Trip Reports

Andalucia May 2012

It was a beautiful sunny day, top temperature 25C, very light SW wind.  
We had a marvelous start to our 7 day tour in Southern Spain. I collected the group of 6 at Malaga Airport at lunchtime and before we knew it we were birding at the Guadalhorce Nature Reserve. Our first 30 minutes was spent eating a picnic lunch on the west embankment where we saw plenty of species. Waders included Kentish and Ringed Plovers, Sanderling, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone. A Common Kingfisher flew up the river, Spotless Starlings sang from nearby rooftops, several Crested Larks flitted around and a couple of Sardinian Warblers did what they do best - hid in the tamarisk scrub. Oh I forgot to mention the noisy passage of several flocks of Monk Parakeets.  Our walk to the Laguna Grande was also full of great sightings, more Kentish Plovers, a Hoopoe, Zitting Cisticola, Reed Warbler and lots of Barn Swallows. At the raised hide we were pleasantly surprised by the presence of a good selection of gulls, a pair of lovely Slender-billed Gulls were joined by Audouin's, Black- headed, Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gulls. Wow, that was a selection of gull species.