An afternoon stroll in the vicinity of the hospital today produced the welcome sight of a Eurasian Hoopoe - one of those that choose to stay in Spain rather than make the long autumn journey south. Other things around were Yellow-legged Gull, Great Cormorant, Little Egret, Common Kestrel, Collared Dove, Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Black Redstart, White Wagtail, House Sparrow, Cetti's Warbler (heard), Sardinian Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Goldfinch and Serin.
Thursday 5th January - morning walk to the El Colmenar junction along the Algeciras road
It was another superb, clear and crisp January morning, an easterly breeze made it feel cold at first but it soon warmed up. Our house in Gaucin is over on the east side beneath the Castle so our proposed walk along the Algeciras road meant we has to walk the entire length of the village to start with.
We set out at 10am noting a single Black Redstart in our Street which incidentally has several orange trees bearing masses of fruit (inedible I might add) along one side.
Once out of the village the roadside verges of scrub and bushes hosted hordes of Blackcaps, I have never seen so many! Robins were quite plentiful too with White Wagtails, Cirl Bunting, Meadow Pipits, Song Thrushes and Sardinian Warblers appearing in much smaller numbers.
Nineteen Griffon Vultures circled over the summit of El Hacho, a male Common Kestrel sat on a power line and I got a brief but obscured view of an accipitor, it flew away from me behind a clump of eucalyptus trees, probably a female Sparrowhawk.
The bird of the morning appeared as we approached the El Colmenar turning when a light morph BOOTED EAGLE circled over to our left. This is a smashing winter sighting as 99% of this species migrate to Africa for the winter.
Another group of 7 Griffon Vultures drifted low over us as we were just about to walk back to the village. It was a lovely 2 hour stroll that finished back at the house where our very local Black Redstart sat on our roof.
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| Our street of oranges - Calle Canamaque |
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| the view back to the village from the Algeciras road |
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| the view down to the coast with Gibraltar and Morocco to the right of Gib |
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| Griffon Vultures |
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| an Owl seen on the roof near Paul and Janys's house - do you know which species it is? |
Another group of 7 Griffon Vultures drifted low over us as we were just about to walk back to the village. It was a lovely 2 hour stroll that finished back at the house where our very local Black Redstart sat on our roof.
Wednesday, January 4th 2017 - Rio Genal & Rio Guadiaro
Happy New Year to all Bird-watch Gaucin readers.
I have just returned to Gaucin for a short mid-winter break with my wife Dawn and will post my sightings whenever we got out.
We both wish Paul and Janys all the very best for 2017 and hope that Janys's recovery continues until she is fully fixed.
A perfect sunny day, no clouds and no wind greeted us (Dawn was with me) down at the river, we arrived a little late, it was 10am.
At the river we first scanned the open pastures finding 6 species in the first field! Black Redstarts were abundant, they were all over the field and fence-line. White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Goldfinch and Chaffinch were also there. In the bushes along the river a good number of Blackcaps were joined by I assume Common Chiffchaff, also Blue Tits, a Cetti's Warbler and a nice surprise was a Firecrest.
Further up river a Kingfisher flew across the track whilst Spotless Starlings called from the tree tops. Even more White Wagtails and Blackcaps filled the paddocks and bushes. Sardinian Warblers, Common Kestrel, Great Cormorant, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Greenfinch and Crag Martin made up the rest of our sightings.
A huge flock of Griffon Vultures circled above Sierra Crestellina, I counted 71 but I'm sure I missed a few.
During the walk back to the car we found two more Firecrests, they must have been territorial-rivals as both them were quite agitated with crests raised and feathers buffed up, it was quite amazing to watch.
Final birds added to the day list were Grey Wagtail, Corn Bunting and a Mistle Thrush.
I have just returned to Gaucin for a short mid-winter break with my wife Dawn and will post my sightings whenever we got out.
We both wish Paul and Janys all the very best for 2017 and hope that Janys's recovery continues until she is fully fixed.
Rio Genal - 10am - 12 noon January 4th
It was great to be back in the Spanish sunshine leaving a very cold Somerset yesterday! After some heavy winter rain the verdant Andalucia landscape and teamed with life. Blankets of flowering yellow Bermuda Buttercups were broken up by swathes of Paper-white Narcissi. |
| Black Redstart - male |
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| Black Redstart - female |
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| Chiffchaff - sp. most probably Common |
A huge flock of Griffon Vultures circled above Sierra Crestellina, I counted 71 but I'm sure I missed a few.
Rio Guadiaro 2pm - 5pm
We had lunch back home in Gaucin before driving down to the Rio Guadiaro at Cortes. The weather was even better it must been around 17C as we walked along the river. We had many more sightings of Black Redstarts, White Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Crag Martin and Goldfinch. A single Green Sandpiper, two Great Cormorants and good views of our second Cetti's Warbler was nice. |
| Firecrest |
Final birds added to the day list were Grey Wagtail, Corn Bunting and a Mistle Thrush.
Saturday 17 December 2016, Benalmádena, mostly cloudy, rain showers, light-fresh SE wind, 13C
I'm based on the Costa del Sol in Benalmádena whilst Janys is here receiving lengthy treatment following surgery to remove a brain abscess. Yesterday I spent a few minutes on Torrebermeja beach where I saw the following:
Yellow-legged Gull, Great Cormorant, Monk Parakeet, Crag Martin, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, a female/first winter Pied Flycatcher (I'm presuming it was a Pied; an unexpected find at this time of year, despite showing some traits of the more exciting Collared!) and several, presumably, Common Chiffchaff.
Yellow-legged Gull, Great Cormorant, Monk Parakeet, Crag Martin, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, a female/first winter Pied Flycatcher (I'm presuming it was a Pied; an unexpected find at this time of year, despite showing some traits of the more exciting Collared!) and several, presumably, Common Chiffchaff.
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| Black Redstart |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
Time out...
I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because my wife, Janys, is recovering from emergency brain surgery. Her recovery time is likely to be lengthy so for the foreseeable future posts will be less frequent than normal.....
Paul
Paul
Friday 18 November 2016, Gaucin, sunny, calm air-light NW wind, 19C
A morning walk along footpaths to the north side of the village produced a good selection of woodland species including:
Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Nuthatch, Meadow Pipit, 5+ Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Firecrest, Crested Tit, Hawfinch, Serin and Cirl Bunting.
Just as I arrived back in the village around mid-day there were 100+ Griffon Vulture climbing the thermals just to the south of Calle Convento; they then peeled off one-by-one and headed SW. Also 15+ Crag Martin close to the village below Calle del Pino.
An afternoon visit to the west slope of El Hacho was relatively uneventful though highlights were good views of Griffon Vulture, also Common Kestrel, Blue Rock Thrush, 25+ Crag Martin, 10+ Black Redstart, 5+ Stonechat, 5+ Song Thrush, 10+ Sardinian Warbler and Corn Bunting.
Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Nuthatch, Meadow Pipit, 5+ Song Thrush, Black Redstart, Firecrest, Crested Tit, Hawfinch, Serin and Cirl Bunting.
Just as I arrived back in the village around mid-day there were 100+ Griffon Vulture climbing the thermals just to the south of Calle Convento; they then peeled off one-by-one and headed SW. Also 15+ Crag Martin close to the village below Calle del Pino.
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| Sierra Bermeja, Gaucin castle and Sierra Crestellina |
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| female Stonechat |
Wednesday 16 November 2016, Gaucin, sunny, light SE wind, 18C
The settled, dry and relatively warm weather continues....
On the afternoon of Saturday 12 November there were 60 Wood Pigeon over La Umbria.
On Sunday 13 November an afternoon walk along the top section of the Camino de Gibraltar produced Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, 5 Crag Martin with which was a single House Martin, 5 Song Thrush, European Robin, White Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and Serin.
There was yet another Monarch butterfly, just behind the petrol station on Monday morning.
My first visit to the Rio Genal below the village in some time was pretty uneventful, not helped by heavy machinery digging out gravel from the river; just Grey Heron, Little Egret and a Common Buzzard of note.
On the afternoon of Saturday 12 November there were 60 Wood Pigeon over La Umbria.
On Sunday 13 November an afternoon walk along the top section of the Camino de Gibraltar produced Griffon Vulture, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, 5 Crag Martin with which was a single House Martin, 5 Song Thrush, European Robin, White Wagtail, Common Chiffchaff, 10+ Blackcap and Serin.
There was yet another Monarch butterfly, just behind the petrol station on Monday morning.
My first visit to the Rio Genal below the village in some time was pretty uneventful, not helped by heavy machinery digging out gravel from the river; just Grey Heron, Little Egret and a Common Buzzard of note.
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| A 'trainee' shepherd toils up the Camino de Gibraltar |
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| The 'belltower' of Gaucin's Convento de los Carmelitas and Sierra Crestellina |
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