Andalucia – Day 2 South to Algeciras

Mon 26 May 2014

I awoke to the song of a Blue rock thrush, and once I had washed and shaved, I took a cup of tea out onto the roof terrace and saw this handsome thrush sat on a nearby chimney (starting the day with another new species for me).

Near Gaucin

After breakfast in Bob’s house we headed off for the first full day’s birding. We pulled off the road just outside Gaucin to look at some birds of prey that had caught our eye – three Honey buzzard on their northward migration. In the distance towards Gibraltar another large bird was picked out in binoculars. We thought it might be a Black stork, but we could not locate it again in our ‘scopes.

A little way further from Gaucin we spent a pleasant hour walking along a track by the shallow Rio Genal. More Honey buzzard were flying over as we began and we heard Nightingale and Turtle dove. Male and female Blackcaps showed well, and down by the water both Grey and White wagtails were seen. From the finch family we saw Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Serin and of warblers Sardinian and Cetti’s. We spent a while observing a couple of interesting butterflies. A Jay flew across the river and a Golden oriole, initially heard singing, eventually showed itself as it flew between trees. More birds of prey – Buzzard, Short-toed eagle and dark morph Booted eagle. The drumming of a Great spotted woodpecker came from not too far away and finally a Raven circled high above us.

River Guadiaro

We drove on, heading for the River Guadiaro, but we stopped a couple of times before getting there to see Crested lark, Woodchat shrike, another pale morph Booted eagle and possibly a Thekla lark.

At the River Guadiaro things were a little quiet. A Turtle dove and a Bee-eater sat close together on a wire in the distance on the other side of the river. A few Swallows made some low-level passes over the water and on the exposed shingle were one or two Little-ringed plover. Bob called an Alpine swift, but I am not sure if anyone else managed to spot it. A pale morph Booted eagle circled overhead giving some superb views. A Bath white butterfly was also a nice find. Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Corn bunting and Stonechat were added as we strolled back to the car, along with a fine female Sardinian warbler.

We moved a short distance to another spot on the same river, stopping en-route to try to get a better view of an Egyptian vulture. Unfortunately it disappeared behind a low hill not to be seen again.

The target species at this section of the river was Western Olivaceous warbler, as this was a known breeding site. Nightingale and Cetti’s were heard, and a small flock of Yellow-legged gulls lazed on a spit of shingle in the river. A likely scratchy warble from a low bush turned out to be a Sardinian warbler. Little egret, Common sandpiper and Little-ringed plover sat on the opposite bank of the river. After a some time searching we eventually found and had a good view of the Western Olivaceous warbler (listed as Isabelline warbler by some sources). Other species seen were Cirl bunting, Serin and White wagtail.

San Enrique Woods

We moved on to San Enrique Woods where we munched our sandwiches stood by the open boot of the car. Alan mentioned that that he would very much like to see a Wryneck, and no sooner had he said this than one began calling nearby. It almost immediately appeared and perched, continuing to call, above us. It moved back and forth between two trees, calling excitedly all the time, and allowing us great views. A griffon vulture cruised past and we found tree sparrows from the nearby breeding colony. A Monarch butterfly wafted around in a clearing. Once we had finished our lunch we walked a short distance into the deciduous wood, consisting mainly of white poplar. Here we saw jay, a family party of Spotted flycatcher, Chaffinch and White wagtail and heard Hoopoe and Great spotted woodpecker. We failed to find Short-toed treecreeper, though we thought we heard one.

Pinar del Rey Pinewoods

There were lots of White stork sitting in the nests on various poles and pylons as we travelled on to our next destination, Pinar del Rey pinewoods. Chaffinch, Blackcap and Bonelli’s warbler were heard and eventually spotted. Crested tit was another nice find. I located a small warbler whose song include phrases similar to a Chiffchaff, but with additional non-chiffchaff motifs. Bob identified this as an Iberian Chiffchaff. A scratchy warble that sounded a bit like a Whitethroat, though longer, was another Sardinian warbler. Finally, a Cleopatra butterfly was added to our insect list.

Polmones

The day’s last stop was at Polmones beach (near Algeciras). Not many species added here, but Kentish plover on a sand bar about 100m offshore was a good one. On the same sand bar were Black-headed and Yellow-legged gulls, Sandwich tern, Little plover and a blue-headed (Iberian race) Yellow wagtail.

On the journey back to Gaucin we stopped to look at a Lesser kestrel nest site in the structure of a railway bridge. One of the birds was on a telegraph wire, but it flew off as we drove past. We did see a couple of the birds in the distance, and one disappeared into the nest hole but did not not re-appear. A Melodious warbler showed briefly in the hedgerow.

See also Bob’s Wingspan blog for Day 2.

Today’s List
Mallard	Little Grebe
White Stork	Little Egret
European Honey Buzzard	Egyptian Vulture
Griffon Vulture	Short-toed Eagle
Common Buzzard	Booted Eagle
Lesser Kestrel	Common Kestrel
Moorhen	Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover	Kentish Plover
Common Sandpiper	Black-headed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull	Sandwich Tern
Woodpigeon	Turtle Dove
Swift	European Bee-eater
Hoopoe	Wryneck
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Woodchat Shrike
Golden Oriole	Jay
Common Raven	Crested Tit
Great Tit	Blue Tit
Crested Lark	Thekla Lark
Barn Swallow	Cetti’s Warbler
Iberian Chiffchaff	Western Bonelli’s Warbler
Western Olivaceous Warbler	Melodious Warbler
Zitting Cisticola	Blackcap
Sardinian Warbler	Spotless Starling
Blackbird	Robin
Nightingale	Stonechat
Blue Rock Thrush	Spotted Flycatcher
House Sparrow	Tree Sparrow
Yellow Wagtail	Grey Wagtail
White Wagtail	Chaffinch
Serin	Greenfinch
Goldfinch	Corn Bunting
Cirl Bunting
63 Species