Saturday 17 December 2016, Benalmádena, mostly cloudy, rain showers, light-fresh SE wind, 13C

I'm based on the Costa del Sol in Benalmádena whilst Janys is here receiving lengthy treatment following surgery to remove a brain abscess. Yesterday I spent a few minutes on Torrebermeja beach where I saw the following:
Yellow-legged Gull, Great Cormorant, Monk Parakeet, Crag Martin, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, a female/first winter Pied Flycatcher (I'm presuming it was a Pied; an unexpected find at this time of year, despite showing some traits of the more exciting Collared!) and several, presumably, Common Chiffchaff.

Black Redstart

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Time out...

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because my wife, Janys, is recovering from emergency brain surgery. Her recovery time is likely to be lengthy so for the foreseeable future posts will be less frequent than normal.....

Paul

Friday 18 November 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light NW wind, 19C

A morning walk along footpaths to the north side of the village produced a good selection of woodland species including:
Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Nuthatch, Meadow Pipit, 5+ Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Firecrest, Crested Tit, Hawfinch, Serin and Cirl Bunting.

Just as I arrived back in the village around mid-day there were 100+ Griffon Vulture climbing the thermals just to the south of Calle Convento; they then peeled off one-by-one and headed SW. Also 15+ Crag Martin close to the village below Calle del Pino.

Sierra Bermeja, Gaucin castle and Sierra Crestellina

An afternoon visit to the west slope of El Hacho was relatively uneventful though highlights were good views of Griffon Vulture, also Common Kestrel, Blue Rock Thrush, 25+ Crag Martin, 10+ Black Redstart, 5+ Stonechat, 5+ Song Thrush, 10+ Sardinian Warbler and Corn Bunting.

female Stonechat

Wednesday 16 November 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light SE wind, 18C

The settled, dry and relatively warm weather continues....

On the afternoon of Saturday 12 November there were 60 Wood Pigeon over La Umbria.

On Sunday 13 November an afternoon walk along the top section of the Camino de Gibraltar produced Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, 5 Crag Martin with which was a single House Martin, 5 Song Thrush, European Robin, White Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and Serin.

There was yet another Monarch butterfly, just behind the petrol station on Monday morning.

My first visit to the Rio Genal below the village in some time was pretty uneventful, not helped by heavy machinery digging out gravel from the river; just Grey Heron, Little Egret and a Common Buzzard of note.

A 'trainee' shepherd toils up the Camino de Gibraltar

The 'belltower' of Gaucin's Convento de los Carmelitas and Sierra Crestellina

Friday 11 November 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light-fresh W-NW wind,18C

The weather continues to be fairly settled, with daytime temperatures holding up despite the occasional bit of light drizzle and a cool north/west wind - it has dropped to 4C on a couple of mornings.
Fairly quiet bird-wise but over Calle Convento/Calle del Pino in the last few days there's been Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, a couple of duelling young Blue Rock Thrush, a Spotless Starling mimicking a Golden Oriole, Black Redstart and several Common Chiffchaff.
A visit to the west slope of El Hacho on Wednesday morning was curtailed by a strong north-westerly that kept most birds out of sight, apart from a few Black Redstart, a couple of Song Thrush and a brave Red-legged Partridge (there were hunters in the area!). A couple of Spanish Ibex were showing well, though.
On Thursday there were at least 5 Common Crossbill in the pines on the north edge of the village, with both male and female/imm singing. Also a Monarch butterfly over the Calle Convento/Calle del Pino gardens at mid-day and another, or the same one, 30 min later at La Cruz.

male Spanish Ibex

male and female Spanish Ibex

Showing off.....

A Spotless Starling that thinks it's a Golden Oriole (amongst other species)

Some poor shots of Common Crossbill in the gloomy late afternoon light......

 

 

Sunday 06 November 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light-fresh W-NW wind, 18C

After a soaking yesterday when 29mm of rain fell (13mm of it during a wild, windy 30min late evening), today was sunny and warm, if you were out of the cooling breeze.
A morning walk along the Las Pilas track above Algatocin afforded crisp, clear views in all directions though bird sightings of note were restricted to a couple of Red-billed Chough and Common Raven.
The Camino de Gibraltar from 15:30-17:00hrs produced no fewer than 22 Black Redstart (19 female/imm and 3 male), also Common Kestrel, 5+ Meadow Pipit, 5+ Common Chiffchaff, 3 Hawfinch and a couple of overflying Common Crossbill.
On Friday at 09:30hrs there was a Common Crossbill singing from the top of a pine tree opposite the petrol station and around mid-day there was a pale morph Booted Eagle in Santiponce (on the outskirts of Sevilla) where we had driven to visit the Italica Roman ruins only to find then closed for a month whilst Games of Thrones is being filmed. So much for the info on the official web page which failed to mention the closure! We commiserated ourselves with a visit to Acinipo near Ronda....also closed, but where there's a will......

Acinipo - the Roman amphitheatre near Ronda la Vieja

male Black Redstart

Tuesday 01 November 2016, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light rain am, light SE wind, 20C

In Salitre on Sunday there were many Chiffchaff around with a group of at least 6 (presumably all Common) frequenting a small patch of chumbo (prickly pear).
In Gaucin on Monday morning there were 100+ Griffon Vulture just SE of Sierra del Hacho (also per M Bennett). As a sure sign of Autumn, several Black Redstart have been seen in the village in the last couple of days and a Meadow Pipit was over Calle Convento on Monday.
There was a little light rain this morning (just 1mm) but an afternoon stroll along the Camino de Gibraltar was made in warm sunshine with the following seen:
Griffon Vulture, Peregrine (in a very steep, very fast dive behind the castle), Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 3 Song Thrush, Spotless Starling, Eurasian Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 20+ Black Redstart (at least 10 in just one small almond grove), Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, 10+ Chiffchaff sp., and Cirl Bunting.

Sunset from Salitre

The Roman settlement of Vesci (foreground), Cortes de la Frontera and Sierra de Libar

Sierra Crestellina under cloud - from Camino de Gibraltar

One of several smart male Black Redstart

Some of the 100+ Griffon Vulture over El Hacho (per M. Bennett)

Skulking (Common) Chiffchaff

Friday 28 October 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, fresh-gusting to gale force, E-SE wind, 20C

There have been more recent reports of Booted Eagle around the village, so still clearly at least one hanging around.
There was a House Martin over Salitre again on Wednesday, a noticeable increase in the number of Black Redstart and Song Thrush in the area and 2 Bonelli's Eagle there early Friday evening; also Peregrine, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Crag Martin, Woodlark, Thekla Lark, small flocks (5-10) of Meadow Pipit, several Chiffchaff sp., Corn Bunting and Cirl Bunting. At least 30 Griffon Vulture were showing interest in a dead sheep on Thursday morning but they didn't stay around long so presumably it wasn't quite right for some reason or other.....

male Stonechat

Monday 24 October 2016, Gaucin, light rain am, mostly cloudy pm, light SE wind, 20C

Some steady rain over the past couple of days, it rained most of Sunday and also today until mid-morning, with a total of 39mm falling.

On Friday 21st there was a Griffon Vulture spectacle with up to 300 present just SW of Casares (per P. Hale). This number is far in excess of anything I or the observer have seen in over 15 years. Quite something:

Some of the 300 or so Griffon Vulture seen near Casares (photo P. Hale)

Also on Friday, but rather more mundane was a single House Martin amongst a small group of Crag Martin between Salitre and Gaucin.

Today at 16:00hrs there was a Common Crossbill singing in Calle del Pino.

Thursday 20 October 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light SE wind, 21C

Janys reported a Booted Eagle just south of the village yesterday afternoon and today there was a pale morph just below the turning to Cortes de la Frontera on the Gaucin-Ronda road (same bird?); also in the Salitre area were Short-toed Eagle, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Southern Grey Shrike, 10+ Song Thrush flying over around 18:30hrs, Thekla Lark, Woodlark, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat and Rock Sparrow.

An interesting report of the first record for a Sardinian/Subalpine Warbler cross found in Casares, Extremadura:

Tuesday 18 October 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light SE wind, 23C

Some 'highlights' from the past couple of days during which the weather has been settled and quite warm:
On Sunday there was a group of 18 Common Raven over the Las Pilas track above Algatocin; also Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel and Blue Rock Thrush.
Yesterday there were 50+ Griffon Vulture and a Short-toed Eagle over Salitre - given its direction of flight (SE) and height (quite low) I'd imagine this was a 'local' bird that has either yet to leave or is a candidate for over-wintering; also a Song Thrush (first of the autumn). Today in the same area there were Common Kestrel, Common Raven, Stonechat, 10+ Meadow Pipit, at least 2 Woodlark, Thekla Lark, Chiffchaff sp., Cirl Bunting, as a flock of 20+ Rock Sparrow.

El Hacho and the Alcornocales national park from Las Pilas

Rock Sparrow - even at a distance the stripey head stands out

Thekla Lark - short, stubby bill and strong chest markings differentiate from Crested Lark

El Hacho from Salitre at dusk

Saturday 15 October 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light S-SE wind, 20C

The highlights of a morning walk around El Hacho mountain were Peregrine, Common Kestrel, Southern Grey Shrike and Black Redstart; also seen were at least 3 Monarch butterflies (all in the vicinity of the spring between the Brenaverde and the turning to Estacion de Gaucin) and, on the top of the mountain, a couple of Spanish Ibex.
There was a pale morph Booted Eagle low over Calle Convento late afternoon.

Friday 14 October 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light W-NW wind, 20C

Well, the weather finally broke on Wednesday when it rained steadily for most of the day with 39mm falling. Thursday was more showery, though some heavy cloudbursts in the early hours helped deliver a healthy 26mm. Today a light overnight shower or two totalled 3mm.

Whilst waiting for the car to be fixed in San Pablo de Buceite yesterday afternoon there were 100+ House Martin, 4 Barn Swallow and a single Common Swift around the Guadiaro river and adjacent orange groves.

In Gaucin around 18:00hrs this evening there was a Common Buzzard just south of the village, a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk very close to houses in Calle Convento and at least one Blue Rock Thrush in the same area. From our terrace a Spanish Ibex was visible on the summit of El Hacho mountain.

Monday 10 October 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light W-NW wind, 28C

Having written off the 'local' Booted Eagles yesterday, this morning I had one of my best views of the species as a pale morph bird dived from some height into a fig tree, presumably targeting one of the House Sparrows that were messing around in it, just 15m from the house; luckily for the sparrows it came up empty-talloned.

Whilst enjoying a lunchtime beer at the Kabilas restaurant in Benarraba around 13:00hrs we were treated to an juvenile Golden Eagle that flew over then circled for a couple of minutes before drifting off NW; also seen were Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk.

Sunday 09 October 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light W wind, 30C

It's a week since my last post and a succession of easterly levante winds have held the temperature in the high 20s centigrade throughout. Today the wind backed to westerly and the mercury hit 30C.
Although the weather hasn't changed much recently the avian landscape has with no sightings of Booted Eagle, Swift or Barn Swallow in the village for a couple of weeks whilst raptor migration is more or less over.
The highlights of a walk along the Camino de Gibraltar this morning from 08:00-09:30hrs were a female/1st summer Northern Wheatear, a female/1st summer Pied Flycatcher, Hawfinch and Firecrest. Also seen were 50+ Griffon Vulture over Sierra Crestellina, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Thekla/Crested Lark, Black Redstart (first returning bird in the 'village' area), European Robin, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, 5+ Chiffchaff sp., Sardinian Warbler, 5+ Blackcap, a flock of 25+ Goldfinch, 5+ Cirl Bunting and Corn Bunting.

Whilst having a late morning coffee at Bodeguita Chaparro there were a couple of Firecrest in an adjacent oak tree and at least one Common Crossbill flew overhead.

Northern Wheatear - adopting an uncharacteristic pose on a telephone cable

Sunday 02 October 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 28C

A rather warm walk to the Buitreras Gorge near Estacion de Gaucin produced a good sighting in the form of an adult Bonelli's Eagle; also great close-up views of Griffon Vulture, plus Blue Rock Thrush and Crag Martin.
Back in the village mid-afternoon there was local Booted Eagle (pale and dark morph), Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Common Kestrel. One Short-toed Eagle was seen moving through very high up. Blue Rock Thrush still singing around the Calle Convento rooftops.

The Spanish flag at the top of El Hacho mountain has suffered in the recent strong levante wind!

Approaching the Buitreras Gorge

Wednesday 28 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, fresh E wind, 26C

Feeling quite autumnal in the fresh E wind that, overnight into Thursday, was gusting up to gale force 8. Windy conditions are never good for birding and a mid-afternonn walk along the Camino de Gibraltar didn't yield much other than a Common Buzzard, a Firecrest in the cork oaks and White Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler around the water treatment station.
A couple of Short-toed Eagle braved the wind and moved through very high up early afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon a couple of Common Crossbill flew over Calle Convento and there was yet another Monarch butterfly in the village, this time up near the petrol station.

Monday 26 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light S-SE wind, 28C

An early afternoon walk along the tracks just to the north of Gaucin village produced 2 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Common Redstart and 2 Willow Warbler. There was a steady trickle of raptor migration early evening as follows:

18:00-18:30hrs: 7 Booted Eagle, 9 Short-toed Eagle
18:30-19:00hrs: 6 Short-toed Eagle, 1 Black Kite

Yesterday afternoon there were 2 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Common Redstart along the Camino de Gibraltar.

Gaucin and Sierra Bermeja from Camino de Gibraltar

Saturday 24 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light SE wind, 28C

As the warm, late summer weather continues, the following were seen:

Camino de Avedin area:
10:00hrs: 5 Booted Eagle, 3 Short-toed Eagle, 2 Honey Buzzard and 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, female Common Redstart. There were also a couple of Eurasian Jay, with one doing a pretty good mimic of a female Tawny Owl!

Calle Convento:
15:00-16:00hrs:  6 Short-toed Eagle, Barn Swallow, Common Swift (local)
17:15-18:15hrs: 3 Booted Eagle, 1 Short-toed Eagle, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 8 Barn Swallow (4+2+2)
18:45-19:15hrs: 2 Booted Eagle, 3 Short-toed Eagle, 10+ Barn Swallow

This afternoon there were not one, not two, but THREE Blue Rock Thrush squabbling over the rights to the Calle Convento roof territory....here are two of them:

 

Friday 23 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light SE wind, 28C

Along the Las Pilas track above Algatocin mid-morning the following were seen: 20+ Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, 2 Common Raven, Blue Rock Thrush, 2 Black Wheatear, 2 Common Redstart, Common Whitethroat and Cirl Bunting.

Back in the village over Camino de Avedin during the afternoon:

1630-17:30hrs: 1 Short-toed Eagle, 1 Booted Eagle, several Barn Swallow
18:00-19:00hrs: 1 Short-toed Eagle, 1 Booted Eagle, 1 Honey Buzzard, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine (local), 1 Common Swift

2 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Cirl Bunting in gardens and at least 2 Tawny Owl calling late evening along Camino de Avedin.

Janys spotted a Monarch butterfly near Gaucin bridge late morning.

Thursday 22 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light-fresh W wind, 28C

Some raptor movement over the village during the afternoon as follows:

1600-1630hrs: 2 Short-toed Eagle, 5 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Buzzard
1700-1730hrs: 18 Black Kite, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Booted Eagle, 1 Short-toed Eagle

There were 2 female/imm Pied Flycatcher in gardens along Camino de Avedin and 60+ European Bee-eater over the same area late afternoon.

Tuesday 20 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, calm air-light SE wind am, light NW wind pm, 28C

Back to sunny, warm conditions after yesterday's 'blip'. There's still some raptor movement, albeit very high, with sightings as follows:
10:30hrs: 6 Booted Eagle (5 pale morph, 1 dark morph), 4 Short-toed Eagle
16:30-17:00hrs: 8 Short-toed Eagle, 3 Booted Eagle (all pale morph)
18:30: 2 Booted Eagle (1 pale morph, 1 dark morph), 2 Short-toed Eagle, 2 Honey Buzzard

Mid-morning along a 200m section of the Camino de los Molinos (from Portesuelo down under the castle) there were at least 4 Pied Flycatcher and 1 Spotted Flycatcher.

Monday 19 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly cloudy, light SE wind, 24C

An odd, overcast, cooler day today with several 'singles' of Booted Eagle, Short-toed eagle and Honey Buzzard moving through during the morning. There were 2 Common Crossbill over the petrol station late morning.
Between 16:15-16:30hrs 10 Booted Eagle, 1Short-toed Eagle, 1 probable Marsh Harrier and 1 imm Egyptian Vulture were seen over the village. There was a Blue Rock Thrush around the castle for much of the afternoon and 2 first summer male Blue Rock Thrush having a singing contest on the roofs of Calle Convento. Late afternoon there were 3 Pallid Swift and a Barn Swallow above Camino de Avedin and 100+ House Martin over Paseo Jacobo Real.

Saturday 17 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light SE wind, 28C

There's a lot of passerine movement at the moment with flycatchers seemingly everywhere - there was even a Pied Flycatcher in the Calle Convento/del Pino gardens on Friday.
On Thursday in the El Peso/La Herriza area there were Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, a lovely, confiding male Common Redstart (didn't have my camera...), Chiffchaff sp. and Bonelli's Warbler.
Today over Camino de Avedin there was some raptor migration with 17:00-18:00hrs  with 6 Booted Eagle, 5 Short-toed Eagle, 2 Honey Buzzard and a Peregrine, and 70+ European Bee-eater. Also in the Avedin area over the past few days have been Eurasian Hoopoe, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, female Common Redstart, Short-toed Treecreeper, Eurasian Nuthatch and Crested Tit.

Pied Flycatcher

Gaucin castle from Jaraqueque

Full moon rising over Sierra Bermeja - Fri 16 Sep

Full moon

Wednesday 14 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light-fresh NW wind, 23C

There was a female Pied Flycatcher near the Salto de Cura around La Umbria early this morning.

A short walk down to the water treatment works below Gaucin at 17:30hrs produced some nice sightings with at least 3 Pied Flycatcher and 2 Spotted Flycatcher, plus Willow Warbler and Iberian and Common Chiffchaff.

Spotted Flycatcher

Booted Eagle - very close to the houses!

Booted Eagle

Pied Flycatcher

There are some lovely sunsets at the moment.....

Tuesday 13 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly cloudy, light rain pm, light W-SW wind, 20C

An 08:00hrs visit to the cork/chestnut woods at Salto de Cura was rather quiet; fortunately, the thick mist of yesterday evening had dissipated but it remained cool and there was only 60+ European Bee-eater high up, half-a-dozen passing Honey Buzzard and a couple of Long-tailed Tit of note.

Next was the Las Pilas track (the old Ronda road) above Algatocin and, despite it also being quiet, we did log some good species including:
Montagu's Harrier, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 70+ Alpine Swift, Blue Rock Thrush, Spotless Starling, Stonechat, Black Redstart, Melodious Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Serin.

A light breeze brought a chill to the air at Encinas Borrachas and T-shirts were barely sufficient - the temperature having dropped by 12C since the same time yesterday! Some nice species were seen though, which made up for the discomfort:
20+ Griffon Vulture, female Marsh Harrier, 10+ Honey Buzzard, superb views of Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Peregrine, Southern Grey Shrike, Thekla Lark, Tawny Pipit, female/1st summer Whinchat and several passing Barn Swallow; Bonelli's Warbler was heard. Interestingly, there was no sign of Northern or Black-eared Wheatear, nor Subalpine, Spectacled or Dartford Warbler all of which had been seen here just a week ago.

By early afternoon the clouds had rolled in we had the first rain of the autumn - a total of 5mm.

The Casares wind turbines shrouded in cloud after the rain

Sunday 11 September 2016, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light SE wind, 31C

A short morning walk around the northern section of La Umbria (collecting pine cones for the coming winter fires!) produced Firecrest, Eurasian Nuthatch and Crested Tit; Short-toed Treecreeper and Pied Flycatcher were heard. During the afternoon there was a trickle of raptor migration with 2 Honey Buzzard and 1 Booted Eagle at 16:00hrs and 5+ singles of Honey Buzzard and Booted Eagle through between 17:00-18:00hrs.

Saturday 10 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light W-NW wind, 33C

Despite a change in wind direction, the warm, sunny weather continues. Locally there's been little to report with no raptor migration to speak of. The vocal pair of Booted Eagle (plus a third - juvenile?) are still around above the south of the village as is the first year Blue Rock Thrush which is now singing regularly from roofs in Calle Convento, also at least one Common Swift and 25+ House Martin remain in the area.
Whilst in Ronda (where it was a steamy 36C) to escape the noise of Gaucin's Santo Niño festival (two nights of 'music' until 07:30hrs is just too much!) there were still 20+ Alpine Swift noisily careering around the Tajo as well as 20+ Red-billed Chough; a female Tawny Owl was calling late evening.

Blue Rock Thrush - it may be in silhouette but there's no mistaking that bill!

 

Monday 05 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 38C

Officially the hottest day of the year (so far!) and another afternoon of mostly Honey Buzzard movement with limited observations as follows:

16:15 -16:30hrs:: groups of 10 and 15 Honey Buzzard
18:00h -18:30hrs: groups of 2, 56 and 12 Honey Buzzard, 1 Booted Eagle
19:00hrs: groups of 8 and 11 Honey Buzzard low over the eastern edge of the village

Throughout the day, two local Booted Eagle (both dark morph birds) were very active and vocal over the Calle del Pino/Calle Convento area. At least two Common Swift and 20 or so House Martin remain on the southern edge of the village.

Sunday 04 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 35C

Getting very warm now, so migration watching is both sporadic and uncomfortable! Still, here's what was seen today:

12:00hrs: 40 Honey Buzzard - distant towards Algeciras
18:15hrs: 20 Honey Buzzard
18:40hrs: 30 Honey Buzzard
19:00hrs: 19 Honey Buzzard
19:30hrs: 2 Booted Eagle

Mid-morning there was a Blue Rock Thrush singing on the top of the old Convent and early evening a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk cruising around the same area.

Friday 02 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light -fresh SE wind, 30C

A visit today to the wonderful Caminito del Rey....see photos below. There wasn't much opportunity for birding, but there were plenty of Griffon Vulture, also Black-crowned Night Heron by the river and Rock Dove on the cliffs....

Black-crowned Night Heron

Rock Dove

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in Gaucin there were just 45 Honey Buzzard moving through at 18:00hrs. Tim B reported many Egyptian Vulture accumulating near Tarifa, also good numbers of Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Peregrine.