FRIDAY 27TH SEPT - 7 DAY TOUR - DAY 1

MALAGA AIRPORT - GUADALMAR - SIERRA CRESTELLINA - RIO GENAL - GAUCIN

Our 7 day tour started in bright sunshine as we emerged from the terminal building at Malaga, I had met Nigel, Nathan and Stephen on time in the arrivals hall.

We drove the short distance to the Guadalmar beach area and parked on some wasteland a little way out of the village. Our first birds were a flock of Spotless Starlings as we got out of the car. After a very short while we had listed quite a few species including our target bird the Eurasian Hoopoe, we found five of them on the golf course. Lots of Monk Parakeets whizzed about and they were accompanied by a Budgerigar, I thought we were in a park zoo avary for a moment.

look at my yellow foot - Little Egret

We had good views of Zitting Cisticola, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Crested Lark, Greenfinch and a Whimbrel flew passed a couple of times.

Out at sea there were many Yellow-legged Gulls, a few Northern Gannet, Balearic Shearwaters and a Common Tern perched on a buoy.

We stopped to but lunch before setting off for Gaucin via Casares where we stopped just before the village and watched pour first Griffon Vultures.

At Sierra Crestellina we watched more Griffon Vultures with up to 20 in the sky and as we were scanning for more we found small groups of Short-toed Eagles drifting over towards the coast, we counted 12 in all. We also found Stonechat, Crag Martin, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a Common Kestrel on a pylon.

Monk Parakeet

Our last birding of the day was done along the Rio Genal near the bridge on the way up to Gaucin. It was fairly quiet but good views of Common Kingfisher was nice. We also saw all three species of Wagtail in a short space of time. Grey Wagtail along the river and both White Wagtail and Yellow Wagtails were feeding alongside a herd of cows. The Yellow Wagtails all looked of the Spanish race iberiae. Other sightings included another Short-toed Eagle, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Wood Pigeon and another Grey heron.

We made a brief stop at the mirador just before the village to take pictures of the distant Rock of Gibraltar and of the village. More Griffon Vultures drifted over and yet another Short-toed Eagle appeared.