πͺπΈ Thursday 20th April 2023 π€ 23C ~ Wind SE @ 3MPH ~The start of just over two weeks in Spain, staying as usual at my friend's villa in Mijas. I decided to begin this visit with a leisurely stroll around Guadahorce in the early afternoon, site details can be found on my blog HERE or by clicking on the SPAINπͺπΈ link on the top header bar.
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Love them or not Monk Parakeets are a common feature around Guadalhorce |
A
Hoopoe calling and plenty of
House Martins as I walked down to the bridge crossing from the church. The House Martins were busy nest building under the bridge arches and beyond under the road bridge the usual Rock Doves. A few
Sardinian Warblers and in the reeds along the river
Cetti's Warbler and
Reed Warbler and I could already see and hear the marauding
Monk Parakeets as I entered the reserve!
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Marbled Duck ~ One of six birds noted today |
A
Zitting Cisticola was busily zitting overhead and a
Nightingale was singing as I reached the hide at Laguna de la Casilla. It seems that last year's reintroduction of
Marbled Duck to the site is progressing well as almost immediately after taking a seat a single bird dropped in, six were noted in total today. A half dozen
Little Grebes and five
Little Egrets, plus a few nest-building pairs of
Black-winged Stilt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKKlpo0FvwtAS0ba7FkKl_AXSIw2J2603wszwFeBm8t5nHgU5ITasQBFS2SQM12pqzmt0IJWAZNH_5jpK1GmIkHrvqKr5LO2MLX9H64NZPoEYr93WnmjmFeTkx55XoP_moakLs4iAYek5xczklwJPM3gH7UOMPFJ8-aRISgNXWi6cvN01PYHnuPdT/w640-h388/IMG_2046.jpg) |
One of three Booted Eagles |
My next stop was the del Rio Viejo hide and as a walked along the track three
Booted Eagles and a
Common Kestrel were overhead. More
Black-winged Stilt nest building with
Redshank,
Ringed Plover,
Dunlin and
Shelduck on the pool, which had receded a good distance back from the hide.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7X3GtH9Q2lSrATqkBk_cQc8qKHsaBwTSSWy1CqeDpt0WZpeCg_URgGH-k52-sSvuLBAbKIQdqSLxsxz7FzGB-xcQDKdAgO4XACh8IEIitWqS15MxWlXBTshqZwMg1tIG100JqQn8FxriGS0d5GQxsreVyEZvEvV4QCkFSfioVm031KYRCnN-VlOlX/w640-h374/IMG_2295.jpg) |
Slender-billed Gull on the old river section. |
On the old river
Sanderling,
Ringed Plover and
Dunlin were feeding along the waterline, along with two
Slender-billed Gulls a short distance out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwS3dz-RhkL8oPsbP1vr9JJ_4E3g2_spAodhuQFnsxo7eCcSiAmsiulMMfK1ITTrMxSu5FxFt5bv1ZNn0297AfqpmwCAfbG3UG-qP80XJG_YR6IdSPd8F9eBmOM41BMBYhqeSYi-VxTorPx7GrnOLCnljTjrcTswkxeJhTcURjtoLDAXF0mq-5fS5/w640-h384/IMG_2233.jpg) |
One of the many Sandwich Terns on the Laguna Grande |
Very little of note on the sea from the de Aves Marinas and similar along the shoreline as I made my way around to the Laguna Grande, even the fenced nesting area was devoid of birds with the exception of a single
Crested Lark.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NSXmUa9qVPY5jqt1EZen_BEEx9NoXlUTjaPxJ1fZojKRRvhqU7jNwwH66BVmGGeYTsUe8Ywl8Qcn0t52cvuvIPdX1GDeHKE8WFU7U3xbDCf4s1IMwW3KSYeQplD3uTLl_d_d2kI9odOm17BJ_d1iIPAvx5lrLI-RDAkd0E7K8RKM0Zuyko51vOOW/w640-h424/IMG_2319.jpg) |
A Woodchat Shrike in the heat haze |
Walking from the beach to the Laguna Grande a passage of
Bee-eaters, plus a
Woodchat Shrike, which I managed to photograph through the heat haze.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5P8XIjMY39l7lrL3ljda0sX6fvR-Gi9Np6rfDmiQXIuHolwznAkdOwsjmbB2cvzEGv5wxNM5BP3uOiEQExxLc9wMC3GPjT4b_lhxEq5ZDvOzQGKpqfN3dVnFJI4NTZkgPh5jpBYmLOEz4qhwVpRIeqoqRxgm6oZvRUfownv3erNsjP373CrsRwhbR/w640-h418/IMG_2167.jpg) |
Greater Flamingos from the Laguna Grande hide |
As always the Laguna Grande was the most productive and so I spent a good hour here. I estimated over 100
Sandwich Terns resting on the surrounding islands mixed in with
Mediterranean and
Black-headed Gulls. Two
Spoonbills were asleep on the far side of the lagoon and out on the water were three more
Slender-billed Gulls. A stunning
Audouin's Gull stood out for me and of course not to mention the odd
Yellow-legged Gull. Five
Greater Flamingos were also busily feeding during my stay.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8_uPFGA7-b8Ub1Eyw85sADYdzWAW9O8XYzvI5RDc3E_OWs1svpPSufVefKkxmDid9XApHHgqQCyzsj3znBO1M3yZLJYQS9bNgnIkIbsQIRvWztHmGZcEHQoBJxJk2Xgrt_wlh4ykwEBbOAhXAGBW7agNZtXv6D0x3fRGbqhv2jrOXLaJeM-Gbl-J/w640-h384/IMG_2246.jpg) |
An Audouin's Gull stands out on Laguna Grande |
There were a number of wader species to be found and these included Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Avocet and Common Sandpiper. Strangely no Little-ringed Plover today!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaZ9JAnwh7yeyYlbuBxTKono-y-c07PKKqalewytRe6Gsa-Bxi05yhAAD46kkTheCKm8U8cizHWGj5Sj170c0IUr-6W2lHJFJgP_DFeUJqE6HKB4eo4_h55mOalnpDg7w_en4IsFmYyoDC-gWTi358ekdNqfRuwf8rEqsRjetX9NthWeola0bbw1g/w640-h436/IMG_2292.jpg) |
A single Curlew Sandpiper on the Laguna Grande |
My final stop was the Laguna Escondida and here a single
Kingfisher just below the hide, along with a few
Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies and lots of Terrapin. Two
Marbled Ducks and at least five
White-headed ducks were also noted at the rear of the Lagoon.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYI4Jzb7uDcbHSEnaClxELPbvSp-zisuVJ0fhGVucbii0gd5YoLmG47HNCLicf5B1bzXeWH0sMb4699rAF3qYS_8RxjnctzZCvZIjzogKBbGjx7quqr81sdUwLFpmIPxqlv0V3gfqVSxF4enp9sgsEKRUYvOWRHw-q_vmJOc4TKt4sKJ0sQunyGMX/w640-h426/IMG_2026.jpg) |
Painted Lady |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFk-HfJlbRPp2BGv8kCSuJBEDTCHeg2x3AZKtlbX6PzUHYsiB_XeCuuCbwbf5nIC0QRu9qwFPyjkGzytsfC2gcEetfGSqZNMc5ECIVFKzDgTfVb1iGMdBVX0dAz6vL9gY3VlAMJBnbQUI9_175CpJ1z4GXwYIV2S_U1HtlnhW5LRI5dZVjnQ8iOSnq/w640-h420/IMG_2104.jpg) |
Swallowtail |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFW4r7G_HjrHJR1Te9HLbAIJa50j4Jr_v7kVkrJptgSQbnAgBubfC4E_zxj4rjj3Tl_3Vx4GCdQwLK95P4w16IfuKX1dJgz9fI8TAYamln5NSYeNCa2VHqBaSSdupVVXGzpEdPpTHCeXU9RwQ_MLIFDN0zAwiZIWEV_rqrRCVb7K0Oh3O5jiZCJhO/w640-h432/IMG_2334.jpg) |
Lulworth Skipper |
Butterflies of note today included several
Painted Ladies and two
Swallowtails and I was quite surprised to find so many
Lulworth Skippers on the reserve.
More Images of the Day...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nfn5C7AX7WB-x_uWzlA_hZwZd3cWZa4lnDvG1LN_adkqWFGQ68kLewUsIU7hX_vm4OlVKhOIMJw3eK1sjnSip2syhnaAd9Fjfy1s20tp4JK57YFEV_COg4OhtGltvw5k3s1Oc8ZikmDOFCBiCQo7TEUROcS9Qv84ebP97esYq-VKXR4oDoSsOFuJ/w640-h424/IMG_2184.jpg) |
Black-winged Stilt |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8wJdgjElFhfkBpQBmWTVV9hiqkbK6CLUopj5mhnR1qB8aqBPeag5c060CkR-MAquMAbfsa63S1SsMEqfNveLF08PT4kgpDtw510lPli-e45T6PV_CkkSHj_diEl2YMC00XjGmT0DjAxoElv5TX7eLLCY_Gg6iKjWlYvKh3ZDhSrfuCUBVfZeW6OM/w640-h382/IMG_2344.jpg) |
Little Grebe |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Am9aCu2cTsIdwvXzU1A1iagg57rss48npy4El_3KpA9rk6CaypQdvfXWbvRxjCduiL-nc2GFcHntF4s2z5Uc-wXAWCCNtobttjoAUBGUzQU8PA8R7_yOFaPrLCwCKxFU64F798uNQA6b5Xy4yjpa2ybrQrhVR6n5rrN6ftE4EzGnfRPxdaAywNrf/w640-h386/IMG_2127.jpg) |
Avocet |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jEJTGquS1Y4Czrj_uRnPMj43QT2pUJbNn6MJCILkGXXI67LR-8Sp6BiOyIta-sUgpZRTy_m21pv8NQSk5FookMqnFMwZJcrBCJwGK3MOxYV-4kks1AaAsoNtFxXP2x2zrUrO65w9ZcetraGsQx9axBEvIVI2FOoiKiBXq7Zl8L4oRpMdVhDrMlj7/w640-h418/IMG_2142.jpg) |
Kentish Plover |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhxoeEM-VU9di-kssKlZIVlie2NBo17A4wyTafJUnws5XZn_C_y1ppeaw-ZQ3sghkaO2ptLeP8yrb8bjMQo_v_-RHt7jVxHxY0foLGbrZRTAcflfgsU35dcoXvhuoWFEnXVwCu1oEK76t0f8Kmh0eot8ZHh3S5yZz-zKM7IyUJBfMy98PVmZ6b5Mc/w640-h378/IMG_2157.jpg) |
Sanderling |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTMUfbVO6cKYXKJ7XUa2uTUQxJqvv7dT6sTuw9VJIpcbakr0JZsdCv52oLTXw9X7EpPPiif7DhQ02C2E4mDExXbkOAKJvJ8hVNMN0Vgax3T2jIog2_5HigyfbSFU72O-jzjTIlFfOwF3wAl2MTIZFiaEEZVlaLwoD-I22_qmUtuRlDHQ_KlJHvfuP/w640-h376/IMG_2227.jpg) |
Slender-billed Gull |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hyYqJP52FIkOaeWz3TBGDVrCtMZnb0HtnefOrC7or5Ve-fXv2SQsm7Nxe-lYeDIMwVfn77spWc0YJsKJWTppcdMsli6uVhO3SOtr7aA_udBfYQ9CNjkWNWxi7LOgQE7SNwwhkF2zIQlvwEosPz6zYEZhzMTjb5FIf5s0e6x2ksOMyCplJyfpLryH/w640-h438/IMG_2243.jpg) |
Audouin's Gull
|
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrgDY-TLq5arz6qzQqejUzm7vKN28EbBkbx75kWiesC2z37Bm8LczvNv-kMGwSZm-_IVK3OL21AwjUsDvG9LhQoh-sDZamL3iqHBiS261Wk6RqDquj5Du8KuSYBKFTeb8GIME5bPs8fRSSsY7u2VCamj2wZ2E1icG6KZd4x_eX3wqzkR42hG3ulbA/w640-h394/IMG_2248.jpg) |
Audouin's Gull |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKihcXcGm_HRl2DAkDWVgvVYXU-X74CES4FSH-iYgqy2-oPffFpcxwjtZxtLutOg_h4VHwS6fjA04i4vWUt95W1uKznqnR1RLqq6SgbIH5nwuqszLGIN00xtuwK2f3yC_g_UYdSleLe1wq8ETjRChUbnvdeP28oKTjWdZxDyDPlc3YWcqek9kH3T7f/w640-h408/IMG_2188.jpg) |
Curlew Sandpiper |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZBYT5FqiUa7-TLDGLTSBNmXvN7R79pa___faVbky_l-KcDDXt3wiqYfu5_RsZXXmM83IU86rcTAJKR6y1O14CD7Yy65T9oPhvx_pZszunqoi0RLnYffMbA75vzDG2WQ6KoJ1DTw6P-ptn18fQect4P1c19xd3TDaGKkRSYIrpofE0w4dZ6U84mYL/w640-h384/IMG_2308.jpg) |
Yellow-legged Gull |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSFQcNGuumBh5SSgl7fo1h1PJnIlXz-XBCJ-YxjJcPDsa6Skp3zoUPvXxWqDtloIZdKar2yE2Gile6nP-cdSS690PVjeCw5vckmewF_sGN9nPbXXsZeYw-NPpNkzPczxGPinn8pCBQXklzGcTs7xodCiIR0nxJmuJVeaQKqUZINjg2aW80ZLSpwPO/w640-h362/IMG_2348.jpg) |
White-headed Duck (f) |