MIGRANTS GALORE AS SPRING FINALLY ARRIVES: thousands of new arrivals throughout Southern Spain
GOLDEN ORIOLES, TURTLE DOVES, PIED FLYCATCHERS, COMMON NIGHTINGALES, BONELLI'S WARBLERS, COMMON CUCKOOS, ORPHEAN WARBLERS, SUBALPINE WARBLERS, SPECTACLED WARBLERS, MELODIOUS WARBLERS, ROCK THRUSHES - just some of the summer migrants seen today!!! We logged 75 species with many new birds for the year list.
What a fantastic day, it was the best birding day I have had for a long time. The weather was perfect, a real spring morning, bird song was prolific, wild flowers were in full bloom and the sun shone all day.
Kevin and Pat are staying with us for their third visit and have booked a couple of days out with birding with me. We left our home at 7:30am and drove northward from Gaucin towards Ronda, our first stop was at the 'Bull Ring'. The woodland there consists of Sweet Chestnut, Cork Oak and Pine, we found Eurasian Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Firecrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Long-tailed Tit and several common species.
At the Guadiaro River we had a superb time, birds were everywhere and the air was full of song. As soon as we got out of the car we heard, Hoopoe, Common Cuckoo, Common Nightingale, Cetti's Warbler, Serin, Blackcap, Turtle Dove, Golden Oriole and many frogs were calling from the river.
Our walk along the river was filled with great sightings and memorable species: we saw more Treecreepers, a Pied Flycatcher, Common Nightingale, Rock Sparrow, Pallid Swifts, Red-rumped Swallows, Booted Eagles, Short-toed Eagles, Cirl Buntings, Common Kingfisher, Little-ringed Plover,
Turtle Dove, Cetti's Warbler and many more.
We ate our picnic lunch by the side of the river and during lunch we saw Grey Wagtails, Hawfinches, Garden Warbler and many Griffon Vultures.
For the afternoon we decided to visit the scenic valley at Llanos de Libar which is found hidden in the mountains above Montajaque. Again we had a great time and saw some special species, as soon as we got out of ther car we located a Rock Bunting that was singing just above us. Then we found Blue Rock Thrush, Red-billed Chough and lots of Serins, Goldfinches and Linnets. On a high distant cliff we found a Rock Thrush, although it was distant it's colours were clearly seen. Next we had great views of a Bonelli's Eagle as it drifted across the valley. Our first Melodious Warblers was found as it sang from a Tamarisk, then we went on to find more Cirl and Rock Buntings and small flocks of Red-billed Choughs.
The track along the Llanos de Libar
Our last stop was at the Encinas Borraches track just south of Ronda. A wind had got up and it made viewing a little difficult but we did get great views of Dartford, Spectacled and Orphean Warblers. There were also Thekla Larks, Corn Buntings, Common Cuckoo (the first one we actually saw today), Northern Wheatears and more Red-billed Chough. But are best sightings were of Golden Orioles, they seemed to be everywhere and one or two perched right out in the open on small tamarisk bushes, what a stunning bird.
We finshed the walk at 5pm and drove back down to Gaucin in time for dinner and a well-earned rest, what a great day!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment