Birdwatch Gaucin

Saturday 29 November 2014, Gaucin, cloudy, rain showers, light NW wind, 12C

Heavy rain and electrical storms on Thursday and Friday with over 100mm rain falling. Today was more showery with just 11mm of rain. During a dry spell there were 3 Blackcap, 2 Black Redstart and a Common Chiffchaff in the Calle Convento/Calle del Pino gardens; the Chiffchaff even broke into song!

Casares wind turbines emerging from the clouds - taken from Gaucin

Wednesday 26 November 2014, Gaucin, partly cloudy, rain late pm, light W-SW wind, 17C

A look at the west slope of El Hacho from 0900-1030 was pretty uneventful, not even a single Griffon Vulture, but good to see the Southern Grey Shrike hanging in there. Also, 10+ Black Redstart, 2 Rock Bunting and Cirl Bunting.

9mm rain fell between 2000-2200hrs.

Rock Bunting - as often seen, in a tree!

Tuesday 25 November 2014, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light W-NW wind, 18C

Highlights of a walk along the Camino de Gibraltar from 0900-1030 were:
20 Griffon Vulture, male and fem Common Kestrel, 5 Meadow Pipit, 6+ Black Redstart, Stonechat, Song Thrush, Short-toed Treecreeper, Firecrest, Sardinian Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, 2 fem/imm Common Crossbill and 1 Hawfinch.

11mm of rain fell during Monday 24 November.

Misty cloud over Sierra del Hacho

Sunday 23 November 2014, Gaucin, mostly cloudy, light rain pm, light SE wind, 21C

After a couple of dry, warm days with fresh easterly winds, today was very warm, 21C; though, as I write this, the rain has arrived and it feels a lot cooler!

On Friday there was a Dartford Warbler in the scrub below the track that follows on from Camino de Avedin and a Common Raven over the camino.

This morning from 0930-1200hrs I checked out the track that runs from opposite Algatocin school up to 'Las Pilas'. Despite the presence of a couple of hunters I managed quite a good list:
20+ Griffon Vulture, adult Bonelli's Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, male Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Blue Rock Thrush, 2 Black Wheatear, 3 Song Thrush, Blackbird, 20+ Spotless Starling (one imitating a Golden Oriole), 45+ Crag Martin, Black Redstart, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Thekla Lark, 6 (presumed from those that called) Common Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, male Dartford Warbler, Blue Tit, Serin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Linnet, House Sparrow and Cirl Bunting; Red-legged Partridge and 2 Woodlark were heard.

Los Castaños (chestnut trees) looking great despite the gloom!

There's a Bonelli's Eagle in this foto!

Bonelli's Eagle

Griffon Vulture

Thursday 20 November 2014, Gaucin, mostly cloudy, light-fresh E wind, 17C

Highlight of a visit to the west slope of El Hacho from 0910-1030hrs was the reappearance of the Southern Grey Shrike; also seen were 10+ Griffon Vulture, Red-legged Partridge, Blue Rock Thrush, 3 Song Thrush, 10+ Black Redstart, 6 Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff sp., Sardinian Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 25+ Goldfinch, 3 Corn Bunting and 2 Cirl Bunting.

first winter male Blue Rock Thrush

Monday 17 November 2014, Gaucin, sunny, light NW wind, 19C

A cold start to the day, just 6C, but warming up quickly in the pleasant winter sunshine. A visit to the Rio Genal below Gaucin, from 0900-1030hrs, was pretty uneventful with just the usual suspects seen: 45+ Griffon Vulture above Sierra Espartina, Grey Heron, Green Sandpiper, White Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, 20+ Spotless Starling, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Black Redstart, Sardinian Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff sp., (those heard calling were Common Chiffchaff), 5+ Blackcap, 10+ Greenfinch, 20+ Goldfinch, Chaffinch and 5 Hawfinch; Great-spotted Woodpecker and Cetti's Warbler were heard.

male Black Redstart

Large Tortoiseshell

Sunday 16 November 2014, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light NW wind, 16C

Saturday and Sunday were dry after light rain on Thursday with heavy overnight rain into Friday (49mm). A new species for the 'garden' list when a Meadow Pipit stopped for a rest on our terrace railings; also in the gardens, several Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Black Redstart and a Blue Rock Thrush. Whilst driving between Atajate and Ronda yesterday morning there were 2 Black Wheatear on the roadside wall; on the return journey in the afternoon I stopped for a quick scan of the meadow and rock face at Encinas Borrachas and saw Southern Grey Shrike and no fewer than 5 Black Wheatear. This morning at Jimena de la Frontera there were 20+ Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and 10+ Crag Martin around the castle. Back in Gaucin this afternoon there were several Griffon Vulture, a Grey Heron, juvenile Peregrine, Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit and a couple of Common Chiffchaff along the track opposite Venta Socorro.