Goodbye Tarifa!

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus

Monday 12 September

Time to head off back to Granda province after my two days down on the Atlantic coast.  But first a stop below he cliffs opposite the Cazalla observation raptor point.  First to the eastern end above the beach at El Camello aside the old torre and then back to take the better road down past the new Migres Centre to check out the raptors from the cliff top just above the ole, ruined double-barrelled guns.

Lots of Cattle Egret along with Collared Dove, Spotless Starling and House Sparrow as I made my way up past the raptor point and then down the narrow lane and through the now abandoned military base to the clifftop track. A Blackbird in front of me and a stop by the hedges at the bas revealed a female Cirl Bunting.  A couple of Stonechat posed on the low vegetation.

Returning I stopped again near the shore line and was very pleased to see the close feeding Whimbrel and then a Grey Wagtail on the rocks to my left.  A handful of Yellow-legged Gulls were overflying the waves just off shore. About to leave when I saw the small flock of Turnstone appear out of the rocks and re-land a little further away. So back to the main road noting a low flying Black Kite and back down towards Tarifa to tale the road to the Migres Centre and beach top.

Whimbrel Numenius Phaseolus

Passing the building overlooking the sea I carried on up past the old guns to near the top and so have a view over both sea and the hills behind from which the migrating raptors and others would appear. Almost immediately the first Short-toed Eagle quickly followed by a couple of Honey Buzzards.

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus

A look out towards the sea picked up an adult Egyptian Vulture below me and later a second individual heading towards the coast.  By now there were also a number of passing Barn Swallows and then the call followed by sighting of a flock of Bee-eaters over the grass in the valley behind the shore. More Bee-eaters were to fly over in large numbers along with both Short-toed Eagle and Black Kites. Not surprisingly a number of Kestrels and many Griffon Vultures were also recorded at this site.

Black Kites Milvus migrans

Heading back to the main road a pair of Serins were seen at the roadside and then as I made my way towards Algeciras a pleasure to receive a farewell from the local White Storks.

A few of the scores of passing Bee-eaters Merops apiaster

Birds seen;

Cattle Egret, White Stork, Black Kite, Honey Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Kestrel, Whimbrel, Turnstone, Yellow-legged Gull, Collared Dove, Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, Blackbird, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Serin, Goldfinch, Cirl Bunting.

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

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