Rio Velez and Sierra Tejeda with John and Jenny

Thursday 30 October 

Just received a report from John and Jenny Wainwright and it would appear that all is happening both at the river and the lower picnic area where there is a very small waterfall.  Not content with Mistle Thrushes, John and Jenny managed to find a very obliging Dipper which hung around long enough to have its photo taken.  It must have been a very quiet morning with no bus loads of children or noisy hikers.  Well done, anyway.


Torre del Mar & the Tejedas: Thursday 30 October

A very pleasant day with a light breeze.  Just out of the village limits we saw two Hoopoes and a few House Sparrow, Spotless Starlings and some Collared Doves.

After our visit to the Torre del Mar market, we drove round to the Rio Velez. At the bridge a couple of Rove Doves and Chiffchaffs.  At the hide we found Stonechats, Mallard, Moorhen, Green Sandpiper, Grey Heron, Goldfinches, Collared Doves and masses of Chiffchaffs and two Cormorants flew over.

Sanderlings Correlimos Tridactilo Calidris alba on the beach (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

On our way to the beach lots of butterflies including Small Whites, Red Admirals and Speckled Woods were seen in the dappled areas.  At the beach and looking out to sea a single adult Gannet, Lesser Black-backed and Yellow-legged Gulls, whilst on the beach itself a group of five Sanderlings ran frantically searching for food. On the estuary a single Grey Heron, Mallard, Common Coots and a Crested Coot(collared) were noted and in the reed beds more Chiffchaffs, Cetti´s Warblers, Stonechats, House Sparrows and an Red Avadavit were logged. On the return to the car a Cattle Egret, a male Black Redstart, a Snipe, Mistle Thrush and Linnets were located.

Black redstart Colirrojo Tizon Phoenicurus ocruros (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

On the way home we decided to call into the Tejeda area.  Our first stop was the "El Rio" picnic site where we found Robins, Grey Wagtails, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Crossbills, Long-tailed Tits,
Firecrest, Nuthatches and, to our great surprise, a Dipper which stayed long enough for photos.

Dipper Mirlo-acuatico Europeo Cinclus cinlus (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

Moving on to Alcazar for a cuppa, the inimitable Crossbills and Nuthatches were there as were Coal, Blue, Great, Long-tailed and Crested Tits, Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, Chaffinches, Chiffchaff, Blackcaps, Crag Martins, a Sparrowhawk and last but not least a dark-phase Red Squirrel.

Retracing our steps an up to the old railway at Venta de Zafaraya we saw Crag Martins, a good number of Chough ( I lost count at forty), Black Wheatears, Serins, Sardinian Warblers, Great Tits, Mistle Thrushes, Linnets, Goldfinches, Blackbird and a Southern Grey Shrike.

Mistle Thrush Zorzal Charlo Turdus viscivorus (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

On the drive to Salar, Jackdaws, Calandra Larks, Corn Buntings and two Ravens were noted.

The introduced Red-knobbed Coot Focha Moruna Fulica cristala at the Rio Velez (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)