Birdwatch Gaucin

Saturday 13 September 2014, Gaucin, sunny, light W-NW wind, 30C

The westerly wind and hot days continue....

Yesterday there was a Garden Warbler in the Calle Convento/Calle del Pino gardens at 0900hrs and a single Common Swift over Calle Convento at 2030hrs.

Tim Birkhead reported a Pallid Swift over Gaucin bridge both am and late pm yesterday, also 3 dark morph Booted Eagle and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk in the Genal Valley. This morning he saw a Stonechat on the roof of the old convent and a Northern Wheatear on an adjacent aerial, also a single Black Stork at Estación de Gaucin.

Immature Praying Mantis Empusa pennata - thanks to Tim Birkhead

Tonight's lovely purple sunset

Snake drama!

Thanks to Tim Birkhead for sharing these photos of what looks like a Viperine Snake Natrix maura catching its lunch....

Thursday 11 September 2014, Gaucin, sunny, light W-NW wind, 30C

A visit to the west slope of El Hacho from 0900-1000hrs proved rather quiet but two birds that did show were a female/1st winter Whinchat and a female/1st winter Ortolan Bunting - not bad! Also seen were Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Common Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Sardinian Warbler, Chiffchaff sp., and Cirl Bunting.

Tim Birkhead reported 6 Honey Buzzard and several European Bee-eater over the village during the morning.

Wednesday 10 September 2014, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light S-SE wind am, light W-NW wind pm, 31C

The change in wind direction this morning from the prevailing westerlies lasted all of a few hours. Raptor passage is currently VERY high and mostly not visible with the naked eye, so just a few observations to note:

1700-1800hrs: a steady trickle of Honey Buzzard and a few Booted Eagle
1800hrs: 1 adult Egyptian Vulture
1830hrs: 32 Honey Buzzard, 1 Black Kite

Tim Birkhead reported a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk perched on the roof of the Convento building which was harrassed by Starlings for about 15min before flying off; also 2 Swift sp., and 2 Alpine Swift over the village. Tim was down at the Cazalla raptor watchpoint near Tarifa where it was rather quiet but he saw Northern Goshawk, Egyptian Vulture and several Montagu's Harrier, Black Kite and Booted Eagle. Returning via san Pablo de Buciete he saw 20 Alpine Swift feeding with 100+ European Bee-eater.

Article on Wildlife Crime in Spain

Click on the link for an article on wildlife crime in Spain written for Birders Against Wildlife Crime:

http://birdersagainst.org/guest-blog-wildlife-crime-in-spain/

Tuesday 09 September 2014, Gaucin, sunny, light W wind, 30C

Watching the skies from 1700-1800hrs I logged the following:

1700hrs: 7 Honey Buzzard
1720hrs: 2 pale morph Booted Eagle, 23 European Bee-eater
1730hrs: 5 Egyptian Vulture (3/4 ad, 1/2 juv), 32 Honey Buzzard
1740hrs: 1 ad Egyptian Vulture, 17 Honey Buzzard, 5 Black Kite
1745hrs: 5 Honey Buzzard, 1 Black Kite, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 32 European Bee-eater

Monday 08 September 2014, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light-fresh W-NW wind, 29C

Continuing westerly winds and poor weather further north means raptor passage remains quite quiet. This morning there were two Blue Rock Thrush around the castle, one singing occasionally. Over Camino de Avedin at 1600hrs there was a Peregrine, 2 local Short-toed Eagle and a pale morph Booted Eagle and moving through:
1625hrs: 7 Honey Buzzard and 1 Black Kite
1720hrs: 29 raptors, very high, but from what I could make out, mostly Honey Buzzard with a couple of Black Kite

Tim Birkhead reported 100+ Alpine Swift at 2000hrs today, hawking newly-hatched flying ants also a flock of 50+ European Bee-eater. I wrote off the Calle Convento Swifts too soon as there was a single Common Swift around at 2030hrs this evening.

There are quite a few butterflies around, especially Wall Brown (what a dull name for a great-looking butterfly), including this rather scruffy individual with part of its hind wing missing!