Wednesday 14 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light-fresh NW wind, 23C

There was a female Pied Flycatcher near the Salto de Cura around La Umbria early this morning.

A short walk down to the water treatment works below Gaucin at 17:30hrs produced some nice sightings with at least 3 Pied Flycatcher and 2 Spotted Flycatcher, plus Willow Warbler and Iberian and Common Chiffchaff.

Spotted Flycatcher

Booted Eagle - very close to the houses!

Booted Eagle

Pied Flycatcher

There are some lovely sunsets at the moment.....

Tuesday 13 September 2016, Gaucin, mostly cloudy, light rain pm, light W-SW wind, 20C

An 08:00hrs visit to the cork/chestnut woods at Salto de Cura was rather quiet; fortunately, the thick mist of yesterday evening had dissipated but it remained cool and there was only 60+ European Bee-eater high up, half-a-dozen passing Honey Buzzard and a couple of Long-tailed Tit of note.

Next was the Las Pilas track (the old Ronda road) above Algatocin and, despite it also being quiet, we did log some good species including:
Montagu's Harrier, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 70+ Alpine Swift, Blue Rock Thrush, Spotless Starling, Stonechat, Black Redstart, Melodious Warbler, Common Whitethroat and Serin.

A light breeze brought a chill to the air at Encinas Borrachas and T-shirts were barely sufficient - the temperature having dropped by 12C since the same time yesterday! Some nice species were seen though, which made up for the discomfort:
20+ Griffon Vulture, female Marsh Harrier, 10+ Honey Buzzard, superb views of Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Peregrine, Southern Grey Shrike, Thekla Lark, Tawny Pipit, female/1st summer Whinchat and several passing Barn Swallow; Bonelli's Warbler was heard. Interestingly, there was no sign of Northern or Black-eared Wheatear, nor Subalpine, Spectacled or Dartford Warbler all of which had been seen here just a week ago.

By early afternoon the clouds had rolled in we had the first rain of the autumn - a total of 5mm.

The Casares wind turbines shrouded in cloud after the rain

Sunday 11 September 2016, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light SE wind, 31C

A short morning walk around the northern section of La Umbria (collecting pine cones for the coming winter fires!) produced Firecrest, Eurasian Nuthatch and Crested Tit; Short-toed Treecreeper and Pied Flycatcher were heard. During the afternoon there was a trickle of raptor migration with 2 Honey Buzzard and 1 Booted Eagle at 16:00hrs and 5+ singles of Honey Buzzard and Booted Eagle through between 17:00-18:00hrs.

Saturday 10 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light W-NW wind, 33C

Despite a change in wind direction, the warm, sunny weather continues. Locally there's been little to report with no raptor migration to speak of. The vocal pair of Booted Eagle (plus a third - juvenile?) are still around above the south of the village as is the first year Blue Rock Thrush which is now singing regularly from roofs in Calle Convento, also at least one Common Swift and 25+ House Martin remain in the area.
Whilst in Ronda (where it was a steamy 36C) to escape the noise of Gaucin's Santo Niño festival (two nights of 'music' until 07:30hrs is just too much!) there were still 20+ Alpine Swift noisily careering around the Tajo as well as 20+ Red-billed Chough; a female Tawny Owl was calling late evening.

Blue Rock Thrush - it may be in silhouette but there's no mistaking that bill!

 

Monday 05 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 38C

Officially the hottest day of the year (so far!) and another afternoon of mostly Honey Buzzard movement with limited observations as follows:

16:15 -16:30hrs:: groups of 10 and 15 Honey Buzzard
18:00h -18:30hrs: groups of 2, 56 and 12 Honey Buzzard, 1 Booted Eagle
19:00hrs: groups of 8 and 11 Honey Buzzard low over the eastern edge of the village

Throughout the day, two local Booted Eagle (both dark morph birds) were very active and vocal over the Calle del Pino/Calle Convento area. At least two Common Swift and 20 or so House Martin remain on the southern edge of the village.

Sunday 04 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 35C

Getting very warm now, so migration watching is both sporadic and uncomfortable! Still, here's what was seen today:

12:00hrs: 40 Honey Buzzard - distant towards Algeciras
18:15hrs: 20 Honey Buzzard
18:40hrs: 30 Honey Buzzard
19:00hrs: 19 Honey Buzzard
19:30hrs: 2 Booted Eagle

Mid-morning there was a Blue Rock Thrush singing on the top of the old Convent and early evening a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk cruising around the same area.

Friday 02 September 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light -fresh SE wind, 30C

A visit today to the wonderful Caminito del Rey....see photos below. There wasn't much opportunity for birding, but there were plenty of Griffon Vulture, also Black-crowned Night Heron by the river and Rock Dove on the cliffs....

Black-crowned Night Heron

Rock Dove

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in Gaucin there were just 45 Honey Buzzard moving through at 18:00hrs. Tim B reported many Egyptian Vulture accumulating near Tarifa, also good numbers of Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Peregrine.