Tuesday 27 March, Gaucin, sunny, fresh-strong E wind: With continuing easterly winds there's been little to see in terms of migration lately. Swift numbers are building steadily and there are more Iberian Chiffchaff singing. Short-toed Eagles make regular appearances over the village and there were two Red-billed Chough and a pair of Raven over Calle Convento in the last couple of days. There was some light rain on Saturday but still no significant rainfall. As I write this, just to prove me wrong, a male Hen Harrier passes over the village struggling in the strong wind!

Wednesday 21 March, Torreguadiaro lagoon, 1230-1330hrs, light SE wind, clear skies, 18C: Some good birds on and around the lagoon this morning including a male Red-crested Pochard (see photos),
Little Grebe, Mallard, female Shoveler, Bluethroat (poor photo but I think a first winter female!),
Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, 3x Purple Swamphen (one with European Terrapins, see photo),
Common Coot, Moorhen, Great Cormorant, Yellow-legged Gull, Monk Parakeet, Little Owl (on the ruined tower), 2x Common Snipe, 2x Green Sandpiper (see photo),
Crested Lark, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff s.p., House Sparrow and Barn Swallow.

Thursday 15 March, light SE wind, partly cloudy, 17C, 1000hrs: A short look at the beach at Sabinillas produced 20 or so yellow-legged Gull, a single Black-headed Gull, a Sanderling, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant and a Short-toed Eagle flying East along the shore before heading inland toward Sierra Bermeja.

Wednesday 14 March, mostly sunny, light E-SE wind, 20C, 1700-1830hrs, west slope of El Hacho: Amongst a small group of Griffon Vulture was an adult Egyptian Vulture; also 2 Short-toed Eagle, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Raven, Barn Swallow, Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart (just a couple), Stonechat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff sp., Sardinian Warbler, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Corn Bunting, Cirl Bunting and Thekla Lark. No sign of the Southern Grey Shrike so it looks like it has moved on.

Monday 12 March, Gaucin, sunny, light E wind, 18C: A flock of 10 Alpine Swift above La Umbria at 1130hrs. The summer's first Booted Eagle flying high, and mobbing a Griffon Vulture, to the south of the village at 1500hrs; also a Short-toed Eagle and, on one of the trees just below the village, a Short-toed Treecreeper.

Sunday 11 March, sunny, still, 15C: After a couple of cool, cloudy days with fresh Levante (easterly) winds today was perfectly clear and still. Despite the more favourable conditions there were no migrating raptors to be seen. A mid-morning walk along the camino de Casares to the south of Gaucin produced a good, if brief, sighting of a Wryneck; also seen were Griffon Vulture, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Jay, Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Blue Rock Thrush and Crag Martin. No sign of the 2 or 3 Short-toed Eagle that have been hanging around the southern fringes of the village for a few days. One or two more Common Swift around in the evenings but still no Pallid.

Thursday 08 March, fresh N wind, mostly cloudy, 17C: There were 5 Short-toed Eagle passing over the village at 1330hrs. Watching from 1500-1600hrs there was nothing to report!

Wednesday 07 March, mostly sunny, light-fresh E wind, 15C, Camino de Gibraltar, Gaucin, 1630-1730hrs: A very good sighting of a female Common Crossbill below Finca Alboran. Also seen were Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, 7 Song Thrush, Stonechat, Black Redstart, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Blackcap, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Sardinian Warbler and Blackbird.

Tuesday 06 March, 1130hrs, Gaucin, light N-NE wind, partly cloudy, 19C: Whilst driving down to the coast a group of what appeared to be Griffon Vulture were circling above Las Limas; I pulled over and had a look through my binoculars to find that the 11 birds were in fact 3 Griffon Vulture and 8 Black Stork. These were the first Black Stork that I have seen in the Gaucin area and would have been heading North to their breeding grounds. Also in the area was a Short-toed Eagle.

Sunday 04 March, light-fresh NW wind, sunny, 20C: A lovely Spring day. A quick look along a track to the south of San Pablo de Buciete at 1600hrs produced 5 Short-toed Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Common Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Raven, Cattle Egret, Black Redstart, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff sp., Zitting Cisticola, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, White Wagtail.

Saturday 03 March, Gaucin, light SW wind, mostly sunny, 15C: Only a couple of sightings to report today, a Short-toed Eagle to the south of the village at 1030hrs and a pair of Red-billed Chough flying W-E also to the south.

Friday 02 March, Gaucin, mostly cloudy am, persistent light rain pm, light-fresh SW wind, 8C: Well, it had to happen one day, the first significant rain here for a couple of months albeit not much more than drizzle. At 1200hrs prior to the rain there was a Hawfinch flying through the trees just below the village and then a single Black Kite and a female Marsh Harrier passing over.

Thursday 01 March, Gaucin, mostly sunny am, clouding over pm, cooler in the fresh SW wind, 15C: An hour's watching from the terrace of the house from 1500-1600hrs produced one sub-adult Egyptian Vulture (mobbed by a Sparrowhawk), one Short-toed Eagle, one Bonelli's Eagle (patrolling below Sierra Crestellina) one Common Buzzard and my first Common Swift of the summer as well as a group of four Barn Swallow - not bad!