Wednesday 08 May, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light W-SW wind, 29C: A few more Honey Buzzard moving North today with several groups of 4-8 individuals catching the thermals over the village. Most seemed to be following the river Genal then swinging NW as they reached Gaucin.

Tuesday 07 May, Gaucin, mostly sunny, calm ait-light S-SE wind, 26C: A lovely warm Spring day. There have been a few small groups of Black Kite heading North in the last couple of days - it's getting quite late for them, now. Also a few singles and twos of Honey Buzzard but no big groups so far. The garden Common Nightingale is back on form and singing throughout the night.

Sunday 05 May, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light NE wind, 20C: After Friday's climb of Sierra Crestellina was thwarted by a combination of time and rain Janys and I made another visit this morning. The views were pretty good, though it was a little hazy, and we picked up some good bird sightings, too; flowers included the lovely Spotted Rock Rose Tuberaria guttata and the impressive Elaeoselinum asclepium. We climbed to the northernmost peak, the Cerro de Las Chapas at 926m. Best of the birds were great close-up views of Griffon Vulture, an adult Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Red-billed Chough, Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Black-eared Wheatear (two females right at the very top of the peak) and Dartford Warbler.

View along the Genal valley

View from the summit of Cerro de las Chapas towards Gaucin

Spotted Rock Rose Tuberaria guttata

Elaeoselinum asclepium

Saturday 04 May, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light E-NE wind, 16C: A late afternoon walk with Janys to check out another section of the canal at Castellar. As well as some superb flowers in the fields, see photo, we logged Griffon Vultute, a pair of Black Kite (most likely breeding rather than migrating), Booted Eagle, White Stork, Woodchat Shrike, European Bee-eater, Firecrest (heard), Zitting Cisticola, Common Nightingale (several heard), Sardinian Warbler and Corn Bunting. Earlier in the afternoon there was some light passage of Honey Buzzard along the Genal valley in front of Sierra Crestellina with three or four small groups of 1-3 birds moving through.

Friday 03 May, Gaucin, cloudy with light rain am, partly cloudy pm, light E-SE wind, 15C: A morning walk from Casares below the two peaks of Sierra Crestellina produced few birds due to the unexpected low cloud and rain - just a pair of calling Peregrines to report and quite a few Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera. Whilst driving down to the coast at 1600hrs a Goshawk flew over the road as it headed down to the Genal valley oppposite the north end of Sierra Crestellina. Swift numbers in the village have increased significantly this week and the Barn Swallows are once again nesting in the entrance to the post office.

Thursday 02 May, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light E-SE wind, 16C: A walk to La Punta Umbria from 0930-1130hrs produced Griffon Vulture, 2 Common Cuckoo calling (1 seen), Eurasian Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (heard), Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, 2 Eurasian Wren singing, Sardinian Warbler, 3 Bonelli's Warbler (including one of a pair carrying nest-building material) and a female Cirl Bunting also carrying nesting material. The most notable thing was that were still no Common nor Iberian Chiffchaffs singing and just a brief burst from one of the Bonelli's Warblers; also, another day with no Honey Buzzard movement.

Wednesday 01 May, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light S-SE wind, 16C: Janys and I had a great mid-morning exploratory walk along the disused Castellar-San Roque canal and some of the surrounding Almoraima estate. Bird-wise we saw Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel (including at least 6 at the colony at bridge near the turn-off of the Gaucin-Algeciras road to San Martin de Tesorillo), White Stork (many nesting alongside the main road at Estacion San Roque), European Bee-eater, Eurasian Jay, Common Swift, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Woodchat Shrike, Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Bonelli's Warbler and Corn Bunting; Common Cuckoo, Common Nightingale, Orphean Warbler and Cetti's Warbler were heard. A Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera was the prize flower on display, see photos. Also seen were two Roe Deer and two Egyptian Mongoose. The whole area looks pretty good for birding, especially the mixed woodland/heathland to the south and I hope to go back for another visit soon.