TARIFA, SPAIN: 7 - DAY TOUR - AUTUMN MIGRATION - DAY 2 - 11TH SEPT 2014

 

 

 

 

PLAYA DE LOS LANCES - LA JANDA - MONTENMEDIO GOLF COMPLEX - BARBATE MARSHES

A very dull and overcast start to the day with light rain at times, the light was very poor until about 10am. We did not let the weather deter us, so off we marched to the beach at Los Lances arriving around 8:15am. First birds were Corn Buntings, Spotless Starlings and Common Stonechats but we soon bumped into some colour when a Hoopoe flushed from the track side and a small flock of some 40 Yellow Wagtails were seen in the fields with some cattle.


a dull start - the boardwalk at Los Lances

From the hide we listed Audouin's Gull, Sandwich Tern, Common Kingfisher, Bar-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Ringed and Kentish Plover, Dunlin and a few Oystercatchers. A couple of Marsh Harriers flew over but not much else, more birds were seen on the  grass fields behind the beach, Short-toed Lark, Skylark, another Hoopoe but not much else.

 

From Los Lances we drove to La Janda some 15 minutes away, where we spent a couple of hours watching a variety of species. Generally it was relatively quiet because not much open water can be seen but huge numbers of White Storks and Egrets little the rice fields. Raptors were particularly good with a Long-legged Buzzard topping the bill followed closely by Black-winged Kite, a fair number of Short-toed Eagles sat on pylons and several Montagu's Harriers quartered the fields with similar numbers of Marsh Harriers.

walking in sunshine

We drove then central track and listed Green Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis and enjoyed great views of Spanish Sparrows, Zitting Cisticola, Linnets, Goldfinches and Serins. A few Turtle Doves were a bonus as were a few more Yellow Wagtails.

At the smelly farm we saw a large flock of Jackdaws, a Peregrine Falcon (mobbed by a Kestrel) and all the time large flocks of White Storks drifted over. But our best bird by far was the Red-necked Nightjar, we found 4 in the hedgerow sleeping in the leaf litter, fantastic views and some excellent photographs we taken from not too close a distance.

one of the sleeping beauties - Red-necked Noghtjar

A couple of Woodchat Shrikes, Little Grebe, Common Coot, Northern Lapwing and more Ibis rounded off our species count at La Janda.

Our visit to the golf complex was short and sweet, the 'wintering'  Bald Ibis flock were where they should be, on the driving range! We also enjoyed many birds bathing and drinking in a small pool, good numbers of Goldfinches were joined by Serins, House Sparrows and a single Pied Flycatcher and as we left the complex we noted Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch and more Serins on the lawns at the gatehouse.

It was now blazing sunshine and getting quite warm so a cold drink was nice at a venta in Vejer, then we drove to Barbate Marshes to enjoyed an hour in the later afternoon sunshine. It was high tide, hundreds of Gulls sat loafing on the islands in the huge wader scrapes at Barbate Marshes, we noted many more Audouin's Gulls with Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls. A few Little Terns were nice as was a giant Caspain Tern. A couple of Stone Curlew were added and wader numbers included: Ruff, Redshank, Greenshank, Ringed and Kentish Plover, Sanderling and Dunlin.

female Red_veined Darter

For the last birding we drove further into the reserve and added a few species, Red Knot, Greater Flamingo, Common Sandpiper and another Caspian Tern.

Our drive back to the hotel took just 25 minutes, giving us time for a swim, to relax or to answer a plethora of e-mails, guess what I did!

Dinner on the terrace was lovely, a nice cool breeze and a colourful setting sun, nice food, glass of wine, lovely company, somebody pinch me!