OCTOBER 15TH - GAUCIN & RIO GUADIARO AT EL COLMENAR

The group spent the day in and around Gaucin today, a rest day before our epic journey to Coto Donana & Extremadura.

At 9am a walk to the cemetery and the adjacent parkland was both refreshing and enjoyable. The sun was up in a clear sky and the first bird sighting was a singing Blue Rock Thrush which was located as it sat on the castle ramparts above us in full song. We then found a few migrants, Pied Flycatcher, Black Redstart, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff & Robin. A couple of Chough called from the crags behind the castle as we walked up the steps, we eventually saw them fly off from below us.

After lunch we drove down to Rio Guadiaro at El Colmenar where we spent a lovely couple of hours strolling along the river in the afternoon sunshine. Our best birds were a single Hawfinch (fem) sitting in a dead tree, a scope view of a very distant Hobby which was hawking insect on the wing and a Raven. Along the river we saw the usual White & Grey Wagtails, plenty of Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Serin and lots of Robins. We finshed early so that we could pack ready for our trip to Donana.