Spainbirds
Santi - Spainbirds
Hi,
No luck today with our main target. We missed the Black Shouldered Kite and perhaps because they haven't arrived yet into La Janda area. We spent the whole day in this vast area known as La Janda visiting some rice paddies, cotton fields, grasslands and wild olive trees "dehesas". We had some showers in the morning but far from the serious storms present today in South Spain. As I don't want to bother you too much I will just tell you the most interesting records following the order when they were seen.
The first couple of hours were really productive and in the rice paddies we had two Bluethroats, Little Tern, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, three Garganeys, plenty Yellow Wagtails (iberiae ssp.), Wood Sandpiper, a juvenile Purple Heron, Black-winged Stilts, lots of Marsh Harriers and a single female 2nd calendar year Hen Harrier.
Later on the cotton fields several Lesser Kestrels, a melanic Montagu's Harrier, groups of migrants Turtle Doves, a juvenile Night Heron next to the road and some Spanish Sparrows.
During lunch time a Rufuous Bush Robin heard in a wild olive trees plantation, but unfortunately it was not seen, several Woodchat Shrikes, a couple Spectacled Warbler, a male Commong Redstart, a Southern Grey Shrike, Booted and Short-toed Eagles flying overhead and a more than possible Steppe Buzzard (buteo buteo vulpinus). Near the end of the road a young Black Stork, more Woodchat Shrikes and a couple parties of migrants Bee-eaters.
Before comming back to our hotel we stop at the entrance of Zahara de los Atunes having a nice male Blue Rock Thrush.
Tomorrow we will visit the Los Alcornocales Natural Park, so we don't expect to see a lot of different birds but we will try for Bonelli's and Spanish Imperial Eagles which is being introduced in the region to compesate the damage to the environment made by the Los Barrios - Algeciras motorway. This was all for today!
Santiago Villa
www.spainbirds.com
No luck today with our main target. We missed the Black Shouldered Kite and perhaps because they haven't arrived yet into La Janda area. We spent the whole day in this vast area known as La Janda visiting some rice paddies, cotton fields, grasslands and wild olive trees "dehesas". We had some showers in the morning but far from the serious storms present today in South Spain. As I don't want to bother you too much I will just tell you the most interesting records following the order when they were seen.
The first couple of hours were really productive and in the rice paddies we had two Bluethroats, Little Tern, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, three Garganeys, plenty Yellow Wagtails (iberiae ssp.), Wood Sandpiper, a juvenile Purple Heron, Black-winged Stilts, lots of Marsh Harriers and a single female 2nd calendar year Hen Harrier.
Later on the cotton fields several Lesser Kestrels, a melanic Montagu's Harrier, groups of migrants Turtle Doves, a juvenile Night Heron next to the road and some Spanish Sparrows.
During lunch time a Rufuous Bush Robin heard in a wild olive trees plantation, but unfortunately it was not seen, several Woodchat Shrikes, a couple Spectacled Warbler, a male Commong Redstart, a Southern Grey Shrike, Booted and Short-toed Eagles flying overhead and a more than possible Steppe Buzzard (buteo buteo vulpinus). Near the end of the road a young Black Stork, more Woodchat Shrikes and a couple parties of migrants Bee-eaters.
Before comming back to our hotel we stop at the entrance of Zahara de los Atunes having a nice male Blue Rock Thrush.
Tomorrow we will visit the Los Alcornocales Natural Park, so we don't expect to see a lot of different birds but we will try for Bonelli's and Spanish Imperial Eagles which is being introduced in the region to compesate the damage to the environment made by the Los Barrios - Algeciras motorway. This was all for today!
Santiago Villa
www.spainbirds.com
