Another day in paradise! Lovely sunshine all day, colourful wild flowers, superb scenery and terrific birding.
We made a pre-breakfast trip to El Colmenar to look for Hawfinch and Golden Oriole. We parked in the usual place and got quite a shock when we noticed that my favourite dead tree was missing!!! It had been cut down, in fact several trees were missing, the whole habitat had been change much to the detriment of the local birds. What a disappointment. We did see Grey Wagtails taking food to their nest but not much else.
After breakfast we set off on the Ronda road and turned off at the chestnut woods, it was very quiet once again but we did see Eurasian Nuthatch, Jay and Chaffinch. At the track down by Estacion de Cortes we spent an hour walking. As soon as we got out of the bus we heard at least three Turtle Doves, a Robin, Chaffinch and Blackcap. Our walk produced sightings of Robin, Sardinain Warbler, Serin, Turtle Dove, Pied flycatcher and lots of common species.
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| track at Estacion de Cortes |
By the time we got to the Llanos de Libar it was midday, the sun was high and hot but a cooling breeze came down the valley. This lovely valley has exquisite landscape and many birds thrive there, a Black Redstart was found as we got out of the bus and a Rock Bunting perched on the cliff just above us. We then watched a few Serin before our attention was diverted to the skyline above the cliffs across the valley. There we found a Bonelli's Eagle circling and after a short while it flew down and landed on a tree, what a great sighting.
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| Spanish Festoon |
Our walk up the valley was slow and steady, we made many stops to look at Black Wheatears, Blue Rock Thrushes, Rock Sparrows, Rock Bunting, Stonechat and Woodchat Shrikes. Many Melodious Warblers sang from the bushes and Griffon Vultures drifted into and out of the cliffs. At the top of the valley we found a GOLDEN EAGLE, it was a 2cy bird and drifted out of sight within 30 seconds of seeing it, what another great find.
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| looking up the Llanos de libar valley |
We ate our lunch at 3pm!!! whilst we sat and ate we noticed a Bonelli's Eagle drifting in front of the cliffs opposite us, the bird then flew down to a nest where we watched it for a while.
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| Blue Rock Thrush |
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| Stonechat |
Just above Montejaque is the picturesque limestone gorge where the 'dam that doesn't work' is situated, from there we found Red-billed Chough, Alpine swift and lots of Crag Martins. A little up the valley we found 3 species of orchid a pair of Mistle Thrushes, we also heard Common Cuckoo and Green Woodpecker.
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| Green Hairstreak |
Our walk in the cork oak woods produced Green Woodpecker, Cirl Bunting, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and many Blue and Great Tits.
It was now approaching 5pm so we headed home, well pleased with our daily tally.
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