Good to see that there is still birding taking place back in Andalucia despite the summer heat as witnessed by John and Jenny Wainwright's latest venture, this time to the steppes of Osuna. Thunderstorms with any wet seem a poor substitute when rain is much need but at least we have entered a drier spell back in the UK - until it rained (again) last night!
Osuna: Wednesday 6 July
A very hot day, but becoming clammy in the afternoon.
An
early start as we wanted to call in at Mollina to the boot-market
there, only Collared Doves and Spotless Starlings till then, but a few
more specials on the continuation trip. These included Common Buzzard, a
male Montagu´s Harrier and Black Kite. Also seen were Jackdaws,
Azure-winged Magpies, Common Kestrel and yet more Collared Doves and
Spotless Starlings.
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| Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Coming off at km80 on the
A92 we made our way to the second road bridge, where we hoped to pick up
the Great Bustards - alas, not today! We did, however, see a very
bedraggled Short-toed Eagle, a few Red-legged Partridges, House
Sparrows, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows.
Moving
on to the track that runs parallel to the railway line we spotted
Spanish Sparrows, a couple of Iberian Grey Shrikes, Stonechats were in
good numbers as were Crested Larks. A nice surprise were the two
Melodious Warblers that perched on the railway line fence, but flew
across into the olive grove and out of sight. As we started off again
three Collared Pratincoles appeared but disappeared over the grove, but
further along the track we did see a few more of the latter, but again
they flew away into the distance. Our first Ravens of the day were then
spotted, plus more Black Kites and Red-rumped Swallows, and as we pulled
up at the "T" junction a group of Calandra Larks came off of the field
here and a Zitting Cisticola was logged.
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| Hoopoe Upupa epops (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
We
decided to head across country to try to spot the Great Bustards but
again no luck, although more Calandra and Crested Larks were seen as
well as two Linnets, Goldfinches and Greenfinches.
Back
on the tarmac road for a minute then turned off along the Verde de
Alamillo track, heading for the "roller" ruins. Lots more Ravens about
also Black Kites but the over-riding thing on this section of the trip
was the noise of the cicadas, it was a pleasure when we got to the ruins
and in the open. As we approached the farmhouse ruins we spotted two
Rollers on one of the sections and another on a roof apex, but as we
slowly neared them they took flight. Good numbers of Lesser Kestrels -
we counted at least ten of them, a few Jackdaws, Rock Doves, two Common
Kestrels and a group of seven Hoopoes. We had our lunch here parked in
the entrance to one of the sheds to give us a bit of shade and hopeful
in the return of the Rollers, no luck, but when we started around the
ruins we did spot at least six Rollers - some perched, some hawking the
fields for food and one bird was hopping across the huge thistle stalks,
occasionally dropping down for a bug and then back up to a different
perch each time.
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| Roller Coracias garrulus (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
We retraced our steps back along the track to the new "roost building" where we came upon another two Rollers and a Lesser Kestrel and just past here in a fig tree we spotted a Woodchat Shrike. Lots of very high raptors and Ravens about as we again joined the tarmac road heading in the direction of Marchena.
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| Ravens Corvus corax (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Along
the power lines we noted more Iberian Shrikes, Common Buzzards, Ravens,
Lesser Kestrels and two Bee-eaters. And as we passed the large railway
viaduct four White Storks were noted. While in a tree close to the new
railway bridge four Black Kites flew off and on the other side of the
road another was seen perched. As we got near the village of Lantejuela a
Booted Eagle put in an appearance - another bird in moulting plumage.
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| Roller Coracias garrulus with Jackdaw Corvus monedula illustrating their shared size (PHOTO: John Wainwright) |
Nothing any different on the journey home, but a good day out all the same.
It certainly sounds as if you had a gereat day's birding despite not recording any Great Bustards. Certainly lots of raptors compare to our single species at Rutland Water on the same day.
Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information.
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