Andalucia – Day 3 Mountains South-west of Ronda

Tues 27 May 2014

We headed off towards Ronda for today’s birding. A short stop to check out a Rock sparrow sat on the roadside wall also produced a Subalpine and Melodious warbler. At a second stop we found a Black wheatear high up on the crags above the road and a Red-rumped swallow swooped below us.

Encinas Borraches Track

The track at Encinas Borraches was the first planned location. Bob intended this to be a visit of about an hour, but it we found such good birds here, we ended up staying for three. 

Both Crested and Thekla lark were bagged before we had even opened the gate to start walking the track. A few minutes scanning the area near to the farm buildings/pond produced Stonechat, Corn bunting and Little owl, but no sign of Southern grey shrike that Bob expected to find here. Red deer were high up on the rocky hillside.

A Black-eared wheatear was the first of several new species for me – a very fine looking bird. The sweet song of a Woodlark caught our attention, but it was some time before we eventually spotted the bird. A Cuckoo called from somewhere further down the valley and a Woodchat shrike perched in the top of shrubs. More mundane birds were Stonechat and Red-legged partridge. Black-veined white and Sage skipper butterflies excited Alan. The next new tick for me was Spectacled warbler; not just one, but a family party flitting around in some low shrubs. As we continued along the track two more warbler species were heard and eventually seen after some patient waiting - a Western Orphean warbler (another new tick for me) and Subalpine warbler. A Western Bonelli’s warbler was the last bird added before we turned to walk back. Golden oriole and Hoopoe were heard but not seen.


As we walked back David spotted a bird sat on a distant pylon which at first we thought was a Blue rock thrush, but once we had it in our ‘scopes we realised it was a Rock thrush - the find of the day. Nearing the car we at last found the Southern grey shrike that had eluded us earlier. After scoffing our sandwiches back at the car an interesting assortment of butterflies that were finding something nutritious on a cow-pat by the gate caught our attention.

Ronda

We moved on and stopped for coffee at a high mountain road which was allegedly a good spot for eagles. We sat with coffee for half-an-hour but did not see any eagles.

Bob left us in Ronda for twenty minutes of sight-seeing at the bridge, from where we found Chough, Pallid swift, Lesser kestrel, Feral pigeons and admired the wonderful views.

Montejaque Cork Woods

We pressed on to a cork oak forest near Montejaque. Firecrest was the best find here, and a red deer paddling in a small lake, which soon took cover in the trees when it spotted us. We looked carefully for Treecreeper, but without success.

Llanos de Libar

We headed up into a high mountain valley at Serrania de Ronda/Llanos de Libar for the final birding of the day. Rock bunting was the target species. At the first place we stopped only for five minutes as it was very windy, seeing only Griffon vulture, Corn bunting, Goldfinch and Sardinian warbler.

We moved a little further and higher and found Blue rock thrush, Black redstart and a Spanish ibex that looked down on us from the summit of a mountain across the valley. A Short-toed eagle flew over, as did a Raven. As we drove back down the mountain road we found Rock sparrow and Linnet drinking at a tiny pond and Black-eared wheatear perched on a lichen covered rock. Rock bunting remained elusive.

Fine views of the local Blue rock thrush on the rooftops of Gaucin in the evening.

See also Bob’s Wingspan blog for Day 3.

Today’s List
Red-legged Partridge	Griffon Vulture
Short-toed Eagle	Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel	Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon	Cuckoo
Little Owl	Swift
Pallid Swift	Kingfisher
Hoopoe	Southern Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike	Golden Oriole
Red-billed Chough	Common Raven
Crested Lark	Thekla Lark
Wood Lark	Barn Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow	Western Bonelli’s Warbler
Melodious Warbler	Western Orphean Warbler
Spectacled Warbler	Subalpine Warbler
Firecrest	Blackbird
Nightingale	Black Redstart
Stonechat	Black-eared Wheatear
Black Wheatear	Rock Thrush
Blue Rock Thrush	Spotted Flycatcher
House Sparrow	Rock Sparrow
Chaffinch	Serin
Goldfinch	Linnet
Corn Bunting
45 Species