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22C Sunday 22nd April 2018 ~ My first visit to Spain this year staying at my buddy's villa in Mijas. I had planned to go up to Sierra Loja today, but with low cloud and poor visibility at first light and a 90km drive, I thought it was a bit of a risk heading off up a mountain. Instead after breakfast, I decided to stay closer to home and drag Dave out for a visit to Guadalhorce, my favourite local reserve near Malaga Airport.
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| Record shot of Western Subalpine Warbler |
As we walked alongside the Rio Guadalhorce towards the footbridge that takes you across to the reserve there were at least 50 or so
House Martins, which nest here each year under the bridge structure. Passing over the bridge a
Hoopoe and from the reeds below
Cetti's Warbler and
Reed Warbler before a
Nightingale also broke into song. Before continuing on I noticed some movement in the scrub and managed to obtain a record shot of the above
Western Subalpine Warbler which never quite broke full cover before flying off.
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| Booted Eagle over Guadalhorce |
Prior to heading down to the reserve itself, we decided to take a stroll along the opposite side of the river which takes you under the main A7 autovia, where a group of
Rock Doves were in residence. There were plenty of
House Sparrows to be found too but from within the group I managed to connect with two
Spanish Sparrows.
Zitting Cisticola was a constant companion zitting away overhead, occasionally landing for a breather and then seven
Bee-eaters passed straight through, calling as they went. Just as I was contemplating the fact that there weren't many
Monk Parakeets around today six obligingly landed nearby but were sent on their way by a
Booted Eagle passing overhead. This must have spooked a
Wryneck too, which lifted, unfortunately disappearing over the rock bank and out of sight.
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| Curlew Sandpiper nearing full summer plumage |
Heading onto the reserve and at the first hide at Laguna de la Casilla a
Western Bonelli's Warbler was singing for a short while. Four
Pochard, two
White-headed Duck, single
Gadwall and three
Little Egrets before I moved on to the del Rio Viejo. Here a dozen or so
Black-winged Stilt, some already on nests,
Wood Sandpiper,
Little-ringed Plover,
Redshank and
Curlew Sandpiper, which was almost in full summer plumage!
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| Wood Sandpiper at del Rio Viejo |
At the Old River, where the water levels were quite high compared to what I normally encounter a further selection of waders which included
Kentish Plover,
Dunlin,
Greenshank and
Avocet. At the far side two
Audouin's Gulls at rest, along with a solitary
Sandwich Tern. When I reached the sea I paused for a while at Aves Marinas sea-watch tower, pretty rough seas today but I picked out a single
Balearic Shearwater and there seemed to be a constant passage of
Terns, almost entirely
Sandwich but at least two
Gull-billed noted!
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| Whimbrel along the beach area |
I took the beach walk past the restricted nesting area, where several
Crested Larks could be found, a solitary
Whimbrel dropping in briefly but not a single
Kentish Plover, which nests here.
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| Little-ringed Plover ~ Laguna Grande |
My final stop was at the Laguna Grande but with lots of water currently covering the scrapes little chance of seeing many waders at close range. That said a
Little-ringed Plover and
Common Sandpiper dropped in for a short while. At distance a couple of
Black-necked Grebes and in among the many Gulls two
Slender-billed, a regular here.
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| A shy Whinchat |
The final bird of an excellent visit was an elusive
Whinchat, but I did manage to capture one image of him watching me, watching him!
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| Clouded Yellow |
There were a number of butterflies on the wing today but just the three species noted:
Clouded Yellow,
Wall and
Swallowtail.
