At the end of July 2008 I spent several days with my family in Estepona, Spain on a family holiday. I decided to allocate one day to a birding trip and so contacted Bob Buckler of Wingspanbirdtours. It is well known that birding in 30-40 degrees is not the best time to go birding but Bob accepted the challenge. He selected five main areas :-
[1] Estepona Harbour and Beach : Morning / Evening
[2] Bolonia area
[3] Sierra de la Plata
[4] La Janda
[5] Sotogrande
It was an inspired choice as we achieved a phenomenal number of species in the short time allocated especially when you consider we spent almost a third of the day at one site, Sierra de la Plata for the swifts which were my primary target species.
Other target species will be listed in my site summary with the full list of all the birds seen at the end of this report.
[1] Estepona Harbour: 07:15 : 22 deg C
A quick patrol along the beach and we soon picked up, Audouin's Gull, Monk Parakeet, Spotless Starling, Turtle Dove
[2] Bolonia 09:15 : 29 Deg C
We spent 40 minutes walking along a track with the highlights being, Rufous-tailed bush Robin, Montague's Harrier, Tawny Pipit, Nightingale and Black Kite.
[3] Sierra de la Plata 10:30 : 32 Deg C
We spent the next four hours at this site for here were to be found my main target species and eventually we saw them, Little Swift and White-rumped Swift in addition to Alpine Swift, Common Swift and Pallid Swift. All five breeding european swifts in one morning a remarkable achievement. The supporting cast wasn't bad either, Griffin Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Blue Rock Thrush, Green Woodpecker ssp. Sharpei and Peregrine Falcon.
[4] La Janda 14:50 : 36 Deg C
It was now getting pretty hot and it would be expected that birding would slow down considerably in the hot conditons but Bob's timing was perfect as we reached the pools at La Janda we picked up several birds cooling off at the 'poolside'. Of which the following were of note Spoonbill, Gull-billed Tern, Black Stork, Little Stint, Yellow Wagtail, Curlew Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, Raven, Red-legged Partridge, Short-toed Eagle, Stone Curlew, Kentish Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Avocet, Osprey and a large supporting cast which are listed below.
[5] Sotogrande 17:40 : 33 deg C
The main birds here were Purple Swamp Hen, Little Bittern and Yellow Wagtail iberiae and Audouin's Gull.
[1] Estepona Harbour: 19:30 : 26 deg C
Back to the harbour for the shearwaters and it wasn't long before we had both Balearic and Cory's Shearwater sighted. A perfect ending to a perfect days birding.
I wish to thank Bob for this remarkable total reached in such trying conditions and for his genial company throughout
the day. I found him a most knowledgable host and have no hesitation in recommending him to fellow birders.
Ed.O' Hara
English Latin Area Notes
Shearwater, Balearic Puffinus mauretanicus Estepona Two bird passed
Shearwater, Cory's Calonectris borealis Estepona Several birds
Bittern, Little Ixobrychus minutus Sotogrande Brief view
Egret, Cattle Bubulcus ibis La Janda Common in area
Egret, Little Egretta garzetta La Janda Common in area
Heron, Purple Ardea purpurea Sotogrande Brief view
Heron, Grey Ardea cinerea La Janda One bird seen
Stork, Black Ciconia nigra La Janda One bird seen
Stork, White Ciconia ciconia Tarifa Common west of Tarifa
Spoonbill, Eurasian Platalea leucorodia La Janda Flock of twelve birds
Ibis, Glossy Plegadis falcinellus La Janda Flock of seven birds
Osprey Pandion haliaetus La Janda One bird seen
Eagle, Booted Aquila pennata Estepona Bird flew across highway
Eagle, Short-toed Aquila adalberti La Janda One immature on pylon
Buzzard, Common Buteo buteo Bolonia One bird
Harrier, Marsh Circus aeruginosus La Janda Two birds both female
Harrier, Montagu's Circus pygargus Bolonia Bird quartering field
Kite, Black Milvus migrans La Janda Three birds
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Sierra de La Plata One bird seen
Vulture, Egyptian Neophron percnopterus Sierra de La Plata Two adults and one imm;
Vulture, Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus Sierra de La Plata Several birds seen
Falcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinus Sierra de La Plata One bird flew over
Kestrel, Common Falco tinnunculus Estepona Several seen along route
Partridge, Red-legged Alectoris rufa La Janda Three birds observed
Gallinule, Purple Porphyrio porphyrio Sotogrande Several birds seen
Moorhen, Common Gallinula chloropus Sotogrande Several birds seen
Coot, Eurasian Fulica atra Sotogrande Several birds seen
Avocet, Pied Recirvorostra avosetta La Janda Four birds with gulls
Stilt, Black-winged Himantopus himantopus La Janda Common
Pratincole, Collared Glareola pratincola La Janda Brief view
Plover, Kentish Charadrius alexandrinus La Janda Pair with young
Plover, Ringed Charadrius hiaticula La Janda Two birds
Plover, Ringed Little Charadrius dubius La Janda Common
Sandpiper, Curlew Calidris ferruginea La Janda Two birds
Godwit, Black-tailed Limosa limosa La Janda Several birds seen
Redshank, Common Tringa totanus La Janda Common
Dunlin Calidris alpina La Janda Several birds seen
Sandpiper, Common Actitis hypoleucos La Janda Several birds seen
Stint, Little Calidris minuta La Janda Several birds seen
Kingfisher, Common Alcedo atthis Sotogrande One bird
Curlew, Stone Burhinus oedicnemus La Janda One bird
Gull, Audouin's Larus audouinii Rio Palmones Two birds seen
Gull, Black-headed Larus ridibundus La Janda Common
Gull, Yellow-legged Larus michahellis Estepona Common
Tern, Gull-billed Gelochelidon nilotica La Janda Flock of nine birds.
Dove, Turtle Streptopelia turtur La Janda Common
Dove, Collared Streptopelia decaocto La Janda Common
Pigeon, Wood Columba palumbus La Janda Common
Pigeon, Feral/ Rock Columba livia Sierra de La Plata Several
Parakeet, Monk Myiopsitta monachus Estepona Beach Flock of six birds
Swift, Common Apus apus Sierra de La Plata Several
Swift, Alpine Tachymarptis melba Sierra de La Plata Several
Swift, Little Apus affinis Sierra de La Plata One bird
Swift, Pallid Apus pallidus Sierra de La Plata Common
Swift, White -rumped Apus caffer Sierra de La Plata Two birds
Bee-eater, European Merops apiaster Sierra de La Plata Flock of twelve birds
Hoopoe, Eurasian Upupa epops Bolonia Two noted
Woodpecker, Gr. Sp. Dendrocopos major Sierra de La Plata One bird
Woodpecker, Green Picus viridis sharpei Sierra de La Plata Immature
Lark, Crested Galerida cristata Bolonia Common
Lark, Short-toed Greater Calandrella brachydactyla La janda Two birds
Martin, Crag Eurasian Hirundo rupestris Sierra de La Plata Common
Swallow, Red-rumped Cecropis daurica Sotogrande Common
Swallow, Barn Hirundo rustica Sierra de La Plata Common
Pipit, Tawny Anthus campestris Bolonia Several
Wagtail, Yellow Motacilla flava iberiae La Janda / Sotogrande Two birds
Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos Bolonia Two birds
Thrush, Blue Rock Monticola solitarius Sierra de La Plata Single bird Immature
Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola juncidis Bolonia Single bird
Warbler, Cetti's Cettia cetti Sotogrande Single bird
Warbler, Sardinian Sylvia melanocephala Bolonia Common
Flycatcher, Spotted Muscicapa striata Sierra de La Plata Two birds
Robin, Rufous Bush Cercotrichas galactotes Bolonia Two birds
Shrike, Woodchat Lanius senator Bolonia Common
Stonechat, European Saxicola torquatus Bolonia Common
Raven Corvus corax La Janda One bird
Starling, Spotless Sturnus unicolor Bolonia Twenty plus birds
Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Bolonia Common
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris Bolonia Common
Sparrow, House Passer domesticus Bolonia Common
Linnet, Common Carduelis cannabina Bolonia Common
Serin, European Serinus serinus Bolonia Common
Bunting, Corn Emberiza calandra Bolonia Common
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