There’s an arc of low-lying land running along the Cadiz-Seville border and down towards Mesas de Asta that begs to be explored. These low-lying fields were once beneath the waves and what are now surrounding hills were once isolated islands and peninsulas. It was here that the semi-mythical city of Tartessus was located. The Tartessian civilisation owed much to Phoenician traders who, according to tradition, founded the city of Cadiz in 1100 BCE (making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in western Europe). They called the place Gadir taking the name from a Berber term for a wall or compound (and hence also the origin of the name for the Moroccan city of Agadir). It was silver that attracted the Phoenicians and reputedly made the Tartessians fabulously wealthy. Although their influence once stretched west to what is now southern Portugal, east to Murcia and north to Extremadura, relatively little is known about them. One of the most famous examples of Tartessian art is the fabulous Bronce Carriazo. It is thought to represent a local Tartessian goddess of the marshes assimilated into the Phoenician cult of Astarte and that of the Egyptian goddess Hathor (polytheism is an equal opportunities form of religion). Her tunic is adorned by water lilies and the birds depicted are surely Mallards suggesting an intimate familiarity with wetland wildlife (although I’ve no idea what outsized bottle openers she’s holding are meant to be!) It certainly makes you wonder what the vast, shallow Tartessian Gulf (now occupied by the Coto Doñana) with its multiple inlets must have been like for bird watching 3,000 years ago. This mysterious past, the city’s location beyond the Pillars of Hercules and their city being surrounded by the sea, has inevitably caused many to link it with the myth of Atlantis. This may well be entirely fanciful, but I quite like the idea that when I’m birding the area, I’m birding Atlantis!
Bronce Carriazo - possibly representing a local Tartessian goddess of the marshes
Much of this area was once below the sea and Mesas de Asta, not Jerez, was the main settlement.
At times after heavy rain, this area can appear to be straining to return to its former aquatic nature as extensive areas can be flooded. When this happens (sadly, an increasingly unusual phenomenon) it attracts hundreds of Flamingos, White Storks, three species of egret and a multitude of waders. When dry the patches of bare earth and poor vegetation look good for the ever-elusive Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (although I’ve only seen them here once). Within its orbit there are old settling ponds constructed for the sugar beet industry near Mesas de Asta, which have one of the largest colonies of both Gull-billed Tern and Slender-billed Gulls in Iberia (although the destruction of the Coto Donana on the far side of the Guadalquivir may now have changed things).
So why isn’t it better known? In one word “access” (compounded by the proximity of better known and reliably ornithologically productive areas). The aforementioned settling ponds off the A 2000 at Mesas de Asta have always been ‘out-of-bounds’ despite, as I vaguely recall, talk by the former owners Ebro Foods that it would become a reserve. Access to the nearer patch of wetland used to be permitted (or at least tolerated) but this is now disputed so both can now only be viewed distantly by pulling of the road onto a track (GPS 36.7927, -6.1636) running beside the main road. Despite this it can still be a good place to pause and catch up with Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed and marsh terns, Collared Pratincole, Montagu’s Harrier, Red-rumped Swallow, etc. The fields to the south are a mix of rough grazing and arable but when flooded they too attract waders, terns, etc. There may also be patches of bare ground – particularly after the floods have receded – that can harbour Stone-curlews. It may also be worth exploring the Cañada Ancha which crosses the valley to the CA 3103. (This track passes under the A 2000 at GPS 36.7804, -6.1672 and can be accessed via the track noted above running parallel to the main road or via the outskirts of Mesas de Asta (at GPS 36.7834, -6.1725).
A second area worth exploring are the Marismas de Casablanca. It's not an area I’ve often visited, despite my good intentions, but when I have done so it has proved to be worth the effort. From Jerez there are two alternative routes to reach area; one slow and the other fast. The slower route along the CA 3103 is the more interesting as you can more easily stop to scan the undulating countryside. I've had Montagu’s Harrier here and the area is often traversed by Gull-billed Tern from the nearby colony at Mesas de Asta (or it was when I was last here).
Unfortunately, the marsh is out of sight hidden in the rolling hills but as noted above, if you’re really keen the Cañada Ancha (GPS 36.7662, -6.1180) takes you across the valley towards the A 2000. This narrow thread of grass and scrub should have more birds than the surrounding farmland but you have to walk 1-2 km before you reach wide open areas prone to flooding. Another potential plus of this route is that there remains an outside possibility that you might find Little Bustard. They were reported in this general area a decade ago, are still shown as present in the most recent Spanish atlas (based in surveys in 2014-2018) and I was told they were still around in the early 2020s.
I’ve driven along the CA 0606 (essentially a continuation of the CA 3103 northwards) a couple of times but fully not explored the area. The track runs past the Cortijo de Capita through a rather dull agricultural landscape until after c2 km the track drops down towards a flatter area bisected by an agricultural canal (Caño de Capita). By c2 km along the 'road' it has degenerated into no more than a farm track so I’ve only once driven any further. About 700m to the east, there’s a large triangle (c1.2 km tall x 600m at base) of rough grass dotted with small pools that attracts birds (I’ll return to this areas in the next paragraph). In theory at least, the CA 0606 then crosses Caño de Capita, loops east, past area noted above and on to Cortijo de Casblanca on the CA 3103. However, the track would be tough going even in a 4x4 so if you do explore this track then do so on foot (although remember I’m not 100% sure that access is permitted so ask permission first if possible). Alternatively, you can ignore the turning onto the CA 0606 and continue along the CA 3103. I have seen Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl along this stretch of road in winter. There's room to pull off the road near the cortijo from where you can try walking c2.5 km along the track to the area noted above (but try not to disturb any large flocks of birds.
Two Cranes (?) photo bombing the StreetView image at Campo de Tiro. Before we leave the vicinity of Cortijo de Capita, it’s worth noting that according to Google Maps, a 4-5 km drive from the CA 0606 west towards Trebujena takes you to a small aerodrome, restaurant and shooting range (Campo de Tiro) surrounded by similarly interesting habitat. The reality is rather different as the suggested route across the campo follows very poor or even entirely imaginary tracks. In fact, to reach this area means driving back towards Jerez, then along the A 2000 a few km short of the A 471 and then taking a track signposted for Campo de Tiro, a journey of 35 km!
This is not an area I’ve explored and, obviously, the apparent presence of a shooting range here demands great caution. However, the far end of the track (c3 km from the main road), the open rough grassland habitat (as viewed on Streetview) certainly looks interesting enough to warrant future investigation. One of the images on Streetview even seems to have caught what might be a couple of Cranes flying over! It doesn't make much sense to take such a long diversion from the Casablanca area but it might be an interesting diversion if exploring Trebujena. It's on my ‘must-do list.
This is not an area I’ve explored and, obviously, the apparent presence of a shooting range here demands great caution. However, the far end of the track (c3 km from the main road), the open rough grassland habitat (as viewed on Streetview) certainly looks interesting enough to warrant future investigation. One of the images on Streetview even seems to have caught what might be a couple of Cranes flying over! It doesn't make much sense to take such a long diversion from the Casablanca area but it might be an interesting diversion if exploring Trebujena. It's on my ‘must-do list.
I must confess that as I’ve tended to visit the Marismas de Casablanca as an afterthought and when I’m short of time, I’ve usually arrived via the faster route along the NIV, pulled off onto the CA 3103 (GPS 36.8292, -6.0693) and taken the track towards the two prominent silos here. The track behind these landmarks takes you to a bridge over the railway (GPS 36.8383, -6.0730) which is one of the few locations that gives you a commanding, if distant, view across the area. On my most recent visit (February 2023) I had c200 Common Crane, 500+ White Stork, hundreds of Cattle Egrets many of which were feeding/roosting in the wedge of habitat noted previously. The fields also had Lapwings, Golden Plover and many small passerines too distant to identify with confidence. In the past it’s hosted c600 Common Cranes and the odd rarity including an adult male Pallid Harrier has been noted here. When this area is flooded than it can be a mecca for huge numbers of Flamingos, egrets and waders. Unfortunately, I’ve only witnessed this ornithological extravaganza from a passing train over a decade ago. On that occasion, I was also rewarded by a group of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse – perhaps refugees from the flood - lifting off near the tracks as we passed by! Once again, further exploration either by car or foot should be productive. The track (another section of the CA 0606!) to the west of the railway is very poor so best tackled on foot but the one on the far side of the railway should be easily drivable. This allows access to a second bridge c2.5 further on (GPS 36.8565, -6.0877) which should give better views of the area that held Common Cranes etc. This area is one for the adventurous and after all where else can you claim to have gone birding around Atlantis?
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