Guadalhorce, Malaga

Just received a report from John and Jenny Wainwright who managed to get down to the Guadalhorce in Malaga yesterday.  Looks like they still did not manage to escape the recent windy weather but at least they saw some good birds.


Guadlahorce 13th February 2013.

It was very blustery with a lot of cloud first thing, sunshine later but still very windy.  We headed for the Parador golf course for the Splendid Starling and whilst here we did see Collared Doves, House Sparrows, masses of Monk Parakeets, Blackbirds but no Splendid Starling.  So back to Guadlahorce.

Black-tailed Godwits Aguja Colinegra Limosa limosa (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

We parked up close to the beach so as to scan the beach & sea, here we saw Cormorants, two adult Gannets, a largish flock of some thirty Common Scoters, Black-headed and Yellow-legged Gulls, and over the beach we found Turnstone, Barn Swallow, Stonechat and Sardinian Warbler.  Then we had to return to the car as one of the legs had fallen off my tripod and of course, being an ex-engineer, I didn´t have the right Allan key for the job so off to Leroy Merlins.  Repairs sorted and back on track we entered the reserve  - the wind was making it difficult to see much as it was directly in our faces - but we did see Grey Heron, Little Egret, Sardinian Warbler and Little Grebe on the way.

Spendid Starling Lamprotornis superbus (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

At the Laguna Grande, we found Great White Egrets, Grey Herons, Cormorants (most with their breeding patches), Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits (one particularly splendid male in summer plumage), Little Egrets, White-headed Ducks, Shovelers, Common Pochards, Teal, Coot, Moorhens, Black-necked and Little Grebes and a single Wigeon.  A good few hirundines started arriving including Crag Martins, Barn Swallows and House Martins.  Also around were Goldfinches, Zitting Cisticolas and Spotless Starlings.

Next we headed for the Escondida hide, here we found two Teal, three Coots and two Shovelers, but above the hide more Crag Martins and Barn Swallows and one Red-rumped Swallow.  The wind was still blowing a gale so we headed back to try to find the Splendid Starling and there he sat waiting for us just shy of the kiosk as reported by Bob.


It seems that all good things come to he (or she) who waits!

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