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Birding in Serrania de Ronda/Sierra de Grazalema (3 Viewers)

Peter I know this is a bit out of your range but.....
Was at Europa point on Gibraltar today. At about 1 pm, and saw about 200 Black Kites in off the sea and up over the Rock. A little later 3 Ospreys all with a fish at the mouth of the Palmones river (presumably they can't all be over-wintering?). Also one Spoonbill there.

Jon
 
Jon Turner said:
Peter I know this is a bit out of your range but.....
Was at Europa point on Gibraltar today. At about 1 pm, and saw about 200 Black Kites in off the sea and up over the Rock. A little later 3 Ospreys all with a fish at the mouth of the Palmones river (presumably they can't all be over-wintering?). Also one Spoonbill there.

Jon
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Hi Jon,

Yep, the Osprey are 'all' winter visitors. Had a 'Pied' Wagtail yesterday near to Ronda. Good day for raptors, see previous post.

Peter
 
A break in the weather yesterday saw several good sized flocks of Black Kite passing through and a steady passage of Short-toed Eagle. Near to Canete there were 4 Egyptian Vulture and Red Kite. Black Vulture (juv) is still being seen regularly near to Acinipo (Old Ronda) with a maximum of 3 being seen together. The 1st Pallid Swifts were seen at Cueva de Gato on the 22nd. Both Swallow and House Martin are around in good numbers and the occassional Red-rumped Swallow and Sand Martin are being seen. After an initial flurry of Booted Eagles passing through, I've not seen one all week.

Bonelli's and Golden Eagle are both incubating now as are Griffon Vulture. Seen a few Northern Wheatears during the week and strangely an equal measure of both male and female, normally males dominate early passage.

Peter
 
Hi Peter,

Sorry not to bump into you this time! Be back over in June, you around?

Had a few great days in Andalusia and went (of course) to Libar. On 8th March had small flock of 7 Alpine Accentor, pair of Bonelli Eagle, adult Golden Eagle, several Short-toed and a single Booted, so good eagle day! Didn't see Northern but saw Black-eared Wheatear and as always Black Wheatear. Track was a bit washed out and dangerous in my hire car, but got to the top near the refuge and had several Woodlark & Water Pipit, pair Peregrine and an adult Egyptian Vulture (is this early?). On the day I must have seen hundreds of Griffon! Great site, great day.

Derek
 
Just a quick note to say we stopped in at Peter's patch on 17th March as part of a day in the Ronda area (part birdy and part sightseeing).

Peter's info didn't let us down with Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Black Wheatear, Loads of Vultures and Bonellis Eagles amongst the highlights.

An absolutely stunning place that we all fell in love with despite the narrowness of the road our sat nav took us through on the way back out!

Matthew
 
Okay, so where is 'my' spring?

Whilst raptors and even a few Bee eaters poured into the coastal areas yesterday, up here in my mountains remains fairly slow for migration. Occasional highlights ignite the flame of hope, but apart from small numbers of Short-toed Eagle, Black Kite and a few Booted Eagles, the season is slow getting underway. Of course hirundines are already well established and nesting, together with large flocks passing northwards, I even managed Alpine Swift this week at their breeding sites in Ronda and Cueva de Gato, but generally speaking things are slow. Our Lesser Kestrel are back and in good numbers seemingly having enjoyed a successful winter, certainly numbers appear up on last year at both Setenil and Zahara, principally insectivores, they obviously enjoyed a drier winter than us! Our Northern Wheatears are on their territories, but Black-eared Wheatears are conspicuous by their absence, although I have seen a few migrant males.

In desperation for migration I have made forays to areas on the periphery of my patch and although not producing anything like ‘spring migration’ I did manage a single Lesser Flamingo, Gull-billed Tern and 15+ White-headed Duck at Laguna Dolce, while thousands of Greater Flamingo were brought to the shoreline by high waters at Fuente de Piedra. During the visit to Fuente de Piedra it made my day to see large numbers of Pallid Swift (here since the backend of February) joined by reasonable numbers of Common Swift. Red-rumped Swallows glided among the many other hirundines and a few waders, including a staggering 7 Spotted Redshank, kept me amused.

So while I wait for spring to happen, never complete without iconic species such as Bee eater and Nightingale, I will content myself with watching such sights as Bonelli Eagle males bringing food for brooding females and male Golden Eagle calling females away from their labour to enjoy the day’s up draughts and thermals.

Peter
 
mcapper said:
Just a quick note to say we stopped in at Peter's patch on 17th March as part of a day in the Ronda area (part birdy and part sightseeing).

Peter's info didn't let us down with Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Black Wheatear, Loads of Vultures and Bonellis Eagles amongst the highlights.

An absolutely stunning place that we all fell in love with despite the narrowness of the road our sat nav took us through on the way back out!

Matthew
Click to expand...

Hi Matthew,

Really pleased you found the site and hopefully the equally impressive surrounding area/s? The Bonelli's were at it again today attacking any passing vultures! I also had a number of Woodchat Shrike, Black-eared Wheatear, Common Whitethroat and Subalpine Warbler today. Thanks for the PM and hope we might see you in the area again sometime in the future.

Peter
 
Firetail said:
Hi Peter,

Sorry not to bump into you this time! Be back over in June, you around?

Had a few great days in Andalusia and went (of course) to Libar. On 8th March had small flock of 7 Alpine Accentor, pair of Bonelli Eagle, adult Golden Eagle, several Short-toed and a single Booted, so good eagle day! Didn't see Northern but saw Black-eared Wheatear and as always Black Wheatear. Track was a bit washed out and dangerous in my hire car, but got to the top near the refuge and had several Woodlark & Water Pipit, pair Peregrine and an adult Egyptian Vulture (is this early?). On the day I must have seen hundreds of Griffon! Great site, great day.

Derek
Click to expand...

Sorry I couldn't make it Derek, but work and all that!! Hope to see you next time.

Peter

P.S. Flushed a Short-eared Owl near to the dam at Montejaque today!!
 
I am now picking-up lots of Woodchat Shrike, Subalpine Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear and a few Willow Warbler. Most if not all our Lesser Kestrel are back and at last Booted Eagles are now regular (still not on usual territories). Common Swift is now regular and lots of Alpine Swifts around. I managed a Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe leucorhoa high up in Libar on Monday, which is, I think, my earliest date since living here.

Of interest although unusual was a Short-eared Owl near Montejaque on Wednesday and on Tuesday a Ruppell's Vulture coming into the feeding area near to Acinipo (Old Ronda).

Peter
 
Very good day for migrants in the Serrania today. Lots of Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle and Black Kite moving through. Good numbers of Subalpine Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, plus star turn for me, as I felt spring come with their appearance, a group of 40+ Bee eaters. Unusually high numbers of Red-rumped Swallows flying north near to the village of Setenil.

Also had the usual birds near to Acinipo Woodlark, Stone Curlew, Thekla and Crested Lark, Woodchat Shrike and a very handsome male Spectacled Warbler doing song flight display from a clump of old fennel. Black-eared Wheatear were seen along the way at several stops.

Peter
 
I had a spectacular raptor morning at Libar today with Egyptian Vulture, Bonelli's, Short-toed, Golden and Booted Eagle, Montagu's Harrier, Peregrine, Lesser & Common Kestrel and a number of Black Kite!! Orphean, Spectacled, Subalpine and Bonelli's Warbler were seen and of course all 3 wheatears, so a very good day. Had around 200+ Alpine Swift by the Cueva de Gato, plus a few smaller groups up behind Montejaque.

Peter
 
Black Wheatear said:
I had a spectacular raptor morning at Libar today with Egyptian Vulture, Bonelli's, Short-toed, Golden and Booted Eagle, Montagu's Harrier, Peregrine, Lesser & Common Kestrel and a number of Black Kite!! Orphean, Spectacled, Subalpine and Bonelli's Warbler were seen and of course all 3 wheatears, so a very good day. Had around 200+ Alpine Swift by the Cueva de Gato, plus a few smaller groups up behind Montejaque.

Peter
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Wow sounds fantastic Pete. What an area :eek!: ! Meanwhile everyone here is looking at minsmere for a Lesser Kestrel.
 
wolfbirder said:
Wow sounds fantastic Pete. What an area :eek!: ! Meanwhile everyone here is looking at minsmere for a Lesser Kestrel.
Click to expand...

That Peter is a lucky so and so living so close to such a good area! Sounded a great day Peter and echo Wolfbirder 'what an area'. Read CAU's trip report and seems he went there too, so word is getting around thanks to you, reckon its good of you to share this info.

Derek B :)
 
Thanks Nick and Derek. Certainly a great site and interesting CAU also went, but expect a few readers of this thread made it or intend to and quite right too an excellent place.

Peter
 
I am sure many birders will be visiting "Peter's track" (Llanos de Libar) - it offers everything as it passes through such a range of habitats hence the species variety is as diverse as you can expect to find anywhere in Europe at a single site in my opinion.
 
Birdguides have reported a Moussier's Redstart at Grazalema last Wednesday (not sure if they mean just gone on previous week) !!!!
 
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