Saturday 25 October
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Azure-winged Magpie Rabilargo Cyanopica cyanus |
Up early and checked out of the apartments before 8 so that I could be at the
Odiel Visitors Centre at daybreak, the idea being to have a last minute check on what was about before setting off for the Donana. In the event I was too early as their was insufficient light so also made a wasted return ride to the Juan Carlos pool but, upon returning to the small pool next to the salt works I could at least make out
Black-winged Stilts,
Shovelers,
Mallards,
Coots and
Gadwall before continuing on to the Donana National Park.
A brief stop at about km post 14 enabled me to walk through the tress to the main lake and check the "hidden" corner where, as expected, I found
Coot,
Mallard, a couple of
Squacco Herons,
Grey Herons and over-flying
Cormorants. Also present were a couple of
Moorhens and I finally located two
Purple Swamphens. In the trees around me the
Azure-winged Magpies were active as I mad my way back to the main road and the car.
The next stop was at the
El Acebuche Visitors Centre. Here there was no water at all but, nevertheless, I was welcomed by the resident
Azure-winged and (Common)
Magpies. No sooner through the entrance building and I picked up both a
Hoopoe and a single Northern Wheatear. Also flying around the "home" area were
Collared Doves,
Spotless Starlings and
House Sparrows. A
Robin flew up into the tree in front of me as I made my way right to the first hide. No birds but I did find a grazing
Red Deer. Nothing to be seen at the second hide and as I made my way back a male
Blackbird dashed across the boardwalk in front of me whist
Chiffchaffs fed in the trees and
Chaffinches moved about the larger trees. As usual, there were
Stonechats,
Black Redstarts and
Crested Larks to be seen but the best sighting was that of a winter plumage
Reed Bunting posing very nicely in a tree above the reed bed.
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Red Deer Shikar safaris at la Rocina |
On towards the
La Rocinas Centre where, at least, there was a little water, passing more
Stonechats, both
magpies and at least two
Southern Grey Shrikes on the roadside fences and wires. The shallow water held five
Little Egrets and a single
Spoonbill along with a couple of foraging
White Wagtails. A Raven flew over and a
Great Tit was seen in the pine trees.
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Spoonbill Espatular Comun Platalea leucorodia |
Now it was the long journey towards the track leading down to the main
Juan Valverde Visitors Centre. Regular appearance of
Magpies and more
Stonechats and a
Black Redstart and the occasional
Buzzard. But, coincidence or not, in the same area where I regularly come across
Black-shouldered Kites here they were again. A pair "dancing" in the sky just above a pylon and obviously so bust engaged in their activity that I had time to stop the car and jump out with the camera before the birds moved away out of sight. Wonderful!
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The beautiful Black-shouldered Kite Elanio Comun Elanus caeruleus dances away |
Continuing on I had regular sightings of
Cattle Egrets among the cattle and horses plus the first of many
White Storks. Lots of
House Sparrows as I drove down the track on the long journey to Valverdes and the occasional
Northern Wheatear. Half-way down near the water beds on my left I found both
Corn Buntings and a small flock of
Linnets not to mention the any
Goldfinches. The "dog-leg" over the canal bridge produced a pair of
Black-winged Stilts and the first
Cetti's Warblers whilst
Marsh Harriers quartered the wider area. More
Northern Wheatears and
Common Kestrels but a little further on where the rice had been harvested a very small flock of
Lesser Kestrels. In the fields to my right were numerous
Grey Herons,
Little Egrets and
White Storks but then, at last, a pair of
Black Storks. Not content with this find I was suddenly looking at a pair of
Common Cranes, my first sighting of the winter.
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Juvenile Black Stork Ciguena Negra Ciconia nigra (above) with Crane Grulla Comun Grus grus below |
Just before reaching the
Juan Valverdes Centre I came across a family of
Fallow Deer grazing in the long grass to my right. At the centre itself I found that there was a good-sized pool behind the building but only a limited number of birds.
Coots and
Mallards predominated but also a few
Greylag Geese. Not a long stop and as I continued on the anti-clockwise circuit I was joined by a trio of
Griffon Vultures and yet more
Common Kestrels. A single
Red Kite made an added bonus and even here there were
Buzzards to be seen along with the many
Crested Larks and
Stonechats.
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Pair of Fallow Deer Dama dama hinds - but the buck's hiding in the long grass |
A stop at the large pumping station produced at least a dozen
Great White Egrets in the company of the smaller
Little Egrets plus a quartet of
Black Storks, one adult and three juveniles. Also in the area I picked up yet another
Zitting Cisticola and whilst trying to follow the moving
Corn Bunting along a dry bank I was suddenly focused on yet another
Northern Wheatear. However, in returning to the bunting I then found a female
Cirl Bunting to ad to the species list for the day.
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A few of the dozen Great White Egrets Garceta Grande Egretta alba |
Time eventually to return to El Rocio and find my hostal for the night and then a quick visit to the lake and the
SEO Visitors Centre. A very bright, low sun made everything in silhouette but I was able to pick out the many
Flamingos,
Coots,
Lapwings,
Black-winged Stilts,
Avocets,
Black-tailed Godwits,
Mallards and
Shovelers. In addition, the resident breeding
Spanish Imperial Eagle left its regular roosting tree and drifted over accompanied by its mate giving good views. We even had three
Griffon Vultures over the Centre. Also seen during the day were the three regular
Gulls,
Black-headed,
Lesser Black-backed and
Yellow-legged.
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The majestic Spanish Imperial Eagle Aguila Imperial Iberica Aquila adalberti high above El Rocio |
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White Stork Ciguena Blanca Ciconia ciconia and with a pair of Black Storks (below) |
Birds seen:
Greylag Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Heron, Black Stork, White Stork, Spoonbill, Flamingo, Black-winged Kite, Red Kite, Griffon Vulture, Marsh Harrier, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Coot, Crane, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Collared Dove, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, White wagtail, Robin, Back Redstart, Stonechat, Wheatear, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Southern Grey Shrike, Azure-winged magpie, Magpie, Raven, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Cirl Bunting, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting.