrush

Seen well in good light the male is indeed intensely blue, but often appears darker and together with the brown females they can be a difficult spot on a broken, rocky skyline. I was luckier today though, and a short wait overlooking the crags beneath the castle made a quick fifteen minute walk between the showers worthwhile.

Blue Rock Thrush

If you would like more information about our birdwatching trips and holidays, click here…and for all our latest birding news as a busy birding month approaches, please keep reading our trip reports!

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The Kingfisher – our first ever images!

Posted by & filed under Kingfisher, Non-passerines, Trip Report.

A flash of brilliant, electric blue as it crossed the pool in front of the hide today left no doubt as to its ID of course, as we finally put this unmistakable, iconic species on our lists for La Charca de Suarez.

Just like the guide books say, it was a surprisingly difficult spot amongst the foliage as it perched over the water, but we eventually had great views as it worked its way along the bank and finally settled nearby.

The Kingfisher Alcedo atthis can be seen here for much of the year, although they leave the reserve during April and reappear in August. Nesting birds excavate deep tunnels in sandy riverbanks, and they spend the breeding season closer to suitable nest-sites.

La Charca de Suarez is just one of the many locations we’ll be visiting as another busy season unfolds. Our trip reports will keep you up to date with all our birding news as always, and if you’d like to see what southern Spain has to offer for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year. Click here for more details!

Wigeon

More great birding for March at La Charca de Suarez

Posted by & filed under Barn Swallow, Birds of Prey, Blackbird, Cattle Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Crag Martin, Grey Heron, Hoopoe, House Martin, House Sparrow, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Night Heron, Non-passerines, Passerines, Purple Swamphen, Seabirds, Serin, Shoveler, Snipe, Trip Report, Wading Birds, Waterfowl, Woodchat Shrike, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-legged Gull.

With visiting hours now limited for the breeding season, we made the most of a brief break in the weather today and headed down to Motril, for another evening walk around the pools and reedbeds of La Charca de Suarez.

We watched a Little Ringed Plover in the car park while we waited for the gates to open, and with Yellow-legged Gulls circling overhead we headed for our first stop. Reports of a Little Bittern seen here earlier in the week had us hoping for the best, but we failed to find one today. We had rather more luck with this Kingfisher however, which eventually gave great views as it fished its way along the bank to within a few metres of the hide.

The walk between the hides gave us Blackbirds, Chaffinch, House Sparrows and Serin, and our first Woodchat Shrike of the year. There were still Chiffchaff pretty much everywhere, and we heard Cetti’s Warblers all around the hides. We picked out Barn Swallows, Crag Martins and House Martins in no time at all…

and it was great to get a close look at this resting Sand Martin. For the first time this year we didn’t see a Bluethroat, but we picked up a Snipe, White Wagtails and good views of a female Marsh Harrier hunting over the reeds.

Out on the lake, a lone Wigeon joined the Mallard and Shoveler. There were good numbers of Cormorants, Coot, Moorhen and Little Grebes as always, and a Purple Swamphen showed well as it flapped noisily across the open water. Around the margins we counted up to eight Grey Heron, and an adult Night Heron made an appearance away from the roost.

With 7pm approaching we finished our visit with nice views of a Yellow Wagtail, and with flights of Cattle Egrets arriving for the night a Hoopoe flapped overhead as we headed for the gates.

If you’d like to see some of southern Spain’s remarkable birdlife for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year. Click here for more details – and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our updates and trip reports.

6

March at the wetland reserve at Padul

Posted by & filed under Barn Swallow, Birds of Prey, Blackbird, Blackcap, Cattle Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Coot, Cormorant, Crag Martin, Goldfinch, Grey Heron, House Martin, House Sparrow, Kestrel, Little Grebe, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Passerines, Sardinian Warbler, Seabirds, Serin, Shoveler, Spotless Starlings, Stonechat, Teal, Trip Report, Waterfowl, White Wagtail, Zitting Cisticola.

Despite grey skies and showers we made the most of the mid-March weather today, and put thirty species on the day-list with a productive few hours at our local wetland reserve at Padul.

We picked up Spotless Starlings and House Sparrows around the visitors’ centre as we arrived, and headed for the shelter of the new hide. Out on the lake, the Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebes and Mallard were joined by ten or so pairs of Shoveler, and one or two Teal.

We had fly-overs from Cormorants and Grey Herons, and there were House Martins, Crag Martins and Barn Swallows feeding over the open water. Around the margins Cetti’s Warblers were calling loudly but remained wary, and the hordes of Chiffchaff we’ve seen here through the winter have finally started to thin out.

On a difficult day for photography great views of a Sardinian and then a Fan-tailed Warbler were certainly a highlight, and a glimpse of a Dartford Warbler kept us going through the rain. White Wagtails, Blackbirds, Goldfinch, Serin and Stonechat all made it onto the list as usual, before we headed for the car and the open, ploughed fields behind the reedbeds.

A Skylark was a nice spot here early on, and we found two or three Little Ringed Plovers foraging out in the stubble. A singing, male Blackcap was another nice find, giving us six warbler species for the day. We counted Cattle Egrets into double figures, and with the local Kestrel showing well we picked up Crested Larks and Meadow Pipits, before the weather worsened and we decided to call it a day.

The wetlands reserve at Padul is just one of the many terrific birding sites that we visit regularly through the season. If you would like to see some of southern Spain for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year. Click here for more details – and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our regular updates and trip reports!

 

22

Key winter species still showing well La Charca de Suarez

Posted by & filed under Barn Swallow, Blackbird, Bluethroat, Cattle Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Crag Martin, Goldfinch, Grey Wagtail, House Martin, Little Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen, Night Heron, Passerines, Purple Heron, Purple Swamphen, Red-rumped Swallow, Seabirds, Serin, Shoveler, Snipe, Stonechat, Teal, Trip Report, Wading Birds, Waterfowl, White Wagtail, Yellow-legged Gull.

While we wait for the spring passage to begin in earnest we visited La Charca de Suarez again today, and found an interesting mix of both wintering species and the first new arrivals of spring.

With Yellow-legged Gulls floating overhead we saw four adult Night Herons roosting in their usual spot as we arrived, and we picked up Serin, Blackbirds and a flock of maybe a dozen Goldfinches on the walk between the hides.

All five species of hirundines have now appeared at the reserve. Red-rumped Swallows eluded us this morning, but the Barn Swallows, House Martins and Crag Martins were joined by Sand Martins today, the first I’ve seen this year.

Cetti’s Warblers were calling loudly around the hides all day, and there are still huge numbers of Chiffchaff around. Stonechat and White Wagtails showed well as always, and we had just a glimpse of a male Bluethroat but longer views of a Grey Wagtail.

Out on the lake Coots, Moorhen and Little Grebes were joined by Mallard and Shoveler, and we had good views of a male Wigeon and a displaying group of Teal.

Purple Swamphen showed briefly around the margins of the reedbeds, and we had great close-up views of a Snipe – another winter visitor showing no signs of leaving just yet.

An immature Grey Heron joined the Cormorants out on their island – note the darker, grey cap – along with good numbers of Cattle Egrets, which were still arriving as 1pm approached and we headed for the car.

La Charca de Suarez is just one of the many locations we visit over the season. For more information about the birdwatching trips and holidays we run in southern Spain, click here...and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our trip reports!

 

17

The Yellow Wagtail – brand new shots from La Charca de Suarez!

Posted by & filed under Passerines, Yellow Wagtail.

We saw our first Yellow Wagtail of the year here in the last few days of February…and we’ve kicked off the new month at La Charca de Suarez with more close-up views of this stunning summer migrant.

The Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava has a huge seasonal range across Europe, and the species shows complex, geographical variations in plumage – especially between the breeding males.

The blue-grey head, white throat, and strong, white eye-stripe identify the individual shown here as the Spanish subspecies iberiae, which can be seen here until September – other subspecies could require some careful ID work, if they pass through in the coming weeks.

A trans-Saharan migrant, they return from wintering grounds in central and southern Africa each spring, and while rather localised elsewhere in southern Spain they’re a common breeding species on the coastal wetlands of Andalucia.

Like other members of its family the Yellow Wagtail feeds on the ground, snatching small invertibrates around the margins of pools, lakes and marshes. It also occurs on damp, grassy fields around livestock, where it takes insects disturbed around the animals’ feet – in winter, it feeds around herds of big game down in Africa.

The dazzling plumage left little doubt as to its ID of course, and the hides at La Charca de Suarez have yet again given us a wonderfully detailed look at a newly-arrived, rather elegant key species. Great stuff!

If you would like to see some of southern Spain’s remarkable birdlife for yourself, we run birdwatching trips and holidays throughout the year. Click here for more details…and for all our latest birding news, please keep reading our trip reports.