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Birding in Cadiz Province (1 Viewer)

Birding Cadiz Province - Summer 2013

I have at last finished my mid-summer update of my site guide to Cadiz province. I've added a couple of minor sites, updated details on a dozen or more sites, added several new maps and given more information on where to see Bald Ibis. The photo version also has a dozen or so new site photos. These notes can be accessed via 'My Site Guide' on my blog (see below).

I'll be at the Bird Fair on the Friday so if you've used my notes do say 'hello' and let me have any feedback. (I realise that most of you've not met me so look at the photo on my blog!). I'll then be out in the province for much of September when I hope to see some of you. I'll be updating my notes again in Oct/Nov so any suggestions would be very welcome,
 

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John, slightly off topic, but grateful for any advice......am thinking of hiring a car in Gibraltar to drive to Tarifa area for a couple of days in early Sept for raptor migration - previously I've always walked through to La Linea, crossing the border by foot, and pre-arranged car hire there.....last year the same company had relocated to the Gibraltar side of the border. Any advice, with the current border problems, about car hire companies to use which might still operate from the La Linea side of the border?.....thanks
 
I suspect that the current situation is so volatile that any advice given today won't apply tomorrow. As things look at the moment I suspect you could face very long delays driving out of Gib., but much shorter delays if on foot. I also used to walk through and hire a car in La Linea when flying into Gibraltar. Unfortunately, I've not done so since the hire companies apparently shifted to the Gib side of the border. Last time we flew in there we stayed the night in La Linea and caught the bus up to Alcala picking up a hire car a few days later in Jerez. You can certainly get a bus from La Linea (every 20 mins I think) to Algeciras and then on down to Tarifa. Car hire should be possible in either town. Hope this helps,
 
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Marbled Teal in Cadiz Province

About time I gave this thread a bump!

The current population of marbled Teal (Duck) in the marshes of the lower Guadalquivir hovers between 30 and 50 pairs. These birds are concentrated around Brazo del Este and Veta la Palma; both, but particularly the latter, are distant from my base in Alcala and access to Veta la Palma is restricted. So I was delighted when I found that Codo de la Esparraguera along the Guadalquivir just beyond Algaida pinewoods often harboured a small population of the species. One of the pools here had the sort of shallow water, floating vegetation and dense fringe of reeds that looked textbook habitat for this species. It was here that I saw my first Marbled Teal. Most of the Codo de la Esparraguera is taken up by a fish farm and embankments divide it into separate pools. The first of these is a narrow triangle shaped pool which, at the acute angle of the enclosure nearest the road was rather silted up with a good growth of reeds (a). Marbled Teal like to conceal themselves amongst the clumps of reedy vegetation and can sometimes be hard to spot. In subsequent years I found them here regularly including a party of at least eight birds in spring 2011. The photos I took at the time gives some idea of this habitat.

Returning in 2013, I was devastated to discover that this wild little corner had been almost entirely destroyed. A deep ditch had been dug along the perimeter of the pool grubbing out almost all of the cover and leaving a long, low muddy levee parallel to the road behind which a few sad tufts of reed remained. It seems unlikely the ducks will be so easy to find after this wanton vandalism even if they may still be concealed in some out of the way corner. Alternatively, perhaps, I'll finally discover the site near Cadiz university campus where they're said to be found!

A longer version of this commentary with more photos can be seen on my blog.
 

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Seen them here several times too John. I'll probably make the pilgrimage in May to boost my world attempt..... The Sueda/scrub on the left as you approach these ponds from Algaida is good for Spectacled Warbler. Lesser Short-toed Lark, Slender-billed Gull, looking forward to it!
 
The habitat there looked pretty much completely wrecked although I've also seen then further along the road and from (b) on my map. Laguna de la Paja near Chiclana, when wet, looks good for them although I've not seen them there - it's also a good site for Ferruginous Duck. Mesas de Asta marsh also looks possible for them. As noted I'm told there's a site near Cadiz university, but don't have details.
 
Just a quick 'heads-up' to let folks know I've just uploaded new editions of my two birding guides to Cadiz Province

It's the first update of my 'lite' 17 page guide (covering a dozen 'sites' & ideal for those short of time) for a year or two (mainly minor changes). It can be seen at
http://issuu.com/johncantelo/docs/cadiz_birding_lite_-_base3

There are two versions of the main guide; one with and one without site photos, but the same text. Again mainly small corrections (typos, etc) and with more info on recommended professional bird guides in the area guides. They can be found at -

http://issuu.com/johncantelo/docs/1_-_cadiz_birding__standard__editio_9f09f398d2bfc1
and

http://issuu.com/johncantelo/docs/1_-_cadiz_birding__photo__ed._march

They can be downloaded from 'ISSUU.com' if you join (it's free) – but if you have problems send me a PM with your email address & I'll send them directly.

All three guides are free to download, but donations to suitable birdy/conservation organisations (of your choice) would be appreciated. Commercial concerns using them (and I know several are doing so even if they don't acknowledge it!) please make a more substantial donation. Please acknowledge them in any trip report you might write. And please do let me have feed back for good or ill!
 
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