Sunday 21 April, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light W-SW wind, 19C: A mid-morning walk along a section of the Pescaderos track below Sierra Maravillas above El Colmenar produced Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Common Kestrel, Raven, Eurasian Jay, Woodchat Shrike, Thekla Lark, Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler, Bonelli's Warbler and Serin. From about 1230hrs there was a reasonable passage of Black Kite with at least three groups of 28, 40 and 18 moving through to the north of Sierra del Hacho. Also seen was an Egyptian Mongoose, a couple of Spanish Festoon butterflies, and some interesting flora such as Dwarf Convolvulus Convolvulus tricolor, Plough-Share Serapias orchid Serapias vomeracea and Cytinus hypocistis, a parasite of the Rock Rose family Cistaceae, of which, the Narrow-leaved Cistus was in full bloom covering many of the rocky slopes.

Narrow-leaved Cistus Cistus monspeliensis

Dwarf Convolvulus Convolvulus tricolor

Plough-Share Serapias

Cytinus hypocistis

This afternoon I took a look along the Casares-Secadero track (the river was a waste of time as it was one big picnic area!) and saw the following of note: Griffon Vulture, Short-toed eagle, Booted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, European Bee-eater, Woodchat Shrike, female Northern Wheatear, Crested Lark and Melodious Warbler. Well worth it just for the lovely views back to Gaucin.....