A small confession.  My copious (70+ pages & 50+ maps) notes on birding in this area actually omits my favourite birding site.  It’s one where I spend most of my time birding when out in Spain and where I’ve seen a number of terrific birds.  In my defence, I should add that it’s both very small site and strictly private.  Also, although you can often get superb views of birds, the number and variety of species seen is often limited.   So where is this little gem?  Well, actually it’s the terrace of my house in Alcala de los Gazules! 

Naturally, for me the big advantage is that it’s less than 10 paces to the dozen or so steps up to the terrace from my bed.  Indolence has always been my strong suit as a birder, but even I find the incessantly cheerful ‘chay-chay-chay!” of our local Lesser Kestrels or the rippling bubbling of passing Bee-eaters a hard call to resist.  So every morning I’m up along the corridor and up those steps to view the horizon.   And that horizon stretches out for a full 180° view across the valley to the neighbouring hill with the distant whaleback ridge of Medina Sidonia to the left and the trailings of the Alocrnocales to the right.  In the morning the terrace is in shade which makes for ideal viewing conditions (light behind me and blissfully cool) which last until about 1PM. The downside is that the slope opposite drops away so sharply that smaller bush and ground loving birds can be hard to see unless they happen to fly over.   Hence, in five years, I still haven’t seen Woodchat Shrike or Hoopoe from there despite both being common nearby.  To be honest the bird list isn’t that long.  Worse, I’ve missed two of the best birds – Eagle Owl & Red-necked Nightjar – both seen by the same guest. So, if the birds are limited in number what’s the big draw?  Well, obviously, it’s a great place to have breakfast and couldn’t be more convenient for refreshing cuppas or cooling beers. Sunsets too are spectacular.   However, it’s the almost continual passage of birds of prey that make the place such an irresistible temptation …..

Honey Buzzard – whilst birds occasionally slip over the terrace at very low altitude, Honeys usually drift over at great height.  Not infrequently the first I know of their passage is when I scope a raptor and realise there’s a flotilla of high flying HBs above it.  In early September small flocks drop into the wooded hillside opposite to roost then to emerge gradually, giving better views, the following morning.  Unfortunately, I’ve never been there for peak spring migration (first half of May) – something I hope to remedy this year.  I’m constantly amazed at just how variable they can be. 

Griffon Vulture – with a large roost just a few km away in the Molinos valley, it’s not so surprising that numbers seen from the terrace can often run into hundreds. Typically that start to appear around 10:00 AM and I think my highest count is of 500+ birds.  However, my most memorable sighting was of a tight flock of 200+ circling just above the house about 8:00 AM one misty morning.  One bird even passed along the street at below terrace height. 
Egyptian Vulture – whilst I suspect a pair may breed locally in the Molinos valley, ‘gypies are usually seen only on passage with the earliest turning up in mid-February with the return passage peaking in early September.  I usually find them when checking a spiral of Griffons and have had as many as 5 in one group.  Some moulting juvenile birds have a very peculiar tail shape almost reminiscent of a Pom Skua!
Osprey – with 30+ birds wintering in Cadiz Bay and newly established breeding birds on nearby Embalse de Barbate, this species has the potential of turning up at any time.  However they most frequently come over in spring (late March/early April).  High flying birds can often cause some confusion until their distinctive shape is recognised.
Golden Eagle – the nearest breeding birds are in Grazalema, but they are occasionally seen in the Alcornocales (esp. in winter).  I’ve had a number of ‘Aquila sp’  from the terrace, but only one, a subadult Golden Eagle in April, that could be safely identified. 

Short-toed Eagle – another favourite that can be very easy to see from the terrace.  I usually miss the spring migration peak, but there are still plenty around in early April whilst they can be even more numerous in late September.  It’s not unusual to see 20-30 birds passing over in a morning.  It’s astonishing to witness the height from which they sometimes hunt, birds drop down from an impossible altitude to rise with some juicy serpentine titbit!  A pair usually breeds across the valley in the neighbouring hills.

Booted Eagle – buzzard-sized it may be, but is there a more handsome eagle than the dandyish pale morph Booted?  A couple of pairs breed across the valley and never disappoint in entertainment value.  Numbers peak in early March and early September and tend to be a little commoner than Short-toed.  The dark birds can look very much like Buzzards, but with experience shape and flight action is distinctive even when plumage details are obscure.  At certain angles, when the chest looks white but the wings black, they can be mistaken for Bonelli’s Eagle (which I’ve not yet seen over the house)
Red Kite – another species that I regularly see on migration although they’re  much scarcer than Black Kite and I’ve never had more than one or two in a day.  Seeing them is always a treat.
Black Kite – although the house looks over towards Medina Sidonia and thus what I call “Black Kite alley”, I see rather fewer than might be expected.  During periods of migration, large numbers of birds – flocks hundreds strong – often drop down to roost along the A381 near Medina.  Still larger numbers dot the fields  at la Janda, but on such days I generally see relatively few birds, usually no more than a hundred or so.  For some reason Black Kites seem to avoid the mountains and funnel off a few km to the west
Marsh Harrier – not surprisingly since the terrace looks out over rough pasture and lightly wooded hills I see relatively few Marsh Harriers.  They go over high and purposefully so can cause a little confusion now and then!  It can require a decent look to exclude both Black Kite and dark morph Booted. 
Montagu’s Harrier – these enchanting harriers float over mainly in April and August.  Determined high flying migrants can look disconcertingly like falcons – a confusion not helped by the odd melanistic bird.  
Common Buzzard – a pair usually breeds on the hills opposite, but they never seem as obvious in the area as Booted Eagles.  I keep checking for Long-legged Buzzard – I’ve had a couple of ‘probables’ in Spain, but none near the village. 
Sparrowhawk – I see far fewer Sparrowhawks here than I do in the UK.  The birds I do see generally appear during passage. Any birds that approach the house in spring and summer invariably get mobbed by the Lesser Kestrels.
Goshawk – I’ve had several big accipters zap down the valley and I’ve definitely seen Gos a couple of times in the Alcornocales, but only one definite record from the house.  This was a big juvenile bird with honey coloured underparts decorated with bold ‘chocolate droplets.’  It really upset the local lesser kestrels as it barged through them at great speed!     

Kestrel – I’ve seen rather few Kestrels from the terrace.  Having so many Lesser Kestrels about, despite their similarity, actually helps more than it hinders since they always mob Kestrels ferociously! I’m sure that this is what keeps them away from ‘identifiable airspace’!   
Lesser Kestrels -  these, my favourite falcons, are a constant delight.  They nest next to the house and play in the skies above the terrace. In early spring I regularly see 60+ birds above the house and my maximum count is of 100+ birds.  By August only a handful return to the village to roost in the evenings, but one or two stay through the winter.  The return early in mid-February.  I’ll do a post exclusively on these birds anon
Hobby – whilst I suspect odd birds may winter in the south, I only see this species as a passage migrant.  I’ve not seen many but I’ve not been around for their autumnal peak in October.  
Peregrine – just like at home in Canterbury, this is a species I regularly see going over at a rate of knots. A or two probably breed in the Molinos valley.  The Lessers don’t like them,  but are less inclined to ‘engage with them’ as they will with Sparrowhawks!
Merlin – a thinly spread wintering bird on coastal marshes, luckily, I had one bird go over in early spring

In the last five years I’ve had 19 species which isn’t bad considering I’ve not been there for some peak migration periods (esp. autumn).  My best one-day total was one spring when I saw hundreds of birds of 12 species despite the arrival of guests curtailing my efforts. 

So what’s missing?  The worst omission is Hen Harrier a single example of which I had fly over my head when I was about 100m from the house.  As it must have been visible from the terrace, I’m tempted to tick it!  Then there’s Ruppell’s Vulture.  The second record for Spain was found in the parish, perhaps I should have seen one by now.  I have indeed seen ‘probable’ which that passed quickly over the house one August.  I hadn’t seen the species then and, with hindsight, I’m pretty sure it was one.  It’s about time too that those packs of Griffons attracted the odd Black Vulture, but, sadly, Lammergeier looks far too unlikely.  I’ve seen Bonelli’s Eagle in the nearby Molinos valley several times, but never from the terrace. I’ve also seen Spanish Imperial Eagle within 15km of the village so that’s another distinct possibility. My most eagerly anticipated bird is, perhaps,  Black-winged Kite. I’ve actually seen one less than 10km from the house and the open lightly wooded hillside opposite looks ideal for the species …  Other raptors are possible, but perhaps rather unlikely.  It was once rumoured that Lanner bred in the Alcornocales and I’ve now two elsewhere in Cadiz, but they remain pretty scarce. Long-legged Buzzard is a recent colonist to the area, but thestill elude me.  Eleonora’s Falcon is pretty regular in autumn, but most are found at coastal sites. Red-footed Falcon would seem even more unlikely, but a Spanish birder (the only one in the village I think!) has seen one over the village.  So it’s not a matter whether I’ll finally top the 20 BoPs mark for the terrace, but when!  

So I think you can see the attraction of lethargy.  Sitting on the terrace and seeing what goes over has probably stopped me from exploring other sites more thoroughly and has certainly meant that I’ve been slow to catch up with some local species.  But given what I have seen, it’s not something I regret.  Naturally, it’s not just the birds of prey that keep me watching.  During migration times, kettles of White Stork not infrequently enliven the day and smaller groups of Black Stork (up to 40+) sometimes add a little spice.  Most Swifts turn out to be Common, but there’s usually a handful of Pallids too whilst at times Alpine Swift charge over in their hundreds.  Naturally I always wistfully keep an eye out for a White-rumped or a Little Swift!     Of course, if I’m at home you’re cordially invited to join me.  One spring a few years back an English birder staying in the village visited us to get a good view of the Lesser Kestrels.  Within minutes a carload of four Madrileno birders pulled up outside the house to watch the birds and were invited up for a cold beer.  A few minutes later another carload of their mates arrived and joined us.  So there were 10 of us sipping beer and watching the birds – a great moment!  So if you provide the beer,  I can provide the birds!
 Good Birding!  John

When, at the tail end of the 1960s, I first visited Spain, Black-winged Kite was one of the most mysterious and little known birds of Europe.  It was even seriously debated whether it regularly bred in Europe at all: “it is  not at all certain that it breeds regularly in Europe” (Voous 1960).  Even MD England’s famous series of photos taken in Portugal in the early 1960s only demonstrated that breeding took place, not how frequent it occurred.  That England’s birds were close to the only other ‘recent’ (1944!) proof of breeding confirmed the species’ apparent extreme rarity in Europe.  As late as 1975 a book based on a report for the International Bird Council of Europe (‘Threatened Birds of Europe’ by Robert Hudson) described the species status thus – “it is found with certainty only in …. Ribatejo province (Portugal) ……. there are probably only 1-5 pairs …. it is not entirely certain that the species nests there every year ….. there is the possibility that a pair or two may nest (irregularly) in Western Spain.”   Yet only five years later the relevant volume of the BWP stated that it was ‘probably less rare than previously thought’ and that there were ‘perhaps 30-50 pairs’ in Portugal whilst in Spain there were ‘at least 5-10 pairs' and 'perhaps up to 100 pairs' …” 

Yet almost as Hudson's words were written the species began a remarkable expansion in numbers.  Although there had been isolated records previously, Spain was colonised in the mid-1970s with Extremadura, rather than Portugal, quickly becoming the centre of the population. The Spanish atlas (1998-2002) found it to be widely, if thinly, distributed in western Spain and suggested a population of 500-1000 pairs.  Given that Black-winged Kite can be an elusive and is a largely crepuscular species, it seems to me that the population is likely to be even higher and that 1000 pairs is now likely to be a minimum.   

Given the proximity of the Moroccan population, it is surprising that the species only wintered here in Cadiz province (on La Janda) as recently as 1987 and first bred more recently still in 1995.  My recent experience in Cadiz province certainly suggests that Black-winged Kite is now a widespread and fairly common species in suitable habitats in the area.  They are frequent in open farmland dotted with trees, but absent from mountainous areas to the west and south and from intensively farmed  'sherry-culture' areas to the north west of Jerez plus built up areas. They also seem to avoid coastal saline marshes and extensibe wetlands. My map is based both on perosnal observations and an educated guess, based on habitat, where they should also be found.  Given that I find them in a new area pretty much everytime I'm out in Spain this might not be too much of a guess.  I've heard of birds being seen north of Gibraltar, but Have seen them myself.  It is one of the few raptors missing from my 'terrace list' although I've seen it within sight of the village!  By 2009 there were, I was told, “at least 35 pairs”  in 2009.  However, Stephen Daly reports on his blog (/information-books-information-centres--leaflets.html) that there are about 20 pairs in the “La Janda area” and possibly 100 pairs in the province.   

This seems to accord more with my recent experience.  Certainly I've found it easier t find here than even in Extremadura.  A careful search of any of the lowland habitats in an arc from La Janda across to Medina Sidonia, Laguna de Medina, Arcos de la Frontera and on to Espera should ensure a sighting or two. I’ve found the Cantarranas/Los Naveros/La Janda area to be the best bet, but they can be found anywhere with the required mix of open farmland dotted with a few trees. Wintering birds on La Janda have risen from 6 birds (2002) to up to c40 (2008).  This reflects the situation in nearby Huelva province on the Coto Donana where Black-shouldered Kites first bred in 2003 and where there are now c15 pairs.  So how many pairs are there in Spain?  That “1000 pairs”, unthinkable only a few decades ago, looks pessimistic and I wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t twice that number.   The conventional explanation of this dynamic spread is the deforestation of light woodland (dhesa), but many areas that seem not to have been radically changed have also witnessed a sharp increase.  I also suspect that they may have been overlooked in the past and that they were never quite so rare as they seemed.  However, there's no doubt that until the 1970s they were pretty rare and restricted to Portugal as a breeding species.  So the recent increase is both real and massive in scope.  The earliest report from Spain that I've seen is in Irby's 'The Ornithology of the Straits of Gibraltar' which reports one being found near Seville in 1865 so it seems odd that the extreme SW took so long to be colonised..    

To a large degree birding is all about 'playing the odds'.  Given a good, extended, close views there's usually little room to doubt about a birds identity.  A distant group of 'marsh terns' in the UK can almost certainly be ID's as Black Tern; not 100%, but pretty darn close.  The same birds observed in southern Spain could also be Black Tern, but are just as likely to be Whiskered Tern.  It's all about playing the odds and thinking about probabilities.

Then again there are those species that almost always need a decent view to allow any degree of certainty.  Some birds for notoious 'species pairs' - Griffon vs Ruppell's Vulture, Lesser Short-toed Lark vs Short-toed Lark, Thekla vs Crested Lark and  Iberian Chiffchaff vs Chiffchaff.  Arguably it's the last pair that causes the greatest headache, but distinguishing Thekla Lark  from Crested is a close second.

So with some trepidation I'm going to attempt to have a systematic look at the Thekla/Crested problem.  I've tried to put the criteria in a heirarchy and weighted points according to my own experience.  Naturally, others will give a different weight to some features, but I hope this makes a good starting point.

Thekla Lark
For me the this bird is 'obviously' a Thekla on bill shape alone.  the lower mandible is clearly strongly convex whilst the upper manidible curves only towards the tip.  A Crested would have a longer 'smother' curve to the upper mandible and a flatter lower mandible.   The stronger eyestripe in front of the eye, whitish ground colour and half collar, more 'contrasty' face pattern also point towards Thekla.

Yet the crest looks a bit 'pointy' although it doesn't seem to rise sharply from behind the eye, but emerges smothly from the crown.  The chest streaking may look a fine compared to many Theklas, but the flanks are very well marked. 

What you can't see in this photo is where the photo was taken. I had this bird at c550m in the Alcornocales.  It was in the car park of a small venta, but the nearby  'fields' were strewn with rocks.  Other larks I've watched here persistently perch on bushes and sound OK for Thekla.

Crested Lark

Not the best of photos, but it's the only one I've got!
 
The crest looks long and more 'abrupt'.  The chest can't be seen, but it was finely streaked and the ground colour was somewhat sandy.  The ear-coverts & face pattern, as far as they can be seen, look a bit bland and plain.

However, the key thing here is typical Crested Lark bill; long bill with a nicely evenly curved upper mandible.  

It was seen on good quality farmland near Espera in an area I wouldn't expect to find Thekla.  Note it was perched on a fence post not bush!

I also posted my ID table on "Bird Forum" (see http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=195118) where several people joined in the discussion and posted a series of instructive photos.  Well worth a look!  

Good birding!

John

Despite the attractions of various wetlands, coastal habitats and open rolling farmland vistas, the two consistently popular sites with birders who visit us in Alcala de los Gazules are the Molinos valley and the Llanos de Libar (near Montejaque west of Ronda in the Grazalema Natural Park).  Despite the first being only five minutes from the village, it’s the second, a long 90 minute drive, that’s the most popular.  In truth, I’ve never driven there in much less than two hours.  It’s not so much that I’m a slow driver, but rather that the route, through the heart of the Alcornocales   and into Grazalema Natural Park, makes it impossible not to stop.  A stop below Picacho is hard to resist. Futher on there’s the Mirador Mojon de Vibora with a fantastic view of Grazalema (not to mention Thekla Larks nearby).  Then there’s the GR7 long distance footpath that plunges into the oak woodlands.  The narrow valleys and limestone ramparts of the Grazalema Park has dozens of distractions.  Distractions aren’t entirely avian; most notable are the Cueva de la Pileta, which contains numerous ancient cave paintings, and Cueva del Gato, a huge chasm ripped into a cliff face above the railway.  So it requires a strong will not to make one, two, three, four or more stops at likely looking spots and even if you resist there’s always a chance something good will fly over!

However, supposing you fend off the temptations en route what awaits at this site that makes it so irresistible?  Well, first of all, the scenery is superb.  The Lllanos de Libar  track allows access to open pasture, oak woodlands limestone ‘pavements’ and craggy cliffs..  Better still you can access the more montane habitats without walking.  The limestone too hosts numerous attractive flowers including peonies and a variety of orchids.  But it’s the birds that attract!    First problem, though, is how to reach the track.   A nondescript village road – Avenida de Europa – swings off the MA8403 at the northern end of the village.  The Refugio de Libar is signposted but it’s easy to miss.  Drive down the concrete road for a few hundred metres and then turn sharp right onto the track.  The short account below assumes, unless otherwise stated, that you’re visiting in spring or summer (although, as you’ll see, autumn/winter can be fantastic too).

The first stop is a white building to the left (a).  From here you can scan the cliff face for Bonelli’s Eagle.  I’ve had birds at very close range here and, in a dozen or so trips,  have never failed to see them.  There’s plenty else to see in the form of Rock Buntings, Blue Rock Trush, Sardinian Warblers and Woodchat Shrike (a common bird in the valley).  Drive a little further and the road dips down to a rocky field (b) behind the village.  This field often has Black Redstart, Thekla Lark and, if you’re very lucky, may attract a Common Rock Thrush.  You may have heard the sneezing chirrup of Rock Sparrow too, but they’re easier to find further along.  En route, don’t forget to pause to look at the small pool besides the track and above the field since it always attracts a variety of small birds.

Carefully follow the track upwards round the spur of the hill and you’ll find the surroundings increasingly rocky.  Continue up to a grassy ‘saddle’ (c) flanked by limestone ‘terracing’ – it’s always worth spending a while here.  In spring the flowers are superb. This is a better place to catch up with Rock Sparrow as the scraggy bushes on the cliff to the right conceals a small, noisy colony. If you haven’t seen them before this is where you’ll see both Black Redstart, Black-eared (summer) and Black Wheatear (resident).  In late autumn and winter the rocky slopes also have Alpine Accentor and Ring Ousel!  Here too you may have Griffon Vulture, Short-toed or Booted Eagle drifting over.  Look carefully at all raptors since not only do you get the usual migrants but both Ruppell’s Vulture and Long-legged Buzzard have been found in the area!  

Tearing yourself away from this idyllic spot can be hard, but walk (or drive) up to where the track bends to the right.  This is often worth it, and not just for the welcoming shade, as Orphean Warblers sing from the scattered trees and both Dartford Warblers are possible in the scrub.  Just beyond this point the Llanos de Libar throws in a surprise as  the track unexpectedly drops down to a small area of flat, open arable land.   There’s rarely much to see here so continue on into the oak woodlands (d) beyond. Stop here to admire the handsome pigs that forage in the opens woodland.  (Take particular care here as the road enters the woods as this section of the track is often in the worst condition).

The oak woods hold plenty of Bonelli’s Warblers, Firecrests and Mistle Thrushes plus the odd Subalpine Warbler and Common Redstart.  Climbing up further, you find yet another surprise as the woods suddenly give way to an area of flat open pasture (e).  Park here and explore.   Here you’ll probably hear the distant nasal clatter of Red-billed Chough, but look out too for both Cirl Bunting and Iberian Grey Shrike.  If you’re on foot you can continue down to the village of Cortes de la Frontera where I gather you can get a taxi to take you back to Montejaque.  (Note - You need to be pretty fit to tackle this walk). This is a fabulous area with many ‘A’ grade birds and some of the most attractive scenery in Andalucia. Despite that long drive, it’s a place I always try to visit.
I’m indebted to Peter Jones  (‘see www.spanishbirds.com) for showing me the place – one of his regular haunts - where he's had Wallcreeper in several winters so if visiting in that season watch the cliff faces very carefully!  If you want a great day out with a professional local guide contact him at the above address.
 
Good birding!
            John

Way back in the mid-1960s, before the plethora of field guides now available and the phenomenon of  ‘world birding’, the identity of even well marked birds could confuse if they were ‘exotic’ enough.  Even the ‘correct’ name to be used was a matter of debate – well, some things never change!  I’d not long since started getting ‘BB’ and so felt myself ridiculously well informed to read therein that a white-rumped swift, what we now call Little Swift (Apus affinis), had bred in southern Spain. The proof was there in some grainy b&w photos taken at the nest.  Or was it?  Later various correspondents rightly challenged the ID – the birds were actually White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) which was a bit of a shock since, unlike Little Swift, this was thought to be an exclusively  sub-Saharan species. 

At the end of the 1960s on a ‘gap’ five weeks trip (gap years hadn’t been invented then) I got down there myself.  We had no site guides nor detailed notes; just a name “Zahara de los Atunes”  and the gen to ‘look in the area around the police station’.   The later instruction was a bit scary as none of us had ever seen armed police before and the tricorn hated ditator supporting versions in Spain scared the whatnot out of us!  Be that as it may we arrived and, without arousing any suspicions quickly saw the birds.  Job done!

End of story? Not quite.  Clearly Little Swift didn’t want to be outdone and from the mid-1990s proved to be a regular visitor to the same area.  They may have even been present earlier as a good friend swears he had a Little Swift nearby in the 1970s. So the Bolonia area is now the only site where you have a fair chance of seeing all 5 breeding species of European swift.  Well, to be honest it’s not always that easy!  The best known site (and it’s in all the guides) is a small cave above Bolonia where I’ve spent more hours that I care to calculate staring up into the skies above that wretched cliff face.  On one spring visit I managed the unenviable distinction of seeing, after several hours watching continuing until dusk, only one swift.  It was a Common.  Until recently, after about a dozen May visits (although a number were pretty brief),  my success rate was, frankly appalling; two White-rumped Swift and a single Little!  Those friend who sniggered and laughed at my failure grew less vocal when they came out to Spain with me and suffered the same fate!  My hit rate wasn’t a lot better at Zahara either.

However, in 2010 the tide seems to have turned.  A quick look at Zahara that May netted hour long close range views of 5-6 White-rumps.  We also had both Pallid and Common Swift over the village.  Nipping round to the Bolonia side of the Sierra de la Plata, I managed distant views of Little Swift over the crags. Result!  Naturally, though, Alpine Swift still didn’t show!   However, I later enjoyed some guilty schadenfreude when some friends went to the W-r site a few days later, at the same time of day, and saw no trace of the birds!  I now have a better site to see Little Swift, but it still rankles that I’ve not seen all five species at the same site!

There are a lot of other reasons to visit the Bolonia area though. It has a good mix of birds since it has a good range of habitats including shoreline, woodland, old olive groves,  scrub, poor agricultural land, rocky crags.  Not only that, but it is also on a migration route for raptors and has Rufous Bushchat locally. Rufous Bushchat has declined sharply in southern Spain and can now be very hard to locate.  Familiarising yourself with the song can help enormously. Exploring this area on foot is made easier by a number of good footpaths.  The local information centre (near La Pena on the Tarifa road has excellent leaflets and many are shown on notice boards.   Many are detailed on an excellent new leaflet (see - http://adsise.com/).

At the top the hill from the main road is “Puerto de Bolonia” (c) where there’s an ‘official’ raptor watchpoint.  In stronger easterly winds, there can be a good passage of raptors (Black Kite, Booted & Short-toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Griffon Vulture, etc.) and storks.  Swifts and hirundines also hawk along this ridge.  The track running NW along the ridge is worth exploring – for birds such as Tawny Pipit, Black-eared Wheatear, Rufous Bushchat . A sendero (footpath) branches off this track and loops round back to the road – a good walk for the more energetic (but note that the footpaths leaflet warns you to check locally to see if this route is open).    Two roads run SE from here – one to Betis and another to El Chaparral.  These allow access, via several footpaths (d) to the slopes of the crags (San Bartolome) south of the watchpoint.  The slopes of this rocky hill look well worth a careful exploration.  Storks and raptors tend to drift along this ridge and the woods can hold migrants – once again keep a sharp eye open for Rufous Bushchat .  This species is in decline and has vanished from several former strongholds. The road here drops down back to the N 340 (Note some roads in this area are marked as restricted military roads)

The small beach resort of El Lentiscal (Bolonia) offers a variety of fast food outlets and bars – from many of which raptor migration or seabird passage (Cory’s and Balearic Shearwaters, Gannets, etc) can be watched in comfort. Footpaths also fan out along the coast and mat repay investigation. A small stream flows into the sea here and the scrub along its banks can be worth a careful look as can the muddy foreshore (e.g. for Kentish Plover). Entry into the Roman ruins (e) is free for EU passport holders and even if you have no interest in history is a good diversion since the grounds have obliging  Black-eared Wheatear, Sardinian Warbler and Stonechat.  Once again look out for Rufous Bushchat  along this road, but also check any low flying swifts with care …..

Continuing up the road you reach the Sierra de la Plata where, along the road a little further, there’s a small pull-in opposite a craggy cliff face pierced by a small cave (g).  This is a classic site for White-rumped Swift and, in recent years, Little Swift.  Mornings and late evenings are usually best for these rare swifts, but the truth is that they can be very elusive and you need luck to get them on your first visit.  (That said, some people have seen them easily here as well along the small stream the discharges into the bay).  However, your wait can be enlivened by Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture (which nest on the rock face above the road), Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Golden Oriole and, in season, passing raptors (Lanner have been seen here).  Further up the road the woods can be worth investigating for butterflies (e.g. Two-tailed Pasha). 

For more details of this area see 'MyTop Five Sites' and my site notes ..... but this blog has the photos!

Laguna de Medina is the largest, and most easily accessible, of the lakes in Cadiz province. Fortunately, it is now very well signposted just off the new A381 just south of Jerez (which is, confusingly, much nearer than Medina Sidonia). It makes a good stop en route to Tarifa from sites further north in Seville province.  This iconic site is run by the Junta de Andalucia and, unlike many sites in their care, it lacks the somewhat neglected air and has recently undergone a series of improvements.  Two boardwalks along the southern edge of the laguna both give an improved views over the laguna and improves access whenwater levels are high.  A hide at the edge of the lagoon originally had fixed, tinted, ‘glazed’ and overlarge windows, but, officially or unofficially, most of these have been removed.  The views are now much improved although, unfortunately, the large windows mean you still have to approach with caution so as to not disturb nearby birds.  One recent guide claims that you can walk right round the lake, but this is not the case.  However, such a walk apparently awaits the agreement of only one landowner.  (Don’t be confused by the red line round the map of the reserve which marks it’s boundary, not a path).

There’s a good viewpoint behind a small white building (a). The views across the lake are excellent, but rather distant (a ‘scope is essential).  Carefully examine the birds to your right here as it has the reputation for being good for Crested Coot.  To be honest, though, you’d need to be familiar with the species and a good 40+ zoom to be sure! As noted above, two raised wooden walkways along the southern edge have improved visibility.  A path snakes its way off this track to a hide (c) which now enjoys good unrestricted views of the lake. Despite the notice at the end of the track, the path (sendero) can now be followed across a wooden causeway ultimately to link with the Lagunas de Puerto Real (and beyond).  This area can also be accessed via a minor road (e).  Savi’s Warbler is possible in the marsh here (d). 

Although particularly well known as a site for Crested Coot, this species can be hard to locate amongst the more numerous Common Coot.  A recent estimate suggests that there are 20-25 individual Crested Coots present at this site so, given the size of the lagoon, they can be hard to locate.  They can also be elusive and hug cover.  Despite being very hard to find here in 2003-2005, they have been much easier in recent years although finding them without a good scope is a real challenge. 

The number of White-headed Ducks present was in decline, apparently due to the introduction of carp to the laguna.  However, numbers have bounced back (400+ Sept 2010) seem to have bounced back.  Marbled Duck are said to be regular and Ferruginous Duck are occasional (e.g. 6 in Sept. 2010).  Also present are good numbers of other waterfowl (inc. Red-crested Pochard), herons (inc. Night Heron, Little Bittern and Great White Egret),  Purple Gallinule, grebes (esp Black-necked) gulls and marsh terns (in summer/passage Whiskered is frequent , but I have also seen White-winged and Black Terns).  Flamingo are regular and a variety of waders appear especially when water levels are low.  Pratincole often hawk over the area (esp. mornings and evenings during migration periods) in good numbers. Large numbers of hirundines (inc. Red-rumped Swallows & Crag Martins) and swifts (Alpine, Common and Pallid) can also be seen here.

Passerines may include the ubiquitous Stonechat, Corn Bunting and Crested Lark.  Reedbeds hold Reed and Great Reed and Penduline Tit (the latter is more numerous in winter).  (Note: Contra to some reports Moustached Warbler is a rarity here although Sedge Warbler is a common  passage migrant…….).

The declining Rufous Bushchat may still be present, but most recent records seem to be of migrants.  Melodious Warbler is present as, later in the season, are much smaller numbers of Olivaceous Warbler (both frequent the tamarisks so knowing their songs helps).  Surrounding farmlands have Stone Curlew and all the more familiar Spanish raptors may be seen in the area.  In recent years Black-winged Kite has become a regular visitors (esp. in the mornings and evenings).  For this species, and other raptors, try taking the first turning to the south off the service road.  This road takes you to an open area (e) south of the main lagoon (which can also be reached by the boardwalk as noted above) 

 

One of my favourite spots when I first visited Cadiz province were the Lagunas de Espera (north of Arcos de la Frontera) and they remain a favourite today. I first read about them in the "Travellers' Nature Guide: Spain" (Farino & Lockwood) a neglected classic, sadly now out of print.  Oddly, for such an attractive site, most guides ignored the lagunas and even the magisterial “Where to Watch Birds in Southern & Western Spain” omitted them until the recent 3rd edition. But this post isn’t about the Lagunas de Espera which are now increasingly well know amongst visiting birders.  Instead it concerns the Lagunas de Lebrija which remain virtually unknown since they feature in none of the ‘standard’ guides.

Confusingly, like Laguna de Medina, these lagunas aren’t that close to the settlements after which they are named, Lebrija.  Perhaps they’re ignored too because they’re just over the border from Cadiz in Seville Province and thus well away from all the well known sites in the latter province. In fact, they’re just a few km further along the track from northern exit from the Lagunas de Espera where it crosses the Gibalbin-Cabezas road. 

Their existence is even indicated by an old weathered signpost. However, when I spotted the signpost that ‘Lebrija’ tag made me think they must be a good few km along what seemed a very poor corrugated track. In April 2009 I even drove a few hundred metres along the track to take a look, but with time pressing and other sites to see, I turned back. In fact there was a good chance that the lagunas actually no longer existed. The Lebrija-wetland complex consists of six lagunas - Pilón, Taraje*, Cigarrera, Peña, Galiana and Charroao.  [*Note – there’s a second Laguna Taraje just east of Puerto Real].   Sadly, Laguna del Charroao now seems to be no more than a damp hollow reflecting a trend where many small lagunas have been drained and lost to farmland (e.g. Lagunas de Bartholome, de Arrecife and de Santa Ana).  Unfortunately, Laguna de Taraje, the least prone to drying out is strictly private; a pity since it has Crested Coot.  In contrast Laguna de Pilón is conveniently next to the road, but is often bone dry. So the Lagunas Galiana. Cigarrera & Peña seemed the best chance of providing an accessible birding site.  But where were they?

It wasn’t until, now back home, I looked on ‘GoogleEarth’ that I realised that they barely more than 2 km along the track from the Gibalbin-Cabezas road . Hence when I was back out in Spain in April 2009 I managed to finally locate the site – and what a little gem it was!  It looked even better when I returned again in June 2010 after an exceptionally wet winter. The first laguna along the track is Laguna de la Galiana. In 2009 this was no more than a small reed clogged pool, but in 2010 it was a decent sized reed fringed pool hosting Flamingo, Red-crested Pochard and Black-necked Grebe. Beyond it, previously almost made invisible by drought, Laguna de Peña looked interesting; a pity I couldn’t find a clear route across to it!

However, Laguna de la Cigarrera, the biggest of the bunch, seems worth a look in all but the driest years. Even before you get there you have a chance of Black-winged Kite  which I’ve seen over the surrounding farmland.

Despite the tamarisk and reed clogged margins, with care you can get a reasonable view over the pool. Here I’ve had decent views of White-headed Duck, Red-crested Pochard and Black-necked Grebe, Whiskered Tern and Purple Heron.  The presence of numerous Coots suggest that Crested Coot may well be present too – it’s certainly worth the price of a short detour. However, arguably, it’s those tamarisks that should hold your attention. They often have a large flock of Spanish Sparrow which, if no longer as uncommon in the area as once they once seemed, remain a good bird to find. More interestingly, they also host a healthy population of  Olivaceous Warblers. Most trip reports mention this species only in the context of a visit to Laguna de la Mejorada  (aka -  "Lago de Diego Puerta") which is near Los Palacios y Villafranca in Seville Province. To a point this is understandable as it is handy for Brazo de Este and has the bonus of also being a site for Rufous Bush Chat. However, this ‘blinkered’ approach has meant many other sites go unvisited and undervalued. In Seville Province and, to only a slightly lesser degree, I’ve found Olivaceous Warbler to be not uncommon in larger clumps of riverine or lacustrine tamarisks. It’s a matter of knowing where to look. Still more interestingly the recent Spanish Atlas suggests that there is a concentration of Rufous Bush Chat along the Seville-Cadiz border just around these lagoons.

So instead of following the crowd and going to Laguna de la Mejorada, why not try a little exploration and give the Lagunas de Lebrija a try? Better still do a little exploration before you leave home via GoogleEarth and find an entirely new site yourself! 

Good birding,
John