My gift to insomniacs everywhere .... a chronological list of the topics (with links)  covered in my blogs since 2011. (I originally intended to list them by topic but sorting them out and rearranging the information proved to be very tedious task). They mostly deal with birding sites in the province but some deal with ID, history, culture, travel tips and the odd item about myself. These blog entries include many photos of the sites described in my guide to birding in Cadiz Province. They should give readers a good 'feel' for the habitats, scenery, etc. of the area. However, some older blogs should be used with suitable caution as they may not reflect the current situation.  

Topics covered -  
2011    
February - February Birding Blues   
March - Terrace Temptations, Black-winged Kite, Thekla vs Crested Lark ID I, Llanos de Libar, Unknown Unknowns - Finding your own Hotspots, Bolonia & Sierra de la Plata, Laguna de Medina & Laguna de Cigarrera (Lagunas de Lebrija) 
April - Little Bustards in Cadiz Province 
May - Bald Ibis Reintroduction, & Laguna de Tollos 
June - Finding Olivaceous Warbler,  & Little Bustards: an update 
July - Salinas de Santa Maria, Bloomin’ Spring 
September - 2.5 Cheers for Foundation Migres, Seeing Great Bustards in Andalucia (Osuna) Great Bustards in Andalucia 
October - Vulture Restaurants, Lagunas de Lantejuela 
December - Mesas de Asta Marsh 
2012    
January - In memoriam Susan Cantelo 
February - Molinos Valley (Alcala de los Gazules)  Cabo de Trafalgar 
June - Along the Guadalquivir (Laguna de Venta La Senuela)  
July - Marismas de Barbate (inner marshes) 
December - Honey Buzzards over Alcala 
2013   
March - Lagunas de Puerto de Santa Maria, Laguna de Paja, Lantejuela revisited, & Bustards & Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Osuna) 
May - Laguna de Paja Revisited  & Missing Lynx No Longer (Andujar)  
June - Birds from the Coast of Trafalgar (Tourist booklet), Birding Tarifa & Lagunas de Puerto de Santa Maria - update 
2014   
February - Lesser Kestrels, Adventus Marshes & Finding Marbled Teal 
March - Review: Helm Guide to Bird Identification, Birding (Rubbish) Tips & Butcher Birds – shrikes 
April - Review: Field Guide to the Birds of the Straits of Gibraltar 
May - Osuna & Lantejuela Revisited  
June - Art of Serendipity – Llanos de Libar, Paja, Bonanza pools, etc. & New Migres Centre at Punta Camorro    
July - Borderlands (History), Jimena de la Frontera (Lomas de Camara), Barbate update & Laguna de los Tollos 
August - Surf & Turf – Conil area (NB – in recent years track ‘d’ on the map has degraded badly & may be impassable) 
September - Tracks & potholes 
October - Updates & Discoveries - Pena Arpade (Alcala de Los Gazules),  Jimena de la Frontera, Sierra Utrerera (Manilva), Punta Roche & Punta Camorro (Tarifa) 
2015    
March - Andalusian Half-foot (A History of Andalucian Hemipode in Spain), Slender-billed Gull: A Rosy Gull by any other name, Review: Birds of the Iberian Peninsula & Crested vs Crested Lark Revisited 
April - Almost Widdrington’s Magpie (The discovery of Azure-winged Magpie) 
May - Bald Ibis in Spain – Historical Context, Birding Cadiz – update to my guide & Looking for Little Bustards  
July - Laja de la Zarga (Bolonia) 
September - Montenmedio  
October - Cazalla - Access Improved (Tarifa) & Birding Senderos             November - La Janda - Past, present & Possible Future & Review – Birding Calais 
2016    
November - La Janda - Past, present & Possible Future & Review – Birding Calais 
2016    
February - ID Pallid vs Common Swift, Review: Flight Identification of European Raptors (1st edition) & Updates  Cazalla (Tarifa), Tarifa & Laguna de la Tollos 
March - Spain’s Newest Psittacines (Introduced parrots) 
April - Cazalla – new access road, ID Crested vs Thekla’s Lark revisited (again), Ojen Valley (closure to vehicles) & Aliens Amongst Us (Introduced Exotics)  
May - Review: Aves de Espana  - (Note: now available in an English language version) & Reptiles & Amphibians   
August - ID: Are we missing Lesser Kestrels?, Canada de Marchantes (History), Lagunas de Lantejuela & Review: Britain’s Birds – the best photo guide yet  
September - Salarte Project (Bahai de Cadiz) 
October - Recommended Guides 
November - Getting there – air, rail, road & sea 
December - E-bird version of my guide  
2017  
January - Mysterious Mosquitero - Iberian Chiffchaff 
February - Crossbill Guide to Western Andalucía 
March - Marismas de Cetina (pre-opening), Birding Cadiz update & Review: Birds of Europe, North Africa & Middle East – Jiguet et al  
May - Ojen Valley - Permit details & Cadiz Wetlands 
September - Two site solution – Tarifa is not the only option  
2018  
June - Brief Updates - Cañada de Marchantes - Lagunas de Chiclana, La Janda, Trebujena , St Maria de Bartivas Saltpans, Barbate, Conil & Cazalla,  E-bird version of my guide & Birding Bahai de Cadiz 
July - Three Days in Andalucia – guest blog by Julian Thomas  
August - Paradise Regained? A New Future for La Janda & Cañadas in Andalucia – cultural, social & history of Andalucian droveways 
September - Wildlife Guides – video  & La Janda Revisited 
November - La Janda – a new chapter?  
December - In memoriam – Liz Cantelo 
2019  
January - Gemma’s Tribute  
March - Larking About in Morocco  
May - Barbate Marshes – Esteros de la Isleta de San Frisco   
June - Marismas de Cetina & Dehesa de las Yeguas (pre-opening of reserve), Mallorcan Interlude, Laguna Tercios (Lagunas de Puerto de Santa Maria) & Marisma Aletus (Bahai de Cadiz) 
July - Salinas de Tapa – guest blog by Nick Brown, Bits ‘n’ Bobs - Updates - La Janda, El Celemin – area recreativa, Punta Comorro (Tarifa), Laguna de Jeli & Laguna de Tollos & Further Updates - Molinos valley [Alcala de los Gazules], Along the Guadalquivir & Three cheers for Trebujena 
August - Pioneering British Ornithologists in Andalucia, Why don’t you come up and see me sometime? An invitation to birders & Barbate - Proposed new wetland  (NB - this proposal not been implemented)  
October - Blistering Bushchats!, Good news for magical marismas – Guadalquivir, The Other Pinar Algaida (Puerto Real) & Cadiz Birding (September) – guest blog Hilary McBean 
2020  
March - Thank You – fund raising for Alzheimer’s Society  
June - Review: Britain’s Birds 2nd Edition 
July - ID: Short-toed Larks 
November - Review: Swarovski 10x42 NL binoculars & Forthcoming - Europe's Birds  
2021   
April - Review: Birding & Nature Trails in the Sierra Morena (4 volumes)   
May - Wildlife Aware Vineyards (Conil) & Biggest Squatters in Spain (La Janda)  
June - Flyway Birding Association & Trebujena booklet & video link 
October - Review: Europe’s Birds – photo-guide 
2022  
February - E-birding, Pinar del Rey & Junta de Dos Rios  
March - Parque Oromana (Seville) – A Convenient Site for Azure-winged Magpie, Updates (Laguna de Medina & Marisma de Cetina), La Janda Update, Humedal El Patano (Los Palacios), Punta Camorro & the Straits, Bonanza Area, Costa Ballena & Tajo de los Figueras (History) 
May - Egrets I’ve had a few .. (Laguna de Camino Colorado), Walking Routes - Valdienfierno, Picacho, Montera de Torero & Molinos Valley (Alcala), Sojourn in Seville -  Humedal El Patano (Los Palacios), Laguna Mejorada (Los Palacios) & Parque Oromana (Alcala de Guadaira, Seville), Tale of three lagunas -  Lagunas de Medina, Taraje & de Jeli (info on the new hide & boardwalks), Marismas de Cetina - details of the new reserve & Trebujena - Going ga-gaa (Pin-tailed Sandgrouse & other birds of the marismas) 
June - Humedal Cerro de Ciguenos (Los Palacios) & Bustards and Breakfasts – (Los Badalejos, Benalup) 
August – Review: Birdwatching Calendar for Cadiz – a useful booklet & El Aguila project – La Janda (partial) restoration 
September - Laguna de Torrox (Jerez) 
October - Guest blog – October Birding in Cadiz - David Tomlinson, Monte Propios - walking routes near Algar, El Berrueco (Medina Sidonia), Desembocadura de Rio San Pedro (Puerto Real), Birding Atlantis (Mesas de Asta & Trebujena), All at Sea – a pelagic trip from Cadiz & Cañada de Valcargado  
November - The Magic of Birding the Strait – link to video by Inglorious Bustards & Guest blog: Birding Bonanza & nearby – cruise ship birding - Mike Pennington  
2023 
February - Birding the Guadalquivir, Brief Updates - Osuna, Ballena, La Janda,Lagunas de Lebrija, Humedal el Patano, Marismas de Casablanca, Los Badalejos, Portal - White Stork Colony (Jerez), Puntas Secreta & Carnero (Algeciras) & Palmones & Tour of Lagunas - Lagunas de Lantejuela [Seville], Lagunas de Puerto de Santa Maria,Lagunas de Espera, Lagunas de Lebrija, Laguna de Tollos & Laguna de Medina 
May -  Finding Iberian Chiffchaff – two quick stops off the A381, Area Recreativa Los Tornos – birds & history (Fascinas) & Finding Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Trebujena) 
2024 
March - Restoration of the Marismas de Trebujena, Marismas de Trebujena, Marismas de Henares & Pinar de Algaida & Diversion into Aragon: Finding Dupont’s Lark  
May - Refugio de Libar (Montejaque) & Return of the Rufous Bushchat 
June - Ospreys in Cadiz Province 
October - A Walk around the new Trebujena Reserve,  El Cabrito to El Cuarton, One Good Tern ... tips to find Lesser Crested Tern & Chipiona Pelagic 

I've been a big fan of this guide ever since I saw the original Spanish version over 20 years ago and was delighted when an English version appeared in 2016, so it's gratifying to see that the latest revision is now also available in English. Whilst not challenging the Collins Bird Guide's position as the premier ID guide to the region's birds, this book functions perfectly well as a useful field guide. However, where it really shines is as an indispensable guide to the status and distribution of Spanish birds. Second editions of any book immediately provoke two questions; what's changed and is it worth getting if you already have the original version?

At first glance the most obvious change is the attractive new cover and that it's now a paperback, not hardback, book.  It's only when you compare them directly that you appreciate that the new book is a little thicker and has marginally larger pages (roughly 12mm taller and 12 mm wider).  This marginal increase does not hamper portability but has given more room for the artwork and text. The sample pages below taken from the Lynx site illustrate some of the changes made. 

As can be seen, the illustrations are largely unchanged from the original but have been rearranged so that, with the exception of the divers, sorry loons, they now all face right.  (Surprisingly, given most of the Anglophone market will be British they've used 'loons' and 'jaegers' instead of divers and skuas).  I found the new layout of illustrations surprisingly helpful when comparing species. It also helps that some of the illustrations where birds were  'hiding' behind other images have been replaced.  A number of recently 'split', rare or exotic species are now illustrated and described in the main body of the book (e.g. Moltoni's Warbler, Ring-necked Duck and Black-rumped Waxbill) rather than somewhat briefly in an appendix. More female/immature plumages are also illustrated.  This is particularly useful for Black-headed and Yellow-crowned (Bishop) Weavers (Bishop) as the Collins Bird Guide only has a thumbnail sketch of males in breeding plumage. However, it's disappointing that some birds remain "under-illustrated" (e.g. only breeding plumage adult male Common Rosefinch and Trumpeter Finch are shown). Unfortunately, the colonisation by House Bunting of Algeciras came too late for inclusion so this species still lingers in the appendix. With a few exceptions, the original artwork has been used to illustrate 'core' species although there have been some welcome new illustrations (e.g. Tawny Owl and juvenile Roller).  Many illustrations are a tad larger than previously which is generally very welcome.  However, I would have liked to have seen more varied depictions of some species even at a smaller scale particularly passerines. The illustrations of Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin and Rock Sparrow (a new one) are excellent, but there's only one for each of them. It would also have been good to have a comparison of Bald vs Glossy Ibis in flight to depict the difference in the projection of feet beyond the tail, a very useful feature at long distance.  There is a slight tendency for the illustrations to be oversaturated but not to the point where it compromises usefulness. Despite most changes being somewhat minor and limited, the artwork always attractive, now does a better job of illustrating Spain's varied birdlife.  ​

Like the illustrations, the text largely remains the same as in the original but, critically, information on population and status has been usefully updated. For example, the text now puts a figure (70%) and a timeframe (1998-2018) on the Little Bustard's "rapid and worrying decline".  There are many other subtle but useful updates like this which are supported by the excellent revised maps. Better still, each species account now has a QR codes linking the text to the SEO/BirdLife's excellent online Guia de Aves de Espana via which you can access larger versions of the maps,  photographs, videos and sound recordings.  This is a critical and useful addition which alone makes the new edition worth getting. The introduction notes that this resource is in Spanish but any smart phone will usefully (although not entirely accurately) render the text into English. I also found the text easier to read perhaps because it seems to be subtly more widely spaced.  

Along with the addition of QR codes, I found the most useful change was the abandonment of strict taxonomic order.  This meant that in the older version, for example, the coverage of swallows and martins split the account of warblers in two and, similarly, coverage of larger birds of prey was six pages adrift from the text on falcons. This is dysfunctional in a guide of this sort. This problem was compounded by an index that listed species alphabetically by their descriptive adjective rather than family name. This meant you needed to recall, for example, that what we all know as Bittern  was proceeded by "Eurasian" and not, as per the Collins Bird Guide, "Great" to find it in the index. This calamitous index remains. I'd have redrafted it by family for free! However, the birds now arranged by four broad categories; seabirds, freshwater birds, a ragbag of species embracing gamebirds, birds of prey, swifts, cuckoos, woodpeckers, etc and finally passerines (all denoted by a shaded coloured tab at the edge of the page);  a far more intuitive and functional arrangement. I found that this worked very well and made the guide much more user-friendly (although I'd have preferred a few more categories including one which didn't leave swifts over 20 pages apart from swifts/swallows & martins).  

In this review I hope I've addressed the "What's changed?" question sufficiently to give readers a good idea of how this new edition differs from the original. So is it worth replacing your old copy? For me the answer is an emphatic "Yes!".  Whilst taken individually many changes may seem relatively minor, the overall impact has been to make a good book even better; it's significantly easier to use and an even better companion volume for a narrow ID based guide. The changed and improved layout of text and plates, the more useful species order and the use of QR codes all contribute to the books greater functionality. You'd be foolish not to have a copy to hand as you explore Spain's wonderful birdlife  Highly recommended. 

​NB - I still wish they'd used the opportunity to make it a 'Birds of Iberia' by including information on Portugal!  

​1 - Mojito/Reyerta (Chipiona) - the c1km stretch of coast between La Reyerta and Punta de Motijo attracts large numbers of terns who use the area to rest at low tide.  Lesser Crested Tern is a regular visitor (esp. mid-August-September) here amongst the many Sandwich Terns.  Other terns include Caspian, Common, Black, Little and, occasionally,  Roseate Tern. A good variety of waders (Kentish Plover, etc) are present and it's also good site to catch up with Slender-billed Gull.  Avoid high tide and sunny weekends when the beach can be busy.  When the tide is out large numbers of terns and gulls rest along the shoreline and can be approached without disturbing them if you use sensible caution (easier when using a 'scope). As a result, in my experience, this is by far the best site for obtaining good views (and photos) of the target species. Visiting on a low, but rising tide (1-2 hours before high tide), has the advantage that the birds are gently pushed towards an observer rather than away from them.  As the low tide mark can be a a couple of hundred metres beyond the beach bring flip-flops or crocs to paddle across the mudflats and a small towel to dry your feet afterwards. There are  excellent 'chiringuitos' on the beach at La Reyerta and Motijo. Note the fascinating ancient corrales de pesca (fish traps) at Motijo. 
Nearby: -  a visit here can be combined with an early morning search for Rufous Bushchat and/or Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, White-headed & Marbled Ducks to the east or Little Swift in nearby Chipiona. Coastal scrub near Chipiona can be excellent for migrants
Access:  La Reyerta is signposted off the first roundabout on the A 480 (i.e. where it ceases to be an 'Autovia').  Punta de Mojito is most easily reached by following prominent signs along the Camino de la Reyerta to Venta Aurelio from which it is 450m along a narrow lane to the point and the sea. ​