My second visit of three planned to Spain this year, this time staying with my buddy Dave for a few days at his villa in Mijas, near Malaga.
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| Hoopoe - One of three seen today |
An early morning visit to
Guadalhorce, near Malaga Airport was exactly the right thing to do today, with temperatures reaching a very uncomfortable 40C here in Mijas late afternoon! Having said that the reserve was definitely 'Club Med' for mosquitoes at this time in the morning as I got completely mullered, having forgot to get the repellent on before leaving.
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| Monk Parakeet - Surprisingly quiet! |
The relatively quiet walk from the church to the foot bridge was soon interrupted, not only by a Antonov cargo plane taking off, billowing black smoke from the four engines as she lifted, but by the usual racket from the
Monk Parakeets. Lots of
House Martins zooming around the bridge and mingled in a couple of
Red-rumped Swallow. A little higher up a good number of
Common Swift, plus the odd
Barn Swallow and
Cetti's Warbler calling from the reeds. Just as I was about to move on a lovely sight of three
Night Heron, as they passed overhead.
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| Turtle Dove in the bright sunlight! |
One or two
Sardinian Warblers within the scrub areas and the constant
Zitting Cisticola calling overhead as I made my way towards Rio Viejo. The sun was just beginning to gain height and silhouetted against the backdrop of the sky a
Turtle Dove perched up!
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| White-headed Duck - A speciality at Guadalhorce |
Stopping off at the Del Rio Viejo and Laguna de la Casilla hides, which lead along the track towards the sea watch point it was apparent that
Black-winged Stilt had completely overrun the pools. Many noisy pairs and several young scurrying around. The only small wader of note a
Green Sandpiper, this along with seven
Little Egret sitting up in the trees. On the pools at least five
White-headed Duck, a speciality here, along with a single
Pochard and double figure
Little Grebe.
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| Slender Billed Gull - My first for the site! |
The old river was also alive with
Black-winged Stilt, a single
Ringed Plover looking totally outnumbered. On the small island a group of birds at rest included a stunning full summer plumage
Little Gull, (2)
Audouins Gull, and singles of
Common Tern and
Sandwich Tern. However, a gull feeding in the shallows turned out to be a
Slender Billed Gull, my first for Guadalhorce!
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| Bee-eater - One of seven today |
The beach walk was rather quiet and I didn't bother to check out the plover nesting areas, preferring to leave them in peace. As I turned back onto the reserve a group of three
Bee-eaters were sitting up nicely, offering a good photo opportunity. The path leading along to the Laguna Grande was alive with
Greenfinch and
Goldfinch, at least twenty of each and feeding on the ground a nice
Hoopoe.
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
The Laguna Grande was reasonably quiet and to be honest seemed a little high on water. A lone
Greater Flamingo, looking quite forlorn against the backdrop of the bright sunlight.
Ringed Plover,
Avocet and
Little-ringed Plover the only waders to be found and four
Collared Doves perched up, along with a half dozen
Spotless Starling. The walk back to the church produced a couple of
Serin and a
Spotted Flycatcher was my final record of the day!
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| ID the species!! Answers on a postcard... |
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| Greater Flamingo on the Laguna Grande |
