Birding near Malaga Airport (1 Viewer)

Myself and ''BlythKeith'' are heading to Tarifa for a few nights at the end of September/Early October.

The flight home from Malaga is at 10:30 and rather than brave an extremely early start and running the gauntlet with the traffic back to Malaga, we're toying with a night somewhere within striking distance of Malaga Airport for the final night.

Can anyone offer any suggestions of somewhere near the Airport, possibly with some birdable spots nearby, and definitely away from the ''Human-Race Traps'' of the coast?

Cheers

Alan

Hi Alan

a while since i was there and these aren't all mega close to Malaga

I drove from airport to Laguna Fuente de Piedra and slept in car there. (Map Ref 446 U15) Some pretty decent birds there... Kentish Plovs, Pallid Swifts, RR Swallows, GB Terns, Hoopoes, flamingoes and an assortment of raptors. You can stay nearby at a campsite.

Laguna De Zonar (Map Ref 446 T15) Good for Melodious Warblers, Purpe Gallinule, GR Warblers, Purple Herons, Whiskered Terns etc

Laguna del Rincon (MAp Ref 446 T16) At least 12 WH Ducks, Bushchats etc. Nice spot.

Teba Gorge (446 V15)
ace place fro Bonelli's Eagle plus vultures, Rock Sparrows, Black Wheatears, Woodchats, Lesser Kes etc

there are others: Ronda, Laguna de Medina, the Ojen Valley road etc

as an afterthought, we spent the last few hours of daylight on the coast road watching Audouin's, michs and a stream of Cory's going past very close the road where it gets extremely near to the sea at Nerja...

Alan G said:

Myself and ''BlythKeith'' are heading to Tarifa for a few nights at the end of September/Early October.
The flight home from Malaga is at 10:30 and rather than brave an extremely early start and running the gauntlet with the traffic back to Malaga, we're toying with a night somewhere within striking distance of Malaga Airport for the final night.
Can anyone offer any suggestions of somewhere near the Airport, possibly with some birdable spots nearby, and definitely away from the ''Human-Race Traps'' of the coast?
Cheers Alan

Click to expand...

Hi Alan.

The trouble with Malaga, as with the whole of the Costa del Sol, is that it is hard to escape the "humans" that live and holiday there. However, one or two places spring to mind that are withing reasonable striking distance of the airport and where good birding is possible.

1. The Finca Limoneros in Alora ( www.fincalimoneros.com ) is about 35 minutes away from the airport and is central to Teba Gorge, Campillos lagoons, El Chorro, Ardales and Laguna de Fuente de la Piedra.

2. The Hotel Humaina ( www.hotelhumaina.es ) in the Montes de Malaga is a nice hotel (Crossbills from the bedroom windows) and the birding around the montes can be pretty spectacular at times. It is within 30 minutes of the airport.

If you do decide to stay more locally, ie. in Malaga, then try birding at the Rio Guadalhorce estuary, just to the west of the city.

Regards from Doñana.

John.