Donana and Home

John and Jenny were certainly busy on their last day in the Donna National Park as can be seen from the final instalment forwarded to me by John.  After all the wet and wind, not to mention the attempts to snow me in, I shall be glad to be back in Spain early next week when I, too, can catch up on some birding in more favourable climes.  My British experience will, hopefully, be written up tomorrow as the forecast is for more rain all day!


Donaña Day 5:  8th February 2013

A very pleasant day with hardly any wind.
We headed for Matlascanas beach, on the way we saw Buzzards, Chiffchaff, Common and Azure-winged Magpies, Hoopoe and Marsh Harrier.  We were hoping to pick up a few missing birds from our list,but the beach was full of fishermen and cocklers, still we did manage a distant Gannet and a flock of Black Scoter.

So we headed back for Acebuche:
After refreshments in the cafe, we made our way to the central hide here we saw Moorhen, Mallard, Raven, Stonechat, Southern Grey Shrike, Great Tit, Red Kite, Woodpigeon and Jenny saw an Egyptian Mongoose making its way along the side of the reedbed.

Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

We the moved along to the next hide right and on the way saw Dartford Warbler, Black Redstart, Chiffchaff, Hoopoe, Serins, Robins and Song Thrush. Nothing from this hide except two Little Grebe and three Mallard, so we headed for the last hide.  As we made our way along the boardwalk we saw Crested Tit, heard a Nuthatch(but couldn´t locate it), and Blackbirds.  As we entered the hide I was bemoaning that we never see Pendulines here and, lo and behold, Jenny finds one on the reedmace and the I find another to the right of the hide.  Also here we saw Chaffinch, Barn Swallow, Purple Swamphen, White Stork and House Sparrows.

We left here and decided to call into La Rocina before starting off for home.  Here we saw more Robins, Serins and Chiffchaff.  From the first hide we saw a Black Kite, harrassing  a female Marsh Harrier which had what looked like a snake in its talons.  We never saw the outcome as they disappeared out of sight over the trees.  Onto the next covered hide and here we saw Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, Grey Heron, four Purple Swamphens, Pochard,Spotless Starlings, Shoveler, Stonechats, Southern Grey Shrike, Goldfinch, Short-toed Treecreeper and Cettis Warbler. As we left the hide We located a Greater Spotted Woodpecker busily drumming away and in the same area a family of Long-tailed Tits and another Short-toed Treecreeper.

A very enjoyable visit to this marvellous area, with a total of 109 birds.

Just think, I shall be wandering these places next Sunday!

Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information.