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| Gaucin castle from Los Monteros |
Monday 28 September 2015, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light SE wind, 26C
One interesting sighting from Tim today, a Common Quail on the west slope of El Hacho early this morning. Coincidently, late afternoon Tim and I were both birding along the Los Monteros track that runs behind the petrol station in Gaucin and we both saw very little; other than the usual Great Tit, Blue Tit, European Robin, Blackbird and a few Chaffinch there was just a Eurasian Nuthatch and a Common Crossbill (heard) for me and a Spotted Flycatcher for Tim.
Saturday 26 September 2015, Gaucin, partly cloudy, light SE wind, 26C
No real birding today, but during a morning walk around the base of El Hacho mountain a nice surprise was the sighting of a Southern Grey Shrike - presumably one of the two (pair?) that overwintered last year. Also seen were Griffon Vulture (great views as they flew up from their overnight roost in the trees), Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Short-toed Eagle, Stonechat, Common Crossbill (in a pine tree behind the Guardia Civil building) and Cirl Bunting. Fauna included a couple of Spanish Ibex and a European Hare.
Back in the village during the afternoon there was a small volume of migration with 8 Black Stork, several single Short-toed and Booted Eagle moving through as well as a handful of Barn Swallow; high up were a dozen or so Common/Pallid Swift and the local pair of Booted Eagle (one dark morph, one pale morph) were displaying happily, as usual.
Tim's sightings:
Very quiet today bird-wise - one female Common Redstart at Jimena and a few Phylloscs from Gaucin bridge.
Back in the village during the afternoon there was a small volume of migration with 8 Black Stork, several single Short-toed and Booted Eagle moving through as well as a handful of Barn Swallow; high up were a dozen or so Common/Pallid Swift and the local pair of Booted Eagle (one dark morph, one pale morph) were displaying happily, as usual.
Tim's sightings:
Very quiet today bird-wise - one female Common Redstart at Jimena and a few Phylloscs from Gaucin bridge.
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| Common Crossbill - by Tim |
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| juv Blue Rock Thrush - by Tim |
Wednesday 23 September 2015, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light W wind, 32C
Another very warm day so Tim and I made an early start as we headed to Montejaque and the Llanos de Libar to catch up with some mountain-dwelling species. En-route we spotted an unfortunate Rock Marten that had presumably been killed in a road collision - pretty unlucky on a road as quiet as the Benaojan-Montejaque 'highway'.
Soon after parking the car we saw a confiding family party of Spanish Ibex - lovely to see these beautiful animals so close. A female Black Redstart and was closely followed by several Black Wheatear and a couple of fly-by Alpine Swift. As we walked up the track further into the mountains we logged many Blue Rock Thrush, plus Rock Bunting, Thekla/Crested Lark, Rock Sparrow, more Black Wheatear, female Common Redstart, several more Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit, Blackcap and a flock of 50+ Goldfinch; a Wryneck was heard calling several times but wasn't seen. Raptors were in short supply with just a few Griffon Vulture gliding around.
Soon after parking the car we saw a confiding family party of Spanish Ibex - lovely to see these beautiful animals so close. A female Black Redstart and was closely followed by several Black Wheatear and a couple of fly-by Alpine Swift. As we walked up the track further into the mountains we logged many Blue Rock Thrush, plus Rock Bunting, Thekla/Crested Lark, Rock Sparrow, more Black Wheatear, female Common Redstart, several more Black Redstart, Meadow Pipit, Blackcap and a flock of 50+ Goldfinch; a Wryneck was heard calling several times but wasn't seen. Raptors were in short supply with just a few Griffon Vulture gliding around.
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| Sunrise above El Castillo del Aguila - Gaucin |
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| Adult and juvenile Spanish Ibex |
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| Spanish Ibex |
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| Spanish Ibex |
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| Mountains above Montejaque |
Tuesday 22 September 2015, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light NW wind, 31C
This morning Moira, Charlie and I walked the tracks and paths just to the north of Gaucin, through mixed cork and pine woods. before we met up I heard a Common Crossbill calling as it flew around overhead but couldn't locate it. A female Stonechat, 3 Sardinian Warbler, a pair of Collared Dove and a Eurasian Jay started our sightings as we passed by the open fields behind the petrol station. Further along the track we glimpsed a couple of Bonelli's Warbler, a female/1st summer Pied Flycatcher and a female Common Redstart. Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Garden Warbler and Blackcap were all logged before we caught up with a couple of specialities of the woods, Crested Tit and Firecrest. As it began to warm up 20+ Griffon Vulture took to the air, along with a Short-toed Eagle, a pair of Common Buzzard and a few House Martin and Common/Pallid Swift. On the final section of the walk a party of 5 Long-tailed Tit and a wonderful male Common Redstart popped up to top off a great morning's birding.
Name that bird.....juvenile Northern Goshawk.....or Short-toed Eagle? A Goshawk was heard calling shortly after it, inconveniently, slunk off through the trees but I favour Short-toed Eagle.
Name that bird.....juvenile Northern Goshawk.....or Short-toed Eagle? A Goshawk was heard calling shortly after it, inconveniently, slunk off through the trees but I favour Short-toed Eagle.
Monday 21 September 2015, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light SE wind, 29C
Yesterday morning saw one of my biggest local counts of Griffon Vulture, with 150+ above the hills to the north of the Rio Guadiaro near Estación de Gaucín.
Today saw the start of a mini-early autumn heatwave as Michael, Mike, Kate and I headed up towards Ronda to do some birding at Encinas Borrachas.
A quick stop at the cork oak forest just outside Gaucin wasn't very productive with Eurasian Nuthatch and Sardinian Warbler the highlights! Another stop below the limestone cliffs above Algatocin produced the first Griffon Vulture of the day, a couple of distant Blue Rock Thrush and a few assorted common passerines. Once at Encinas Borrachas things began to look up as we immediately located Southern Grey Shrike, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear and a male Black-eared Wheatear - what a start! Here we also saw Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle (a 2yr bird that was a target species for our visit!), Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 25+ Red-billed Chough, Red-legged Partridge, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Thekla Lark, Woodlark, House Martin, Barn Swallow and Sardinian Warbler. Flying over at great height was a group of 11 heron sp. that, despite only seeing them in distant silhouette, were most probably Purple Heron. We also heard Red Deer bellowing out their rutting calls but they remained steadfastly well-camouflaged amongst the rocks and trees.
It was now rather warm so we had a nice lunch and then a stop on the way home at the Mirador de Africa opposite the turning to Benarraba on the Ronda road. From this wonderful vantage point we saw Griffon Vulture, Common, Pallid and Alpine Swift plus Stonechat and a rather shy male Dartford Warbler. There was also a couple of lovely Common Swallowtail butterflies.
What a great day's birding!
Tim's sightings today:
6 crossbills here this morning. Two kingfishers on the river at Estacion de Gaucin, and one Alpine Swift over the village this evening.
And a male common redstart under El Hacho by the road as we drove back.
An obliging Short-toed Eagle by the river, see photos.
Today saw the start of a mini-early autumn heatwave as Michael, Mike, Kate and I headed up towards Ronda to do some birding at Encinas Borrachas.
A quick stop at the cork oak forest just outside Gaucin wasn't very productive with Eurasian Nuthatch and Sardinian Warbler the highlights! Another stop below the limestone cliffs above Algatocin produced the first Griffon Vulture of the day, a couple of distant Blue Rock Thrush and a few assorted common passerines. Once at Encinas Borrachas things began to look up as we immediately located Southern Grey Shrike, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear and a male Black-eared Wheatear - what a start! Here we also saw Griffon Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle (a 2yr bird that was a target species for our visit!), Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 25+ Red-billed Chough, Red-legged Partridge, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Thekla Lark, Woodlark, House Martin, Barn Swallow and Sardinian Warbler. Flying over at great height was a group of 11 heron sp. that, despite only seeing them in distant silhouette, were most probably Purple Heron. We also heard Red Deer bellowing out their rutting calls but they remained steadfastly well-camouflaged amongst the rocks and trees.
It was now rather warm so we had a nice lunch and then a stop on the way home at the Mirador de Africa opposite the turning to Benarraba on the Ronda road. From this wonderful vantage point we saw Griffon Vulture, Common, Pallid and Alpine Swift plus Stonechat and a rather shy male Dartford Warbler. There was also a couple of lovely Common Swallowtail butterflies.
What a great day's birding!
Tim's sightings today:
6 crossbills here this morning. Two kingfishers on the river at Estacion de Gaucin, and one Alpine Swift over the village this evening.
And a male common redstart under El Hacho by the road as we drove back.
An obliging Short-toed Eagle by the river, see photos.
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| Autumn Crocus near Estación de Gaucín yesterday |
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| Lovely Cork Oak near Estación de Gaucín yesterday |
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| Whinchat |
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| Northern Wheatear |
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| Northern Wheatear |
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| Short-toed Eagle - by Tim |
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| Short-toed Eagle - by Tim |
Sunday 20 September 2015, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light SE wind, 26C
An hour or so scanning from our terrace from 18:00hrs:
6 Black Kite
5 Booted Eagle
4 Short-toed Eagle
A local Peregrine
Tim's observations from today:
This afternoon in the pine woods behind Jimena, a nice mixed flock of long-tailed tits, crested tits, blue tits, great tits, two short-toed tree creepers and two firecrests; also a group of 12 booted eagles and one short-toed eagle there. There were three noisy booted eagles over the village around 1500h.
Tim's observations from Friday 18 September:
100+ house martins over the village first thing, and one Pallid Swift.
Four common crossbill in the pines, including a fine red male.
Two sparrowhawks seen from Paco Pepes.
Along the El Peso track behind El Hacho: four blackcaps, lots of (singing) cirl buntings, two spotted flycatchers.
6 Black Kite
5 Booted Eagle
4 Short-toed Eagle
A local Peregrine
Tim's observations from today:
This afternoon in the pine woods behind Jimena, a nice mixed flock of long-tailed tits, crested tits, blue tits, great tits, two short-toed tree creepers and two firecrests; also a group of 12 booted eagles and one short-toed eagle there. There were three noisy booted eagles over the village around 1500h.
Tim's observations from Friday 18 September:
100+ house martins over the village first thing, and one Pallid Swift.
Four common crossbill in the pines, including a fine red male.
Two sparrowhawks seen from Paco Pepes.
Along the El Peso track behind El Hacho: four blackcaps, lots of (singing) cirl buntings, two spotted flycatchers.
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| Spotted Flycatcher - by Tim |
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| adult male Common Crossbill - by Tim |
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| first summer male Common Crossbill (seen Friday in Cerro de la Joven) |
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| A few clouds cascading over Sierra Crestellina on Friday afternoon |
Thursday 17 September 2015, Gaucin, mostly sunny, light W-NW wind, 24C
After the cool conditions of Wednesday, and 5mm of overnight rain (the first autumn rains falling on the same day as in 2014), today was back to feeling quite warm. Wandering along the footpaths to the north of the village during the morning threw up some interesting sightings including:
Griffon Vulture, at least 3 Booted Eagle (2 displaying for 30min), Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (heard), Stonechat, female Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Crested Tit (heard), Common Chiffchaff, Bonelli's Warbler and Common Crossbill (usual tree alongside bar El Hacho).
Today's sightings from Tim:
Three Black Wheatear at El Hacho this morning (two males displaying nicely together) and a browner female, and one photogenic, recently moulted Sardinian Warbler there too.
50+ Griffon Vultures north of Gaucin (from El Puente) this morning and one Common Kingfisher at Estacion de Gaucin this afternoon.
Griffon Vulture, at least 3 Booted Eagle (2 displaying for 30min), Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (heard), Stonechat, female Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Firecrest, Short-toed Treecreeper, Crested Tit (heard), Common Chiffchaff, Bonelli's Warbler and Common Crossbill (usual tree alongside bar El Hacho).
Today's sightings from Tim:
Three Black Wheatear at El Hacho this morning (two males displaying nicely together) and a browner female, and one photogenic, recently moulted Sardinian Warbler there too.
50+ Griffon Vultures north of Gaucin (from El Puente) this morning and one Common Kingfisher at Estacion de Gaucin this afternoon.
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| Fennel in flower |
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| St John's Wort |
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| female Stonechat |
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| male Sardinian Warbler - by Tim |
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