Thursday 30 June: Birding doldrums at the moment! All the birds are busy nesting and it's too hot to be out and about (36C yesterday). The Swifts, however, are putting on a good show, see video below taken from our terrace. Yesterday evening there was an Alpine Swift amongst the Common and Pallid - don't think it's in the video, though!

Sunday 26 June, Sierra Espartina, 1000-1130hrs, warm, light SE wind: A few Griffon Vulture drifting around, a couple of Bee-eater high up, Woodlark, Blackcap still singing away, Sardinian Warbler, Booted Eagle and an adult Peregrine soaring to the west towards Jimena de la Frontera.

Thursday 23 June: Between 2030 and 2100hrs there was at least one Alpine Swift amongst the Common and Pallid Swift flock flying around over Calle Convento and Calle del Pino. I received a good record of an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle soaring over El Hacho before heading North late afternoon on 15 June (per J. Diley).

Thursday 23 June, 1630-1800hrs, west side of El hacho, Gaucin, light westerly breeze, clear and very warm: Worth braving the heat to see a newly fledged and adult male Dartford Warbler, see photos; also Sparrrowhawk, Griffon Vulture, Red-legged Partridge, Bonelli's Warbler, Corn Bunting (ad and juv), Woodchat Shrike (ad and juv), Stonechat and Goldfinch. No sign of any Black-eared Wheatear, though.

(Just visible!) Adult male Dartford Warbler


Newly-Fledged Dartford Warbler

Monday 20 June, La Umbria, Gaucin, 1000-1130hrs: Walked along the first part of this route principally looking for butterflies though did see Serin, Spotted Flycatcher, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Robin, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (heard)and Griffon Vulture. There were a lot of butterflies about including clouds of Spanish Marbled White and Wall Brown so I even managed to get some photos.....

Spanish Marbled White



Dusky Heath Coenonympha dorus


Clouded Yellow


Wall Brown (not the best focus!)


Cleopatra


Spanish Gatekeeper

Sunday 19 June: Sierra Espartina, Gaucin, 1100hrs, partly cloudy: Not much in the way of bird activity, a few Griffon Vulture and the occasional Sardinian Warbler, but a few lovely flowers still about...see photos.

Eryngium dichotomum

Common Centaury Centaurium erythraea


Leuzia Leuzia conifera


Mournful Widow Scabiosa atropurpurea Possibly a garden escape as the wild version would have pale blue, rather than purple, flowers - or is there a purple variant here? Any comments welcome!

Friday 17 June, 0830hrs: Male (singing) and female Blue Rock Thrush on the telephone wires just near the Gaucin water spring on the Ronda-Algeciras road.

Thursday 16 June, still, warm: A reasonable number of flowers around despite the heat but the 'brown off' is in full flow as the grasses die back. Photos of Coleostephus myconis and Tolpis barbata taken along Camino de Avedin, Gaucin.


Camino de Gibraltar, 2000hrs: Adult Bonelli's Eagle circling over El Nobo, then heading rapidly off up the Genal valley.

Wednesday 15 June, sunny, warm, 1430hrs: A lovely male Black-eared Wheatear sitting on top of a large rock just by the side of the Gaucin-Manilva road near Manilva quarry.

Tuesday 14 June, La Umbria walk, Gaucin, 1100-1300hrs, sunny, 30C: Still a few birds around despite the heat and lots of butterflies, especially Spanish Marbled White. Distant views of an adult Bonelli's Eagle, also a group of recently fledged Firecrest; Griffon Vulture, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Nuthatch, Iberian Chiffchaff, Bonelli's Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Chaffinch, Robin and Wren.

Tuesday 14 June, Gaucin: It's been very warm the last couple of days, 32C or more, so not much bird activity other than the large Swift flocks and the occasional Booted or Short-toed Eagle mooching around looking for a meal.

Sunday 12 June, 1800hrs, Gaucin, mostly sunny, warm: Pale morph Booted Eagle performing full display flight just to the south of the village - lots of whistling and steep closed-wing diving - great to watch!

Saturday 11 June, Gaucin, 1500hrs: Short-toed Eagle flying around the south of the village with a small snake in it's mouth. Lots of Common and Pallid Swift around as well.

Friday 10 June: The Gaucin Swifts have had fun this afternoon - between 1800 and 2000hrs they mobbed a Red-billed Chough, a female Sparrowhawk and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon!

Tuesday 07 June, 1800hrs, Gaucin: It doesn't look like it'll be long before the Barn Swallows in the nest just outside the Post Office are ready to fledge!

Sunday 05 June, just past the bridge over the Genal on the Gaucin-Manilva road, 0930hrs: Great views of an adult Bonelli's Eagle heading up the Genal valley.

Thursday 02 June: Not much to report, too busy painting! A couple of Melodious Warbler, one just off the Gaucin-Manilva road singing away and one on the shrubby hillside opposite Venta Solera at the Cortes turning on the Gaucin-Ronda road. Did find an early Globe Thistle, see photo.