Guadalhorce today

Hurray, hurray, I went birding to the Guadalhorce today! Not very poetic, is it? But I risked my right knee as I was suffering severe withdrawal symptoms and if I had not got out there may have been some violence done within the family circle (not the dog, she's alright). So, off I trotted. It was very pleasant even though there was only Paco Rivera of the regular domingueros. He had already had some luck and photographed a Penduline Tit (left) and we walked round together in the warm sunshine, far too warm really as there are very few ducks around.

A Kestrel which was bumped off its perch by a Booted Eagle gave the eagle hell for several minutes, quite amusing and I'm certain the eagle got the full extent of the kestrel's insults. It rather looks as though a rather splendid Southern Grey Shrike has settled down in the area leading to the seabird watch point /mirador. There were plenty of Chiffs around and a superb male Serin which refused to be photographed, unlike the obliging female Black Redstart shown here (left, mine; right by Paco).

At the big pond there were a few Shoveler, odd Mallards and the female Common Scoter that had been found by Bob Wright & co. earlier this week, which was very obliging and gave good views at less than 70m as opposed to the more normal ones of birds bobbing up and down and diving as distant blots upon the sea.

We saw a small green snake, species unknown, which slithered across our path, and Paco showed me the photo which is reproduced here of a rather large and very striking caterpillar which he had photographed last week. It is the caterpillar stage of the Spurge Hawk Moth. We found one last December too and is something to be looked out for.

5 November, Arboleas Bird Group (Almería)

The following is from Dave Elliott-Binns about the trip that the Arboleas group carried out yesterday, 5 November. Note what Dave says about the next trip date if you're interested.

This week 8 members of the group stayed local and visited the Almanzora estuary. We arrived at our usual parking place overlooking the brackish pool near the beach only to find extensive works being carried out. In the pool itself there were 3 Teal, a single Little Egret and 11 Audouin's Gulls. There were 1,000's of gulls out to sea at the Tuna farms where it was obviously feeding time. A walk along the beach produced a Cormorant and a Shag, which flew right over us. On the rocks outside Villaricos harbour were a few Sanderlings and a Turnstone, together with a few gulls and a Sandwich Tern fishing. On the rambla, there were numerous Stonechats, a few Robins and a small flock of Meadow Pipit.

We then drove back up towards Cuevas de Almanzora. The pools, where the road crosses the rambla, were non-existent as the pipework for the new desalination plant had reached that point. It was disconcerting that there was very little standing water, even though we'd had rain on and off for weeks. Did manage to see one Green Sandpiper and a few Black Winged Stilts. A bit futher I spotted one, then two Alpine Swifts with a single Barn Swallow.

There were also works going on round the "lake" at Desert Springs Golf complex. A single Pochard and Black-necked Grebe were seen. They completed the days count of 44. Good, yes, but should've been better if it hadn't been for all the works.

Gilly & I are off to the UK for four weeks, so the next official day trip will be the 17th December.

In memoriam

It doesn't take much for things that I don't care for to get up my nose,which is a very unpleasant place to be, and I think that you will agree that I have more than a little cause to be downright annoyed with the following.

In memoriam - Bearded Vulture (two of 'em!)
This last spring a young Bearded Vulture, an female released in 2007 from the expensive hacking and release programme in the Cazorla and Segura area was found dead on an estate in the Sierra de Castril, Granada province. This bird was found as her GPS tracking transmitter showed that she hadn't moved and the sad body was found.

Now a second bird, one of 4 released this last May, has also been found dead on 28 October, apparently by poisoning! And in the same area and even on the same estate! Seprona, the wildlife protection people of the Guardia Civil, apparently found traces of carrion which had been poison baited. Investigations are, as they say, being carried out and further proceedings are expected, and in many cases, hoped for.

Legally, if there is a judge with the will and conscience, all hunting on the the estate could be banned by suspending their licence -it is one of those which makes a lot of money out of shooting parties - and the culprit(s) fined anywhere between 60.000€ and 300.000€!

Let us hope that the punishments are exemplary.

In memoriam - a Corncrake
On 26 October, near Alhaurín de la Torre, hunters shot a Corncrake thinking that it was a quail. Now, you know and I know that there is quite a size difference and their flight is also. There is also supposed to be a sort of test to ensure that hunters can identify birds before blasting 'em out of the sky. According to my good friend and excellent birder Antonio Tamayo in avesforum, Eduardo Alba has informed of another Corncrake which suffered terminal lead poisoning (I must stop reading Dashiel Hammett) in exactly the same area back in September 2005.

These happy chappies had obviously not had any sort of identification test as at first they claimed that they thought they had shot at a quail (legal at least), then decided that it was an Andalusian Hemipode (a.k.a. Small Buttonquail) which is at least the size of a quail and which is very, very rare indeed and there is a small relict population in the Doñana area (very illegal).

When will the administration which hands out licences willy-nilly do something about ensuring that the hunters have some idea what they are shooting, or will hell freeze over first?

I believe that execution in the town square for the offenders would be adequate punishment in both these cases, and I would be quite happy to do the job myself given the chance, always provided that I was sufficiently rapid to be first in the queue and not trampled in the rush!

The Guadalhorce and some interesting records

I've not been out much at all as my R knee is still playing silly sods, although improving slowly under the none too tender ministrations of a qualified English osteopath who operates/tortures here in Torremolinos and Alhaurín el Grande (if anyone wants his phone number, contact me privately). Neither did the weather help this last weekend, with over 80 litres/sq.m. on the Friday and some 40 on Saturday which meant that the Guadalhorce has breached again at its mouth, as Paco Rivera's photo (L) shows, and access is still impossible as of this afternoon (Tuesday). So, on to the birds.

Most of the records refer to this last weekend from those brave enough to venture out. This past week there has been a record of a couple of Goldcrests near Peñón de los Enamorados, near Antequera on 1 November (Antonio Tamayo in avesforum). There are occasional records virtually every winter but a jolly good record! Even better was the Yellow-browed Warbler that Salva Solis had in his garden in Fuengirola this weekend - I had one in my own garden some three autumns since so it's not so daft as it sounds as a place top see one!

On Sunday (02/11) I didn't venture out and according to Patricia there wasn't a lot at the Guadalhorce, although Antonio Toro told me of a late Garganey the same day. I walked down by the river yesterday morning (03/11) alone to see what the flooding was like and was rewarded with 2 superb examples, an adult and a juvenile, of my favourite wader, the Greenshank. In the afternoon and also today I went down with my dog, but there has been nothing of note, although yesterday I ran in to a Finnish photographer, Osmo Lehtinen, his wife and a photographer friend. Osmo's web page www.osmolehtinen.com has some stunning photos of bears amongst other things. I'm greasing here as I'm hoping that Osmo will let me put a rather nice photo of a line of gulls which includes a Laughing Gull into the seabird guide I'm trying to get done, this taken two winters since at Fuengirola harbour - a site always worth a look. Bird-wise there was little of note, except that there has been in increase in 1W Mediterranean Gulls and quite a few Sandwich Terns but nothing with an orange bill.

Today (04/11) , Bob Wright from the Axarquia was down to the Guadalhorce with some neighbours who he is trying to interest in birding and his e-mail with the sightings is below. The Water Pipits are a good record and the late Swallow is interesting, although these are quite a regular ocurrence. (I will try and write more about these in the future.) He also noted a Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, but I have changed this as it is almost certainly a Southern Grey L. meridionalis, these having been recognised as two species for about ten years, the split, like many, being confirmed because of comparative mitochondrial DNA work (something which many undesirable and undesired humans have cause to thank for their convictions).

Just spent four hours at the river with a small group (8 others) from this area. Lovely morning followed by a menu round the corner for 7.50 Euros so did not leave area until 4.30 pm!

Lots of Crag Martins and Chiffchaffs plus Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Osprey and Kestrel. On the return journey we were presented with a "Flying Fish" over the big pool with an Osprey resting on its back! Southern Grey Shrike, Kingfisher, Meadow Pipit and, my favourite, a pair of Water Pipits; first I have seen since I was a young lad.

However, the morning, despite 42 species, was most noted for what we did NOT see: no waders, no Black-winged Stilts and no Moorhens.

So, pride of place? For just about everyone else the Osprey at relatively close quarters (perched on top of the pole to the right on the water line as you look across the main pool - not the Cormorant look-out post to the left; that's where the Osprey started on his early lunch which then reminded us all that we, too , were hungry!), followed by the Southern Grey Shrike.

However, three of us, the serious bird watchers, were more impressed to see a very late single Swallow feeding - and resting close by - over the main pool right in front of the hide.

29 October, Arboleas Bird Group (Almería)

Another very welcome missive (nearly wrote missile) from Dave & Gilly on the Arboleas Bird Group trip to Cabo de Gata on 29 October.

Hi all,
Four members of the group went to Cabo de Gata this Wednesday. It was very windy, so the small birds were keeping their heads down in the shrubs and the waders were clumped in sheltered areas. But at least it wasn't raining!! Gilly did her usual count of Greater Flamingoes (323) and also counted the 42 Black-necked Grebes that have arrived. On the wildfowl front, only Shoveler have arrived. There were quite a few Shelduck. Large numbers of Redshank were present, together with Ringed and Kentish Plover, Little Stint, Black-tailed Godwits, Sanderling, a couple of Greenshank, a single Oystercatcher with the
resident Black-winged Stilts and Avocets. 20 or so Curlews were on the scrubland. No smaller versions were noted (Richard knows what I'm talking about!!)
The gulls were huddled on the beach. Yellow-legged, Lesser Black-backed & Black-headed. There were no Slender Billed, Audouin's or terns seen.
The "smaller" birds that did put their heads above the parapet were numerous Stonechat, a Southern Grey Shrike, Black Redstart, a Dartford Warbler and Chiffchaffs. About 10 Barn Swallow stragglers seen. Crag Martins had come down from the snow covered hills at
the back of Almeria. A total of 35 species for the day.

Best regards, Dave & Gilly

Tempus fugit* and winter comes

I see that the last entry of these meanderings was on 19 October, it really is really is amazing how the time flies (hence tempus fugit, or time flies for those with a non classical education). And in that time I have done not a lot birdwise and shall proceed to recount what little I have seen and what others have seen (with a lot more luck!).

There have been several days with a few Chiffchaffs moving through the garden and a female/juv. Black Redstart has arrived and is apparently interested in taking up residence, although there has been some opposition from a Robin with the same idea and the Blackcaps - the males are really smart little chaps - don't like the presence of the Robin, so nobody wins! The first Black Redstart appeared on 20/10. while there was a late Common Redstart on 22/10 along with a female/juv. Whitethroat. At the mouth of the Guadalhorce, seen when I was staggering with Luna, there was at least one Northern Wheatear on 21/10 and another or the same on 23/10.


Last week down at the ponds Antonio Miguel watched an Otter for a few minutes on the Tuesday afternoon and he rang me to tell me, he was so excited. There have been more and more sightings of footprints in the damp earth recently and some spraint (look it up) has been found, so the sighting was not wholly unexpected but extremely welcome nevertheless. On Saturday afternoon (25 October), the sighting was bettered as Antonio watched it again, this time on and off for about 40 minutes. Also on the Saturday he saw the first of the passage wildfowl, with a couple of Wigeon and no less than 12 Pintails. Federico didn't see it as he was there in the morning, but he did manage to see and get a photo (left) of a Wryneck, which is a jolly good sighting.

Needless to say, it wasn't there on Sunday morning when I staggered down - I was suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms by then - and the domingueros had a reasonably pleasant morning. Pat and I compared my little 50mm Minox with her little Nikon 50mm with ED glass, there being a two-fold difference in price and image quality, which makes the Nikon a good option for those who don't want to lug around too many kilos.

There wasn't a lot in the bird line and there certainly aren't many waders, the ponds having gone from too little too much. There were, on the other hand, 4 Wigeon, my first ones of the autumn. There were plenty of Chiffs around, something which I'd been seeing around the garden all week. A few Skylarks were moving through and Antonio claimed that he'd heard a Siskin.
The photo on the right (mine) is of a little Ladder Snake which seemed intent on trying to swallow Antonio Miguel, the white bit below the head is its lower mandible! Little did it know what it had taken on!

This Tuesday morning (28 October) the weather is grey, it has rained (Luna does not like rain and is currently sitting looking out at it) and the temperature is falling. The daughter, a teacher, rang from Madrid to wish her mother happy birthday and it was raining, cold and she was on playground duty! Ha-ha! On the bird front this morning, an unusual fly-by was a Grey Heron which enjoyed (?) the close escort of a very voluble squadron of those damned Monk Parakeets. A couple of Chiffchaffs moved through when the rain started, a not unusual occurrence at this time of year (the Chiffs, that is).

I had a message from Teo to say that yesterday he'd seen good movements of Griffon Vultures, with 830-870 flying W over Coín and later another 350-400 over the Sierra de Mijas. Many forget that these do migrate down to the Strait before crossing over to Morocco and points south. It is quite common for young, exhausted birds to be picked up anywhere along the coastal strip, often sitting in the middle of cities or on someone's roof. Some years since down at Tarifa I saw a flock, stream is a better word perhaps, which I estimated at about 800-850 strong and going through them with the scope I found a 1st year Lammergeir / Bearded Vulture, known in Spanish as the Quebrantahuesos - the bone breaker.

Coincidence! I wrote the above on the vultures just before lunch, and about 20 minutes since (1720L) coming loaded out of the supermarket I saw my first ever lost Griffon Vulture, a juvenile (they often are) flapping low over the outskirts of Torremolinos ecorted by a couple of flocks of starlings until it the lower skirts of the sierra when it gained some lift.

on a grey* Sunday afternoon

This afternoon matches my mood, grey and not very appetising with the Med. looking more like the North Sea, after a week which has been far from scintillating and, worse, without even a Sunday morning outing to the Guadalhorce in an apparently vain attempt to rest my right knee (so the specialist instructed me) which is not at all right (not a joke at all there), thus restricting me to walking the dog (which nobody else will do) and going shopping for some stuff as the Reichfüherin (look that up) is not well (really) and most birding is from the terrace while I fill myself with analgesics (which don't seem to work unless one goes into flagrant overdose) and coffee (which is replacing blood).

At home, a female/juv. Redstart has been around these past two days although I must say that I think it's pushing its luck with the way the weather has turned this afternoon. The Crag Martins are flying low this afternoon and very close to the buildings, the first ones having made an appearance around 10 days since. Any time now there will be the first Black Redstarts fighting for territory and the first Robins made their appearance a week ago. A couple of mornings since there were a lot of Blackbirds around and there had obviously been an arrival, even though they have gone on.
There have been reports of up to 5 Great Black-backed Gulls in the port area of Málaga, including 2 adults of which I am very sceptical, but at least one of the juv. reports is genuine. Down at the river on my afternoon staggers (walk is too strong word as I go at a snail's pace) with the dog there have been 5-10 Mediterranean Gulls nearly every afternoon, the adults really are persil-white! Gonzalo Lage and Angel López managed to see a Lesser Crested Tern too this past Monday, a good bird to see at any time.


Further afield, Paco Chiclana from Seville found a Marabou Stork (those are the horrible, stork-like, scabby-looking things which one sees in African wildlife documentaries) by a small damp area at Ojuelos, Marchena. The bird had a yellow ring on its left leg, which rules out a wild origin. These damned escapes, some of which bear no rings or wing tags and which then go on to breed are a real pain, I have Red-vented Bulbuls in Torremolinos, and there the ubiquitous and exceedingly noisy Monk Parakeets everywhere (above L) and the Blue-fronted Amazons were in my garden (R). One day I shall write more about these non-autoctonous species and what we have down here in the south, but believe me, it's a long, long list! The photos are, for once, both mine!

PS: For those from across the far side of the ditch, please note the correct spelling of grey.