I was joined by Paul from the village, we set off at 7:30am, it was cold with a clear sky.
We arrived at la Janda just after 9am in bright sunshine and no wind. As soon as we began the descent along the track onto the lower plateau we began listing several species. Along the first part of this track we saw Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Stonechat, Corn Bunting, Zitting Cisticola, Lapwing, White Stork, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard and White Wagtail.
VIEWS OF THE 'RAISED' CENTRAL TRACK - WITH RICE PADDIES ON THE LEFT
Not a bad start, our next stop was on the raised central track, we parked at the beginning near a sliuce gate. An extended scan of the neighbouring fields, paddocks and rice paddies, this produced some great sightings. A Purple Swamphen was feeding in the central canal, several Marsh Harriers quartered the fields and were joined by at least four Hen Harriers (all females)! We saw distant Common Cranes, Cattle & Little Egrets, Linnets, Goldfinches, Red-legged Partridges, Common Pheasant, Skylark and Calandra Lark.
We moved along the central track stopping several times to scan the sky and the fields. We added Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, Chiffchaff and then it started to get really good. A distant Peregrine was een mobbing a Black-winged Kite and was then joined by two Marsh harriers, it was quite a show!
Next we had incredible close views of a hunting Short-eared Owl, it passed within 10 meters of us.
SHORT-EARED OWL AS SEEN THROUGH THE HEAT HAZE
A little later we stopped to watch some Common Snipe that were feeding on a ploughed rice field, this was a very good move because we found not one, but two, Bluethroats. Both were males and one was in incredible plummage.In the same area we saw more Common Snipe, Ringed and our first Little-ringed Plover of the year, Water Pipit and White Wagtails. A second Black-winged Kite alighted on a nearby pylon.
THE SECOND BLUETHROAT - A VERY WELL MARKED MALE - WE WATCHED IT FOR 20 MINUTES
PURPLE SWAMPHEN - ONE OF ABOUT 10 SEEN IN LA JANDA
By now it was getting quite warm, a heat haze had formed and so had thermals above the fields, this meant one thing - raptors. Over the next hour we found some great species. We had good views of at least 3 Spanish Imperial Eagles, a juvenile Bonelli's Eagle and to our great surprise an adult Golden Eagle!! Wow, follow that!!!
Further watching produce a very high Short-toed Eagle (this bird should be in Africa at this time of year).WealsosawRedKite and lots more Marsh Harriers, other birds seen during the afternoon included alovely male Penduline Tit, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler and Greenfinch.
On the way home we stopped at Los Lances beach at Tarifa, a little breeze had added a late afternoon chill to the air but we still enjoyed some terrific birds. Caspian Terns (4), Sandwich Tern (25), Audouin's Gull (15) were joined by Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gull, Dunlin, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Kentish Plover and Ringed Plover.
KENTISH PLOVER - FEMALE IT WAS CHASED OFF BY AN AGRESSIVE, AND BIGGER, RINGED PLOVER
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (LEFT) STANDING NEXT TO ITS BIGGER COUSIN THE YELLOW-LEGGED GULL
A VIEW FROM THE HIDE AT LOS LANCES BEACH - GULLS, TERNS AND WADERS JUST VISIBLE
More pipits, larks and buntings were found which included another two Water Pipits. This concluded our best birding day of the year, here is the list:
1. Great Cormorant
2. Grey Heron
3. White Stork
4. Mallard
5. Cattle Egret
6. Little Egret
7. Griffon Vulture
8. Bonelli's Eagle
9. Spanish Imperial Eagle (121)
10. Golden Eagle (122)
11. Marsh Harrier
12. Hen Harrier (123)
13. Common Kestrel
14. Sparrowhawk
15. Black-winged Kite (124)
16. Peregrine Falcon
17. Short-toed Eagle (125)
18. Common Buzzard
19. Red Kite (126)
20. Red-legged Partridge (127)
21. Common Pheasant (128)
22. Purple Swamphen
23. Common Coot
24. Moorhen
25. Green Sandpiper
26. Common Snipe
27. Ringed Plover
28. Little-ringed Plover (129)
29. Kentish Plover
30. Grey Plover
31. Lapwing
32. Dunlin
33. Sanderling
34. Audouin's Gull
35. Yellow-legged Gull
36. Lesser Black-backed Gull
37. Black Headed Gull
38. Caspian Tern (130)
39. Sandwich Tern
40. Barn Swallow (131)
41. Crag Martin
42. Meadow Pipit
43. Water pipit
44. Crested lark
45. Skylark
46. Calandra Lark
47. White Wagtail
48. Bluethroat (132)
49. Robin
50. Blackbird
51. Mistle Thrush
52. Collared Dove
53. Feral Pigeon
54. Wood Pigeon
55. Common Crane
56. Chaffinch
57. Greenfinch
58. Goldfinch
59. Linnet
60. Common Starling
61. Spotless Starling
62. House Sparrow
63. Spanish Sparrow
64. Black Redstart
65. Zitting Cisticola
66. Jackdaw
67. Raven
68. Corn Bunting
70. Penduline Tit (133)
71. Chiffchaff
72. Blackcap
No comments:
Post a Comment