Wednesday 26 June
What a cracking way for the Arboleas Birding Group to reach their summer break; great company and great birds. Roller, Golden Oriole, Nightingale, Red-billed Chough, Little Owl Turtle Dove, Jay and all those little brown jobs!
Sierra de Maria - Wednesday 26th June
For our last official trip before our summer break I decided we'd return to our favourite destination, the Sierra de Maria. Juda came round to mine and we then travelled to the birding list starting point at Velez Blanco. Birds were few and far between. In fact we only saw some Woodpigeons before a male Golden Oriole closely followed by his spouse flew across the road in front of us. In Maria town we added Common Swift, House Sparrow and Collared Dove. We arrived at the La Piza forest cafe where the others, Kevin, Trevor, Richard and Peter. I had already arrived. Richard had logged a Spotless Starling en route. Trevor had already seen a Jay as a flight of Crossbill flew over. As we settled down to some coffee Juda saw Chaffinch, Crested Tit and a Blackbird. We also had Great, Long-tailed and Coal Tits visiting the empty feeders. Richard added a Short-toed Tree-creeper.
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| Long-tailed Tit (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
We then travelled in convoy around the loop. Personally I only saw a Chaffinch in the forest section. Out on the fields we observed Magpie and Crested Lark. Stopping at our usual stop just outside the village we added Goldfinch, Linnet, and Barn Swallows. We carried on along the track with Juda and I in the lead vehicle, followed by Kevin with Trevor in his car and Richard and Peter bringing up the rear. Neither following vehicles were close behind us when Juda spotted a Little Owl in a tree. I didn't see it till it flew off.
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| Roller (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
We were thrilled to find a Roller next to the nest box on the side of a farm building. It was seen to bring food in from the fields. Further along we saw both Carrion Crow and Red-billed Chough. Trevor and Kevin added a Black-eared Wheatear. I also had a Corn Bunting. The first two cars got to the cliff face. We four walked to the far side. We heard Nightingales singing from the shrubs. I spotted a Black-eared Wheatear on the high rocks opposite the cliff. A Turtle Dove shot past like an Exocet missile! Two Jackdaws were seen. Kevin also saw some more Red-billed Chough. Richard and Peter had arrived by the time we got back to the vehicles. They had seen a Griffon Vulture. We saw very little till we got to the hamlet. There I spotted a distant Griffon. Peter and Richard had seen more en route. We moved on to the water trough. Juda and I didn't log on to the 4 Turtle Doves feeding on the ground near the entrance slope.... Kevin was more alert! We added Rock Sparrow and Greenfinch before we headed back to La Piza for lunch. There we saw more of the same previously seen birds.
A good day had by all. 32 species seen. We will be back in September, but there might be the odd personal report as I will no doubt venture out.
Best wishes to Val Penny on her impending knee operation. And a speedy recovery to Claire who has picked up Covid!
Have a good summer
Regards
Dave
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| Crested Tit (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
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| Jay (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
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| Roller (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns) |
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