A visit to the 'Rio' Genal (now totally dry in the area I watch) from 09:15-10:30hrs was oddly calm with a murky covering of hazy cloud, a stark contrast to the action to come! Species seen included: Booted Eagle, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron (stirred up by a truck driving along the dry riverbed), Little-ringed Plover, several flocks of 10-20, and one of 75, Wood Pigeon heading northwards, a single Turtle Dove, 10+ European Bee-eater, at least 6 Golden Oriole (inc. 2 males), Great-spotted Woodpecker, juvenile Woodchat Shrike, Red-rumped Swallow, Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and Cirl Bunting. On the way back up to the village 3 pale morph Booted Eagle flew southwards but they looked too low and not focussed enough to be migrating.
It all kicked off in the village from 16:00hrs. After a slow start with 50+ Common/Pallid Swift then 5 Black Kite (first returning birds of the Autumn), the Black Kite numbers heading NE-SW built up to an impressive total, with more than 3600 individuals over a 2.5hour period. The numbers are an underestimate as I wasn't watching continually over the whole period and keeping track of wave after wave of birds was not easy!
Numbers as follows:
16:30-16:45hrs: 400+
16:45-1715hrs: 2200+
18:00-18:10hrs: 400+
18:20-18:45hrs: 450+ also 1 adult Egyptian Vulture
18:45-19:00hrs: 150+
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