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| Little Egret Egretta garzetta |
Wednesday 2 September
At the Guadalhorce, Malaga by daybreak just before 8 whist the hirundines and swifts were still low and feeding above water and trees. Plenty of Barn Swallows and House Martins along with, mainly, Pallid and a few Common Swifts plus a good selection that I was unable to identify. A Hoopoe crossed the track as I made my way to the footbridge closely followed by a couple of Sardinian Warblers. In the river a Heron rested on an exposed log.
Once at the Casillas Hide not a lot of activity and mainly Coots and Black-winged Stilts along with a few Mallards and the occasional Moorhen and Little Grebe. House Sparrows and Goldfinches seen from the track and the Wader Hide was even quieter in terms of bird life consisting of more Black-winged Stilts and a couple of Ringed Plovers until I found the family of juvenile Little Ringed Plovers. A Marsh Harrier was seen flying over the distant main laguna and a Peregrine Falcon was resting high in one of the bare trees at the back. A Little Egret paid a very brief visit to the water.
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| Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus |
Continuing on down to the Sea Watch I noted a Kestrel to my left and just a couple of Black-headed Gulls on the Rio Viejo (Old River). Much scoping eventually found family of Kentish Plovers but nothing seen from the Sea Watch. Returning to the Wader Pool I found a pair of Greenfinches to my left and a Wood Sandpiper had turned up at the pool.
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| Time to go for this Little Egret Egretta garzetta |
So on to the Laguna Escondida but still no sign of a White-headed Duck. More Little Grebes and Coots plus over a score of Mallard and another Moorhen. Not the handful of White Wagtails that flew low past the hide but the two Kingfishers were the star sightings. A quartet of unusually quiet Monk Parakeets flew over the water and away towards the city and then the arrival of another four Little Egrets. The final delight was the arrival of a close Willow Warbler.
Lots of bird life on the overflow and main Laguna Grande, especially Mediterranean Gulls. Intersperst were at least a score of Flamingos and yet more Black-winged Stilts. Having tried, without success, to count the number of Collared Doves present I turned my attention to the remaining gulls which included Black-headed, Yellow-legged and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. A few more Ringed Plovers and a dozen or so Sanderling away to my far right. However, on its own to my left a single Sanderling still in full summer plumage.
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| At least four species but can you find the Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta |
Checking out the Black-winged Stilts beyond the island in front of me I found a single Avocet and behind the Sanderling a Common Sandpiper put in a brief appearance. A short distraction to answer the phone and minutes later, in the same direction to my left where I had seen the Sanderling, both a Greenshank and a couple of Dunlin were noted. Three hours and a final tally of 40 species recorded.
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| Mediterranean Gulls Larus melanocephalus |
Birds seen:
Mallard, Little Grebe, Little Egret, Heron, Flamingo, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagle, Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Moorhen, Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Sanderling, Dunlin, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Collared Dove, Monk Parakeet, Common Swift, Pallid Swift, Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, House Martin, White Wagtail, Sardinian Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.
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| Young Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus |
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