Birdwatching in Straits of Gibraltar & La Janda (3 Viewers)

[Jon Turner]

A friend phoned me frantically on Friday last to say that the electric company Endesa were taking down all the white storks nests in front of the Frenazo restaurant in Los Barrios and were erecting metal spikes to stop them nesting on the pylons.Thinking that this was rather odd I went to have a look on Sunday and found that they had indeed taken down the old nests but had provided new platforms for new nests and the metal spikes were in fact to prevent electricusions near to the isolators as can be seen in the attached photo.I cannot see Endesa doing this to it´s 1000´s of pylons but it is at least a start.Anyone else seen this development ?....Eddy

When we went on Tom Gullick's assault course back in '92 he was talking about this problem then - the Electricity Companies had adjusted or replaced pylons which were frying Imperial Eagles (!) So I'm a tad surprised that it's still going on 23 years later.....

 

[occasional]

It is worth pointing out that avoiding bird electrocutions is not entirely altruistic. A rapidly fried bird is liable to act as an effective firelighter.

 

[eddy the eagle]

I will have to look up "altruistic"....Eddy

 

[John Cantelo]

Now back in the UK after three weeks or so in Alcala. For various reasons I wasn't able to get out as much as usual, but I was particularly pleased to "bump into" Eddy and "Barred Wobbler" at Algorrabo. Better still it was the day after the Saints walloped Newcastle 4 - 0 which I think I might have mentioned to 'BW' once or twice! Movement over Alcala was, thanks to persistent westerlies, absolutely dire. For the first time ever I had no Black Kites (!), no Honey Buzzards, no Egyptian Vultures, no Osprey, no Marsh Harrier, no Black Storks, only one Monties and a single White Stork from the terrace. My final total for Booted & Short-toed Eagles for the period was certainly far less than I've seen on some mornings. Very little passerine movement too and the largest movement, on the last day, was of 500+ Alpine Swifts. Bonanza was very quiet too. Worst of all I failed to realise that the Orcas were being seen regularly from Tarifa so didn't try a whale watching trip. I think I hold the record for going on six and having two trips cancelled without seeing them!

However, all was not lost as I did have stunning views of Red-necked Nightjars, desperate views of Eagle Owl (but at a good site with future potential), good views of SIE (inc. my first at a favourite site), had Bonelli's on La Janda (plus Bw Kite) and two more at less well known sites, found a Golden Eagle not too far from the house and fantastic views of Chameleon in Rota. I'll be updating my notes anon, but nothing too serious or detailed.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I'm back in dull and misty old blighty too, landing to afternoon temperatures of 14° with a solid overcast at 800 feet and mist at ground level.

I've downloaded my pics from my trip and a lot of deleting has to happen to sort the wheat from the chaff.

As I was downloading them I noticed that I seem to have taken a photo from the car window of a pile of dead leaves. I can't think why.

I'll delete it with all the dross, I think.

PS. I don't think I'll be biting, John.

 

[Alf King]

Well Ii'm still here for another week I'm pleased to say.

On a slightly mundane note there does appear to have been a reasonable wader movement with many hundreds now present in Barbate estuary. Nothing particularly spectacular but they were few and far between ten days ago, so things might now be beginning to look up around here on the birding front.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

After the pile of dead leaves encounter I was driving north at La Janda along the tree-lined track that runs up from the sluice at the T junction on the main track and just before the second sluice a dark bird was circling low over the north end of the track. I put a spurt on to get under it. A good move.

On the way back, just off the T junction a black-shouldered kite was another treat, hunting the edge of the rice field from the wires alongside the track.

 

[rollingthunder]

Today passage was light, to say the least from the little watchpoint nr the 'new' Migres centre.

1030-1345 produced, certainly from where i was standing, the following :-

Booted Eagle ca150 virtually all 'Pale' morph.
Short Toed Eagle, proportionatley more, ca75 birds.
Honey Buzzard - only 1 noted.
Griffon Vulture - 10 birds in a flock with the other spp.

Birds were higher than ystda with virtually no wind to speak of.

A walk back via the little valley below only produced a few Spotted Flickers and a single female-type Redstart. On the way out via the other path i had a singing/.calling Common Bulbul and 4 or 5 Whimbrel in the dry fields and several flocks of 20+ Bee Eaters.

Yesterday provided better fayre and more observers, a Belgian couple and a couple of birders from Norway (i thought they were all Dutch!).....

I spent from 1000-1415 with a very light Westerly breeze and hazy sun with a bit of cloud.

I estimate about 600+ in total with 2/3 being Booted and 1/4 Short-Toed. The remainder consisting of 15+ Black Kite, 6 Red Kite, 2 Egyptian Vultures, 3 Griffons, 4+ Honey's, a couple of local Kestrels and 3 Sparrowhawks on the way up.

Non BOP's - Alpine Swift, Red Rumped Swallow and 2 parties of Black Storks 3 and 11 respectively. Highlight of the day, for me anyway, were 2 very noisy and low Harriers........................courtesy of the Spanish Air Force (Matadors) probably from Moron AB just outside Seville.

Down to the Castille tonite to look for Scopolis and BalShears.

Laurie:t:

 

[Stewart J.]

At last we have a Levante and it's forecast for a couple of days, let's the birds commence

Again at Trafico this morning 10.00 till 13.00 lot of birds many very high, only 2 Black Kite, 5 Honey Buzzard, 114 Booted, 77 ST Eagles, 19 Griffon, 3 Egyptian Vulture, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 male Goshawk.

Yesterday also very quiet notables included 4 Red Kite, 2 Black Kite nice to compare both together.

Yesterday afternoon exploring the Bolonia area the road (read track) lot of interesting habitats worthy of further visits we had 400+ Swifts the bulk Alpine (250+) 100+ Common and many Pallids.

 

[Stewart J.]

Is it kicking off!! Last night 18.00 to 19.00 I had 45-50 eagles and kites dropping into the wooded hillside east of hostal. This morning we,ve a steady stream of hirundines and larks + others South several Black Kites and a ST Eagle low over the hostal. As I write 62 Black Storks over the hillside making their way South and single raptors in the sky all along the hillside. :-O

 

[rollingthunder]

Stayed around the port today but had some excellent, close, views of stuff from a small 'hill' outside somebodys house - they even bought me out a cup of coffee 'con leche'.....

1130 - 1430 produced ca 75 Booted, probably twice that of STE, a couple of Black Kites, Honey Buzzards just about double figures. The main feature, for me anyway, were the parties of Black Storks from 2's and 3's to several of 30-50 and a couple of ca100.....The wind was light and from the East:eek!::eek!:

One more bash at it tomorrow and then off to Malaga mid-afternoon for a last nite on the pop:C

Laurie:t:

 

[Stewart J.]

Trafico yesterday from 10.00 till 14.30 impressive numbers of Black Storks in flocks our total for the day was 495 even the Migres guy was excited. Another flock 60+ after we left. Interesting to watch many eagles attempt to cross the straits only to return because of the wind some dangerously low over the sea on returning.

A lot of hirundines and passerines moving thorough and many seen to cross many pausing briefly on the headland, wagtails wheatears (both Northern and Black-eared, Tawny Pipit and larks sp.

The wind is back in the west this morning so no passage over our hostal. :C

 

[Barred Wobbler]

A couple of shots of the Spanish imperial eagle that graced us with its presence at Algarrobo on 3rd September.

It was a beauty.

This first shot is almost uncropped, just a bit trimmed off the top and right to improve the composition. It must have been only 40 feet or so high as it came over our heads.

 

[eddy the eagle]

Great shot Alan,I am pleased that I was there to witness it.....Eddy

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Thanks Eddy.

Dull and overcast here again today. I could do with being sat at Algarrobo now.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

An interesting footnote to the Recordgo car hire saga.

After having to return my hire car half way through this trip at a cost of half a day lost and a quarter of tank of fuel, plus cancelled journies to keep the distance within 2,000km on the replacement, I got home and checked my records from previous years. It appears that I used Recordgo two years ago for the same trip. I checked the contract and there is the 2,000km limit, un-noticed at the time, but in the 2012 contract the penalty payment is 5 euros per km rather than the 2 euros in 2014.

Specifically;

'5. VEHICLE SERVICE
If customers do over 2,000 kms they will have to go back to the airport to get the car exchanged, otherwise we will charge a 5€/km penalization.'

In 2012 I picked up a rather dodgy car, covered with scrapes, a noisy driver's door with a damaged hinge and after 2 or 3 days I found on a trip to Brazo del Este that the lighter socket wasn't charging my satnav. I took it back for exchange on 2nd September after 699km.

The replacement car was in altogether better condition, with only 6500km on the clock. I took it back, totally oblivious of the 2000km penalty on 20th September with an additional 4,600km on the clock. That's 2,600 more than the limit and at the then penalty rate of 5euros per km, a lot of money.

Guess what?

Nothing was said, not a peep.

They didn't make a fuss about the excess kms, nor did they take any money.

Curiouser and curiouser.

 

[Alf King]

There was plenty of heavy rain on La Janda today BW which kept most birds down, particularly the raptors, at least whilst we were there.

One interesting find that we made was a Ring Ousel in the shrubbery at Montenmedio Golf Club, even though the Bald Ibises continue to evade us.

 

[Stewart J.]

There was plenty of heavy rain on La Janda today BW which kept most birds down, particularly the raptors, at least whilst we were there.

One interesting find that we made was a Ring Ousel in the shrubbery at Montenmedio Golf Club, even though the Bald Ibises continue to evade us.

Hi Alf, 4 - 5 Bald Ibis yesterday and again today at Barbatte marsh at the entrance in
field on right amongst cattle, haven't seen them myself yet.

Was at La Janda yesterday afternoon till about 19.30, highlights 2 X Bonellies Eagle both immatures, group of 8 x Stone Curlew near the farm, 500+ White Stork, 200+ Glossy Ibis.

Trafico was good this morning lots of birds predominantly Bootie's many attempting the crossing some watched returning exhausted and low over the water. Highlights included, Hobby, 1 x Long-legged Buzzard, 2 x Red Kite, 10 Black Stork and many passerines and hirundines going through. Will give it another try in the morning.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

It looks like you're in for a good blow from the east on Friday and Saturday;

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/world/eykjecr2t#?fcTime=1411768800

Showery, though.

 

[rollingthunder]

I put in a final 3+ hours ystda morning from a small hill adjacent to the castille walls @ Tarifa and had an estimated 600+ Booted Eagles, a couple of dozen Short-Toeds, a couple of Red Kites in with a small party of Blacks , half a dozen Honey Buzzards and about 20 Griffons.

Wheatears, Yellow Wags and several small parties of Red-Rumped Swallows in with the general Swallow/Hirundine movement.

Back in cooler and wetter blighty now:C Did'nt make it to the more popular watchpoints as i did'nt see the point in walking any further than the local ones so did'nt click with any BF members (as far as i know) but it was hugely enjoyable and will be repeated in a few years i have no doubt

Laurie:t: