Resilience Amidst Change: 28/04/26
A Dawn Patrol at Zapata
📚This is my second visit to Spain this year, and I began in the pre-dawn stillness of Zapata, still high on my list even when the landscape tells a story of recent hardship. Located on the northwestern edge of Malaga Airport along the Rio Guadalhorce, this unique mosaic of scrub, reeds, and pines has been through the wars lately. Between severe flooding washing away essential tamarisk and reedbeds, and recent pipe-laying works, the habitat is noticeably scarred. It’s distressing to see such a vibrant spot so heavily impacted.
However, nature is nothing if not resilient. Joining Derek and Barbara Etherton, we navigated the remaining off-road tracks by headlamp, hunting for that tell-tale ruby glint of eyes in the dark.
The Night Shift
The air was thick with the song of Nightingales—seemingly one in every bush—but our primary targets were the Red-necked Nightjars. We weren't disappointed. We successfully located four birds, watching them display and listening to that hauntingly mechanical kyok-kyok-kyok call echoing across the tracks. We also noted one on the flarepath lighting gantry, which flew over the car calling before disappearing into the dawn.
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| Red-necked Nightjar |
Dawn Chorus and River Life
As the sun rose, the species count began to increase rapidly. We had a brief yet brilliant encounter with a singing Melodious Warbler, followed by Reed Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers in the remaining reedbeds. We also spotted a few Common Waxbills. At least four Woodchat Shrikes perched on or near the fenceline, accompanied by Crested Larks, Hoopoe, and a single Bee-eater, which added a vibrant splash of Mediterranean colour. The busy sky was alive with Common Swifts, Barn Swallows, House Martins, and four elegant Red-rumped Swallows.
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| One of four Woodchat Shrikes in the morning gloom. |
The lack of sheep grazing post-flood has left the area overgrown, meaning local favourites like the Short-toed Lark and Stone Curlew were missing. Yet, reaching the ford for the first time this year yielded fantastic results. Despite the devastation of the riverbanks, we were treated to: Squacco Heron (The morning's highlight!) Black-crowned Night Herons & Cattle Egrets (Flying out from roosts) Little-ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper & Black-winged Stilt
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| Black-crowned Night Heron as dawn breaks. |
A Successful Tally
We capped off the morning with a Booted Eagle—the lone raptor of the trip—and a sighting of Turtle Dove and Corn Bunting.
While the physical landscape of Zapata has changed, the birdlife remains tenacious. Ending the session with 45 species before breakfast is a testament to the enduring importance of this site. It’s a bittersweet time for the Rio Guadalhorce, but the "red eyes" of the Nightjars prove that life goes on.
A full listing can be found on my eBird HERE
Total Species: 45 Key Sightings: Red-necked Nightjar, Squacco Heron & Melodious Warbler.
