All photos will appear on a separate page.

I hadn’t been abroad this year and to be honest didn’t expect to until probably next year but after an invitation from a friend that lived near Ronda, Spain (Peter Jones – Black Wheatear on Birdforum) to come and stay at his place for a few days I couldn’t resist the opportunity.

I travelled over on Oct 13th 2010 and for seven out of the nine days I stayed with him I birded locally to Ronda, the other two days I ventured further west to Brazo del Este & La Janda.

Oct 13th
After arriving at Malaga airport with quite a bad headache I wasn’t really feeling up to much birding but called into Laguna de Fuente de Piedra on the way to Ronda. I also called into Laguna Dulce. Both F D Piedra & Laguna Dulce were brimming over with water, resulting from so much rain Spain had received in the previous months. Feature at F.D.Piedra were the huge numbers of Greater Flamingo but there was not much else to look at so onto L Dulce where the main feature was thousands of Coot. Challenged by the headache I couldn’t concentrate looking through my scope so decided to come back another day but not before picking up a few White-headed Ducks, Black-winged Stilts and Red-crested Pochard. That was as much as I could handle for the day so carried onto Peters. On the way I briefly stopped at the Teba Gorge but that was quiet with only a Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, male Blackcap and a flock of Rock Doves seen by me.

Oct 14th.
A return to Laguna Dulce, and feeling much better. This time I tried trawling through the huge numbers of Coot for a Red-knobbed one but failed miserably. I did pick up large numbers of Black-necked Grebe, quite a few Flamingo on the far side (including a few feeding on dry land), a few White-headed Duck, quite a few Pochard and Red-crested Pochard plus a few Little Grebe whilst in front of the hide were a few Stonechat and Zitting Cisticola’s (Fan-tailed Warblers as I still would rather call them).

Peter had alerted me to some tracks in the area that might turn up Little Bustard but try as I did I couldn’t find any. The tracks I used were one that Went behind Laguna Dulce plus a track near Campillos that also picked up three Laguna’s. The first track’s most notable bird was a small flock of Calandra Lark, unfortunately too far away for photos. The track towards the three Laguna’s didn’t fair much better. The first Laguna (Laguna Salida) was rammed with Coot, a few B.N Grebe, Flamingo & White-headed Duck. The second Laguna was dry and the third (Laguna del Capacete) turned up the same as L Salida with the exception of a Yellow Wagtail as well.

It was time to work my way back to Peters. On the way calling into a couple of sites. Canete la Real and Teba Gorge. On the way to Teba I passed the Fennarrubia Viewpoint (on the junction of the Malaga-Campillos road with the old Ronda Road). I was hoping for some raptors but all I got was a few Crag Martin and a couple of Thekla Lark. At Teba I had a walk along the valley but it was quiet again. All I saw was Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Rock Dove, Grey Heron, four Chough, one Black Wheatear and a surprise Azure-winged Magpie. Canete la Real used to be a Vulture feeding station but it appears this has now been stopped as there was nothing there so I ventured up to the radio masts area for the Crossbills. They duly obliged but not in the numbers of my previous visit but I did see about twenty of them. About a dozen Griffons were circling but far too high for photography. It was then onto Peters and not long after arriving Peter was showing me raven, Griffon Vultures over his garden and a Blackcap in the trees. He had called me out to see a Goshawk but I was too late getting out there and missed it.

Oct 15th
Another exploratory day with places I hadn’t done birding before. A track by F.D Piedra plus roads up to and around Alameda (including a couple of Laguna’s – de la Ratosa & del la Castanuela).

The first track was remarkable with how quiet it was. The best bird being a male Sardinian Warbler. The roads up to and around Alameda were useless as they were all main roads with white line edging so there was no where I could stop. Also it was virtually all Olive Groves. At Alameda I found the sign for Laguna Ratosa and followed it. Unfortunately the sign should have pointed to the left because the roads I took went nowhere near it. Eventually I found myself at Corcoya, which was nowhere near to where I wanted to be. Thankfully I found a dirt track and not knowing where it went to was nicely surprised when it came out opposite the two laguna’s I wanted to be at.

The first, Laguna Cacastanuela had very little on it apart from a few B.W Stilt & Coot. The second, L Ratosa, was much more impressive. A large roost of Lesser Black Backed Gulls were present (approx 300-400) good numbers of Flamingo, B.N.Grebe, R.C Pochard and an impressive 35+ W.H Duck. My first Hoope flew by here as well.

I decided to re-trace steps I had done the previous day and went to Laguna Del Capacete. Still no L.Bustards and the Laguna’s turned up the same but a side track did turn up four Hoope and a Lesser Kestrel

Oct 16th
My first of a few visits to one of Peters favourite sites. The Llanos de Libar track which can be reached via a road in Montejaque. I was hoping for Ring Ouzel but boy did I pick a bad and busy day. Cars were coming & going all day. Over 100 cyclists and 2-300 hikers. Horse riders, motorcyclists, tractors and even a black Helicopter all conspired against any birds settling long enough for photography. Ring Ouzels didn’t show but I did see some smart birds and did manage some photography. Amongst many birds seen were, Rock Bunting, Black wheatear, Rock Sparrow, many Black Restart and Stonechat, a lone Woodlark, Cirl Bunting and a Southern Grey Shrike, plenty of Corn Bunting, a few Blue-rock Thrush & Spotless Starling and a few Lesser Kestrel.

I had spent about seven hours here and it was time to call it a day. On the way I stpped by the viewpoint that overlooks the now unused dam near Montejaque and found B.R Thrush, B.Wheatear, B.Redstart, a few Linnet and a couple of Crag martin.

Oct 17th
Brazo Del Este (all day)
I love this site and although there wasn’t the numbers of birds I have seen in the past it was still a fabulous day out. I found a few new tracks on top of those that I did know and turned up a few photographic opportunities. There were far too many species seen to list them all here but I suppose the stars were the first few photos I took as they were of either species I wasn’t expecting to see, never mind photograph) or they were birds I have never got a good photo of. The former were in the shape of Penduline Tit and Bluethroat and the latter was a Juvenile Puprple Heron that stepped onto a track about one hundred feet in front of me.

Driving around I saw the most Green Sandpipers I had ever seen (well over 100) Booted Eagle, Great White Egret, Osprey, Spoonbill, Squacco & Night Heron, large numbers of both Black & White Stork, Purple Gallinule. There were also huge numbers of what appeared to be Hybrid Sparrows (many thousands) a large number of Black-headed Weaver (constantly on the move) and finally 2.500+ Glossy Ibis creating a swirling cloud (just like Starlings).

Oct 18th.
This was the only day Peter could join me, due to his work commitments, and he chose the Osuna area in the hope we would see both Great & Little Bustard. To be honest we struggled for birds throughout but Peter did find a Great Bustard, unfortunately about half a mile away) and he spotted, but I couldn’t find, a Little Bustard. We drove closer to where it was but it was never re-found.

We did pass an Olive Grove that had quite a few Stone Curlew plus along the way five Southern Grey Shrikes were spotted. We also saw a few Calandra Lark, raven, Lesser Kestrels, Marsh Harrier and Buzzards plus quite a few Red Kite. We did call in at Laguna De La Ballestera and again there were many Coot, B.N. Grebe, W.H. Duck, Flamingo, B.W.Stilt, R.C.Pochard, Pochard, Gadwall, Lapwing plus Peter spotted a lone Pintail then a Garganey. The latter I just couldn’t find.

One sad tale to tell was at the end of the day. As we were driving back towards Osuna we came across a Wader walking in the middle of the road. It was obvious it was injured due to its right wing drooping.

Peter sped the car up to see if it could force it to fly and when it did it toppled over. Realising this bird had no chance where it was I got out of the car and walked towards it. At first it tried to run but then just gave up allowing me to pick it up.

It looked like it had hit the overhead power cables as there was a gash across its back. It also looked like it had been like that for a while as the blood had congealed.

In the hand neither of us knew at first what it was but on closer inspection we realised it was a Dunlin.

Peter knew of a stream a few miles further on and after placing the bird in a ringing bag we transported it to the stream.

It was magic watching the bird as it entered the shallow clear water. Straight away it started to bathe itself then It started swimming then drinking before paddling gently through the water and really looked to be enjoying itself. I took some photos of the bird in Peters hand then after we had re-introduced the bird into the stream.

To look at it on its good side you would think the bird was in superb health but unfortunately that is not the case. Unfortunately the right wing is smashed beyond repair so it will never fly gain.

We did think long and hard about whether or not to put it down but the bird was so feisty that we thought that finding a suitable place for release would give it some quality of life.

Our actions seem to have bought it some more time as there was plenty of cover in this stream plus we think plenty of food as well. It was fortuitous for this bird for us to come along when we did as I can't imagine any Spanish driver would have tried rescuing it. It was also a road little used and this bird would soon have fallen prey to the patrolling Ravens etc.

Oct 19th.
Llanos de Libar Track

Once again I tried for the Ring Ouzels but this time I was successful, albeit too far away for photography. There must have been about twenty of them on the trees and rocks right under the cliff face but they never came any closer. There was a good movement og Griffons and I did manage to spot one of the Bonellie’s eagles, albeit hugely distantly on top of one of the peaks. Other than that, apart from the Shrike not showing, much the same as my previous visit.

Oct 20th.
La Janda

I started out at 5.30am and drove in total darkness almost throughout. Just past Arcos a Barn Owl flew across the road. La Janda was a very big disappointment. The rice was at full height and apart from the large birds such as storks and grey herons hardly anything of note could be seen. I did have six Black-shouldered Kite and what Peter thinks (after my description) was a juvenile Bonellie’s eagle.

From here I drove to Barbate via Zahara. A quick stop at Zahara produced Crag Martin and Swallow plus a couple of Grey Heron but nothing else so I carried onto Barbate. At the Barbate salt pans I was surprised to find very low numbers of birds but amongst them were about a dozen Sandwich Terns, a lone Little Tern, a lone Green Sandpiper, about 15 Golden Plover, 100+ Knot, a few Redshank and B.W.Stilt & Cormorant. There was only a few Crag Martin at the harbour and nothing else. I had spent the whole day here and not too much to show for it so I decided to drive home as it getting on for 4.30pm and I had a two hour plus drive ahead of me.

Oct 21st
Montejaque Dam, Llanos de Libar track and Puerto de Las Palomas Mirador.

Peters instruction was tp get to the far end of the track, by some water filled bath tubs, and park up there for a while. He showed me a photo of a Crested Tit he had taken there and explained that anything could turn up. I stopped overlooking the Dam first and saw a few Griffon and four Chough before moving onto the track. I reached the bath tub area and after 90 minutes all I had to show for it was six Goldfinch and one each of Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap (male), Chaffinch and my only Jay of the holiday. Enough was enough so it was off to the Mirador near Grazalema. As I went past a farm on the De Libar track I noticed a fairly large flock of birds about three hundred yards away. I slowed the car right down and gingerly edged towards them but they were extremely flighty and kept moving away from me. They seemed to settle by what looked like a small pump house and I managed to get close to it before they all flew off again but this time I noticed there was a small pool of water that a few Goldfinch were using. I eased a little close and turned the engine off. Sure enough the flock returned and I could see they were all rock sparrows. Unfortunately I was shooting directly into the sun so decided to move to the other side of the pump house, confident that the birds would return once I had been there for a while. Unfortunately just as they were coming back a a load of cattle lumbered through the area, some staying to drink. Eventually they moved off and after a while the Sparrows returned. I managed to get a few photos before a flock of Sheep turned up to drik from the pool. These looked like they had no intention of moving for a while so reluctantly I had to give up the idea of staying as by now the Sparrows had flown well out of sight.

The drive to the Mirador was amazing. This Mirador is 1357 meters above sea level and the views were stupendous. I took a few photos both on the way up and at the Mirador as well. At the Mirador there were quite a few Griffons flying above me so I took the opportunity to take a few photos of them. I missed the chance of a confiding Sardinian Warbler because I had the wrong lens on for scenery photos but certainly had the right lens on for a very confiding Rock Bunting that was investigating the wheels of my car. The Black Redstarts were a different matter. They were very reluctant to stay around anywhere near where I was. I did sit in the car for a while and thankfully one came relatively near enough for a photo, albeit into the sun. Other birds seen at the Mirador was a Chiifchaff, a couple of Ring Ouzel, three B.R. Thrush and a couple of Crag Martin.

That was a great end to the holiday. On my return to Peters he pointed out a couple of raptors overhead. A Sparrowhawk and my only Peregrine for the trip. This brought my trip total up to 113.

The birds seen were as follows.

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Griffon Vulture
Osprey
Bonelli's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Black-shouldered Kite
Black Kite
Red Kite
Marsh Harrier (Eurasian)
Sparrowhawk (Eurasian)
Buzzard (Common)
Lesser Kestrel
Kestrel (Common)
Peregrine Falcon
Cormorant (Great)
Black-crowned Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Spoonbill (Eurasian)
Moorhen (Common)
Coot (Common)
Greater Flamingo
Red-legged Partridge
Pheasant (Common)
Glossy Ibis
Purple Gallinule
Great Bustard
White-headed Duck
Greylag Goose
Gadwall
Mallard
Pintail (Northern)
Shoveler (Northern)
Red-crested Pochard
Pochard (Common)
Stone-curlew
Grey Plover
Lapwing (Northern)
Knot (Red)
Black-winged Stilt
Redshank (Common)
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Sandwich Tern
Little Tern
Feral Pigeon
Rock Dove
Wood Pigeon (Common)
Collared Dove (Eurasian)
Barn Owl
Little Owl
Kingfisher (Common)
Hoopoe
Thekla Lark
Calandra Lark
Crested Lark
Wood Lark
Crag Martin (Eurasian)
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Water Pipit
Yellow Wagtail
Robin (European)
Bluethroat
Black Redstart
Redstart (Common)
Black Wheatear
Wheatear (Northern)
Stonechat
Blue Rock Thrush
Ring Ouzel
Blackbird (Common )
Mistle Thrush
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail (White)
Cetti’s Warbler
Zitting Cisticola
Sardinian Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff (Common)
Wren
Long-tailed Tit
Penduline Tit (Eurasian)
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Nuthatch (Wood)
Cirl Bunting
Rock Bunting
Corn Bunting
Southern Grey Shrike
Chaffinch
Serin (European)
Goldfinch (European)
Linnet (Common)
Crossbill (Common)
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow (Eurasian)
Rock Sparrow
Spotless Starling
Starling (Common)
Azure-winged Magpie
Jay (Eurasian)
Red-billed Chough
Carrion Crow
Raven (Common