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Vacational Trip Reports
Spain january 2009
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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Turner" data-source="post: 1381627" data-attributes="member: 64932"><p>Just got back from a week in Andalusia. Had to go for a meeting, but extended the trip to take in some of my favourite haunts in the south. </p><p>Wednesday 7th flew in to Malaga late morning, and soon found myself down at the mouth of the Rio Guadalhorce. (via the obligatory coffee stop in San Julian) As often happens in winter, the access along the beach onto the reserve is cut by the river flowing out into the sea in a deep channel. Did see a <strong>Sandwich Tern</strong> and a <strong>Turnstone</strong> down here, along with <strong>Little Grebe</strong> on the river. Plenty of <strong>Yellow-legged Gulls</strong> out on the sea. Several <strong>Crested Larks</strong> behind the beach. So I drove up to the north of the reserve, where the footbridge crosses the river, about 200 metres south of the Motorway. A huge flock of <strong>Serins</strong> were feeding on the weeds on the embankment. Also saw the first of many <strong>Black Redstarts</strong>. In the river were about 20 <strong>Pochard</strong>and a similar number of <strong>Coot</strong>. I walked down to the new hide overlooking the ponds at the west side of the reserve, and saw about 20 <strong>White-headed Ducks</strong>, a few <strong>Little Egrets</strong>, several <strong>Grey Herons</strong>, a <strong>Greenshank</strong>. 2 <strong>Black-necked Grebes</strong> diving around the islands. Loads of <strong>Cormorants</strong>, some <strong>Mallard</strong> and <strong>Shoveler</strong>. A distant bird of prey resolved into an unexpected Dark-phase <strong>Booted Eagle</strong>! I was also surprised (and delighted) when a <strong>Hoopoe</strong> flew over the water towards me. A female <strong>Marsh Harrier</strong> quartered the reeds. <strong>Chiffchaffs</strong> chased insects by the paths, as I walked up to the northern hide, meeting 3 other birders looking at about 8 <strong>Crag Martins</strong>. Unforunately no sign of the <strong>Purple Swamphen</strong> that has been seen recently. Compensation is in the form of an <strong>Osprey</strong> flying in from the north with a large fish. It has also been around for several weeks, apparently. As I have lots of miles to cover I head over to the east river , and look into the ponds on that side. <strong>Little Egrets</strong> hunt the shallow pools. Near the beach a <strong>Blue Rock Thrush</strong>(!) A small (20) flock of <strong>Sanderling </strong>wing in to a nearby sand bar, and another <strong>Black-necked Grebe</strong> out on the sea. A pale phase <strong>Booted Eagle</strong> now drifts over.</p><p>Now I head out onto the motorway north to the plains of Antequera, and on westwards, to the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. There has been lots of rain in Spain this winter, and many of the fields around the entry near the visitor centre are flooded and seem to be providing great habitat for both <strong>Shoveler </strong>and <strong>Coot</strong>. Another pond has <strong>Common Sandpiper</strong> and <strong>Water Pipit</strong>. The visitor centre is closed but I walk around it to look out over the Laguneta where mostly <strong>Gulls </strong>(<strong>Yellow-legged </strong>and <strong>Black-headed)</strong> but also a <strong>Lapwing</strong>, 4 <strong>Black-tailed Godwits</strong>, 8 Snipe and another <strong>Black-necked Grebe</strong>. Out on the main lake there are countless <strong>Gulls.</strong> a few each of <strong>Avocet</strong> and <strong>Black-winged Stilt</strong> along with single <strong>Little Stint</strong> and <strong>Grey Plover</strong>. Very distantly a few hundred <strong>Greater Flamingos</strong>. The first of several <strong>Southern Grey Shrikes</strong> today hunts around the vistor centre. A few years ago I saw a couple of hundred <strong>Stone Curlew</strong> in a ploughed field here, but this year, sadly, none. Driving around the laguna in an anti-clockwise direction, I stopped briefly at the first layby but it's still not close enough to get a good look at the distant <strong>Gulls</strong>. Onwards and aftera few kilometres, I find a small group of 10 <strong>Cranes</strong> near the road. Some fly off, and join the main flock over the road - approx 375! Further on another 140. Then I find a new watchpoint has been developed which allows stunning views over both the laguna and the surrounding countryside. The <strong>Flamingos</strong> are mostly just roosting in a couple of large groups, but some close by are moving and a few are seen in flight. A small flock of <strong>Golden Plover</strong> also fly by. I decide this is enough time spent here, so head off south onto the road to the Teba Gorge. Unfortunately (well not actually!) the small Laguna Dulce just east of Campillos is still dry, but I stop to count another <strong>Crane</strong> flock, bringing the day total up to 650. A flock of large(ish) birds fly in, exhibiting much white in the wings. <strong>LITTLE BUSTARDS</strong>! about 150 of them, they fly out to the centre of the dry laguna, and land in the dry vegetation and promptly disappear! There are lots of <strong>Lapwing</strong> in the surrounding fields, and a <strong>Hare</strong> and a <strong>Fox</strong> are out in the lake bed too. On to Teba, where <strong>Choughs, Rock Doves</strong> and <strong>Grey Wagtails</strong> are present. I complet e the drive to Jimena de la Frontera via Ronda in time to visit the nearby farms at Sambana and see a <strong>White Stork</strong> and a <strong>Little Owl </strong>before darkness falls. 65 species seen.</p><p>More to follow....</p><p></p><p>Jon</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Turner, post: 1381627, member: 64932"] Just got back from a week in Andalusia. Had to go for a meeting, but extended the trip to take in some of my favourite haunts in the south. Wednesday 7th flew in to Malaga late morning, and soon found myself down at the mouth of the Rio Guadalhorce. (via the obligatory coffee stop in San Julian) As often happens in winter, the access along the beach onto the reserve is cut by the river flowing out into the sea in a deep channel. Did see a [B]Sandwich Tern[/B] and a [B]Turnstone[/B] down here, along with [B]Little Grebe[/B] on the river. Plenty of [B]Yellow-legged Gulls[/B] out on the sea. Several [B]Crested Larks[/B] behind the beach. So I drove up to the north of the reserve, where the footbridge crosses the river, about 200 metres south of the Motorway. A huge flock of [B]Serins[/B] were feeding on the weeds on the embankment. Also saw the first of many [B]Black Redstarts[/B]. In the river were about 20 [B]Pochard[/B]and a similar number of [B]Coot[/B]. I walked down to the new hide overlooking the ponds at the west side of the reserve, and saw about 20 [B]White-headed Ducks[/B], a few [B]Little Egrets[/B], several [B]Grey Herons[/B], a [B]Greenshank[/B]. 2 [B]Black-necked Grebes[/B] diving around the islands. Loads of [B]Cormorants[/B], some [B]Mallard[/B] and [B]Shoveler[/B]. A distant bird of prey resolved into an unexpected Dark-phase [B]Booted Eagle[/B]! I was also surprised (and delighted) when a [B]Hoopoe[/B] flew over the water towards me. A female [B]Marsh Harrier[/B] quartered the reeds. [B]Chiffchaffs[/B] chased insects by the paths, as I walked up to the northern hide, meeting 3 other birders looking at about 8 [B]Crag Martins[/B]. Unforunately no sign of the [B]Purple Swamphen[/B] that has been seen recently. Compensation is in the form of an [B]Osprey[/B] flying in from the north with a large fish. It has also been around for several weeks, apparently. As I have lots of miles to cover I head over to the east river , and look into the ponds on that side. [B]Little Egrets[/B] hunt the shallow pools. Near the beach a [B]Blue Rock Thrush[/B](!) A small (20) flock of [B]Sanderling [/B]wing in to a nearby sand bar, and another [B]Black-necked Grebe[/B] out on the sea. A pale phase [B]Booted Eagle[/B] now drifts over. Now I head out onto the motorway north to the plains of Antequera, and on westwards, to the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. There has been lots of rain in Spain this winter, and many of the fields around the entry near the visitor centre are flooded and seem to be providing great habitat for both [B]Shoveler [/B]and [B]Coot[/B]. Another pond has [B]Common Sandpiper[/B] and [B]Water Pipit[/B]. The visitor centre is closed but I walk around it to look out over the Laguneta where mostly [B]Gulls [/B]([B]Yellow-legged [/B]and [B]Black-headed)[/B] but also a [B]Lapwing[/B], 4 [B]Black-tailed Godwits[/B], 8 Snipe and another [B]Black-necked Grebe[/B]. Out on the main lake there are countless [B]Gulls.[/B] a few each of [B]Avocet[/B] and [B]Black-winged Stilt[/B] along with single [B]Little Stint[/B] and [B]Grey Plover[/B]. Very distantly a few hundred [B]Greater Flamingos[/B]. The first of several [B]Southern Grey Shrikes[/B] today hunts around the vistor centre. A few years ago I saw a couple of hundred [B]Stone Curlew[/B] in a ploughed field here, but this year, sadly, none. Driving around the laguna in an anti-clockwise direction, I stopped briefly at the first layby but it's still not close enough to get a good look at the distant [B]Gulls[/B]. Onwards and aftera few kilometres, I find a small group of 10 [B]Cranes[/B] near the road. Some fly off, and join the main flock over the road - approx 375! Further on another 140. Then I find a new watchpoint has been developed which allows stunning views over both the laguna and the surrounding countryside. The [B]Flamingos[/B] are mostly just roosting in a couple of large groups, but some close by are moving and a few are seen in flight. A small flock of [B]Golden Plover[/B] also fly by. I decide this is enough time spent here, so head off south onto the road to the Teba Gorge. Unfortunately (well not actually!) the small Laguna Dulce just east of Campillos is still dry, but I stop to count another [B]Crane[/B] flock, bringing the day total up to 650. A flock of large(ish) birds fly in, exhibiting much white in the wings. [B]LITTLE BUSTARDS[/B]! about 150 of them, they fly out to the centre of the dry laguna, and land in the dry vegetation and promptly disappear! There are lots of [B]Lapwing[/B] in the surrounding fields, and a [B]Hare[/B] and a [B]Fox[/B] are out in the lake bed too. On to Teba, where [B]Choughs, Rock Doves[/B] and [B]Grey Wagtails[/B] are present. I complet e the drive to Jimena de la Frontera via Ronda in time to visit the nearby farms at Sambana and see a [B]White Stork[/B] and a [B]Little Owl [/B]before darkness falls. 65 species seen. More to follow.... Jon [/QUOTE]
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Vacational Trip Reports
Spain january 2009
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