Great to hear that the Sierra Crestellina Bonelli's Eagles have a chick - clearly I wrote them off too soon!
This morning there was some early Honey Buzzard movement with singles passing through at 0750hrs and 0900hrs then a group of 9 at 1000hrs. Along the Camino de Avedin from 0830-0900hrs I saw Booted Eagle, Eurasian Jay, a single European Bee-eater mixed in with a flock of Common and Pallid Swift, Eurasian Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tit, Sardinian Warbler and 2 Garden Warbler.
Sunday 25 May 2014 - SIERRA CRESTELLINA
EXTRACT FROM WINGSPAN BIRD TOURS BLOG OF TODAY
"From Malaga we drove 70km along the coast towards Gibraltar, at Manilva we turned off and headed inland towards Gaucin which is nestled nicely in the coastal mountains. We stopped at Sierra Crestellina to look at vultures which turned out in good numbers to greet us. Griffon Vultures have a healthy colony of about 20-30 pairs on this huge mountain and a pair of Bonelli's Eagles also breed there. After a few minutes we located two of the eagles and one dropped down onto the nest and fed the single chick which sat up nicely for us after the adult had gone. This was the first sighting of the chick this year after fears that the eagles hadn't bred."
"From Malaga we drove 70km along the coast towards Gibraltar, at Manilva we turned off and headed inland towards Gaucin which is nestled nicely in the coastal mountains. We stopped at Sierra Crestellina to look at vultures which turned out in good numbers to greet us. Griffon Vultures have a healthy colony of about 20-30 pairs on this huge mountain and a pair of Bonelli's Eagles also breed there. After a few minutes we located two of the eagles and one dropped down onto the nest and fed the single chick which sat up nicely for us after the adult had gone. This was the first sighting of the chick this year after fears that the eagles hadn't bred."
Friday 23 May 2014, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light-fresh W-NW wind, 18C
Driving back from Ronda at 1700hrs there were both Black Wheatear and Rock Sparrow on the roadside wall just past the Encinas Borrachas pass. Whilst scoping Sierra Crestellina from our terrace at 1930hrs I picked up 20+ Griffon Vulture, 8 Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle and a White Stork.
Thursday 22 May 2014, Gaucin, mostly cloudy am, sunny pm, light W-NW wind, 19C
Not much to report, with no Honey Buzzards seen since those that passed through on Monday; presumably they had all been held up in Morocco and came over as soon as the wind was favourable. Yesterday saw the first significant rainfall since 21 April with 10mm recorded.
A morning walk around La Umbria produced few sightings but I did hear Common Cuckoo, Iberian Chiffchaff, at least 3 Bonelli's Warbler, and Crested Tit.
I meant to post this photo last week; it's a Red-striped Oil Beetle, several of which were seen whilst walking near Castellar de la Frontera.
A morning walk around La Umbria produced few sightings but I did hear Common Cuckoo, Iberian Chiffchaff, at least 3 Bonelli's Warbler, and Crested Tit.
I meant to post this photo last week; it's a Red-striped Oil Beetle, several of which were seen whilst walking near Castellar de la Frontera.
Monday 19 May 2014, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light SE/W-SW wind, 22C
The cooler weather of the weekend continued today (on Saturday there was even 1mm of rain!) and the wind direction finally swung from easterlies to westerlies bringing with it a subsequent increase in Honey Buzzard passage. Today's sightings as follows:
0915hrs: 1 Black Kite
1145hrs: 9 Honey Buzzard
1430hrs: 16 Honey Buzzard, 2 Black Kite
1500hrs: 20 Honey Buzzard
1600hrs: 10 Honey Buzzard
1620hrs: 7 Honey Buzzard and a 'local' Peregrine
1645hrs: 10 Honey Buzzard
2030hrs: 3 Honey Buzzard - not sure which thermals they were riding at this time of the evening!
Most of the Honey Buzzard were pretty high up and barely visible to the naked eye. During the afternoon there were at least a couple of Booted Eagle and a Short-toed Eagle around, plus small groups of Griffon Vulture drifting about.
0915hrs: 1 Black Kite
1145hrs: 9 Honey Buzzard
1430hrs: 16 Honey Buzzard, 2 Black Kite
1500hrs: 20 Honey Buzzard
1600hrs: 10 Honey Buzzard
1620hrs: 7 Honey Buzzard and a 'local' Peregrine
1645hrs: 10 Honey Buzzard
2030hrs: 3 Honey Buzzard - not sure which thermals they were riding at this time of the evening!
Most of the Honey Buzzard were pretty high up and barely visible to the naked eye. During the afternoon there were at least a couple of Booted Eagle and a Short-toed Eagle around, plus small groups of Griffon Vulture drifting about.
Friday 16 May 2014, Gaucin, mostly sunny, fresh-strong SE wind, 22C
I took advantage of a mid-morning trip to the coast to drop in at the gorge at Canuto de Utrera near Manilva/Casares. Unfortunately, the wind was gusting strongly, particularly where it was channelled by the gorge but I did see Griffon Vulture, Short-toed eagle, Booted Eagle, 12 Honey Buzzard (10 kettling west of the gorge and 2 directly above it), Common Buzzard and 2 Black Kite that didn't appear to be migrating; also, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, Common Swift, Woodchat Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush, Sardinian Warbler and Serin.
On the drive back to Gaucin I checked out the Bonelli's Eagle nest and there was an adult on it eating its prey; it didn't seem to be incubating eggs.
On the drive back to Gaucin I checked out the Bonelli's Eagle nest and there was an adult on it eating its prey; it didn't seem to be incubating eggs.
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| Canuto de Utrera |
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| View NE towards Sierra Bermeja |
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| male Serin |
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| Sierra Crestellina - site of the Bonelli's Eagle nest |
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| Bonelli's Eagle nest - adult just visible! |
Thursday 15 May 2014, Gaucin, sunny, light-fresh E-SE wind, 24C
Despite the fresh easterly wind there were 12 Honey Buzzard over the centre of the village at 1200hrs. A walk along the Camino de Gibraltar from 1630-1730hrs produced Griffon Vulture, 2 Short-toed Eagle, Common Kestrel, Stonechat, Short-toed Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Sardinian Warbler, 2 singing Bonelli's Warbler and Cirl Bunting.
I had a report of a Eurasian Hobby, seen two or three times recently during the morning just east of El Hacho, visible from the Gasolina Bar.
I had a report of a Eurasian Hobby, seen two or three times recently during the morning just east of El Hacho, visible from the Gasolina Bar.
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| Camino de Gibraltar |
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| Cork Oaks Quercus suber |
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