When I first visited Andalucia in the 1970s the whale-watching industry didn't exist but when I returned in the early 2000s it had become a significant touristic attraction in Tarifa. I went on a couple of trips hoping to see a few seabirds as well as whales. As hoped, I managed to obtain some excellent views of Cory's Shearwater and somewhat fewer (and more distant) views of Balearic Shearwater (plus Great Skua & Audouin's Gull). However, piggybacking on jaunts to see cetaceans is no substitute for a focussed birding pelagic. Over a decade ago friends tried to organise a private trip in search of seabirds out of Tarifa but for various reasons it fell through.
Happily, the ornithological tourism industry in Cadiz province is now so well developed and popular that pelagics are now part of the regular birding calendar. As I recall, the first few birding pelagics were organised out of Tarifa but Chipiona quickly became the more popular option. However, my first taste of pelagic birding here was out of Cadiz on 17th September this year. This jaunt was organised by Manuel Morales (Birding Tarifa www.birdingtarifa.com/en) but other birding guides (e.g. www.birdingthestrait.com) have also run trips to see seabirds.
Puente de La Constitución de 1812
As the boat was due to leave Puerto America, Cadiz shortly after first light this meant an early start from Alcala de los Gazules for myself and my Kent birding friend Barry Wright who had joined me for a few days. The first treat was driving over the impressive Puente de la Constitucion de 1812 (see my prosaic photo from a few days earlier and Barry's superb shot as we crossed the bridge just before dawn). This handsome bridge was named to commemorate and celebrate of Spain's first written constitution which was ratified in Cadiz in 1812. It established a constitutional monarchy and votes for male citizens and, despite being overthrown, was very influential serving as the model for constitutions in Portugal, Italy and several countries in Central and South America.
As well as ourselves, the skipper and Manuel, there were two local Spanish birders, an Australian, two Dutch birders (one of whom had exceptional eyesight which helped greatly later on) and ex-pat British birder, Ricky Owen, on the boat. Our first ornithological delight was a Roseate Tern on the harbour wall - a Spanish tick for me and my first Roseate Tern for decades.
As the boat headed out into the Golfo de Cádiz, we soon started to see Balearic Shearwaters (our final total was c40 birds) and European Storm-petrels (our total was also c40 birds). Despite the calm conditions, the latter were difficult to see as they skittered quickly past just above the water and, for once, I found myself regretting that I had changed from x8 binoculars to x10 as every lurch of the boat was magnified. After a handful of stormies (a Spanish tick), another petrel hove into view which was clearly something different. There was some speculation that it was a Leach's as it lacked European Storm-petrel's pale bar on the underwing. I found this ID unconvincing but fortunately Barry had the presence of mind to get several photos (see below) of the bird which confirmed that it was a Wilson's Storm-petrel. The clinching feature was that its toes clearly extended beyond the tail. Another Spanish tick and my first for thirty-odd years. Another Spanish tick and again my first for many years, was a far more co-operative Grey Phalarope (oddly enough, a few weeks after returning to the UK, I had a Grey Phalarope at a regular haunt (Stodmarsh) and what was almost certainly a second one at Reculver. Cory's Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Bottle-nosed Dolphins also had walk-on parts in the drama.
As the boat headed out into the Golfo de Cádiz, we soon started to see Balearic Shearwaters (our final total was c40 birds) and European Storm-petrels (our total was also c40 birds). Despite the calm conditions, the latter were difficult to see as they skittered quickly past just above the water and, for once, I found myself regretting that I had changed from x8 binoculars to x10 as every lurch of the boat was magnified. After a handful of stormies (a Spanish tick), another petrel hove into view which was clearly something different. There was some speculation that it was a Leach's as it lacked European Storm-petrel's pale bar on the underwing. I found this ID unconvincing but fortunately Barry had the presence of mind to get several photos (see below) of the bird which confirmed that it was a Wilson's Storm-petrel. The clinching feature was that its toes clearly extended beyond the tail. Another Spanish tick and my first for thirty-odd years. Another Spanish tick and again my first for many years, was a far more co-operative Grey Phalarope (oddly enough, a few weeks after returning to the UK, I had a Grey Phalarope at a regular haunt (Stodmarsh) and what was almost certainly a second one at Reculver. Cory's Shearwater, Arctic Skua and Bottle-nosed Dolphins also had walk-on parts in the drama.
If you plan to visit Cadiz province for the marvellous autumnal raptor passage, don't neglect to check online whether there are any pelagics scheduled at the time, you won't regret it. The only disappointment of the trip was that the petrels and shearwaters studiously ignored the 'chum' put out for them, so views were generally distant and brief.
I got all of the species I realistically hoped to see netting no less than 4 of the 7 Spanish ticks I this September: Roseate Tern, European & Wilson's Storm-petrels and Grey Phalarope (the other ticks being Pectoral Sandpiper, Ortolan Bunting & Elegant Tern).
Mention of lists reminds me to mention that Barry got the four species he wanted to add to his impressive 7,700+ World list: Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Iberian Azure-winged Magpie, Iberian Green Woodpecker and Spanish Imperial Eagle.
Mention of lists reminds me to mention that Barry got the four species he wanted to add to his impressive 7,700+ World list: Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Iberian Azure-winged Magpie, Iberian Green Woodpecker and Spanish Imperial Eagle.
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