I collected Nick, Jo, James & Imogen from their rented finca near San Pablo at 7:30am and we drove the short distance to a track on the other side of the village.
At thier finca a flock of 50 Bee-eaters were milling around and a couple of Golden Orioles flew across the fields, not a bad start.
Along the track we spent a nice couple of hours in a lovely warm temperature and we logged some 30 species! The best of which were several sightings of Rufous Bush Robin (at least 5 birds), Montagu's Harrier, Short-toed Eagle, Bee-eaters, Golden Orioles, melodious and Olivaceous Warblers, Zittig Cisticola, several Alpine Swifts, Common Buzzard and both Lesser and Common Kestrel. Common Raven, there were also lots of Corn Buntings, Greenfinches, Spotless Starlings, Red-legged Partridge, Stonechats, Linnets, Crested larks and many Woodchat Shrikes, especially juveniles. As we walked back to the car we had brief views of two Hoopoes that flew passed us.
At San Enrique we added Tree Sparrow, Booted Eagle, White Stork, Kingfisher (2), Common Sandpiper, Short-toed Treecreeper and Jay. Along the road to San Enrique we stopped to watch two superb Little Owls (found by Jo) very close to the road side and a Spotted Flycatcher (also found by Jo).
We drove round to Pinar del Rey and took a picnic lunch at one of the benches provided. Over lunch and during ashort walk afterwards we found Cirl Bunting, Crested Tit, Bonelli's Warbler (one still singing!), Blackcap, Melodious Warbler, Jay, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and a few Griffon Vultures drifted over. At the emblase near Pinar del Rey we stopped to watch Cattle egrets and a Common Coot.
Our last stop was at Palmones we visited both sides of the marshes stopping in the town-side first. From the promenade in bright sunshine we found Little Egret, Common Ringed PLover, Whimbrel, Kentish Plover, Black-headed & Yellow-legged Gulls and not much else.
On the Algeciras side of the marsh we sat in the hide at the Torrejon Municipal Park where we added agood number of waders: Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Greenshank, Redshank, Dunlin, Little stint, Curlew Sandpiper, More Ringed Plovers and two more Hoopoes. We also found White Stork (45), Grey heron (3), Greater Flamingo, Mallard, Cattle Egret, Kingfisher (2), Marsh Harrier and another Booted Eagle. As we walked back to the car we found Common Sandpiper (2) and Green Sandpiper (1) sitting on a wire fence!!! incedible, how did they balance?
A lovely day out in glorious sunshine, we amassed 71 species and enjoyed evryone of them! It just shows that Spain is so good whatever the time of year is!
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