The Longest Day: 30/04/26
PART ONE: Fuente de Piedra
Spring in Andalusia is always a gamble with the elements, but yesterday proved that even when the water is "too much" for some, it is a bounty for others. Along with Derek & Barbara Etherton I once more embarked on a full-day circuit that showcased the fascinating, shifting dynamics of the Andalusia wetlands.
Arriving at Fuente de Piedra, the sheer scale of the water is the first thing that hits you. Just as it was during my visit in March, the lagoon is brimming—a rare and beautiful sight. For the 60,000 Greater Flamingos currently occupying the main lagoon, these record levels are a blessing, creating a deep-water moat that promises a highly successful breeding season.
However, nature is a game of trade-offs. While the flamingos thrive, the waders are feeling the pinch. The lack of exposed mud and shoreline on the remainder of the lagoons meant that specialists like the Avocet and Black-winged Stilt were the only waders in numbers. At the Laguneto del Pueblo, we managed to find a Common Sandpiper, plus a fly over Greenshank but the high water remained a challenge for finding diversity among the shorebirds.
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| Avocet on the Sendero las Albinas |
As we transitioned to the Sendero las Albinas, the focus shifted from the water to the reeds and fencelines. The air was thick with the songs of Cetti’s, Reed and Sedge Warblers. A family of Stonechats (including three very busy juveniles) gave us a great show, while a lone Woodchat Shrike kept watch from the wire. Adding a touch of elegance to the morning, the soft, rhythmic purring of a Turtle Dove provided a gentle backdrop to the brilliant, sulfur-yellow flash of a Western Yellow Wagtail.
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| One of three Juvenile Stonechat |
The sky was just as bustling, with vibrant Bee-eaters and Gull-billed Terns above, a trio of Honey Buzzards gliding high, and the lively chatter of Common Swifts, House Martins, and Barn Swallows filling the air—a true reminder of migration’s peak.
A stroll along the tamarisk stands offered up some vocal treasures. After the liquid notes of Common Nightingales, we were treated to a fantastic view of a Western Olivaceous Warbler.
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| Western Olivacious Warbler - Showing very well today. |
At the Observatorio El Laguneto, the "specialty" ducks were out in force. It’s not every day you get Marbled Duck, White-headed Duck, and Red-crested Pochard in a single sweep!
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| Marbled Duck lands on rthe Sendero los albinas |
From the centre we drove around the main lagoon, stopping at Mirador de la Vicaria, where three Melodious Warblers competed for our attention, and a flock of 13 Slender-billed Gulls busy feeding on the water. By the time we reached Mirador de Cantarranas for lunch A few additions to the day list included: Black Kite, Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Lesser Kestrel.
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| Slender-billed Gull |
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| Melodious Warbler - One of five seen today! |
However, the "Surprise of the day" was saved for lunch at Mirador de Cantarranas. As we sat eating a European Roller drifted nonchalantly past. A personal first for me at this site, its azure feathers were a brilliant flash against the Andalusian sky—the perfect exclamation point on a day dominated by water and wings.
Daily Totals of Note: 1000s of Greater Flamingos, Melodious Warblers, Marsh Harriers, Spanish Sparrows, and the unmistakable blue flash of the Roller.
A full check list of species can be found on my eBird HERE - HERE & HERE
