Birdwatching in Straits of Gibraltar & La Janda (1 Viewer)

[rollingthunder]

Eddy - what has the weather been like and where have the winds been?

The Algarrobo you refer to is the one near Malaga?

Just trying to get my bearings, if it is i won't be over there but i keep getting Chile as a default on Google Maps but i have seen the other one!

Laurie:t:

 

[John Cantelo]

Hi Laurie

See the attached map - Algarrabo is 'b' on the map. An updated version of this map can be found in my downloadable notes on Cadiz province,

 

[John Cantelo]

Hi Eddy

I've never managed to spot a roller in either Cadiz or Malaga. The ones I've seen have always been in the Eastern half of Spain. Nice one.

Back there next weekend, so I'll be expecting to bump into you again.

All the best.

Look out for Liz and myself too - as always you're welcome to pop in and see us in Alcala. I've found Roller fairly elusive in the area, but I've seen then on La Janda a couple of times, once in the centre of Tarifa and near Bolonia - trouble is that they're quite unpredictable and quickly decamp. If you're out in spring the nearest convenient place to see them is in the Osuna area,

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Hi Alan,the first few km´s from the Facinas end are the worst with some deep holes but if you go steady they should be passable in a car.Once you are over the small river things get better then near to Cortijo Las Habas roadway things improve very well with even 4th gear reached until you reach the Celemin river where the old tarmac road is very bad again with holes like open cast mines.There is alternative dirt roads at this stage which should be taken with care as the banks near the ditches can give way as I found to my surprise in June.I look forward to meeting up with you and your wife so have a nice one regards ...Eddy.

Ooops. :eek!:

Thanks Eddy.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Look out for Liz and myself too - as always you're welcome to pop in and see us in Alcala. I've found Roller fairly elusive in the area, but I've seen then on La Janda a couple of times, once in the centre of Tarifa and near Bolonia - trouble is that they're quite unpredictable and quickly decamp. If you're out in spring the nearest convenient place to see them is in the Osuna area,

Probably see you out and about John. I'll look out for the hat.

 

[eddy the eagle]

I have been out all day with friends Glyn and Val from the UK,breakfast at San Pablo de Buciete and then throught the woods at Gaucin station not many birds seen, many jays, lots of chaffinches and one hoopoe.Out on the other side and on the Cortes de la Frontera to Ubrique road where we stopped and searched the mountainsand fields.Plenty of Griffons in and around the mountain ridges,a couple of common kestrels,a short toed eagle hunting at a great height and a very nice female monty quartering the fields for at least 1/2 an hour.
Through Ubrique and on the Grazalema road stopped for lunch at a picnic area where we saw two Egyptian vultures together with griffons,many bee eaters, abooted eagle and a short toed eagle.Our target birds today were Bonelli´s and possibly Golden eagle which I have seen in the area previously but today were elusive.Not many other birds on our return journey with no Alpine swifts at Grazalema,but the scenery was stunning and the sky the brightest blue with temperatures in the low 30´s throughout.At Jimena de la Frontera went down to the river at Marchinella and surprised a black stork who had caught a fish this is my first post nuptial black stork of the summer so the small detour was worth it.
Thank you John for the map of sites and I have heard that today most birds were seen between 9 and12.Reports of a Ruppel near to Cazalla and a roller at the Cepsa garage on the N340 at Tarifa.Kind regards to all look out for the red Kia as I amout and about most days...Eddy.

 

[rollingthunder]

Cheers John - i shall be combing your notes prior to embarking.....

Laurie:t:

 

[eddy the eagle]

Yesterday saw two Ruppels vultures at the Sierra del Ahumada /Cabrito area and ringing on the mouth of the
Guadiaro river produced reed warblers,sedge warblers,cettis warblers,sardinian warblers,barn swallows and one common waxbill which breed in the area.One of the sedge warblers netted had been previously ringed in London UK.Just birding locally today in and around Los Barrios as a pair of Tawny woke me up this morning at about 5am so I will go and look for them.....Eddy

 

[eddy the eagle]

You are reminded that Stage two of the Vuelta de Espana cycle race starts in Algeciras today and climbs past Algarrobo and Cazalla before heading out to San Fernando on the N340.Traffic is likely to be heavy in the region and delays can be expected....Eddy

 

[Alf King]

I'll be knocking around the general area too from the 7th onwards for a couple of weeks. i shall keep a look out for any of you blokes and you can point out the good birds for me.

 

[John Cantelo]

You are reminded that Stage two of the Vuelta de Espana cycle race starts in Algeciras today and climbs past Algarrobo and Cazalla before heading out to San Fernando on the N340.Traffic is likely to be heavy in the region and delays can be expected....Eddy

It was going to go through Alcala, but the mayor et al were so incompetent in getting streets closed etc that they decided to go via Paterna & San Jose - evidently the local bar owners were not best pleased!

 

[Jon Turner]

.... but the mayor et al were so incompetent ...

About sums it up I think John!

 

[rollingthunder]

Or too busy counting his building development bribery money? If that sort of thing still goes on, allegedly, he added hastily.....

Laurie:t:

 

[John Cantelo]

Or too busy counting his building development bribery money? If that sort of thing still goes on, allegedly, he added hastily.....

Laurie:t:

Not a problem in Alcala I think .... we're too far from the coast for big profitable schemes!

 

[eddy the eagle]

I met up with Chris Mills and his wife Jackie together with their tour group at Algarrobo.I was there at 8.15 am and it was foggy with very low cloud and visibility down to about 200m.I was early hoping to catch a glimpse of a migrating hobby but with the conditions this was doubtful and I settled for the 10 honey buzzards that came through at 8.30 at tree top height.The low cloud lifted during the next hour with only light clouds over the hills.The bird activity also picked up and the following birds were seen throughout the day.
Approx.800 Back kite
Approx.500 honey buzzards
sparrowhawks
short toed eagles
booted eagles
egyptian vultures adults and immatures
griffon vultures on the nearby hills
a lone juvenile Montagues harrier
one lesser kestrel
peregrine falcon that remained for some time and gave good views
common buzzzardsblue tit
A group of 10 raven
common and pallid swifts
barn swallows and house martins
resident birds included sardinian warbler,gold finch,stonechat.
After the counting had finished Andres the Migres man at Algarrobo,invited us all to witness the ringing of 69 black kites that had been trapped that afternoon.Together with Migres volunteers we went to Tarifa and assisted in this lifelong oportunity to get up close and personal with a large species of raptor and I thank Alejandro Onrubia for the experience on behalf of those who attended.All in all a good day with good company and a meal and a beer afterwards....Eddy

 

[Stewart J.]

Wife and I will be back in Tariffa for 3.5 weeks from 8th September, hope to meet up with some of you guys, save some birds for us ;-)

 

[rollingthunder]

Hope to bump into you and anybody else that is around.....I shall be on foot or pushbike at about the same time, on and off for a couple of weeks altho i shall be also visiting the El Roccio area and Seville.

Laurie:t:

 

[Stewart J.]

I'll look out for you Laurie B

 

[eddy the eagle]

An unusual start to the day yesterday with misty conditions and low early morning cloud but when I got to Algarrobo at 8.30 there ws already birders present and were we in for an early morning treat.Through the mist came a flurry of Montague´s harriers one group amounting to twenty at the same time mainly adult males and juveniles and in the hour that followed over fifty came and went.In my 22 years watching the migration I have never seen so many at one time.There must have been a communal roost somewhere in the Alcornacales forest to produce such numbers but for the 5or 6 birders present it will be one that remains in the memory.
During the morning good numbers of black kite,honey buzzard,beeaters together with the odd marsh and montague´s harrier and as the skies cleared booted and short toed eagles put in an appearance together with the odd egyptian vulture and the resident griffon vultures and the party of ravens that have been in the area for the last few days.Incidently does anyone know the collective noun for a group of ravens?Somewhere in the depths of my now memory loosing brain the name "Jury" springs to mind but I am probably wrong as I often am these days.
Being a Sunday there were large bers of Spanish,Dutch and English birders present and the steady flow of birds heading south did not disappoint.Regards to all ...Eddy

 

[Jane Turner]

Its a jury of Owls I think, an unkindness of Ravens.