Cadiz Birding Blog Page

Gemma's Tribute

21/1/2019

I originally meant my previous post to be the only one about Liz's passing, but Gemma's tribute to her Mum at her celebration (I'm boycotting the 'F' word) last week is so sublime, packed as it is with warmth, emotion and acute observation, that it begs to have a wider readership. Her moving tribute is crafted with a poet's ear and a daughter's love. I'm in awe both of her talent as a writer and her strength in reading it so beautifully to a packed congregation, few of whom, I suspect, had a dry eye.

Gemma with her little sister, Anna

When I was little, I followed you around the house - an absent-minded shadow drifting with you from room to room, just to be close. I lay at your feet beneath the dining room table, my legs in the air: you balanced your chequebook; I counted the knots in the wood until you were ready to be mine again.

You told Anna that you thought - and dreamt - in words, not pictures. Wide-eyed, we imagined your mind as a giant Rolodex of words: shifting tiles of English and German and Swedish and more.

Words wove through our home, holding up walls (1) and knitting us together. Words filled our evenings on the sofa – Anna and I each side – as you told us of Swallows and Amazons, of Chocolate factories and Giant Peaches, of Lions and Witches and Wardrobes. Words carried us up the stairs (begging for just one more chapter) and tucked us beneath blankets of faraway lands.

You told us your stories. Of Grandma and Grandpa and Auntie Pat. Of Diggers and Scruffys (2) of innumerable incarnations, all loved just the same. You read us the stories you wrote when you were small, etched in smudgy left-hand. All ending in the same, pragmatic, reassuring phrase: “And that was the end of that.”

Words filled our hearts and our imaginations, but also our stomachs. They spilled from shelves filled with cookbooks onto our plates. We skipped home to cakes filled with cherries or drizzled with syrup. We found our special second stomach to squeeze in Summer Pudding after dinner with Grandma. We drew friends home to scoff Banoffee Pie and leave with tinfoil parcels of joy and generosity.

Words drawn from phrase books and borrowed cassettes took us on adventures. We spent our summers devouring apricots in Prague, watching bats in Brugges, feeding goats in Holland. Whatever language you spoke, you spoke it fluently – shyness overcome by learning and skill.

You chose your words more carefully than us, so that they carried more thought and more meaning. Among our noise, you could be still. Your peace drawing even the occasional rare bird to hop contentedly at your feet, unobserved by the cacophony of birdwatchers that surrounded you.(3) Drawn instead by your calm. Just as I was, counting the knots in the wood under the dining room table.

I dream in pictures, but you taught me to feel in words. To weave words that cast memories, that knit us together and tuck you in: We love you.

And that is the end of that.

1 - Since the girls were small we’ve always had floor to ceiling bookshelves
2 - Digger was the family’s Dachshund and Scruffy Liz’s Teddy Bear
3 - Back in the 1980s I and others were desperately searching for Kent's first twitchable Olive- backed Pipit at Sandwich Bay and we eventually found it happily feeding a few yards from Liz who'd been atching it for ten minutes or more as she sat on a log quietly knitting

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In Memoriam - Liz Cantelo 1953-2018

29/12/2018

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Enjoying a glass (?) of sherry on the terrace

When seven years ago, I wrote an appreciation of my late sister here (see https://birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birding-blog-page/in-memoriam-susan-cantelo-1947-2011) I already felt tendrils of fear that my wife, Liz, was not herself and was suffering from some sort of serious malady. Worse still, some of her symptoms mirrored those of my sister's fatal brain tumour. Eventually, over her protests that she wasn't ill, we got her to a doctor who quickly diagnosed the early onset of Alzheimer's; a tragic diagnosis for such a clever and talented person. Sadly, after a long battle with dementia, she passed away on Boxing Day 2018 and this is my clumsy effort to pay tribute to her.

Were we really ever that young?

We met at Keele University in 1971 when I was quickly swept away by her sparkling blue-grey eyes, lovely smile and loving nature. They say opposites attract and in many ways that's what we were with the sum of us somehow making a greater whole. Where I'm loud, out going and disorganised, she was quiet, reserved and well-organised. I'm a hopeless monoglot but she had A-level French, a degree in German (with Economics which I failed at O-level) and obtained an A grade in O-level Swedish having taught herself the language is a few months (she then translated, for fun, one of the Moomin books then untranslated from the original Swedish). As a result of her studies, she could also read Norwegian, Icelandic and Dutch with some fluency. She also had a smattering of Italian, Czech and Hungarian (her accent in the latter language being so good that when we were in Budapest the locals were astonished that she wasn't one too). In retrospect, her inability to learn Spanish was a straw in the wind. We were married in 1975 and Liz quickly became a much loved (and admired) member of the Cantelo clan. In 1978 we settled in Canterbury where we've remained ever since.

Liz with another pig she liked!

Born within a day of one another but three years apart we had a ritual whereby on my birthday (the first) she'd tell me she was now 4 years younger than me and then on her birthday I'd remind her that I was then only three years her elder and that, therefore, she'd aged a year overnight. Amongst the things we shared were a similar sense of humour, a love of books and reading and, although far more understated than mine, a similar political outlook. Her deep understanding of language helped me hugely in writing/editing the Crossbill Guides and her great good sense always provided a reliable touchstone. She was a great cook too which suited me perfectly as I I've always enjoyed eating! She also had a particular affection for pigs which just might explain why she got on with me so well. Above all, she was a wonderful homemaker - perhaps an underrated talent - and mother. That our two talented, clever and loving daughters, Gemma and Anna, have turned out so well is in largely down to her thoughtful nurturing. When I was ill with stress-related depression, I couldn't have had a more thoughtful or considerate partner. Always kind, all too often she put herself before others. Despite her quiet nature, she charmed and was loved by all who met her. Much though I loved her when we met ours was, I believe, a love that continued to grow throughout our marriage. Well into the fifth decade of our relationship she still had the uncanny ability to give me a certain look or little smile that could make my knees wobble (although of late that just might have more to do with my increasing age). The trick of our happy marriage was, I discovered early on, to agree with Liz since, annoyingly, she was usually right.

Trujillo, Extremadura

She was not always right, though. Misled by tales of ‘sun, sand and sangria’, she resisted going to Spain for years but once there she soon fell under its spell. I cherish the moment when gazing across yet another gorgeous view in Extremadura, she turned to me and said, tongue firmly in cheek, “Why did you never tell me Spain was so beautiful?” Together we discovered and fell in love with the village of Alcala de los Gazules in Cadiz province where we enjoyed many holidays in our little townhouse there.

A rare non-birding moment in 2008 on our terrace in Alcala.

Whilst she tolerated my birding escapades with undeserved good humour persuading her to love birdwatching took much longer. However, the chattering of Lesser Kestrels and the melodic babbling of Bee-eaters over our terrace in Alcala quickly converted her where my efforts over the decades had failed. In Alcala, she was always happy to welcome birders to our terrace to share 'our' Lesser Kestrels although I was never quite sure which amused her most, the antics of the kestrels or the birders!

Liz in the Roman sewer, Medina Sidonia

She was my constant companion and source of much wisdom and even more love for 47 years. A long, cruelly one-sided battle with dementia robbed her of so much but what persisted almost to the end was her sparkling eyes and heart-stoppingly beautiful smile which allowed her to win everyone’s hearts even after she was unable to communicate verbally. That she never suffered any pain was a great comfort as was the fact that she quickly became unaware of her tragic circumstances. Against the odds and despite the circumstances, her last years were happy and contented. She did become agitated at times but rarely suffered the bouts of aggression that regularly afflicts some sufferers. Even then a timely hug or cuddle usually returned her to her happier self.

Still holding hands ......

Repeated hospital admissions and multiple problems arising from her illness meant that, with great reluctance and on the insistence of Social Services (worried for the safety of us both), she moved to Whitstable Nursing Home in February 2018. That she was cared for under the NHS Continuing Care scheme helped me to accept just how ill she had become and that keeping her at home, as I wanted, really wasn't possible. Happily finding Whitstable Nursing Home proved to be a stroke of great good fortune as the staff there looked after her superbly. That wonderful smile again did its trick. I went out to see her every day to help with her lunch (she could no longer feed herself) or just to hold her hand. Despite the excellent care she received, she was admitted to the hospital again at the start of December with pneumonia but, against the odds, she survived and returned to the nursing home. She seemed to be recovering but the pneumonia returned. She gave the Grim Reaper a hard fight battering and blunting the blade of his scythe for longer than anyone could have imagined. Sadly, she grew weaker and weaker until she quietly passed away in the early evening on Boxing Day 2018. As I sit here typing this tribute I still keep thinking she's still here just out of sight. It's still hard not to turn and ask her for advice.

I must also pay tribute to the extraordinary kind support I've had over the past few years from the birding community (both in Kent and elsewhere), many friends (on and off-line), our neighbours (in Canterbury and in Alcala) and, most touchingly, my former students. There are simply too many to name them all individually but exceptions must be made of birders Brendan Ryan & Chris Cox (who kept me [relatively] sane by regularly taking me birding) and, online, Harry Hussey (whose kind concern often helped), our Alcala friends Claire & Bob Lloyd (for relieving any worries about our house in Alcala), my UK neighbours David & Jan (don't pop in on Burns Night without arranging to be carried home) and Gemma-across-the-road (for many kindnesses) and former students Sharon & Sara (of Goodfellas barbers), Georgie Moon (manager of Ecco shoes) and Joanne Delo-Taylor (who's finally forgiven for talking throughout her History lessons). Most touchingly another former student, Larry Warren, has raised funds for Alzheimer's Research by doing walks in Liz's name; next time I will join you Larry. Dirk Hilbers (Crossbill Guides) and my old birding school friend, Phil Gregory, helped enormously by distracting me with texts to write/edit/proof read. The latter also helped with sage Antipodean advice when things got on top of me. I could not have managed the last few years without your help.

Anna, Liz and Gemma

I am also deeply grateful to our local branch of "Bill's", where Liz and I often ate, whose extraordinary kindness to us both has been quite humbling. The Collins Unit at AgeUK Canterbury gave me time and space when I much needed it. Above all, though, I must give thanks to my brother Anthony for his unstinting support (and totally unbiased match reports about
the Saints) and our two daughters, Gemma and Anna (supported by our daughter-in-law Jayne), for giving me strength when I weakened. There is, and there will remain, a huge Liz shaped hole in my life but the kindness of so many will be a balm to what still seems an unstaunchable wound. Despite the painful sadness that overwhelms me at Liz's passing, I cannot but feel blessed at being surrounded by so much love and kindness. It's said that you reap what you sow but I can never have sown so much and what little I have sown has been reaped a hundredfold.

If you find this blog and my birding notes on Cadiz Province helpful then, if you’re so inclined, when using them to explore the birdlife of the region please raise a glass in her memory for, without her, they wouldn’t exist.

Should you be so kind as to wish to make a donation to AgeUK or Alzheimer's Research UK in her memory then our daughter, Anna, has set up a webpage here for that purpose

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La Janda - a new chapter?

20/11/2018

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Only a half-dozen Andalucian sites on Ebird (https://ebird.org) have managed to top 200 hundred species and just as few over 500 trip reports so with a reported 235 species listed in 538 reports (figures correct to 20/11/18) La Janda is clearly a remarkable birding destination despite being a mere shadow of its former self. If current plans come to fruition it's about to become even better. The circumstances behind this change are explained in the paragraph below and the map that follows it shows the area which may soon be open to (pedestrian?) birders. This new paragraph has been inserted into my account of La Janda after my description of the egret colony (f). Please note that as area (g) has not previously been mentioned in my notes (h) to (q) on the map below refer to (g) to (p) on the most recent previous version. It should, however, be noted that these details are preliminary. Another recent development is that the road onto La Janda from the A2226 near Benalup has now been resurfaced and improved.

To the north-west of the weir lies the strictly private Las Lomas Estate. The roads here have long been gated and inaccessible. However, in 2018 a judgement regarding the legal status of the area concluded that the Junta de Andalucia had a legal claim to the area and a responsibility to develop which should mean better access (see http://blog.lagunalajanda.org/2018/08/14/los-humedales-de-la-janda-son-dominio-publico/). As a result, following an initiative by the Asociación de Amigos de la Laguna de L a Janda (www.lagunalajanda.org), the Department of the Environment of the Andalusian junta has requested that the Las Lomas Estate allow access on tracks currently kept closed (see yellow routes marked on the map (g)). This should open up a lot more of the area for birdwatchers but note that, although it is planned to allow unrestricted non-motorised access along these routes, vehicular access will only be by prior arrangement and “for a justified reason”. Details of how to gain permission and what qualifies as “a justified reason” remains to be seen ….. The track first follows a main drainage channel (3.5 km) before turning south along the Rio Barbate and then on to El Canal (5 km). There’s also a shorter spur (3 km) towards the estate buildings although it seems unlikely that you will be able to access the A 2228 by this route). The bushes along the canal/river may prove to hold interesting species whilst the track down from El Canal should offer excellent views across the area. Check locally for the current situation and whether access has been formally agreed (hopefully I will be able to post details on my occasional blog).

When I have any further information I will post it here and add it to my notes. If you visit the area before I do so please don't assume the the area is open unless you have positive news of the fact. If so let me know asap!

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The Wildlife Guides of Andalucia - video

28/9/2018

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To get some idea of who the professional guides in Cadiz Province (and elsewhere in Andalucia) are and what they can offer I recommend taking a look at a short video of interviews with some (but not all) of the guides I recommend which was made at the 2018 UK Birdfair - see www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydA8kmiKPFY

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La Janda Re-visited

17/9/2018

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Having been back to Cadiz province this September (at long last!) one of the sites I really wanted to visit was La Janda. On doing so I decided that the map of the area in my birding guide wasn't up to scratch so once back home I decided to redraft it to make it more clear and to show the main 'central' section' in greater detail. Naturally, I couldn't do this without tinkering with the text. Equally predictably that 'tinkering' turned into a full scale redrafting which, I fear, has turned out to be rather longer than I'd intended and probably a little OTT. That said this is an iconic and well visited site where too much detail is probably better than too little. I've reproduced the revised text below (with minor alterations) and have added a number of my indifferent photos. I've omitted my original (lengthy) access details but, in short, arriving along the N 340/E-5 from Tarifa and turning right into (a) or (d) should not cause problems as long as you indicate in good time. Coming from Vejer is a little more difficult as you have to cross the northbound carriageway of the N 340/E-5. Access via Benalup (m) is straight forward and is my usual approach as I generally come from Alcala de los Gazules but as the majority of birders will be arriving from Tarifa the description that follows is based on arrival via (a).

This iconic site was once the largest, if very shallow, natural lake in Andalucia and rivalled the Coto Donaña in terms of rare and scarce species. (see the Asociacion de Amigos de La Janda Facebook page for further details of the history & background of this site https://www.facebook.com/AmigosLagunaJanda/posts/1485470394846998:0).
Sadly, the wetland was drained and large wind farms have now been built south of Tahivilla and near Facinas. To the west lies the strictly private Las Lomas estate (once the playground of field sports loving Spanish royalty). However, the estate has resisted the financial temptations of wind farms and much of the area is given over to rice paddies – an attractive habitat for wetland species. The rice fields are usually re-flooded at the end of May. In winter it is now one of the best sites in Europe, let alone Spain, to see a variety of large eagles (including in recent years Greater and Lesser Spotted Eagles plus hybrids between the two) and has the additional draw of wintering Common Crane. Accordingly, I have treated this site in particular detail.

Looking across La Janda towards Vejer

Much of the area is strictly private and most side tracks are designated private (‘camino particular’). Towards Tahivilla and again along the road to Zahara vast wind farms now mar the skyline – a development that may account for the increasing scarcity of Little Bustard in the area. Unfortunately, a project to ‘restore’ a small part of La Janda to its former glory seems permanently stalled (being an offset measure if/when the N 340/E 5 is ‘improved’). However, as noted in my last blog, in 2018 a judgement regarding the legal status of the area concluded that the Junta de Andalucia had a legal claim to the area and a responsibility to develop it for the public good which may mean better access (see http://blog.lagunalajanda.org/2018/08/14/los-humedales-de-la-janda-son-dominio-publico/).

As it’s the most frequently used access point the description that follows assumes entry off the N 340 (E-5) as you drive north opposite the turning for Zahara de los Atunes (a) although there’s a second point of entry off this road further north (d). (Note the restrictions & warnings regarding turning off the N 340 under ‘Access’) In theory, the area can also be reached via the ‘canada real’ (j) from Facinas (n), but this route is so badly degraded in parts such that even an off-road vehicle may struggle.
Turning off at (a) the track runs parallel with the main road for c120m before swinging right and dropping down to the ‘Canal Principal’ c1 km below. Before doing so it’s often worth scanning the area from the top of the track as this affords a good panorama of the old lake bed. Doing so will locate any areas of standing water (a draw for many species) and, in autumn–early spring, flocks of Common Crane. As you drop down check the fences for birds like Fan-tailed Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, etc., the ditch for Green Sandpiper and pull over where the track turns sharp left. Depending of the state of the rice paddies and time of year you should see wetland species such as White Stork, Glossy Ibis, Black-winged Stilt, etc. The corner where the track turns to follow the main irrigation ditch is a popular stopping point to scan for birds so it’s often the place to meet other birders and hear what others they've seen.

Check carefully for Purple Herons peering out from the middle of a rice paddy

Following the track (b) you have the ‘Canal Principal’ on your right and pylons with rice paddies beyond to your left. Raptors (esp. Short-toed Eagles) often use the pylons as vantage points whilst harriers – Marsh (resident), Montagu’s (summer) and Hen (winter) - skim low over the fields and eagles/buzzards/vultures pass overhead. Check passage/winter harriers for Pallid Harrier, a rare but regular visitor in recent years. In addition, to the species already noted the rice paddies may hold a variety of waders (Ruff, Snipe, Greenshank, etc), Purple Gallinule and egrets/herons (Squacco, Purple, etc). Check sparrows carefully as Spanish Sparrows can often be unearthed amongst the more numerous House Sparrows. Similarly check any Whitethroats since, although this is the most usual species here, Spectacled Warblers do occur. Black Stork turn up on passage and a few winter. For non-avian delights check the main ditch for Otters, look out for Mongoose, search the embankment for the rare and localised Zeller’s Skipper (found only in the Campo de Gibraltar in Europe) and expect a variety of dragonflies (esp. the abundant Northern Banded Groundling, a recent colonist from Africa).

Fields on La Janda are often studded with a myriad of White Storks

After just over 5 km you reach a bridge on your right across the ‘Canal Principal’ (c). Continuing along the track you are likely to see many of the birds noted in the previous paragaph before reaching, after just over 4 km, the N 340. On reaching the main road check the ditch on the right as it often seems attractive to migrating Bee-eaters in autumn In the evening check the pylons here for Eagle Owl (esp late winter). Turning right towards Vejer you can also pull off at a picnic site (e) which offers views across a different aspect of La Janda – I have seen both Crane and Black Stork here in winter.

A flock of Glossy Ibis over La Janda (from 'b')

Crossing the bridge at (c) takes you along a track which borders a channel screened by trees which for much of its length in spring/summer hosts an egret colony (Cattle and Little Egrets plus a handful of Glossy Ibis). Minimise disturbance by staying your car and remembering to have your camera handy before you proceed. After c1.5 km you reach an area near a weir where there’s plenty of space to pull over. This is another good place to scan for raptors - I’ve had 3 or 4 Bonelli’s Eagle from here in autumn. It’s also a good spot to look for Black-winged Kite perching on pylons or irrigation superstructures. During migration periods the whole area can be alive with Back Kites, Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Kestrels, etc. The reedy scrub here can also hold wintering/passage Bluethroats and other passerines.

The Egret colony - the only shot I have that conveys how 'busy' it is!

Continue across a small bridge and around the flanks of a small hill. (NB – there’s often a large puddle across the track just after the bridge which should be negotiated with great care even though the surface below is largely solid cobbles. If in doubt wait until a local passes by to see how they tackle the flooded section!). Being a little raised above the old lake-bed the track here again offers a good opportunity to scan for raptors. The track then drops down to the old lake-bed before edging along the flank of a second larger hill topped by an old finca (g). Pull off just beyond the crash barriers on your left to enjoy a splendid panorama across La Janda which once again offers a good chance of scanning for raptors.

Bluethroat - taken, I admit, in France but it's the only one I have!

From the farm (look out for Little Owl) a straight concrete track runs along the top of a ridge flanked by light woodland to the left and weedy fields to the right (h). Inevitably, this is another location where patient scanning of the skies may yield results but don’t neglect the fences and scrubby field which may hold Woodchat Shrike, wheatear sp., warblers, etc. After c2.5 km the track (now tarmacked) drops down towards a junction with the old cañada to Facinas and a small bridge and more rice paddies (i). During peak migration periods the hillsides here can be alive with resting Black Kites. Check the paddies, old river channels and drainage ditches here for species like Purple Gallinule and the wet scrub for passage/wintering Bluethroats. The track runs along the drainage channel towards the Embalse de Celemin can also be profitably checked for the same species (Bee-eaters often hawk from the wires here). The low wooded ridge here offers creates updrafts for passing raptors.

The gravel track (j) towards Facinas was once in very poor condition this track was regraded and improved in 2011 and is now signposted (look for orange tipped finger posts). In summer check for Red-necked Nightjar along here. (Note – if you find a roosting bird be careful not to approach too closely or linger too long to avoid disturbance). If you do take this track look out for Spanish Imperial, Bonelli’s Eagle etc and carefully check any Buzzards as Long-legged Buzzard are a remote possibility (as elsewhere). However confusing ‘Gibraltar Buzzards’ (Buzzard x Long-legged hybrids) are far more likely. Little Bustard has also been reported along here (although there are much better sites locally for this species). Sadly, Great Bustard is now extinct on La Janda. Unless badly degraded by winter rains the track should be easily drivable (with care) until roughly opposite Tahivilla. However, it is frequently in an extremely poor condition beyond this point with a c1 km long section that is deeply rutted and flooded challenging even in a 4x4. As it nears the wind farm it improves but access here is better from (n). (Note – the 2013 booklet 'Birds from the Coast of Trafalgar' appears to suggest that you can use farm tracks here to reach the N 340 but access to these tracks from that road are often guarded by closed gates which suggests local farmers may be of a different opinion …).

It's not unusual for it to be raining White Storks on La Janda in autumn

The concrete track from (i) towards Benalup and the A 2226 (CA 212) was, until recently, in an almost un-drivable condition with numerous deep sharp-edged holes that you had to negotiate with great care. Patched-up in summer 2018 it is now easily drivable but it’s a moot point how long this repair will last so be prepared for a long detour if it again falls into disrepair. If you take this route look out on your left after c750m an old 'oxbow' (k). When muddy this can be an excellent spot to stop and scan for waders (esp. if there's little suitable habitat along the main track across La Janda); during passage periods waders (e.g. Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers, Greenshank, Little Stint, Collared Pratincole, etc.) plus larger birds like Glossy Ibis and herons. A further 2km along the track you cross the Rio Barbate where you can pull off onto a track (l) on your left that allows exploration of wet river margins that can be of interest (Squacco, Purple Herons, etc) and fields nearby often have Montagu’s Harriers. From here it’s c2 km to (m) and the A226 (which can come as a relief after driving on poor tracks for several hours!). The fields on the right after the bridge have held Little Bustard in the past but new buildings here may have deterred them. Nonetheless, it may be worth checking along the track on your right that runs past an active sandpit and down to the Rio Barbate (c1.5 km after the bridge)

For those determined to reconnoitre the La Janda area in its entirety there remain two additional areas to explore. The track (j) running along the north-eastern edge of La Janda finally reaches the road to Facinas at (n). This area has been made is less inviting than elsewhere thanks to the construction of a large wind farm so is infrequently visited . However, the presence of the wind farm at least means that the track to a bridge (c3 km from the Facinas road) over the Rio Almodovar (o) is kept in good repair. The area around the river here (and by a ford a little further on) can be worth closer scrutiny - Hoopoe and Tawny Pipits are often found in this area and flocks of Corn Bunting can exceed 200 birds. As already noted beyond the ford the track is usually in an appalling undrivable condition. To be honest this area is probably not worth making a time consuming diversion for unless you like to explore neglected lesser known spots.

Back on the N 340 at Tahivilla, the Venta Apolo XI makes an excellent refreshment stop as the food is first rate (and is often an impromptu meeting point for lunching birders). A narrow road beside the venta loops around and back to the main road (via a failed polígono) which allows you to scan this part of La Janda if you wish (impossible from the busy N 340). Across the road from the venta is the village of Tahivilla itself where, if you take the first left onto Calle Corrales, which runs parallel to the main road for a few hundred metres before swinging sharp right across open farmland towards a large wind farm (p). This track (sometimes called the ‘cemetery road’) was once particularly good for Little Bustard and, although reduced in number, they are still reported here at times. It can also be good for Montagu's Harrier, larks, etc.

Bar Restaurante Apolo XI - an impromptu meeting point for birders (Photo - Google Streetview)

As noted at the start of this account, the whole area has a good record for birds of prey with Pallid Harrier now turning up regularly in autumn and sometimes wintering, both Lanner and Eleonora's Falcon have sometimes lingered in autumn and there's even a recent record of Steppe Eagle (plus those aforementioned “spotted” Eagles). A survey of La Janda (inc. some areas normally closed to birdwatchers) in January 2017 found an exceptional 4-6 Spanish Imperial Eagles, a Golden Eagle, 2 Spotted Eagles, 3 Lesser/Greater Spotted Eagle hybrids and 9-12 Bonelli's Eagles.

It's not possible to mention all the possible (or even likely) species you might see on a visit to La Janda but in this account I've endeavoured to note the most sought after species (or groups) you should encounter. For a full list of species and their pattern of occurrence check E-bird accounts for La Janda particularly https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2345561 . Knowing where in the account to mention them is problematical and whilst I've tried to do so at what I feel are the most appropriate points in reality expect any of them anywhere on this route! At the very least I hope this account conveys something of the nature of the area and its birds even if the dry pedantic nature of 'route guide' has robbed the text of excitement and wonder.

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Paradise regained - new future for La Janda?

21/8/2018

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The Asociacion Amigos de la Laguna de la Janda's blog is always worth reading even if, for monoglots, like me it means doing so through the uncertain medium of Google Translate. Arguably, their latest post (see here) is their most significant one yet as it reports a recent finding regarding the legal status of La Janda. This legal paper (see here) has concluded that La Janda is publicly owned. This 38 page document probably doesn't make transparent reading even if you've perfect Spanish so my take on what it says and it's importance may well not be as accurate as it might be so read what follows with a pinch of salt!

Paradise lost - the former Laguna de la Janda

Fortunately, though, the document has an abstract in English which explains the background to the legal finding. This reads as follows: The opening In the second half of the 20th century, the largest wetland in Spain, the lagoon of La Janda (Cádiz), was drained, pursuant to a law that conferred special incentives to the drainage promoters such as ownership of the land. However, in the case of La Janda this drainage did not succeed and the Government reversed the grant of the property and announced its return to the public domain. Notwithstanding this, the Government has not exercised its jurisdiction to regain its full property rights, even though the Supreme Court has ruled in its favor and the land has retained its wetland characteristics. This paper analyzes the legal history of this event and the authority of the State for the restoration of the lagoon.

The rest of the paper is not only in Spanish (of course!) but in a legal jargon that defeats online translation. However, from what I can make out (and what is suggested by the abstract) it seems that the failure to fully drain the land, as set out in the original grant, means that La Janda remains in public ownership. Not only that but in the paper's conclusions there's a relatively simple sentence which reads, in translation, as follows - "The investigation is not subject to the administration's discretion, but is a duty that must be fulfilled in the defence of its assets, in the face of which there is no scope for administrative inactivity". This I understand to mean that the governmental department responsible is legally obliged to take control of La Janda as it forms part of the state's assets. There's a good deal of dense legal argument (I think!) in the document but from what Google and my meagre Spanish can make out, the conclusion is that the restoration of the laguna, or at least of some of the wetlands, would be the in the public good and that therefore the administration is obliged to take action.

At this point a note of caution must be added since those who currently farm La Janda are both very wealthy and well connected politically. One apparent example of this influence is that when, a few years ago, a paper was prepared on La Janda for a conference in Jerez on Spain's wetlands, it was suddenly pulled, without explanation, by the organisers. Talking to my well informed Spanish friends at the Birdfair last week, they seemed to be confident that the case is watertight(!), that the administration includes those willing to push this forwards and that the judgement can be used to exert pressure on those who farm the land to make concessions. That said, there also seemed an awareness that a wholesale restoration and any consequent loss of jobs was not feasible in the current climate (nearby Benalup has one of the highest unemployment rates in Spain). However, there seemed to be a real confidence that birding visitors should see concessions to allow for the wider public use of the area within a year or two. This may take the form of access along currently closed tracks to areas of wetland and of other interest (although whether this would be by permit or entirely open remains to be seen). In the longer term there may even be some restoration. It would be foolish to underestimate the reality of political inertia, the lack of funds for any significant restoration and the power of vested interests, but the judgement gives hope that this superb birding site may become still better in the foreseeable future. Watch this space ....

Update - I am indebted to my friend Javi Elorriaga for the link to an article in La Vanguardia (see here) which, even in Google Translate, explains the situation very clearly. For those with good Spanish, he also directed me to a book on the restoration of La Janda (Bases ecologicas para la restauracion de los humedales de la Janda - Cadiz, España € 17.00 by Manuel Angel Dueñas López € 17.00 - see here)

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Cañadas - a social, cultural and historical diversion

21/8/2018

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The start of the Cañada de Marchantes

Look at a large scale map of any part of Andalucia (and most of Spain come to that) and you will quickly discover that rural areas are crisscrossed by cañadas (droveways). Andalucia has a disproportionately high proportion of these old cattle trails - 3,000 km - amounting to 25% of the total national network. Their abundance reminds us of the former importance of transhumance (the seasonal movement of livestock) and that, before mechanisation, droving (herding animals along what amount to linear pastures) was the only way to get sheep and cattle to market. Hence these ancient vias pecunaira (as they are also known) are flanked by broad margins to provide grazing en route, wells to provide water (abrevaderos), overnight resting places (descansaderos or majadas) and points where counting animals to enable royal taxation was facilitated (puertos reales).

An abrevadero near Alcala de los Gazules

Exactly how old these routes are is a matter of some dispute. Most authors suggest that they date to the early Medieval period but some suggest, perhaps fancifully, that they may be traced back far further into antiquity and are an echo of the migratory routes taken by wild animals and early human hunters who pursued them in Neolithic times. It is certain, though, that their use and legal status can be traced back to the 13th century. The most significant regulation was enacted by Alfonso the Wise of Castille in 1273. Their legal status as protected common land has since been confirmed and regulated by national laws in 1995 and local regulation in Andalucia in 2001. These laws were enacted to ensure the conservation and restoration of these trails (and anything culturally or environmentally valuable associated with them). Despite this, rapacious landowners have habitually used their power to illegally block cañadas or absorb them into their own landholdings. Hence some routes exist only on paper, many are illegally blocked at some point and others have degenerated into narrow little used paths but many remain as gravel tracks with generous borders.

Cañadas (in the north called carrerada or valgada) fall into three main categories:
Cañada Reales: tracks up to 75m wide.
Cordel: tracks not above 37.50m wide (literally a 'string')
Vereda: tracks not above 20m wide (a 'sidewalk')

For the most part they seem to be named for the places they link but they are also named after topographical features or the trades using them. Not surprisingly, today they more used by walkers and cyclists than herders. Happily for naturalists those broad untamed margins are a perfect reservoir for wildlife. They can also act as unexpected sources of cultural, social and historical information as I discovered when researching the Cañada de Marchantes (Merchant's Droveway) as noted in my previous post.

The monument at Punto Magico

Looking through my photos to use for the update on this area kindly provided by Richard Page-Jones, I found a photo that I'd entirely forgotten about. It shows a small monument along the Cañada de Marchantes at the intriguingly named Punto Magico. Despite my Spanish remaining no more than utterly dreadful, I was able to grasp the gist of what was written but had meant to check online to find a translation of those words I hadn't understood.

With the help of "Google Translate" I managed to resolve all but one of my questions. The word that remained, "Paquiro", was obstinately obscure no matter how many dictionaries, online and otyerwise, I consulted. However, this too was explained when my good friend Luis-Mi Garrido Padillo explained that it was a name. So thanks to Google, Luis-Mi and with a little editing by myself this, I discovered, was what was written:

Magic Point - Miralamar.
Our Romantics and seafarer forebears rightly called this place Miralamar (Sea View). The sea, the bay (of Cadiz), Chiclana and its countryside, a whole wide horizon is viewed from this hill where Paquiro had his vineyards and the drovers' road takes us to the lagoons of Jeli and Montellano and 'Cortijo del Ingles'. Chiclana de la Frontera VII centenary 1303 - 2003"

Paquiro - Francisco Montes Reina

"Paquiro" was the nickname of Francisco Montes Reina who was born in Chiclana in 1804. Abandoning his ambition to become a surgeon due to his father's financial problems, he turned instead to bullfighting. Reina remains one of the most famous names in bullfighting history, having codified rules for the corrida and introduced the matador's now traditional "Traje de Luz" (Suit of Light) and hat, the Montera. Indeed, the toreador's headgear is named after him (from his family name Montes). Whatever your personal views about bullfighting, it's clear that Paquiro was a considerable local celebrity whose memory was so important to the town that almost 200 years after his birth (and over 150 years since his death) it was felt it important to name him on this monument. That he is still revered by many in his hometown, a traditional area of support for bullfighting, is also reflected by the fact that there's a museum dedicated to him and bullfighting in Chiclana.

The view from Punto Magico - a photo never does it justice.

The view from Punto Magico is indeed extraordinarily spectacular encompassing, as the inscription tells us, a wide panorama across the sea and the hinterland of Chiclana. Yet so wide and open is the view that it's difficult to do justice to it in a photograph (particularly one of mine). Today it seems a somewhat out of the way place to commemorate Chiclana's septcentenary but I would imagine that it was chosen as from this point all the factors that shaped the town's history are visible from here. The sea that provided both sustenance and, until the coming of the railways, the best means of transport (although it wasn't until 2009 that a tramway linked Chiclana to the 19th century line to Cadiz).

The 'Cortijo Ingles' mentioned on the inscription may seem surprising given that this view looks out towards Cadiz the scene of Drake's (in)famous 'singeing of the King of Spain's beard' when, in spring 1587, the English privateer sacked the place (and in the process gave the English a taste for 'sack'). However, it was also near here that the British tried to break the Napoleonic siege of Cadiz at the Battle of Barrosa (Chiclana, 5th March 1811). Despite a single British division defeating two French divisions and captured a French regimental eagle, the British were unable to break the siege and the French continued the siege and held Chiclana until August the following year. Subsequently, British investors became heavily involved in the sherry trade and it is probably then that the farmhouse was given its name (one of several farms in the province so named).

Battle of Barrosa 1811 - note that the Laguna del Puerco has long since vanished.

All of this, of course, will be lost on determined monomanic birders who will have eyes only for the avian delights of the area which, with luck, can include the declining and much sought after Rufous Bushchat!

Rufous Bushchat (Photo - Richard Page-Jones)

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Three Days in Andalucia - a guest blog by Julian Thomas

17/7/2018

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It was great fun helping Julian with information for his short trip to Andalucia but the credit for seeing all of his target birds belongs entirely to him. He did exceptionally well with the rarer swifts which have proved elusive in the Bolonia area for many visitors and particularly well with Crested Coot at Laguna de Medina where it's been seen very infrequently in recent years. I'm always very happy to have any feedback or trip reports for this blog so please don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to contribute. Many thanks to Julian for letting me share his excellent account here - I hope it will encourage others. (NB - As Julian only took photos of the Northern Bald Ibis I've added several of my own indifferent photos to the blog).

Julian's Account

I had flights left over from a failed British twitch, so decided to switch them to Bristol–Malaga for a short break in southern Spain instead. A small number of target lifers and Western Pal ticks awaited, and planning was aided mightily by John Cantelo’s excellent online guide to birding Cadiz province and nearby areas – see https://birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/ – plus additional info from John and from Cliff Smith.

Monday 25 June
The early morning flight arrived at Malaga airport late and picking up the hire car took ages, so it was 1130 before I started the 200km-plus drive to Vejer de la Frontera. The journey was uneventful other than 2 Monk Parakeets near the airport and occasional Spotless Starlings and Crested Larks.

The prime target for today was Northern Bald Ibis (or Waldrapp) at the well-known roadside colony at Barca de Vejer, but when I arrived mid-afternoon, no sign! Presumably they had finished breeding. No sign either in fields between Barbate and Zahara de los Atunes, but plenty of swifts, including several Pallids and at least one Little Swift showing close and well. No swifts, however, near the lighthouse at Atlanterra, just good views of 3 Red-rumped Swallows, a Sardinian Warbler, and 2 or 3 Monarch butterflies. As I drove back out of Atlanterra, thinking that things were not going well, a single small, attenuated swift whizzed across – White-rumped! I tried the famous Cuevo del Moro at Bolonia in the hope of better views, but no joy; I did, however, add Alpine Swift, 2 Blue Rock Thrushes, and several Griffon Vultures. Back to Barca de Vejer, hoping that the Bald Ibises would come in to roost, and there they were – 8 of them! A contender for ugliest bird in the world, but globally rare, and quite bizarre (and wonderful) to see them just above a busy road.

Northern Bald Ibis - Photo Julian Thomas

Vejer is a classic Spanish hilltop town – white buildings and a maze of narrow, often one-way streets. The Hostal La Posada (basic but comfortable, and unbeatable value at €25 per night) was easily accessible from the west, however. After checking in it was straight back out again the same way for the short drive north-east to Cantarranas, noting an occupied White Stork nest on the church there as I headed towards the olive groves. I didn’t see Black-winged Kite (normally easy there, apparently*), but I got good views of Iberian Green Woodpecker and then, as dusk fell, the main target – Red-necked Nightjar (three flight views, including one virtually overhead, and I heard several others). It turned out to be a good day after all. (* I've been there many times at dusk and never missed them so, unless they've declined locally, Julian was unlucky to dip the species there - John)

Red-necked Nightjar - they rarely show as well as this bird at La Janda! Photo John Cantelo

Tuesday 26 June
A quick look back at Barca de Vejer at 0700 showed only one Waldrapp left on the cliffs, though another was circling. Next stop was Laguna de Medina, about 45 minutes’ drive north. I spent longer than planned here (c. 90 minutes), but it worked out very well, with good views of 4 Western Olivaceous Warblers, and plenty of Reed Warblers (a recent paper assigns Iberian birds to African Reed Warbler rather than European, so technically a Western Pal tick for me). Nightingales, Crested Larks, Sardinian Warblers, and Zitting Cisticolas were singing continually, and a gravelly Great Reed Warbler sang from a reed head, though the calling Stone Curlews remained invisible. From the hide I scoped the wildfowl on the lake, especially the coots, and was rewarded with one that, though distant, had a squared-off shield and red bumps on the crown – Crested Coot! Several White-headed Ducks and Black-necked Grebes too, plus a drake Ferruginous Duck, and on the walk back a male Common Waxbill showed well perched on a reed.

It was another hour’s drive north to Los Palacios y Villafranca, and the morning was wearing away when I arrived at Laguna de la Mejorada. The lagoon held lots of herons (including Squacco), single Little and Whiskered Terns, and a very close Red-rumped Swallow. My main target here, though, was Rufous Bush Chat, and I found a pair nest-building in a bush close to a track – sumptuous views, though I didn’t stay long for fear of causing disturbance. Besides, the next stop was just west of Los Palacios at the fantastic Brazo del Este, where I ended up spending several hours. It was an extraordinary spectacle, with astonishing numbers of Black-winged Stilts, Glossy Ibises, and Whiskered Terns, various herons (including several Purples and a male Little Bittern), 2 Caspian Terns, several Collared Pratincoles hawking over nearby fields, and many Western Swamphens. Two introduced African weavers have also established populations here, and I got great views of several Black-headed Weavers and a fine male Yellow-crowned Bishop.

White-headed Duck Bonanza Pools - Photo John Cantelo

Leaving mid-afternoon, I headed south towards Sanlucar de Barrameda via Lebrija. It took ages to find the right way along a maze of gravel tracks and poor tarmac roads, but at last I did it. Relief! It was already 5pm, though, by the time I reached the famous* Bonanza Pools. (* That's the first time I've heard them called 'famous'! Until I publicised this superb little site, I knew of no other birders who visited it! John). More brilliantly close views of White-headed Ducks here, but I failed again on Marbled Duck, the last lifer target available. One last site to try, Las Portugueses saltpans, but time was running on and the short drive north through Algaida Pines (itself an interesting site which I had no time to explore) seemed to take forever, not helped by the many speed bumps. At last I got there, only to find the first pool virtually dry! Disaster, or so I thought. Several Gull-billed Terns showed very well by the sluice, but…

A short drive further on, the second pool had much more water, lots of Greater Flamingos, and 20 exquisite Slender-billed Gulls. Almost out of time, I was still determined to enjoy scoping these beauties. Then I noticed a pale duck way over at the back - Marbled Duck! Even better, it had at least a dozen ducklings in tow. Then I noticed another, also with a large brood (14 this time), much closer. At 19.00 I dragged myself away, arriving at my overnight stop at Mollina just before 22.00. A fantastic day’s birding, celebrated with a cerveza grande or two.

Marbled Duck - Photo John Cantelo

Lesser Flamingos - Fuente de Piedra 2009 - Photo John Cantelo

Wednesday 27 June
I said goodbye at 0700 to the Hotel Molino de Saydo (highly recommended – great old building, good rooms and food, and very friendly, helpful staff). A short drive later I was at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra – the sheer spectacle of hundreds of Greater Flamingos, Black-winged Stilts, and breeding Gull-billed Terns is worth it in itself, and there were plenty of passerines too (Western Olivaceous Warbler, Nightingale, ‘Iberian’ Yellow Wagtail, Corn Bunting, etc.). The prime target here, though, was Lesser Flamingo, a Western Pal tick for me – regular at this site now, and I knew up to 3 had been seen recently. Two good sets of scope views, possibly of the same bird, in the near corner of the lagoon left of the viewpoint behind the visitor centre, and thankfully no issues with heat haze that early in the morning.
By 0900 it was time to pack the scope, use the automatic car wash in the nearby village of Humilladero to avoid any extra charges for ‘more than reasonable cleaning’, then drive the hour or so back to Malaga in time for my lunchtime flight. I arrived back at Bristol airport at c.1430, happy with a very successful short trip, including 4 lifers, 8 other Western Pal ticks, and a host of wonderful birding experiences.

Species list (* - Heard only)
1. Great Crested Grebe
2. Little Grebe
3. Black-necked Grebe
4. Little Bittern
5. Black-crowned Night heron
6. Cattle Egret
7. Little Egret
8. Purple Heron
9. White Stork
10. Glossy Ibis
11. Northern Bald Ibis
12. Spoonbill
13. Greater Flamingo
14. Lesser Flamingo
15. Mallard
16. White-headed Duck
17. Marbled Duck
18. Red-crested Pochard
19. Pochard
20. Ferruginous Duck
21. Black Kite
22. Griffon Vulture
23. Buzzard
24. Kestrel
25. Lesser Kestrel
26. Red-legged Partridge
27. Moorhen
28. Coot
29. Crested Coot
30. Western Swamphen
31. Stone Curlew*
32. Black-winged Stilt
33. Avocet
34. Collared Pratincole
35. Little Ringed Plover
36. Lapwing
37. Green Sandpiper
38. Slender-billed Gull
39. Black-headed Gull
40. Yellow-legged Gull
41. Lesser Black-backed Gull
42. Gull-billed Tern
43. Little Tern
44. Whiskered Tern
45. Woodpigeon
46. Feral Pigeon
47. Turtle Dove

48. Collared Dove
49. Little Owl*
50. Monk Parakeet
51. Red-necked Nightjar
52. Little Swift
53. White-rumped Swift
54. Alpine Swift
55. Pallid Swift
56. Common Swift
57. Bee-eater
58. Hoopoe
59. Iberian Green Woodpecker
60. Crested Lark
61. Sand Martin
62. Red-rumped Swallow
63. Swallow
64. House Martin
65. White Wagtail
66. ‘Iberian’ Yellow Wagtail
67. Nightingale
68. Rufous Bush Chat
69. Stonechat
70. Blue Rock Thrush
71. Blackbird
72. Savi’s Warbler*
73. Zitting Cisticola
74. Cetti’s Warbler
75. Great Reed Warbler
76. African Reed Warbler
77. Western Olivaceous Warbler
78. Blackcap*
79. Sardinian Warbler
80. Western Orphean Warbler*
81. Southern Grey Shrike
82. Spotless Starling
83. Jackdaw
84. Raven
85. House Sparrow
86. Common Waxbill
87. Black-headed Weaver
88. Yellow-crowned Bishop
89. Chaffinch
90. Serin*
91. Greenfinch
92. Goldfinch
93. Linnet
94. Corn Bunting

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Birding Cadiz - updates June 2018

20/6/2018

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As noted in my earlier post about the Bahai de Cadiz I am always very grateful for any updates or feedback on the area. Along with Alf King, one of my regular correspondents is Richard Page-Jones. Richard and his wife Michele have a casita just south of Chiclana and in one of those serendipitous events that make life more interesting, we met thanks to a mutual friend of my sister's rather than directly via birding. Amongst other things Richard has discovered an excellent area for Rufous Bushchat and has been able to explore parts of the province I know less well than I should. Rather than make a digest of his points I've reproduced his correspondence below adding only, for clarity, references to my notes, highlighting the species mentioned and adding newly redrawn map of the Lagunas de Chiclana showing the Cañada de Marchantes (not named in earlier editions of my opus). Naturally I am extremely grateful for Richard's valuable input and most of the photos that grace this post.

Hi John. Back home now, and while its fresh in my mind I thought I would send you a few updates on Cadiz Province.

It had been a very wet spring. The flowers and vines have really benefitted but in some of the lagunas; in particularly our local one at Chiclana (NW 16.5 Laguna de Paja), the reeds have grown very high making visibility difficult and we couldn't see much at all.

Cañada de Marchantes and the Lagunas de Chiclana

Rufous Bushchat habitat by the Cañada de los Arcos - one of the many side tracks along Cañada de Marchantes. (Photo Richard Page-Jones)

Our favourite area has been the Cañada de Marchantes (NW 12 - Lagunas de Chiclana). There are very good breeding birds. Rufous Bushchat, Black-eared Wheatear and Stone Curlew. Good raptors including Montagu’s Harrier and both the lagunas had water and the usual suspects. There is now a car park at the top of the path down to Jeli, which is now a footpath only. There is a new viewing platform half way down which gives good scope views. Its difficult to get near the water and if you can visibility is poor due to high vegetation. The road to Montello has excellent scrub for warblers, and the Stone Curlew were in the low lying reedy bit to the right of the road. Overall the Cañada is a great place. Lovely views and great birds, particularly during the passage.

Lagua de Jeli (Photo - John Cantelo)

Rufous Bushchat - a scarce and declining species in Andalucia (Photo - Richard Page-Jones)

By contrast, in May, La Janda (SW 7 - La Janda) was something of a disappointment. It was dry and dusty and if its windy, finding birds in the reeds is difficult. Very few waders. The Egret nests are impressive, but there were few raptors. Over the top and down the hill to the small pond was better. Decent numbers of raptors. The road to Celemin is now gated just before the dam, but the gateway was our most productive spot for raptors. Small groups of Black Kite and Booted Eagle passing through with Egyptian and Griffon Vulture and the odd Short-Toed Eagle. There seems to be more dark phase Booted these days.

Slender-billed Gull at Bonanaza (Photo Richard Page-Jones)

As usual, Bonanza and La Algaida (NW 2 - Sanlucar – Bonanza - Trebujena Area) were really excellent. No problems getting to the the small pumping station, but the track round to the Guadalquivir was impassable even in a 4x4. Huge tractor ruts following the spring rain. Overall this remains the most productive birding area in all seasons; as you point out in your excellent recent article. You get very close to waders and the raptors are always good. Incredible numbers of Flamingo and Slender Billed Gull. There is now a very large and impressive heronry at the end of the pinewoods by the picnic site. Grey Heron, Spoonbill, White Stork and Black Kite all nesting close together in the tops of pine. Spectacled Warbler is a banker in the gateway on the left of track from fish farm toward the salt pan by the river. Also this year Gull-Billed and Black Tern, and in the past Orphean Warbler in trees by river and Wryneck by the disused holiday camp. But never had a sniff of a Sandgrouse.

We enjoyed our trip to the Salina de Chiclana at the Salinas Santa Maria de Jesus (NW 16.1 - St Maria de Bartivas Salt Pans). There is the museum, restaurant, and you can buy sea salt. There was a very impressive Little Tern nesting site with about 100 birds. A local birder said it was good for Caspian Tern and Stone Curlew in the winter.

Collared Pratincoles at El Canillo, Barbate (Photo - Richard Page-Jones)

Another favourite is El Canillo near Barbate (SW 6 - Barbate Estuary (d)). This now holds very large number of breeding Collared Pratincole. Also very good for Audouin’s Gull and in the winter Stone Curlew. The fields have impressive number of larks and the trees have a god range of passerines.

Audouin's Gull at Conil (Photo - Richard Page-Jones)

Conil is (SW 4 - Los Naveros- Conil area) also very good for Auduoin’s Gull, Slender Billed Gull, Caspian and Sandwich Tern. There were huge numbers of Chiffchaff in February and an Osprey was fishing in the river.

Our big disappointment was Brazo del Este (SV 2 - Brazo del Este). A disaster. Dry and dusty and a steady procession of lorries and tractors down the main drag made birding uncomfortable and difficult and the pools held nothing we could see more easily elsewhere. This contrasted totally with a wet day in April two years ago when it was awash with birds.

Chipiona (NW 1 - Chipiona Area – Chipiona, La Jara, etc) was nice for tapas and Little Swift.

We dropped in at La Cazalla (SW 10.2 - Cazalla). The migration had almost finished; just a few non-breeding stragglers. A very nice young guy called Diego gave us some very helpful info on best viewing points depending on wind and time of year. The site is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11.00 to 18.00. Not sure what months it is open, but I would have thought during migration times. He said that there was no problem going to Cueva del Moro, despite the sign (SW 8 - Bolonia - Atlanterra – Sierra de la Plata). We went up there. Just a few odd Honey Buzzard with the Griffons and a few Egyptians. No sign of the Little Swift. Diego confirmed they had not been seen in the last few years.

Red-necked Nightjar over the garden fence (Photo - Richard Page-Jones)

Finally, around our house nice to see the usual Red-Necked Nightjar, Spotted Flycatcher, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Nightingales, and a very elusive Golden Oriole (we heard it most days but difficult to see) and the surprise drop ins - European Nightjar and Reed Warbler.

Thanks again to Richard not only for his excellent resumé but also for putting Cañada de Marchantes firmly on the 'birding map'. It's an excellent area not only for birds but also for affording exceptional views across Bahia de Cadiz and its hinterland. I will be returning to this topic in a future post.

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Birding Cadiz June 2018 - E-bird edition

11/6/2018

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Although I had been vaguely aware of "E-Bird" (http://ebird.org) for some time until late in 2017 I hadn't really appreciated its usefulness. Once I did so I realised that adding references to that resource would greatly enhance my birding guide. However, realisation and actually doing something about it are two different things! Unfortunately, a series of domestic events forced me to put the idea on the 'back burner' for six months or more so I returned to it only in late April of this year. Even so, the process of incorporating the information from E-bird took a lot longer than I had hoped (with external factors again hampering progress). In addition to adding links to E-bird for those sites that this resource covers, I have also added links to relevant posts on my blog. This seemed to be the only way I could give readers access to photos of some of the sites mentioned in my guide (although my plans to cover the principle sites with photos and a more discursive account has had to be postponed until I can return to Spain regularly). It also draws attention to my discussion of various points of interest - tricky bird ID (e.g. larks & swifts), particular species of bird (e.g. Bald Ibis), the historical context (both ornithologically and in general), expand on points made in my introduction and a number of book reviews.

So how and why can E-bird be so useful? Well, it allows you to generate useful checklists for whatever region you're visiting. Hence a few taps on the keyboard allows you to discover that Spain as a whole has a checklist of 589 bird species of which Andalucia has 424 species (the highest total for all Spanish provinces), 346 species have been reported on E-bird from Cadiz "county", a figure exceeded only by Malaga with 355. (Note: the raw figures generated for provinces and individual sites appear to include undetermined species pairs and escapees which inflates the totals but this is countered by the omission of those extreme rarities not reported to E-Bird. However they should still be useful for comparative purposes). It also gives information on species reported for individual sites with, for example, 233 species being reported from the Canal principal area of La Janda (and, I note, another 11 checklists submitted since May when I originally wrote my notes!). From the data available you can also generate useful bar charts not only of any of the above regions but also specific sites. In additions to indicating temporal presence, these bar charts give you an idea of frequency (from rare to widespread). Naturally, how accurate these are depends rather on how many checklists have been submitted so only really works well for larger regions and frequently visited locations. You can also hone your search down to look at a specific time frame. Fortunately, each for each 'hot spot' the total number of submitted lists is given allowing you to make a reasonable judgement about how accurate they might be. From my perspective, it saves the drudgery of composing a more detailed species/seasonal occurrence list for each site (and it's not difficult to extrapolate from well-known locations to similar areas nearby). You can also generate data on particular species (including a map). This is hugely useful if you want to find your 'target birds'. It's not perfect and information remains patchy and should be used with some caution but it's a huge advance and one to be nurtured and valued. Note that the details (number of checklists & species) given in my guide are accurate only up to May 2018 so you'll find some discrepancies between the quoted and current figures given but should still be adequate to give the reader a good idea of what to expect. (Note - E-bird was developed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the USA so American bird names are used - loon, jaeger, etc - but this shouldn't cause much of a problem).

La Janda is one of the best documented sites on E-bird Spain (in Andalucia it's bettered only by Desembocadura del Guadalhorce)

The most important element, though, is not what E-bird can do for you but what you can do for E-bird and, by extension, the wider birding community. Accordingly, I urge all birders to submit their checklists so that the resource can grow both in size and functionality. Here in the UK we are fortunate to have a long established network of county bird societies to provide information but this is not (yet) the case in Spain (and elsewhere). In many, but not all, respects E-bird can fill this gap. Going through old notebooks is tedious and easy to put off as I well know since I still have much of my own checklists to submit ..... when I discover where the hell I've squirrelled away most of my notebooks ... but it's well worth it!

Addendum - since publishing this post I've had a typically encouraging and helpful message from Yeray Seminario who reminds me that when he, Javi Elorriaga and Miguel Gonzalez started collaborating with the E-bird about five years ago, they were amongst the first to really engage with this project in Spain. I've not had the pleasure of meeting Miguel but Yeray and Javi are two of the finest birders in not only in the province but in Spain. We are extraordinarily fortunate in Cadiz province to have two such experts supervising the input to this scheme. Fortunately, for hopeless monoglots like me, they are both fluent English speakers and very helpful too. As noted above, they and Miguel were three of the first reviewers involved in Spain but numbers have now swelled to 50 odd. It is they who review information to ensure any errors are picked up and weeded out making the resource as reliable as possible. As Yeray observed, the quality of the data is constantly improving whilst its volume is growing exponentially. This means that researchers and conservationists are already putting all this data to good use. The importance and potential of this project simply cannot be understated!

E-bird bar chart for Laguna de Medina (left) and maximum listed counts at Cazalla (right)

E-bird maps: left 'hot spots' and right species map for Glossy Ibis

These points aside, the only area whose coverage I've revised to any great degree is in the Bahía de Cádiz. Changes to my coverage of the San Fernando Marshes (NW 15) - mainly an improved map and better directions - have been set out in my previous blog. However, I have also added an entirely new site the Marisma de las Aletas (NW 14.4) entirely derived from E-bird which, thankfully, I could add to a redrawn map of the Los Turunos area (Map 23). This is based on a couple of checklists submitted to E-bird by Rafael Garcia (see https://ebird.org/hotspot/L5561089). I don't know Rafael but I hope he doesn't mind my using the information he kindly put in the public domain and thank him for his efforts. Surrounded by busy trunk roads, this site will never be a huge draw but it does allow another point of access to the habitat in the bay of Cadiz and seemingly attracts sought-after birds such as Slender-billed Gull and an excellent opportunity to get to grips with lark identification as Greater & Lesser Short-toed, Crested & Thekla Lark and, in winter, Skylark can be found there. Since I've not been there as yet my directions are necessarily tentative so any feedback would be welcome.

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About me ...

Hi I'm John Cantelo. I've been birding seriously since the 1960s when I met up with some like minded folks at Secondary School. I have lived in Kent , where I taught History and Sociology, since the late 1970s. In that time I've served on the committees of both my local RSPB group and the county ornithological society (KOS). I have also worked as a part-time field teacher for the RSPB at Dungeness. Having retired now spend as much time as in Alcala de los Gazules in SW Spain. When I'm not birding I edit books for the Crossbill Guides series.

Birding Spanish style - September 2010

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