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Another superb sunny day with a full day's programme and some exciting venues...........new migrants seen today included Woodchat Shrikes, Common Redstarts, Hoopoes, Collared Pratincoles, Black-eared Wheater, Northern Wheatear, Whinchat and BEE-EATERS

We left early and drove down to our friends' house, John and Penny. John was ringing today and gave us a demonstration, we saw Blackcap, European Robin and House Sparrow being ringed before we left for La Janda,  Penny joined Jimmy and myself for the day.

 

Places visited: La Janda and Barbate Marshes

 

Corn Buntings were very numerous at La Janda, this one (above) has a deformed Toe (it is extremely long) on its left foot!

A Cetti's Warbler peaks out from the reeds along the 'central track'. We also saw Purple Swamphen, Zitting Cisticola, Whinchat, Common Whitethroat, Glossy Ibis (over 300), Purple Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill (27), Great Egret (3), White Stork (200+), A distant view of a Black-winged Kite was nice,

A Green-striped White butterfly was one of several species listed today

We stopped at Vejer to look at the Bald Ibis colony which is now in full swing, nearby a colony of Cattle Egrets made a lot of noise. The Cattle Egret shown above is in full breeding plumage almost unrecogisable from its' year round dress.

This Eagle Owl was one of the afternoon highlights, we saw it at a usual rooost near Vejer.

We spent some time watching the Bald Ibis colony, 10 nests were visible, Penny took this picture, it looks like a character out of a Batman Movie!

At Barbate Marshes the afternoon sunlight gave great light for viewing and photography, it also brought out the birds in good numbers. Many migrants were present in the scrub and bushes around the open water which was quite devoid of birdlife.

We found many Woodchat Shrikes, Common Redstarts, Yellow Wagtails as well as fewer Black-eared Wheatears, Northern Wheatears, Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, Stone Curlews, Calandra Larks, Spanish Sparrows and Collared Pratincoles.