More Cabo de Gata with John and Jenny

Looks very much like the unseasonal weather continues in Andalucia whilst the sun doth shine back in the UK.  Friday was the warmest day of the year so far and the dame applied to the whole week!!!!  Day 3 of John and jenny's birding expedition to t the Cabo de Gata area continues as below:


Cabo de Gata 10th April:  Day 3

Another fine day but still a very keen and strong wind.

After a superb breakfast we headed for the"hide on the bend" here we found Little Egret, Little Ringed Plovers, Avocets, one Turnstone, Grey Plover, Little Stints and one Golden Plover (what is he doing in the middle of the salinas), Blue-headed Wagtails, Zitting Cisticolas and Sardinian Warblers were also about.

Greenshank  (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

So off to the Cuevas Medinas/Ubedas area, lots of Thekla Larks about and as we passed under the autovia Serins, House Sparrows and Spotless Starlings were in good numbers.  We turned up a dirt track and reaching the apex, spread below us were tons of tomatoes, being increased every hour by another skip load, but,this did have its advantages as we found Bee-eaters, Black Wheatears, Rock Sparrows, Sardinian Warblers, Thekla Larks, Corn Buntings, Jackdaws, Linnets and a male Common Redstart.  Lots of Blackbirds, House Sparrows and more very dubious Spanish Sparrows, a Woodchat Shrike and Serins.  On the cliff-side a Little Owl was calling but I never located it, but we did find (after a search) the Common Kestrel and Red-legged Partridges that were calling. House Martins, Barn Swallows and Common Swifts were about and as we got close to the main road a Southern Grey Shrike was noted.

Bee-eater  (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

Back down to the lighthouse at Cabo de Gata.  As we climbed the hill a Short-toed Eagle came out of the cliffs and as I parked up to get a photo of the said bird a Peregrine Falcon erupted from the cliffs below us scattering the Yellow-legged Gulls that were soaring close to the cliffs.  Lots of Black Wheatears about as well as Corn Buntings but I still dipped out on the Trumpeter Finch (Jenny had already seen them in Lanzarote).  Looking out to sea a single Shag was noted as well as a Gannet and then our first of the trip White Wagtail.

Spotted Redshank  (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

Another few birds for the trip list today and also about were Clouded Yellows, Painted Lady´s, Red Admirals and Bath White butterflies

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