This
was another university field course trip on ecological genetics based around the small
town of Zahara de los Atunes, situated on the Costa de la Luz
in the Strait of Gibraltar in Cádiz province, Andalucía. Much
of the time was spent around Zahara de los Atunes, Barbate and the Valle de Ojén in the Parque
Natural de Los Alcornocales. Some time was possible for birding but in general
the following notes document the observations at the various student
study
sites.
Day 01 09/04/19 London Luton Airport >
Malaga > Algeciras >
Tarifa > Zahara de los Atunes Day 02 10/04/19 Zahara de los Atunes >
Atlanterra > Conil de la Frontera Day 03 11/04/19
Zahara de los Atunes > Atlanterra
> Cabo de Gracia
> Barbate Day 04 12/04/19 Zahara > Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los
Alcornocales Day 05 13/04/19 Zahara de los
Atunes > La Breña de Barbate > Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los
Alcornocales Day 06 14/04/19 Zahara de los Atunes >
Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales Day 07 15/04/19 Zahara de los Atunes >
Valle de Ojén, P.N. de los Alcornocales > Marismas
del Barbate Day 08 16/04/19 Zahara de los Atunes
> Valle
de Ojén > La
Janda > Marismas
del Barbate Day 09 17/04/19 Zahara de los Atunes > Marismas
del Barbate > La Janda Day 10 18/04/19 Zahara de los Atunes > Marismas
del Barbate > La Barca de Vejer
Day 11 19/04/19 Zahara
de los Atunes > Tarifa
>
Algeciras > Malaga
Map
of main locations visited 2003-2019
1.
Zahara de los Atunes & Río del Cachón (Zahara estuary)
2.
Playa de Zahara
(Theba and beetle study site)
3.
Atlantera, Faro de Camarinal & Cabo de Gracia (Cistus
and beetle study site)
4.
La Zarzuela & El Almarchal (Polistes
& Theba and beetle study site)
5.
Bolonia
6.
Cueva del Moro
7.
Embalse de Almodóvar, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
8.
Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
(Aquarius
& Asphodelus study site)
9.
Sendero Canuto de Risco Blanco, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
(Lavandula
study site)
10.
El Cañillo, Marismas del Barbate
11.
Marismas del Barbate
12.
Río Barbate (river mouth) & Playa del Cañillo
13.
West side of the Río Barbate, Marismas del Barbate
14.
La Breña de Barbate (Lavandula
study site)
15.
Sendero Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera)
16.
La Barca de Vejer
17.
Casa la Palmera, Conil
(Polistes study site)
18.
La Janda - entrance opposite Venta de Retín to Canal Colector del
Este (Río Almodóvar)
19.
Itinerario Ecuestre IE-027.2 (marsh at start of horse track)
20.
Oxbow, near Benalup
21.
La Janda - entrance at Km-47 on the N-340
22.
Sendero Colada de la Costa, Tarifa
Day
1 Tuesday 9
April 2019
London Luton Airport >
Malaga > Algeciras >
Tarifa > Zahara de los Atunes Partly
cloudy, Wind 7mph WSW in afternoon, max 18°C around Tarifa
Drive
from Malaga to Zahara, via Tarifa Very
little noted in terms of migration. Highlight was two pairs of
Monk Parakeets on the edge of Malaga.
Mirador del
Estrecho A
very strong westerly meant virtually no raptors were moving across
the strait.
View
south over the Strait of Gibraltar to Jebel Musa, Morocco from Mirador
del Estrecho, Spain
Zahara
de los Atunes36° 08' 07.8'' N 05° 50' 48.0'' W Had
our introductory talk on the roof of Hotel Gran Sol.
Day
2 Wednesday
10
April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes >
Atlanterra > Conil de la Frontera Cloudy
with showers in the morning, brighter in the afternoon: wind 7-20 mph W
to WSW,
min 12°C, max 18°C
Castillo
de las Almadrabas
> Playa de Zahara Out
at first light before breakfast at 07:35. Walked the boardwalk from the castle south-east
through the dunes. Due to the clear skies overnight there was virtually
no migrants in the dunes or scrub.
View
south-east over the Castillo de las Almadrabas towards the Sierra
de la Plata from Zahara de los Atunes
Hotel
Gran Sol
Map of
Zahara de los Atunes & Río del Cachón
1.Río del Cachón - river mouth: a few waders/terns/egrets inc
Caspian Tern
2.Sierra de Retín: end of the ridge good for raptors inc Griffon
Vulture; Little Owls in outcrop above the road; Northern Bald Ibis
occasionally pass.
3.Río del Cachón - upriver of bridge: tidal mud and saltmarsh
holds small numbers of waders/egrets/wagtails, inc Black-winged
Stilt and occasional Spoonbill.
4.Castillo de las Almadrabas: Spotless Starling, Pallid Swift
with regular Crag Martin and Red-rumped Swallow; occasional Blue
Rock Thrush and Black Redstart on castle wall; roof of Gran Sol
Hotel good for observing diurnal passage of many species - occasional
Little Swift.
5.Playa de Zahara: low dunes good for arriving passerines inc
Woodchat Shrike, Nightingale, Subalpine Warbler, Hoopoe, wheatears;
breeding Kentish Plover and migrant Sanderling; offshore movements
of gulls (inc Audouin's), terns (inc Gull-billed), Balearic &
Cory's Shearwater, Gannet, skua, auks & waders. Exhausted raptors
in strong easterly winds.
6.Río del Cachón - bridge NE of town: marsh and grazing
good for raptors, egrets and other migrants.
Avenida
de la Playa, Zahara de los Atunes
Playa
de Zahara(1st beetle study site)36°
7' 5.26" N 5° 49' 59.19" W Low dune system backed by Pistachia
and Juniperus scrub. Usual Sardinian Warblers chattering
and Crested Larks singing their mournful songs. A few migrant passerines
were moving overhead including finches, White Wagtail, Tree Pipit,
Yellow Wagtail, and a Greater Short-toed Lark. A Glossy Ibis arrived
in off the sea while Audouin's Gull, Gull-billed Tern and Sandwich
Tern were moving along the coast past the Almadraba.
low
dune system, Zahara de los Atunes
Antlion
(Synclisis baetica) larva, Zahara de los Atunes
Faro
de Camarinal,
Cabo de Gracia, Atlanterra(Cistus
study site around lighthouse) 36° 05' 24.5'' N 5° 48' 37.1'' W Apart
from the abundant Sardinian Warblers in the garrigue, bird activity was low, but
I found and photographed a Common Digging Grasshopper (Acrotylus
insubricus)
and a Spanish Festoon (Zerynthis
rumina).
Common
Digging Grasshopper (Acrotylus insubricus)
track
from lighthouse up to Sierra de la Plata
Common
Maquis Grasshopper nymph (Pezotettix giornae)
Casa
la Palmera (Polistes study site near Conil
de la Frontera)36°
15' 10.71" N 6° 3' 53.18" W Three
years on and the Opuntia
cactus hedges had not recovered from the hemiptera-transmitted infection
which has devastated the region. In fact, the decaying vegetation
of the hedges had all but disappeared. Three Calandra Larks were
song-flighting over the near fields and four migrant Yellow Wagtails
passed overhead. Several Green-striped Whites (Euchloe belemia)
were restlessly flying around from flower to flower. Lamenting
or White-banded Grasshoppers (Eyprepocnemis plorans) were found on bramble
scrub and several European Field Crickets (Gryllus campestris) were
singing.
Casa
la Palmera
Casa
la Palmera
Hotel
Gran Sol
Playa
de Zahara(1st beetle study site)36°
7' 5.26" N 5° 49' 59.19" W In
the evening, two Woodchat Shrike and a Western Subalpine Warbler
were present. Found two Mediterranean
House Geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) (or Turkish Gecko) in
an old brick ruin along the beach dune trail (part of route GR145
Sendero Europeo Arco Atlánitico).
Day
3 Thursday
11
April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes > Atlanterra
> Cabo de Gracia
> Barbate Blue
sky, wind 6-9 mph WSW, min 12°C, max 20°C
Highlights Rock Bunting, Red-rumped Swallow, Blue Rock Thrush,
Cirl Bunting, Bee-eater, Crag Martin, Greater Flamingo, Northern
Bald Ibis, Greater Short-toed Lark, Black-winged Stilt.
Faro
de Camarinal,
Cabo de Gracia, Atlanterra(Cistus
study site around lighthouse) 36° 05' 24.5'' N 5° 48' 37.1'' W Hot,
blue sky and light winds so little visible migration though a flock
of 15 Greater Flamingos flew NW over the sea and a loose group of
14 Bee-eaters arrived in off the sea.The track from the lighthouse
inland to the Sierra de la Plata produced Rock Bunting, Red-rumped
Swallow and Blue Rock Thrush. Concentrated on identifying some
orthoptera. Good butterflies included Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) and Spanish
Festoon (Zerynthia rumina).
ManySpanish
Psammodromus (Psammodromus hispanicus) lizards were seen.Three
Turkish Geckos around the lighthouse and steps.
Atlanterra
and Bahia de la Plata
Puissant's
Green-winged Grasshopper (Aiolopus puissanti) - fairly common
in garrigue/mattoral habitat around the lighthouse
male
Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria) -
in garrigue/mattoral habitat around the lighthouse
Shrubby
Pimpernel (Anagallis monelli), Cabo de Gracia
Punta
Camarinal, from Cabo de Gracia
Barbate(Theba
study transect) 36° 10' 50'' N 05° 54' 14'' W Re-visited
this old transect starting south-east of the river mouth near the
Restaurante Kcurro. A Northern Bald Ibis was feeding in the low dune
vegetation and single Great Short-toed Lark and Griffon Vulture
passed overhead. A quick look at the nearby lagoon at El Cañillo
produced 20 Greater Flamingo and 12 Black-winged Stilt.
Day
4 Friday
12
April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes > Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales Blue
sky, wind 3mph N to 9 mph W, min 12°C, max 19°C
Highlights Pallid Swift, Thekla Lark, Western Bonelli's
Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Black Kite, Iberian Chiffchaff,
Balearic Shearwater.
Playa
de Zahara (1st beetle study site)36°
7' 5.26" N 5° 49' 59.19" W Low dune system backed by Pistachia
and Juniperus scrub. Re-set the beetle trap grid. Quiet
in terms of bird migration. A pair of territorial Kentish Plovers were
located on the beach and an adult Gannet was offshore.
Playa
de Zahara
Embalse
de Almodovar, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales36° 09' 29'' N 05° 38' 33'' W Brief
stop here while we re-grouped before passing the padlocked gate.
Thekla Lark, Nightingale and Corn Bunting singing with 40+ Pallid
Swifts and a Griffon Vulture overhead. Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus) buterflies
particulary common here.
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (Aquarius
study site)36° 08' 54.8'' N 5° 34' 57.1'' W Los
Alcornocales is a huge area of oak-cloaked hillsides and valleys with
Cork, Holm and Algerian Oak. Plenty
of bird song on arrival from Blackcap, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper,
Western Bonelli's Warbler, and Woodlark as well as Robin, Chaffinch,
Great Tit and Cuckoo. Few raptors in the skies so I concentrated on
insects. Good butterflies included Moroccan Orange Tip (Anthocharis belia),
Cleopatra
(Gonepteryx cleopatra),
Provence Hairstreak (Tomares
ballus)
and Spanish Festoon.
Valle
de Ojen, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
White-banded
Grasshopper (Eyprepocnemis plorans) - common in grassland
along the Arroyo del Tiradero
Mediterranean
Banded Centipede (Scolopendra cingulata), Arroyo
del Tiradero, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
Red-striped
Oil Beetle (Berberomeloe majalis), Arroyo
del Tiradero, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
Iberian
Mantis (Apteromantis aptera), Arroyo
del Tiradero, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
Puerto
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales 36° 08' 38'' N 05° 35' 38'' W Brief
stop here to check on potential Asphodel sites. A distant Mole Cricket
was singing and 14 Bee-eaters were overhead.
Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco36° 09' 57'' N 05° 34' 58'' W Iberian
Chiffchaff and Western Bonelli's Warblers were singing around the
start of the track. Spanish Festoons were particularly abundant
here.
Playa
de Zahara(1st beetle study site)36°
7' 5.26" N 5° 49' 59.19" W A
pair of Red-rumped Swallows were nest-building in small derelict
building. Three Balearic Shearwaters were offshore.
Day 5 Saturday
13 April 2019 Zahara de los
Atunes > La
Breña de Barbate > Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales Blue
sky, wind 3mph N to 9 mph W, min 12°C, max 19°C
La
Breña de Barbate36° 10' 43.6'' N 05° 58' 24.1'' W Umbrella
Pine (Pinus pinea) forest which is now being selectively thinned in some areas
which should improve plant diversity. Visited our plant study sites
along the Sendero Torre del Tajo
and had lunch at the tower. Typically quiet bird-wise but nice to
see plenty of Greenfinches and Serins song-flighting everywhere. Also
Hoopoe, Short-toed Treecreeper, and Sardinian Warbler. Bee-eaters
and Raven heard passing overhead. Yellow-legged Gull and Jackdaw
nesting on the sandstone cliffs. A Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
was flying around the cliff top.
Umbrella
Pines (Pinus pinea), La Breña de Barbate
Cliffs
below Torre del Tajo, Barbate
Umbrella
Pines (Pinus pinea), La Breña de Barbate
Embalse
de Almodovar, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
36° 09' 29'' N 05° 38' 33'' W Brief
stop on the reservoir causeway while we re-grouped before passing the padlocked gate.
Thekla Lark and Red-legged Partridge noted near the reservoir.
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (Aquarius
study site)36° 08' 54.8'' N 5° 34' 57.1'' W It
was quite hot when we arrived at 16:10 and European Field Crickets were singing
everywhere. Two Vineyard Mole-crickets (Gryllotalpa
vineae) were heard producing
a continuous churring drone distantly on a
nearby hillside and on tracking them down the sound was near-deafening
at close range! These insects sing from burrows and this one was
observed at some distance with binoculars. Only once I
had returned home and examined the spectrogram could I confirm it
was G.
vineae. Found several of the very cool looking Earthling
Stone Grasshopper (Euryparyphes terrulentus).
Earthling
Stone Grasshopper (Euryparyphes terrulentus) - fairly common
in grassland along the Arroyo del Tiradero
Vineyard
Mole-cricket Gryllotalpa vineae
Valle
de Ojén, Parque
Natural de Los Alcornocales, Andalucia, Spain
36°
08' 55.57" N 05° 35' 13.84" W 13
Apr
2019
Calling song a continuous churring around 3.4 kHz at 22°C from
rough, cattle-grazed Asphodel hill pasture. Audible
at least 250 metres away.
Oscillograms at three scales from the same recording.
Arroyo del Tiradero
Moorish
Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), Zahara de los Atunes
Day
6 Sunday
14
April 2019
Zahara > Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales Blue
sky, wind <10 mph W in morning; to 11 mph E later in afternoon, min 21°C,
max 21°C
Highlights White
Stork, Griffon Vulture, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Pallid Swift,
Red-rumped Swallow, Kingfisher.
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (Aquarius
study site)36° 08' 54.8'' N 5° 34' 57.1'' W Back
at the pond skater site. Spent some time sound recording, including
a Roe Deer (Capreolus
capreolus) just by chance, and identifying orthoptera. Good
butterflies included Desert Orange Tip
(Colotis
evagore), Moroccan Orange Tip
(Anthocharis
belia), Southern
Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides
feisthamelii) and Large Tortoiseshell
(Nymphalis
polychloros).
Broad
Green-winged Grasshopper (Aiolopus strepens), Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
Earthling
Stone Grasshopper (Euryparyphes terrulentus) - fairly common
in grassland along the Arroyo del Tirado, Valle
de Ojén
Sound
recording with Clippy Stereo EM172 microphone, Arroyo del Tirado, Valle
de Ojén
European
Roe
Deer Capreolus capreolus
Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Parque Natural de Los
Alcornocales, Spain
36°
09' 31.9" N 5° 35' 15.2" W 16
April 2019
Alarm
call barks from a female/doe in Cork
Oak forest.
Oscillograms at two scales from the same recording.
European
Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula), Arroyo del Tirado, Valle
de Ojén
Day
7 Monday
15
April 2019 Zahara de los Atunes >
Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales > Marismas
del Barbate Partly
cloudy, rain early in the morning, wind max 15 mph WSW,
min 7°C, max 16°C
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (Aquarius
study site) 36° 08' 54.8'' N 5° 34' 57.1'' W Back
at the pond skater site. Several Wood Crickets (Nemobius sylvestris)
were found in the leaf litter below the cork oak trees and a Berger's
Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis) on the pasture. A couple
of Western Three-toed Skink (Chalcides striatus) were glimpsed
slithering rapidly into cover.
Cork
Oaks (Quercus suber), Arroyo del Tiradero
Embalse
de Almodovar, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
36° 09' 29'' N 05° 38' 33'' W Back
at the reservoir gates a re-grouping stop produced a Turtle Dove,
Short-toed Eagle, Woodchat Shrike, and a Black-eared Wheatear. Four
Wild Boar (Sos
scrofa) were
having a drink.
Marismas
del Barbate (south-east side)
Map
of Marismas de Barbate area - where to find birds in April
Barbate:
map showing the river, marshes, lagoons and old saltpans
1.Itinerario el Cañillo: Turn onto the track at km-3.2 on the
A-2231. Bald Ibis often at the roadside. Follow through farm buildings
to edge of lagoon for Greater Flamingo, waders (inc Collared Pratincole,
Black-winged Stilts & Stone Curlew), gulls (inc Slender-billed),
terns, egrets, herons & wagtails.
2.
Itinerario el Cañillo: Continue for Calandra & Short-toed
Lark, Tawny Pipit, Quail, Bee-eater. The tamarisks can hold migrant
passerines.
3. Rio
Barbate mouth: Turn onto track/rough parking area for gulls
(including Audouin's & Mediterranean), terns (including Caspian),
and waders.
4. Sports
Stadium: Acess the estuary behind the Estadio
Municipal de Deportes (off Avenida Joaquín Blume)for best
view of the main channel with waders (inc Marsh Sandpiper in 2008),
gulls, terns (inc Lesser Crested in 2007 & 2019), herons, egrets, wheatears,
wagtails and hirundines
Marismas
del Barbate/Río Barbate
•Itinerario
el Cañillo (Km 3.2 on A-2231) 36° 10' 28.6'' N 05° 53' 34.6'' W The
southern track along the reformed lagoons and old salt pans is getting in
poor condition and I didn't progress further
than about 1000 metres. There is a new sign-posted route through
the middle lagoons. While this does get you closer to many
of the birds, progressing along it inevitably causes some disturbance.
Highlights on this visit included Slender-billed Gull, Audouin's
Gull, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Stone Curlew, Great
Egret, Short-toed and Calandra Larks.
Marismas
del Barbate - Itinerario del Cañillo
• Marshes
view from behind the sports stadium36° 11' 45.7'' N 05° 54'
40.9'' W This
vantage point allows an alternative view on the west side of the
Río Barbate. Pleased to find two Lesser Crested Terns on the mud
along with six Caspian Terns.
Day
8 Tuesday
16 April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes > Valle
de Ojén > La
Janda > Marismas
del Barbate Calm
at dawn before the wind picked up and showers moved in, including
a hail storm! Wind max 8-17 mph W, min 8°C, max 15°C
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (Aquarius
study site)36° 08' 54.8'' N 5° 34' 57.1'' W Usual
species seen earlier in week.
nymph
of probable Smooth
Striped Bush-cricket (Odontura glabricauda), Arroyo
del Tiradero, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales
Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales (Lavandula/Asphodelus
study site)36° 09' 47.4'' N 5° 34' 56.7'' W Birdsong
output from Iberian Chiffchaff, Short-toed Treecreeper, Western
Bonelli's Warbler, Firecrest, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch,
Crested Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, drumming Great
Spotted Woodpecker and a distant Golden Oriole. Three Cirl Bunting were perched on roadside
barbed wire at the Puerto de Ojen and a Tawny Pipit was seen at
Embalse de Almodovar. Four Wild Boar (Sos
scrofa) piglets were trotting through
the forest and passed within a few feet before they discovered me
sitting quietly on the ground. Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
butterflies numerous.
Wild
Boar Sos scrofa
Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Parque Natural de Los
Alcornocales, Spain
36°
09' 31.9" N 5° 35' 15.2" W 16
April 2019
The
sound of four Wild Boar piglets passing through a Cork
Oak forest.
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (Marisma Alta) 36° 14' 01.5'' N 5° 56'
46.8'' W Accessed
from Km 2.2 on the A-314 La Barca de Vejer-Barbate road. This site isn't
what it used to be. Mostly dry. Best were two Glossy Ibis, two Lesser
Kestrel, two singing Melodious Warblers, two Woodchat Shrike, three
Spanish Sparrows and a Northern Bald Ibis. Spanish
Pond Turtles (Mauremys leprosa), also known as the Mediterranean
Pond Turtle, were still particularly abundant here.
Day
9 Wednesday
17
April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes > Marismas
del Barbate >
La Janda Thick
overcast cloud, wind max 16 mph WSW a.m., later 27mph SW, min 11°C,
max 19°C. Heavy continous rain from 12:30 for 12hrs min.
Highlights Iberian Yellow Wagtail,
Subalpine Warbler, Black-winged Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Purple
Swamphen, Night Heron, Great Reed Warbler, Glossy Ibis, Quail.
Marismas
del Barbate(south-east side)
•
Itinerario
el Cañillo (Km 3.2 on A-2231) 36° 10' 28.6'' N 05° 53' 34.6'' W Good
selection of waders present including Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint,
Sanderling, Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole
and Kentish Plover. At least 271 Greater Flamingos were now present.
Migrant Subalpine Warblers were few and far between during the period
this year but did find a male here. Obtained a good sound recording
of a song-flighting Tawny Pipit.
La Janda(Km-47 entrance
on N-34-Canal Colector del Este)
36º
13' 12.2'' N 05º 47' 5.4'' W The
Canal
Colector del Este (Río Almodóvar) is mostly fringed with Phragmites
and some mud, depending on water levels. The first four kilometres
(from the eastern access track opposite the Zahara road end) offer
the best visibility, after which the reeds get quite high. However,
this track is probably not passable in a normal hire car from the
Zahara de los Atunes road-end entrance. Today I entered from Km-47
on the N-340. No water remained from the winter rains and many fields
were already tilled for rice cultivation.
Best
were Black-winged Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Night Heron, Great
Reed Warbler, 39 Glossy Ibis, a singing Quail and a pair of Spanish
Sparrows. Many pairs of Cattle Egrets were starting to nest in the
willows/poplars along the canal.
Orange-butted
Grasshopper (Chorthippus apicalis) nymph - La Janda
Canal
Colector del Este, La Janda
Canal
Colector del Este, La Janda
Day
10 Thursday
18 April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes >
Marismas del
Barbate > La Barca de Vejer Partly
cloudy, wind max 8-17 mph W, min 9°C, max 16°C
• Itinerario
el Cañillo (Km 3.2 on A-2231) 36° 10' 28.6'' N 05° 53' 34.6'' W Greater
Flamingo numbers had risen to 412, Little Terns up to 55 and Collared
Pratincoles to at least 25. At least 25 migrant Iberian Yellow
Wagtails were feeding up after the recent thunder and lightning. Among
the usual species were five Audouin's Gull, three Spoonbill, two
Spotted Redshank, 1st-w Mediterranean Gull and and a Gull-billed
Tern.
Greater
Flamingos in lagoons, Barbate
La
Barca de Vejer 36° 15' 17.5'' N 05° 57' 29.5'' W Quick
look at the nesting Northern Bald Ibises.
La
Barca de Vejer
Sunset,
Hotel Gran Sol
Day
11 Friday
19 April 2019
Zahara de los Atunes >
Tarifa > Algeciras > Malaga
Zahara de los Atunes Pre-breakfast
sound recording around town. Highlight was two Little Swift over
the Castillo de las Almadrabas.
Drive:
Zahara de los Atunes >
Tarifa > Algeciras > Malaga Nothing
of note on the return to the airport.
Dented
Groundhopper (Tetrix depressa), Zahara de los Atunes
Systematic List
Zahara
de los Atunes & Costa de la Luz 9-19 Apr 2019[sound
recordings from all years]
Mallard Anas
platyrhynchos
1m,
Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
62+,
Embalse de Almodovar, 12-Apr
3,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
2,
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
3,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
10,
La Janda, 17-Apr
7,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 18-Apr
Northern
Shoveler Anas
clypeata
1,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
Red-legged
Partridge Alectoris
rufa
pr, Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
1,
Embalse de Almodovar, 13-Apr
pr,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
pr,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Red-legged
Partridge Alectoris rufa
La
Janda, Andalucia, Spain36º
13' 49.5'' N 5º 51' 27.0'' W 5 April 2016
Regularly seen from Zahara over Sierra de Retín & Sierra de
la Plata.
13,
over Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
1,
over Rio Barbate mouth, 11-Apr
1,
Embalse de Almodovar, 12-Apr
1,
over Facinas, 14-Apr
11,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
2,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Eurasian
Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), Sierra de
la Plata
Short-toed
Eagle
Circaetus
gallicus
1,
Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
2,
Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 12-Apr
1, Embalse de Almodovar, 15-Apr
1,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Booted
Eagle
Aquila
pennata
2,
Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 13-Apr
Black
KiteMilvus
migrans
4,
Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 12-Apr
1,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Black-winged
KiteElanus
caeruleus
1,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Western
Marsh Harrier
Circus
aeruginosus
f,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Montagu's
Harrier Circus
pygargus
m,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Common
Buzzard Buteo
buteo
1,
Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 14-Apr
1,
Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Valle
de Ojén, 16-Apr
Eurasian
Sparrowhawk Accipiter
nisus
1,
Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 13-Apr
Common
Kestrel Falco
tinnunculus
1,
Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
1,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
1,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Lesser
Kestrel Falco
naumanni
2,
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
Lesser
Kestrels (Falco naumanni), Tarifa
Lesser
Kestrel Falco naumanni
Tarifa, Andalucia,
Spain 51°
39' 29.9" N 0° 02' 43.9" W5 April 2016
Two call types from a male returning to the nest with
a lizard shortly before the female had departed: repeated
high-pitched 3 and 4 element phrases and single
and double harsh screeches.
1,
migrant calling on off the sea,
Rio Barbate mouth, 11-Apr
Crested
Lark
Galerida
cristata
Common in many habitats.
Noted almost everywhere including Zahara, La Zarzuela, El Almarchal,
Facinas, La Janda, Benalup, Barbate, Los Caños de Meca, El
Palmar, Bolonia.
Crested
Lark (Galerida cristata), Zahara de
los Atunes
Thekla
Lark Galerida
theklae
1
singing m, Embalse de Almodovar, 12-Apr
1,
on track, Embalse de Almodovar, 13-Apr
Woodlark Lullula
arborea
1
singing m, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 12-Apr
1
singing m, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 16-Apr
Greater
Short-toed Lark
Calandrella
brachydactyla
1,
flew over calling, Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
1,
flew over calling,
Rio Barbate mouth, 11-Apr
2
singing mm, Esteros
de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
7
singing mm, Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Greater
Short-toed
Lark Calandrella brachydactyla
Marismas
del Barbate, Andalucia, Spain
36°
10' 28.6" N 05° 53' 34.6" W17
April 2015
Territorial/advertising
'short' song uttered in flight composed of one to second
phrases of 'dry' warbles, often preceeded
by a longer, more 'musical' element.
Noted at
Playa de Zahara, Castillo de las Almadrabas, Atlanterra, La Breña de Barbate, Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales, Cabo de
Gracia.
4
singing mm, boardwalk east of Castillo de las Almadrabas,
Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
1 singing
m + several calling,
Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
1
singing m,
Atlanterra, 10-Apr
7
singing mm, Faro de Camarinal, Cabo de Gracia, Atlanterra,
10-Apr
1
singing m, Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
1
singing m,
Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 12-Apr
1
singing m, Embalse de Almodovar, 12-Apr
2
singing mm, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 12-Apr
Several
singing, Breña
de Barbate, 13-Apr
1 singing m,
Torre
del Tajo, Breña
de Barbate, 13-Apr
2
singing mm, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 15-Apr
pr,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Arroyo
del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, Andalucia, Spain
36°
08' 46.4" N 05° 35' 04.3" W 11
Apr
2011, 1337h
Territorial song
from skulking male in thorny, evergreen scrub on open cork oak
slopes. Fast, chattering, scratchy warblers, each strophe
lasting 3-8 seconds, mostly utter from within cover.
Fairly common
in the Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales.
1
singing m, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 12-Apr
1
singing m, Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Valle
de Ojén, 12-Apr
1
singing m, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 14-Apr
1
singing m, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 15-Apr
Western
Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli
Valle
de Ojén, Parque
Natural de Los Alcornocales, Andalucia, Spain
36°
9' 35.16" N 5° 34' 55.40" W
15
Apr
2019, 1421h
Territorial song
from cork oak woodland: ~ 0.7 sec trill composed of
8-10 elements. Singing at a rate of 6 strophes/min.
Note subtle variation between trills.
Fairly common
in the Valle
de Ojén, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales.
1
singing m, Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Valle
de Ojén, 12-Apr
1
singing m, Sendero
Canuto de Risco Blanco, Valle
de Ojén, 16-Apr
Iberian
Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus
Sendero Canuto de Risco Blanco,
Parque
Natural de Los Alcornocales, Andalucia, Spain
36°
09' 31.9" N 5° 35' 15.2" W 10
Apr
2014
Territorial song
from holm oak woodland. Note this individual shows little
or no slurring of elements compared with birds below.
Part of a 10 minute recording where bird sang from four
different regular song perches.
Valle
de Ojén, Parque
Natural de Los Alcornocales, Andalucia, Spain
36°
08' 46.8" N 05° 34' 58.2" W11
Apr
2011, 1209h
Territorial song
from cork oak/holm oak woodland. This bird was singing
with continual variation between successive strophes.
Note the rapid delivery with more elements than is typical
in the first strophe.
Valle
de Ojén, Parque
Natural de Los Alcornocales, Andalucia, Spain
36°
09' 42.4" N 05° 34' 55.0" W15
Apr
2010, 1132h
Territorial song
from cork oak/holm oak woodland. This strophe composed of
seven notes rhythmically decending in pitch,
followed by faster phrase of four to five higher
notes.
Common,
cliffs around La Breña de Barbate & La Barca de
Vejer.
3,
Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
5,
Torre
del Tajo, Breña
de Barbate, 13-Apr
19, Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
pr,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Jackdaws (Corvus
monedula) sharing a nesting ledge with Northern
Bald Ibis
Common Raven Corvus corax
1,
over Torre
del Tajo, Breña
de Barbate, 13-Apr
1, Esteros
de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
pr, Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
1,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor
Common around
human habitatation, agricultural areas, and semi-natural
grassland.
Noted at Zahara,
Atlanterra, Barbate, El Almarchal,
Facinas, La Janda, Benalup, Barbate, Los Caños de Meca, El
Palmar, Bolonia.
30+,
collecting nesting material, boardwalk east of Castillo de las Almadrabas,
Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
1,
collecting nesting material, Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
109,
Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
2, Faro de Camarinal, Cabo de Gracia, Atlanterra,
11-Apr
1
singing m,
Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 12-Apr
5,
Embalse de Almodovar, 12-Apr
2, Arroyo del Tiradero, Valle de Ojén, 15-Apr
Noted,
Marismas
del Barbate, behind the Estadio
Municipal de Deportes, 15-Apr
Noted,
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
5,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Noted,
La Janda, 17-Apr
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Common around
human habitatation, agricultural areas, and semi-natural
grassland.
Common,
boardwalk east of Castillo de las Almadrabas,
Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
Noted,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
Noted,
Marismas
del Barbate, behind the Estadio
Municipal de Deportes, 15-Apr
Noted,
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
Noted,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Noted,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Noted,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 18-Apr
Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
13,
Esteros
de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
3,
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
pr
,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Spanish
Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
Marismas
del Barbate, Andalucia, Spain 36º
14' 24.6'' N 5º 56' 53.5'' W9
April 2018
Calls
from a male Spanish Sparrow adjacent
to a calling House Sparrow. Spanish
calls are higher-pitched and upslurred,
while House calls are lower-pitched
and downslurred.
pr
+ 3 in off the sea,
Playa de Zahara, Zahara de los Atunes, 10-Apr
pr,
Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
1
singing m, Faro de Camarinal, Cabo de Gracia, Atlanterra,
11-Apr
p,
Rio Barbate mouth, 11-Apr
1, Embalse de Almodovar, 15-Apr
1,
Marismas
del Barbate, behind the Estadio
Municipal de Deportes, 15-Apr
pr,
Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
2,
Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
Common
Linnet Carduelis
cannabina
Montenmedio,
Vejer de la Frontera, Andalucia, Spain
20
Apr
2010, 1223h
Territorial song
from Umbrella Pine woodland; a continuous rambling series
of squeaky notes interspersed with short trills (e.g.
5.1 to 5.5 secs) and whistles (e.g. at 6.7 sec).
1f, Faro de Camarinal-Sierra
de la Plata track, Cabo de Gracia, Atlanterra,
11-Apr
3,
Puerto de Ojén, 16-Apr
Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra
Common and
widespread in most open habitats including coastal dunes,
rough pasture, agricultural fields & marshes.
Noted around
Zahara de los Atunes, La Zarzuela, El Almarchal, Parque
Eolico, Venta de Retín, La Janda, Benalup, Barbate,
Cortijo
Los Villares, El Palmar, Facinas,
Embalse de Almodóvar, Bolonia.
3
singing mm, Casa la Palmera, Conil de la Frontera, 10-Apr
5
singing mm, Embalse de Almodovar, 12-Apr
1
singing m, Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 15-Apr
4
singing mm, Sendero
Marismas del Barbate (from Km 2.4 on N-314, SE of Vejer
de la Frontera), 16-Apr
1
singing m, Esteros de la Isleta de San Francisco,
El Cañillo,
Marismas del Barbate, 17-Apr
7
singing mm,
La Janda, 17-Apr
Corn
Bunting Emberiza calandra
Marismas
del Barbate, Andalucia, Spain
36°
10' 28.6" N 05° 53' 34.6" W17
April 2019
Territorial/advertising
song from fence post.
Each
~2.2 sec strophe composed single elements accelerating
into a brief trill before forming a longer buzz (~1.0
sec) which increases then decreases in pitch, ending
with a shorter trill which increases in pitch.
