TARIFA, SPAIN: 7 - DAY TOUR - AUTUMN MIGRATION - DAY 5 - 14TH SEPT 2014

 

LOS LANCES BEACH - TARIFA TOWN - RAPTOR WATCH POINTS;  CAZALLA, TRAFICO AND ALGORROBO - BOLONIA AND SIERRA DE LA PLATA

ANOTHER GREAT FIND FOR THE TRIP LIST:    RUPPELL'S VULTURE

the second of two Ruppell's Vulture seen at Algorrobo - photo taken by Tony Moore

We had a slow and relaxing day today after the 'Bonanza' of yesterday, it was overcast in the Tarifa area with very low cloud throughout the morning. This hampered our birding somewhat and kind of put a damper on the morning.

A pre-breakfast walk found us on the Los Lances Beach at 8am. It was very quiet, we listed only Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed and Black Headed Gulls and  a single Oystercatcher, there was a couple of Sandwich Terns sitting on a buoy.

After breakfast we drove into Tarifa to a spot where the COMMON BULBUL had been seen recently, this common African species has been breeding in the area for a couple of years now. we couldn't hear or see them so we walked along a track to look for other birds. A flock of some 20 Bee-eaters was nice to see and a few raptors went over us, Black Kite, Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle and a Montagu's Harrier. We found Spotted Flycatcher, Common Whitethroat and  I saw a Wryneck but the others only heard it calling.

distant Bee-eaters

The rest of the  morning was spent visiting some of the raptor watch points found between Tarfia and Agleciras, on the Tarifa side there were more birds but sightings were marred by windy conditions and low cloud. At Algorrobo on the east side of the Tarifa hills it was cloudless with little wind but far fewer raptors were going over. However this is where we saw the Ruppell's Vultures, two of them!

Alpine Swift - this picture taken by Tony Moore

We also had excellent views of many Alpine Swifts as they whizzes all around us. We ate lunch there before setting off to Bolonia. Our mornings listing included: Alpine, Pallid and Common Swifts, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Griffon, Egyptian  & Ruppell's Vultures, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Black Kite, Common and Honey Buzzards. A Whinchat was anice find at rhe Mirador se Estrecho.

a young Griffon Vulture at the neat site near Bolinia

Threat of rhe afternoon was spent at Bolonia, where we sat at the foot of the Sierra de la Plata hoping to see White-rumped Swift. We had a lovely couple of hours sitting in the afternoon sunshine, there was a nice breeze and rhe view was outstanding.

the view of Bolinia from Sierra de la Plata

a digi-scoped view from the same place as above of the Roman ruins - Baelo Claudia

same again but of Tarifa Island with the Rif Mountains of Morocco behind

 We saw Spotted Flycatcher, Black-eared Wheatear, Northern Wheatear and Common Stonechat on rhe way and Blue Rock Thrush, Short-toed Eagle perched near the top. Griffon Vultures provided the entertainment with their comings and goings on rhe cliff face and a trickle of raptors drifted over the limestone pinnacles. There were lots of swift sightings of three species but not the White-rumped variety.

We left the Bolonia area at 5:30pm and set off for the hotel. Another nice evening was spent on rhe terrace at dinner, we were joined by Moorish Gecko and European Tree Frog, how nice!