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"Long-legged" Buzzard on La Janda

28/2/2025

Atlas Buzzard on La Janda - that even I got a decent shot shows how obliging it was!

My trip to Spain this February started badly but only got better. I arrived at Seville Airport late on Monday 10th February so opted to stay overnight nearby (5 Soles Hostal www.cincosolesrg.es - recommended). This proved to be a wise move as even before I got there a warning light lit up on the dash and by the next morning it was clear that the car had a slow puncture. Taking the car back to the airport on Tuesday morning and the ensuing faffing about reduced birding time so I opted to head straight down to Alcala and pop into Humedal El Pantano (just off the motorway near Los Palacios y Villafranca) rather than driving over to Brazo del Este. This was a lucky move as I bumped into friend Mick Richardson there just after he'd found a Laughing Dove. However, his opening line to me wasn't about the dove but "Have you come to see the shrike?" to which I replied "What shrike?". Ten minutes later and a couple of km along the track, I was watching an adult Isabelline Shrike - a Spanish tick! I was also delighted to see several Great-spotted Cuckoos at the site (see Mick's blog here for photos of the birds and - content warning - one of me).

One of my targets in Spain was seeing the long-staying "Long-legged" Buzzard on La Janda. Although I'd seen several of them in Cadiz Province over the years, including finding one that was a textbook example of an adult with an unmarked cinnamon tail, sandy head, rufous belly patch, etc., I've never enjoyed prolonged or close views of the species. Accordingly, when fellow birders and Cadiz enthusiasts Richard & Michelle Page-Jones contacted me to suggest meeting up on La Janda on Wednesday morning I needed little encouragement!

Atlas Buzzard - Photos courtesy of Richard Page-Jones

We met at around 09.00 near the road to the Presa de Celemin and after a short fruitless attempt to catch up with the rare buntings there (another target) we decided to look for the buzzard. Just as we passed Cortijo de la Mediana (which overlooks La Janda), whose car was in front of mine, halted to take photos of a buzzard perched on a telegraph pole. One glimpse of the bird's pale head and sandy-brown upperparts was enough to ring alarm bells! The bird then flew but showed well several times in flight; it was just as pale below with a slightly rufescent tail and rufous mottling on the lower flanks. It not only looked like a cirtensis buzzard but also very much like the photos I'd seen of the bird in question. It was clearly either the bird in question or a very similar 'gibraltar' buzzard (a hybrid "Long-legged" X Common Buzzard hybrid). However, what totally threw me was that this bird was carrying a highly visible bright yellow ring on the left leg and duller ring on right. I found this was puzzling as all the photos I'd seen of the bird in question showed that it wasn't ringed! Fortunately, it turned out that the bird had indeed been caught and ringed before Christmas.

It was certainly a striking bird but distinctive though the plumage was, to my eye structurally it looked very similar the Common Buzzard. Admittedly, my experience of nominate Long-legged Buzzard is limited but every time I've seen them (most recently in summer 2023 in Bulgaria) they've struck me as distinctly bulkier and longer winged than Common Buzzard. Given the huge variability in Common Buzzard's plumages and the likely impact of the desert habitat in North Africa on colour variation, I feel it more likely that the taxon's colour could change to resemble Long-legged than its morphology alter to mimic Common Buzzard. This form, unlike the nominate one, also regularly hybridises with Common Buzzard. Genetic studies have shown that the Atlas Buzzard (as I prefer to call it) is more closely related to Common than Long-legged, backing my feeling that it's a race of Buteo buteo not Buteo rufinus. This was well explained as long ago as 2019 (see here). Bluntly, I'm surprised that so many still insist on calling it a Long-legged at all!

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La Janda Twinned with Shanghai ...

27/2/2025

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L-R: Black-faced, Rustic & Little Bunting (thanks to Rob & James for allowing to use their photos)

Little and Rustic Buntings in Western Europe
The increase in rare, essentially Asiatic, buntings wintering in Western Europe over the past few decades has been remarkable. Whilst greater observer awareness and familiarity with the species involved probably plays a part in this change of status (as indicated by the number found in the Netherlands and the UK where birding is highly popular), the increase does seem genuine. The maps below (culled and adapted from E-Bird) aren't perfect as they certainly omit a number of records but they do give an idea of the relative abundance of the species involved and where they are found.

Little Rustic and Black-faced Bunting in Europe (Adapted from E-Bird)

How many are wintering on La Janda?
Little Bunting is the most frequent of these visitors and then Rustic with Black-faced coming in a very long way behind. I've not checked in detail but, although there are a few records of two or more birds at the same site (and sometimes one of each!) for the most part records (from the UK at least) involve single birds which don't return the following year. Accordingly, the appearance of a mixed flock of Little and Rustic Buntings on small part of La Janda in the winter of 2023/2024 was extraordinary and their reappearance in similar numbers in winter 2024/2025 unprecedented. It's hard to be sure exactly how many Little Buntings were present that first winter as they were very active. The highest count on E-Bird seems to be 10 on 29/03/24 but I was told verbally by birders there that they thought that there were 12, 14 or even 20 present. Whilst the latter figure may be on the high side, the frequency with which 4-5 were reported that winter is still remarkable. Rustics were less frequent (and more elusive) with most reports involving only 1-2 birds but 4 were reported on 31/12/23.

This winter the number of Rustics seems to have been maintained with most reports of 1-2 birds. One of the two birds I had on 22/02/2025 was a well marked handsome individual (see the photo above) and the other a good but not so striking bird. However, I couldn't dismiss the suggestion that there were 3 or more birds present. (An astonishing seven reported on 01/08/24 must surely be an error in transcription as not only is the number very high but the date is extraordinarily early. In the UK there are a handful of reports in late August but they mostly turn up in September and peak in October) Little Buntings however have been distinctly less in evidence this year. Most reports involve only 1-2 birds with counts of 4 on a couple of dates and recently one of 6. This reflects my own experience and talking to local ringers, they confirmed that numbers were much lower this winter.

Are we seeing the whole iceberg or just the tip?
If the buntings return next winter, which seems highly likely, will it mark the establishment of a small but regular wintering flock on La Janda? If so, it rather begs the question "How many Little and Rustic Buntings are wintering in Andalucia?" It seems unlikely that these are the only Little and Rustic Buntings in the province and there's an awful lot of very similar habitat dotted around SW Spain but who's looking?

Where & how can you see the buntings (and other birds)?
Arriving from Benalup, it's always worth pulling over at 'a' to scan the field immediately north of the road to the dam (see map below). It often holds large numbers of White Stork and Glossy Ibis, sometimes Cranes and, depending on how wet it is a good variety of waders (Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Little-Ringed Plover, Black-winged Stilt, etc). Although this account is focussed on winter, it's worth noting that in summer the rare and local Zeller's Skipper can be found on the Squirting Cucumbers here. Although others have seen the buntings along the road towards the dam, I've never been lucky. Although 'd' is arguably better for an overall view of the wooded hills, from the end of the road at 'b' you've probably got a better chance of a closer view as the raptors tend to drift along the slope here.

Back on the main track, stop and check the reed-choked channel 'c' from the bridge. The ubiquitous Stonechat or Corn Buntings will likely be the first birds you see but with only modest patience you should also get Bluethroat. I've also had Sedge Warbler here in late February. Spotted Crake has recently been seen here too. Note the fences running parallel to the channel. These are c5m from the water's edge. This seems to suggest that you can walk along this narrow strip of land as Spanish law dictates, or so I am told, that 5m either side of a river (although not a canal or ditch) is accessible by the public (but see anon). Anglers and local photographers certainly walk this area (but use it at your own risk!).

I usually scan for the buntings from the embanked road at 'd' where you overlook a chained private track. Should you be tempted to walk this track then you are likely to have a confrontation with a local 'guard/gamekeeper' - not advisable! The buntings often perch in the trees at the edge of the copse along the ditch here (particularly the trees on the corner 'B' but you will need a 'scope to confirm ID). Sometimes, though, they will perch on the roadside bushes. The wet fields here also attract waders and in February 2025 I counted 10 Purple Swamphens here (plus a couple of Squacco Herons). The buntings regularly fly over the road and drop in the field behind you but note that there are lots of small passerines in the area (Chaffinches, Greenfinch, Linnets, Spanish Sparrows, Meadow Pipits, etc.) to distract you. Being familiar with Little & Rustic Bunting calls (and being able to hear them!) helps to sort the wheat from the chaff(inch) so click on their highlighted names above to go to the Xeno-canto sound library and listen to their vocalisations). Don't neglect to scan the hills to the east. This winter, I had Sparrowhawk, Black, Red & Black-winged Kites, Marsh Harriers, Bonelli's and Spanish Imperial Eagles whilst waiting for the buntings to appear plus the ubiquitous Griffons. Last winter I also had Golden Eagle and Black Vulture here. By late February/early March you should also see Booted & Short-toed Eagles as they arrive from Africa.

Back to the buntings ...if you tire of looking from 'd' you can also check the small copse 'e' and nearby trees along the road. Don't neglect the small swamp 'f' either as I had Little Bittern here in February and others have seen Penduline Tit feeding on the bull rushes. Opposite the copse, there a track (g) running along the bank of the Rio Celemin and the buntings have been particularly active in the fields here (around the second 'B'). It's very tricky to see them in the field but they often fly up into the small trees by the river. However, note that the 'guards/gamekeepers' hotly dispute that this is a right-of-way (see under 'c') and may threaten to call the police if you don't leave. Friends have faced them down and no have police appeared but you use the path at your own risk particularly when game shooting is in progress.

Black-faced Bunting
This winter, the cherry on the bunting cake was the appearance of Spain's third Black-faced Bunting on the far side of La Janda (c9 km SE as the bunting flies). It was found and photographed by Polish birder Paweł Szymański on 17th February on the fence by the ditch approximately at X on the map below. Being committed to joining friends Rob & Virginia in Seville and Grazalema, I couldn't get there until the following Saturday. Naturally, that morning I had the first heavy rain of my trip and, to compound matters, my travel tripod decided to collapse. However by about 10.00 the weather cleared and we started searching along with other birders. (This was the first Saturday that the bird was 'available' so I expected a bigger twitch but evidently a dozen birders, only half of whom were Spanish, IS a big twitch in these parts!). We gave a bush along the track much attention as it was reputedly a favoured perch but the bird appeared by the corner on the main track. By the time we got there it'd disappeared but 30 minutes later Rob picked it up from the sunken bridge. After a few minutes hiatus, it reappeared at the base of the reeds. I had a feeling of panic as I tried to understand the directions in Spanish but a kind birder took pity and let me look through his scope for a brief rear view. It was then that my tripod decided to collapse. I had another very brief view through the Spanish birder's scope before it flew again. Fortunately, it flew past at close range and in good light, dived into a bush and soon re-emerged giving still better close flight views (although I was thankful it was a distinctive grey-hooded male).

The area used by the Black-faced Bunting

Finale - House Bunting in Algeciras
The following this bunting cornucopia, the next day we enjoyed a pleasing finale with House Bunting in a suburb of Algeciras - a Spanish tick. I'd not bothered to look as I loathe birding in built-up areas and had seen plenty in Morocco but Rob & Virginia were keen to see one. (It was a lifer for Virginia and a Spanish tick for Rob). After an hour or so of fruitless searching around small streets, the bird took pity on us just as we were about to leave and started singing almost above where we'd parked! This new colonist has a colony of c20 birds in Algeciras and is being seen increasingly elsewhere in SW Spain.

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"Long-legged" Buzzard on La Janda

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