Like me, I know that many readers are not great fans of
Facebook and other forms of “social media.”
Indeed, you will probably be aware that I manage the Facebook account of
the Axarquia Birds and Wildlife site
but will have noticed that his site does not permit advertising nor social chit-chat;
it is purely a site where members and followers can freely publish their
birding and/or wildlife photos and other readers are able to comment and offer
suggestions, advice, etc. However, more
and more birders now seem to use Facebook as their default system for
publishing their marvellous
 |
| Wallcreeper Treparriscos Azul Sitta europaea |
I have, therefore, contacted my friend Ricky Owen, who lives in the far south of our region, and sought
his permission to publish on our site some of his remarkable and first class
photographs taken these past six months or so.
When reading and studying the same below I think you will be truly
impressed by what has been seen in Andalucia and also the professional quality
of the photographs. They are kindly
published free by Ricky so very many thanks indeed to him for sharing his
experiences. And to think how many of
these birds I have not seen! I realise
that for some these birds may not seem quite so rare whilst others could
certainly be classified as very rare indeed. Similarly, taken in an Andalucian context, many
everyday species back in the UK or northern Europe taken as “common” can appear
quite special out here, think only of Bullfinch, Dunnock, Yellowhammer, Rook,
etc.
So, this morning, I am in receipt of a tremendous selection
of Ricky’s photographs. Thinking back to
those I have already seen, I was expecting, perhaps, around a dozen so you can
imagine my absolute amazement, surprise and delight when the final species
count came to twenty-five, yes 25 rare or very uncommon species, even for this
part of Europe, including two raptors and no less than three buntings. Every one deserves your full enjoyment and appreciation,
so thanks again Ricky. Indeed, with more
than one record of some species it may be that I have to do a follow-up blog to
really do justice to Ricky’s magnificent photos.
Readers will not be surprised, even though I have not
referred to specific sites for the individual species, that La Janda, Tarifa
and the Brazo del Este feature most prominently, so well worth a visit when we
finally get released from our home “prison” lock-downs and this horrible virus
is finally eradicated. Species are shown
following the listing according to SEO
(Sociedad Española de Ornitologia) with any additional information take from Collins Bird Guide, Second Edition.
Great Northern Diver
Colimbo Grande Gavial immer
Breeds on tundra and main range in North America
Wilson’s Storm Petrel
Paino de Wilson Oceanites oceanicus
Southern-hemisphere breeder visiting North Atlantic June –
October
Red-footed Booby Piquero patirrojo Rojas Sula sula
Smallest of all booby species and found in Atlantic, Pacific
and Indian Oceans. Very many birders
visited Caleta harbour near Velez Malaga, main town of the Axarquia district
east of Malaga city, for this immature long-staying visitor in late spring
2019.
Great Bittern
Avetoro Comun Botaurus stellaris
Whilst numbers and breeding/wintering sites are rapidly
increasing back in the UK this is, nevertheless, a very rare visitor to
Andalucia.
Lesser Spotted Eagle
Aguila Pomerana Aquila pomarina
Breeds in the far east of Europe and numerous migrants pass
through Turkey and Middle East to winter in Africa. Often individuals found in Cadiz province.
Ruppell’s Vulture Buitre
Moteado Gyps rueppellii
Breeds in sub-Saharan Africa but a few, often as many as
seven, seem to drift over from Morocco to the coastal hills near Tarifa each
year. Smaller than Griffon Vulture which becomes more obvious when seen
together.
Spotted Crake
Polluela Pintoja Porzana porzana
The most likely to be seen of our six crakes. Nevertheless, always a pleasure when the
opportunity arises which, for many, occurs on an annual basis.
Little Crake
Polluela Bastarda Porzana parva.
Crake of eastern Europe but regular scarce visitor and
fractionally larger than Baillon’s crake.
Allen’s Gallinule
Calamoncillo Africano Porphtrio alleni
Breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and rather like the proverbial
number 9 bus; you don’t see one for years and then a single specimen turns up
in successive year!
Dotterel Chorlito
Carambolo Charadrius morinellus
Not really a rarity but seen on passage on an annual basis
by those who know of their favoured resting places during migration, mainly
around February each year.
Purple Sandpiper
Correlimos Oscura Calidris martima
Again, not so much a rarity as a very scarce winter
visitor. As with the previous records
from Fuengirola, individuals may well return to the same wintering quarter for
many successive years and then disappear completely waiting for a new site to
be found by experience birders.
Red-necked Phalarope
Falaropo Picofino Phalaropus lobatus
The sort of wader to bring birders flocking to a found site
back in the UK never mind Andalucia.
Bonaparte’s Gull
Gaviota de Bonaparte Larus Philadelphia
Rare vagrant from North America and an individual found at
the Guadalhorce and seen by many in April 2019.
Common Gull
Gaviota Cana Larus canus
It may be “common” back in the UK but seen by very few in
Andalucia.
Laughing Dove
Tortola Senegalesa Streptopelia
senegalensis
This dove may be common on the other side of the
Mediterranean but it would now appear that a very small number have made their
way across the water to Andalucia and have started a breeding colony in Seville
province. But how quickly will they
increase and spread out so trying to replicate the spread of our most numerous
Collared Doves?
Olive-backed Pipit
Bisbita de Hodgson Anthus hodgsoni
A Siberian and far NE European breeder and extremely rare
visitor to Andalucia.
Rock Pipit
Bisbita Costero Anthus petrosus
A pipit of northern Europe that migrates to western European
coasts in winter but very rarely seen by most of us.
Common Bulbul Bulbul Naranjero Pycnonotus
barbatus
Whilst a common bird of sub-Saharan Africa and Morocco a few
have obviously in the past moved across the relatively narrow western end of
the Mediterranean as there is now a very small breeding population in Tarifa.
Lesser Whitethroat
Curruca Zarcera Sylvia curruca
Common enough summer visitor to the UK but migration normally
takes place at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, well away from
Spain. Who knows what this individual
was doing in Andalucia and well-spotted by dedicated birders.
Wallcreeper Treparriscos Azul Sitta europaea
Perhaps the iconic bird of Spain, the “Holy Grail” for
Spanish birders. But it means a trip to
the far north with a visit to one of the better-known sites in places such as
the Picos de Europe. But if Mohamed
cannot go to the mountains then the mountains must come to Mohammed. I have heard regular rumours about how
Spanish birders in-the-know have regularly seen a single Wallcreeper wintering
on the cliffs in the area around Ventas de Zafarraya but never so much as a
glimpse for myself. And then an
individual turns up in the gorge almost immediately after entering the Caminito
del Rey. Great news as entrance is
restricted and telescopes not permitted so the bird has a chance to rest and
recover – also helped by the Coronavirus situation which resulted in the site
being closed to the public, even if it did mean that I was unable, unlike many
of my friends, to visit and see this iconic bird for myself.
Isabelline Shrike
Alcaudon Isabel Lanius isabellinus
A shrike from the east that I managed to see in Georgia
during September 2019 so a special treat for some to find a quite happy and
obliging bird in the Doñana National Park.
Rosy Starling
Estornino Rosado Sturnus roseus
An interesting species also known as Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus
roseus albeit the two have now been split.
However, recent information
suggests that Rosy Starling has been given the scientific name of Pastor roseus
albeit the SEO list refers to the bird as “Rosy” with the scientific name as
that of Rose-coloured. I have, therefore,
left the names as per the SEO list which seems to be a combination of both! Nevertheless, this starling is a bird of the
far eastern steppes of which a few occasionally end up as vagrants in Western
Europe.
Snow Bunting
Escribano Nival Piectrophenax nivalis
A bird of northern Europe but regularly found in the south,
albeit not necessarily in Andalucia.
Little Bunting
Escribano Pigmeo Emberiza pusilla
Breeds in far north-eastern Europe and would be a very rare
vagrant visitor to Andalucia.
House Bunting Emberiza
sahari
A common breeder in nearby Morocco so, perhaps, not so
surprising to find a vagrant over here whether arriving under its own
wing-power or by assisted passage on a passing ship, etc. Maybe a future resident breeder in Andalucia.
And what of the Axarquia in a rare bird context? From a personal experience it seems that
every winter we get something to draw in the birders to, especially, the
harbour at Caleta de Velez. Not long after moving
to Spain I paid a visit to Florida and came across the local Ringed-billed Gulls. Not best pleased to read when I got back that
a couple had been seen in the UK and upon returning to Spain everybody seemed
delighted in informing me of the individual that had spent a week or so in
Caleta harbour during my absence.
 |
| Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis (PHOTO: Steve Powell) |
Perhaps we are now better prepared as we seem to have been
on somewhat of a run lately with Franklin’s
Gull in March 2016, Iceland Gull
in February 2018 and not forgetting, of course, the Red-footed Booby that turned up in May 2019 and stayed for a couple
of months or more. Also in our district we had an Allen’s Gallinule in the lower reaches of the Rio Chillar in Nerja
early last year and whilst most of us missed this bird another individual
turned up in February near Sanlucar de Barrameda near the Guadalquivir in
Sevilla province – and was photographed by Ricky as seen above. Finally, almost in the Axarquia, a Bonaparte’s Gull was seen and
photographed by many during its short stay at the Guadalhorce, Malaga in Aril
2019.
 |
| Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan (PHOTO: Bob Wright) |
 |
| Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides (PHOTO: Bob Wright) |
 |
| Bonaparte’s Gull Larus Philadelphia (centre back) with Black-headed Gulls and Sandwich Tern (PHOTO: Bob Wright) |
 |
| Red-footed Booby Piquero Patirrojo Rojas Sula sula |
PLEASE NOTE: UNESS OTHERWISE STATED ALL PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN AND REMAIN
THE SOLE PROPERTY OF RICKY OWEN AND MAY ONLY BE COPIED/USED WITH HIS PERSONAL PERMISSION. IF NECESSARY /APPROROPRIATE PLEASE ASK ME FOR
CONTACT DETAILS.
Bob Wright
20 March 2020
