occasional
Well-known member
Several lesser crested terns at Palmones today amid very strong winds.
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Birdwatching in Straits of Gibraltar & La Janda (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Birdman7
- Start date
occasional
Well-known member
A black vulture with griffons between Pelayo and Algeciras yesterday.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
I appologise for not posting on here lately as I have a problem with my heel which makes walking difficult.A friend of mine did a survey of the birds seen at La Janda on Wednesday this week with the following results.
Common cranes 950
Spoonbills 55
Bonneli´s eagles 5
Great egrets 2
Long leeged buzzard 1
Osprey 1
Magpies 2
Black winged kite 2
Kingfisher 5
Black stork 1
Peregrine falcon 1
In addition bluethroat,reedbunting and a male quail were heard.
A provisional tally from the recent Andalusian survey on Ospreys,which I am pleased to have been a part of,reveals that 130 ospreys were seen and recorded on the 19th December 2015 throughout Andalusia.
Well done to everyone who took part.We will repeat this again on the 9th January 2016.
Kind regards and a Happy Christmas and a birdy 2016.......Eddy
Common cranes 950
Spoonbills 55
Bonneli´s eagles 5
Great egrets 2
Long leeged buzzard 1
Osprey 1
Magpies 2
Black winged kite 2
Kingfisher 5
Black stork 1
Peregrine falcon 1
In addition bluethroat,reedbunting and a male quail were heard.
A provisional tally from the recent Andalusian survey on Ospreys,which I am pleased to have been a part of,reveals that 130 ospreys were seen and recorded on the 19th December 2015 throughout Andalusia.
Well done to everyone who took part.We will repeat this again on the 9th January 2016.
Kind regards and a Happy Christmas and a birdy 2016.......Eddy
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Belatedly, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too, Eddy.
(Photo of the old building at the end of our street just before Christmas a few years ago. Maybe one day they'll come back and finish the walls and move in)
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eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Good morning to you all,I went to La Janda yesterday in fine weather with 19 degrees celsius.Nothing out of the ordinary to report except for the number of Common cranes overwintering this year.It has been reported this week that over 2800 have been counted making it the highest ever total.
The prenuptual migration has started with reports of 3 black kites,1 greater spotted cuckoo,many barn swallows and white storks making the crossing from Africa.
I was at the Los Barrios tip for an hour this week looking for 3 black vultures that had been reported but due to the fact that walking is a little difficult at the moment I did not go to the back of the tip across the fields and I did not find them.
A group of 3 little auks are currently in the Algeciras bay off the Rinconcillo beach and a near to fledge brood of blackbirds has been found in Gibraltar.
Kind regards and a happy new year......Eddy.
The prenuptual migration has started with reports of 3 black kites,1 greater spotted cuckoo,many barn swallows and white storks making the crossing from Africa.
I was at the Los Barrios tip for an hour this week looking for 3 black vultures that had been reported but due to the fact that walking is a little difficult at the moment I did not go to the back of the tip across the fields and I did not find them.
A group of 3 little auks are currently in the Algeciras bay off the Rinconcillo beach and a near to fledge brood of blackbirds has been found in Gibraltar.
Kind regards and a happy new year......Eddy.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
I have to apologize for a mistake in my previous post where I said that little auks had been seen in the Algeciras Bay.Due to a bad interpretation from Spanish on my part the birds are razorbills (Alca torda)......Eddy
John Cantelo
Well-known member
Greater Spotted Eagle La Janda 20/01
My friend Richard Page-Jones kindly sent me a photo of a spotted eagle he had on La Janda yesterday "not far from the North entrance from N340. Opposite side of the river from the farm and largish copse". He thought it was a Lesser, but I thought it looked more like a Greater! However since I have very limited experience of either (and that from decades back) and also due to the reports of Lesser x Greater hybrids in the area I thought it wise to ask local expert Javi Elorriaga for his opinion. Fortunately for my ego, he agrees that it's a Greater. For a discussion of spotted eagles in the area see his blog -
http://birdingthestrait.com/blog/exceptional-spotted-eagle-season-in-the-strait-of-gibraltar/
My friend Richard Page-Jones kindly sent me a photo of a spotted eagle he had on La Janda yesterday "not far from the North entrance from N340. Opposite side of the river from the farm and largish copse". He thought it was a Lesser, but I thought it looked more like a Greater! However since I have very limited experience of either (and that from decades back) and also due to the reports of Lesser x Greater hybrids in the area I thought it wise to ask local expert Javi Elorriaga for his opinion. Fortunately for my ego, he agrees that it's a Greater. For a discussion of spotted eagles in the area see his blog -
http://birdingthestrait.com/blog/exceptional-spotted-eagle-season-in-the-strait-of-gibraltar/
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Jon Turner
Well-known member
Had a drive across La Janda yesterday. Slightly alarmed that the Guardia Civil were stopping and searching EVERY vehicle just at the entry opposite the turn to Zahara. Didn't seem interested in me so I drove on in! Along the embankment I found a few skulking Bluethroats, Marsh and Hen Harriers both present, a Black-shouldered Kite, Zitting Cisticolas seemed fairly common. Further along at the junction to Benalup I met Alessandro (sp?) who was in charge of a small ringing session. "Very quiet" he said! But he did say there were Penduline Tits in this area. Couldn't find them. In the wet field on the corner were scores of Egrets, Herons (never seen so many Grey Herons here!) and White Storks, which later took off and restarted their northward migration. 2 Great White Egrets were amongst this throng. Also in the large reeds just before the junction were about 30 Purple Swamphens - sort of sunbathing to get warm! I could hear the Cranes, but I never saw one! I did drive over to the Benalup side , and on down towards Facinas, but nothing much to add. One swallow was seen! Anyway, back in windy and much cooler Devon now!
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Well I've just organised a trip out for the spring migration. I've been having spring breaks in Spain (with a couple of diversions to Turkey) for years, and I've been to the Strait area in early spring, but never at peak migration time, my April/May destinations have tended to be Catalonia/Aragon with teh Ebro and Pyrenees, or Almeria, so this is a first.
I suppose it's too much to hope that they might have tipped a bit of limestone hogging in the holes on the Facinas track over the winter.
I suppose it's too much to hope that they might have tipped a bit of limestone hogging in the holes on the Facinas track over the winter.
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Hi Alan,I used the track from Facinas to Benalup yesterday and I can say that after some rain this week it is completely impassable in a car from the Facinas end and I even had difficulty in the 4x4.The Benalup end is not too bad but the potholes are reappearing but it is passable in a car for the first 10K or so.
Lots of larks and finches on or near the track at the Facinas end and two black winged kites seen.Also near the main canal first greater spotted cuckoo seen this year.Very strong easterlies present and still 100´s of cranes in the area.
By the time you get here April /May the weather will be drier and the tracks should be better....Eddy
Lots of larks and finches on or near the track at the Facinas end and two black winged kites seen.Also near the main canal first greater spotted cuckoo seen this year.Very strong easterlies present and still 100´s of cranes in the area.
By the time you get here April /May the weather will be drier and the tracks should be better....Eddy
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
I thought that would be the case Eddy. I'm flying in for a couple of weeks on 23rd April (San Jordi). Single-handed this time. Maureen's dipping out on this trip, although we'll both be there in the autumn as usual. I'll keep my eyes out for you.
Incidentaly I had my first ever great spotted cuckoos at La Janda, three of them flying alongside my car as I drove through the dehesa north of the cortijo in 2005.
I've just checked the date of that sighting, it was 21st February, 11 years ago today.
Incidentaly I had my first ever great spotted cuckoos at La Janda, three of them flying alongside my car as I drove through the dehesa north of the cortijo in 2005.
I've just checked the date of that sighting, it was 21st February, 11 years ago today.
Stewart J.
Well-known member
Yo Eddy arriving Tarifa on Wed 6th April for 4 weeks maybe this time our paths will cross?
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Hi Stewart,I am afraid I have not been out and about as much this year due to health reasons but of course would be pleased to meet up sometime.Yesterday it rained all day so there should be some extra water on La Janda which has been very dry up to now.Keep an eye open for the red Kia 4x4,the migration is continuing at Punta Carnero and in easterlies towards the Tarifa end of the Straits........Eddy.
cwpbirder
Well-known member
We are travelling out to Tarifa on 19th for 6 days. Am interested to follow the thread to see what's been seen, and good news re a bit of water for La Janda. Is much being seen at Barbate ??
Have been several times in Sept, but never in spring, so am also keen to see the raptor migration at a different season.......
Have been several times in Sept, but never in spring, so am also keen to see the raptor migration at a different season.......
John Cantelo
Well-known member
In many ways I prefer the birding in spring to September partly because the weather is usually so pleasant. If you're into photography then it's usually a better time to get photos of BoPs arriving from Africa. A friend is currently staying in out place in Alcala, but will be returning on the 15th. If I hear any current news I'll post here. Meanwhile, if you've not got my 100+pages of birding notes/site guide for the area (or just an old copy) just PM me and I'll send you a copy ...
Stewart J.
Well-known member
Eddy what's the so called road from La Janda to Facinas like, is it passable with a car this spring?
Stewart J.
Well-known member
La Janda this afternoon crippling views of a perched adult Spanish Imperial Eagle on a pylon North of small bridge after Egret nesting area.
John Cantelo
Well-known member
I'm told by a friend who was there recently that the Facinas track is fine until you get to a point roughly opposite Tahivilla (as you come from Benalup) after which it is in very poor condition ...
eddy the eagle
Well-known member
Stuart the Benalup to Facinas road is not passable in a car for it´s whole length and is only just passable in a 4x4.The Facinas end is bad for the first 3 km.......Eddy
Stewart J.
Well-known member
Thanks Eddy drove from La Janda to the farm with all the horses late afternoon yesterday, care needed in some spots otherwise a second gear slow drive. Lot of Woodchat Shrikes along the fence wires can't remember seeing so many in one place. The pool at the Tee junction where you join the road coming down from La Janda held 3 Purple Swamphens with at least another 2 on pools on other side of road. New reed growth still very low making it easier to see them.
