Just for your pure pleasure and enjoyment I have copied below a wonderful report received from Derek Etherton with his account of a visit yesterday to the Guadalhorce at Zapata, just behind Malaga airport, which I think, like me, you will thoroughly enjoy. Of course, having read the report you may well find your reaction meanders from that yellow streak of jealousy and be anything from frustrated though annoyed to well p***** off at the sightings! But still a great and fascinating day's birding so do make sure that you include Zapata on your regular visits if you live within range of the airport.
Zapata and the Rio Grande: 12 February
We, Barbara and I, met up with Peter Ashley yesterday early morning
at Zapata. One of his 'wants' was to find Penduline Tits [not always
the easiest request!] and also to explore further Zapata and to
'discover' the Rio Grande.
So it was
an 0815hrs meet, all into our car and the ford was the first stop. Both
Common & Green Sandpiper were busy feeding with below them a lone
Greenshank. Cormorants were actively fishing and both Little Egret and Grey Heron patrolled the banks. Cetti's Warblers announced their
presence as only they can and as usual seemingly hundreds of Chiffchaff
went about their business. A few Mallard flew over as we stopped to
view mid stream and then from nowhere a Marsh Harrier appeared, saw us
and seemed to panic by seriously altering its course!
The
arroyo on the opposite side held the first Bluethroat of the day, a
fleeting glance but far better was to come. A Snipe was in its usual
location surrounded by both White and Grey Wagtails, Serins,
Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Linnet made up the bulk of 'small' stuff
in the scrub.
Recrossing
the ford to real change had occurred so it was park and walk up the
river bed to try for something different. Many Coots, Moorhen, Collared
Dove, Mallard, Little Ringed Plover, and many more of both Sandpipers.
Crested Larks scampered around and as usual the Jackdaws flew around
the motorway bridge and Crag, Sand and House Martins joined by Barn
Swallow hawked the river.
So
back to the car and drive round to the reed bed, by now a perfect day
for viewing, still and sunny, so hopes were raised for the target
birds, Common Waxbills and Penduline Tits. Parking at the usual spot
plenty of Stonechats around along with House Sparrow, Blackbird and
Zitting Cisticolas everywhere. Before parking we stopped to view a Grey
Heron close by and suddenly a Kingfisher [female] made her presence
known and then afforded us a long super view as she perched on a Reed
Mace in the early sun. Now standing near the car a couple more
Bluethroats were picked up and whilst looking at one in front of the
concrete building an Osprey was spotted heading for the river. A
consensus decided to pile in the car and head back to the ford and hope
for the spectacular, and as you can guess we were not to be
disappointed, arriving back and fortunate enough to see the bird miss
it's target on the first run but looping round and breakfast-fished
a second time. The Osprey's do seem to favour fishing here in the
shallow, clear waters so can be seen most mornings and afternoons.
Feeling
buoyed by this wonderful sight we returned to continue our reed bed
searches. Walking down the track both Crested and Sky Larks were viewed
and a 'murmuration' of Spotless Starlings kept us entertained.
Suddenly alarm calls were everywhere and the LBJ's dived for cover as a
large raptor appeared from nowhere. It soon returned from the back of a
building with an angry Common Kestrel chasing, but dwarfed by a female
Hen Harrier, a first for us here. After the excitement died down we
continued on walking eventually to find a small quantity of Common
Waxbills feeding on the flower seeds of a purple coloured flower. Busy
little birds, never still and seemingly always eating, but still no
Pendulines. Getting toward the end of the track hordes of House
Sparrows were in the hedgerow and the reeds contained so many
Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warbler in full view. Suddenly on a stand of
Reed Mace 2 Penduline Tits were spied busy pulling out the seed heads
and scattering the 'fluff' everywhere. Super views only some 15 metres
away and judging by the colourations a distinct pair. After a time they
moved on and so did we, it was gone 1100hrs and no breakfast yet, so La
Cohete to eat whilst Peter returned to exchange his car at the airport.
Regathered
we drove up the A357 to the Rio Grande stopping to view a Booted Eagle
on the way. At the river we soon added Black Winged Stilt, Great White
Egret, Cattle Egret, Chaffinch and Meadow Pipit. Other than that
nothing extra was added until we reached the upper part of the river
where Ravens and a distant Black Stork obliged.
Returning back to collect Peter's car at 1400hrs we had clocked up 52 species, a satisfactory trip by any standard.
Now that's what I call a great morning's birding with all efforts concentrated on the birding. Photographs of all can be found by searching the Internet.
Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information.
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