Andalucia (1 Viewer)

Off to Turkey at the End of September but hoping to squeeze a few nights in Spain in before the end of the year.

I'm thinking of heading to Tarifa area (Los Lances, La Janda, Ojen) then onto Bonanza/ Brazo del Este finishing off in the hills around Ronda for the end of October/1st week in November.

Whats the chances of me picking up the tail end of any migration at that time of year and what about the chances of some early winter visitors?

Is this generally too late for migration, in which case am I better off waiting til the back end of the year (ie: December) when the number winter visitors (waders, gulls, raptors) will have increased.

Many thanks.

Alan

mig will be all but over by then but Dec will be great for Cranes, Harriers and the like on the plains, and waterfowl

Tim

Alan G said:

Off to Turkey at the End of September but hoping to squeeze a few nights in Spain in before the end of the year.
I'm thinking of heading to Tarifa area (Los Lances, La Janda, Ojen) then onto Bonanza/ Brazo del Este finishing off in the hills around Ronda for the end of October/1st week in November.
Whats the chances of me picking up the tail end of any migration at that time of year and what about the chances of some early winter visitors?
Is this generally too late for migration, in which case am I better off waiting til the back end of the year (ie: December) when the number winter visitors (waders, gulls, raptors) will have increased.
Many thanks.
Alan

Click to expand...

Hi Alan.

Although themain migration will be over in late October/Early November, there is usually some movement between Spain and Africa and through the Strait of Gibraltar throughout the year, so I would not rule out the viewing points of La Cazalla, Agarrobo and Trafico at that time, as well as Los Lances beach.

There should be plenty of wintering ducks, geese, waders, Black-shouldered kites, Ospreys, Southern Grey Shrikes, Hen Harriers, Black Storks and Common Cranes in the La Janda region (although each species is usually much more numerous in Doñana), as these species usually arrive from early October onwards.

Bonanza should produce thousands of birds, ie. waders, terns, gulls (including Audouin's and Slender-billed) Spoonbills, herons, storks and egrets. Bonanza is close to Laguna Tarelo, good for Marbled and White-headed Ducks and Red-knobbed Coots. Beyond Laguna Tarelo, through the Pinar de Algaida, there is the Marismas de Adventus, El Puntal and the Río Guadalquivir.

Brazo del Este, especially the southern marshes, will be full of birds, including maybe breeding Golden and Red Bishops and Common Waxbills, although they usually breed in Sept/Oct.

The rice fields close to and alongside the Brazo del Este will be heaving with bird life, as it will be in the middle of the rice harvesting, when, sometimes, you can find up to 20,000 birds (of up to 35 species) feeding in one recently harvested field.

If you want more info on what to expect at that time of year, go to my website and click on to the "Archived Trip Reports" and then go to "NOVEMBER 2005".