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Haza de la Torre, Mesas de Asta

13/5/2025

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When I fist stated visiting this area almost two decades ago, I was surprised to find large flocks of Gull-billed Terns hawking over the fields between Jerez de la Frontera and Trebujena. Closer investigation revealed a large area of shallow pools and disused settling ponds c1 km from the road at Mesas de Asta.  Unfortunately a gate barred closer examination and I had to be content with 'scoping birds on a closer set of pools. Rumours that access would be provided and it would become a birding destination came to nothing.  However, the wheels of Spanish administration move slowly and a new press release (see below) indicates that this may soon be a reality.  Last month I noticed some work being done here - although I never imagined the reason might be to improve access - so hopefully the site may be open quite soon!   
Press Release (translated by Google)

The site, located in Jerez de la Frontera, will have a new environmental restoration project to boost environmental conditions and conserve the biodiversity of the wetland.

The Ministry of Sustainability and Environment of the Regional Government of Andalusia has formalized the inclusion of the wetland area known as Haza de la Torre in the Inventory of Wetlands of Andalusia (IAH), by resolution of the General Directorate of Protected Natural Areas published in the Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA) on May 7, 2025, which can be consulted here. With this incorporation, Jerez de la Frontera now has six wetlands registered in this environmental catalogue, which currently includes 229 enclaves with relevant natural values spread throughout the Andalusian territory.

"The inclusion of Haza de la Torre in the Inventory of Wetlands of Andalusia represents a recognition of its current ecological value and a commitment to the future to guarantee its conservation, value its environmental functions and facilitate the harmonious coexistence between natural processes and the rural environment that surrounds it. With this step, the Regional Government of Andalusia reinforces its commitment to a more resilient, functional and connected network of natural spaces," said the general director of Protected Natural Spaces, José Enrique Borrallo.
The recognition of Haza de la Torre was approved at the last session of the Andalusian Wetlands Committee held in November 2024, and since then the necessary procedures have been initiated for its officialization as a unique space due to its ecological value. The wetland is located in the municipality of Jerez, in the vicinity of the rural neighbourhood of Mesas de Asta, on land that in the past housed ponds used by the sugar industry for the management of its waste. Since its abandonment, and thanks to its location and characteristics, the site began a process of natural recovery that has transformed these old artificial lagoons into an ecosystem with an outstanding wealth of fauna.

The renaturation process began in 2009, with the execution of various projects that improved the ecological conditions of the place. Part of the sediments accumulated over decades were removed and the interior walls that divided the ponds were removed, respecting the perimeter wall that currently contains the body of water. In addition, interior islands and hydraulic gates were created that allow a controlled connection with the Tabajete and Obispo pipes. Today, the water that feeds the wetland comes exclusively from rainfall, although there is the possibility of enabling additional contributions from these pipes if necessary.

Historically, this place was part of the old estuary of the Guadalquivir River, and the oldest maps identify it with names such as Laguna Grande, Laguna del Mortero or Laguna de Mesas de Asta. More than a decade after the agreements signed between the Junta de Andalucía and the company that owns the land for its restoration, Haza de la Torre has established itself as a first-rate refuge for the birdlife of southwestern Andalusia.

During the wintering seasons, more than 5,000 birds of about thirty different species have been counted. Among them, there are emblematic species such as the marbled teal, the osprey or the common crane. But what really distinguishes this enclave is its key role in the conservation of the black-billed tern, an endangered species for which Haza de la Torre has become one of the most important spaces in the entire Mediterranean basin. Notable populations of avocets and slender-billed gulls have also been detected in the wetland.

Currently, the enclave is home to the largest bird breeding community in the province of Cádiz, only behind the Bahía de Cádiz Natural Park. The uniqueness of this fact lies in the small size of the wetland, of just 39.4 hectares, compared to the more than 10,000 that the natural space of the Bay occupies. This data shows the exceptional value of the wetland and the success of the environmental recovery efforts carried out in recent years.

With the aim of continuing to make progress in the ecological improvement of the wetland, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment has planned a new restoration project financed with European funds from the Next Generation EU programme, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. This initiative will be developed in collaboration with the private property of the land, through a specific agreement.

Among the planned actions, the improvement of the water storage capacity of the wetland basin by removing new sediments, the creation of a perimeter rein to facilitate water retention and prevent the entry of predators, and the adaptation of the existing islands to favor the nesting of waterfowl are contemplated. Likewise, access to the site will be improved by adapting the path and installing a wooden pergola that will allow discreet observation of the lagoon without interfering with the ecosystem. Finally, vegetation will be planted in the immediate surroundings in order to stabilise the soil, stop erosion and prevent the arrival of sedimentary dragging into the interior of the wetland.
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Spring Update 2 - Water, water everywhere!  Lagunas Update

9/5/2025

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 By August 2023 the reservoirs across the region were so depleted that they were only 21.5% full.  Unsurprisingly, there were real concerns that by the summer of 2025 water levels would reach a critical level.  However, as noted in my earlier account about Laguna de los Tollos, after years of drought the heavy and persistent rain of late 2024 and spring 2025 have topped up the area's reservoirs (embalses). The latest available figures show that several reservoirs are now at 80-94% capacity (although for some the level remains historically low).  The area's lagunas reflect this improved situation with all if those I visited showing a similarly high water levels. In fact several were at a a higher level than I've ever previously seen them.  The photos accompanying the short texts below give some idea of just how well the lagunas have recovered.  It should be noted, however, that the recovery in water levels does not mean an instant recovery in wildlife.  The lacustrine ecology has surely been badly impacted by the years of drought and will take some time to recover which probably explains why, despite the high water levels, I found relatively poor numbers of grebes, ducks, coots and terns were present. 
Lagunas de Espera
I saw my first Red-knobbed Coot over a decade ago on this reserve, a collection of three lagunas - Hondilla, Salada de la Zorrilla and Dulce de la Zorrilla.  Access from Espera is excellent as the road is metalled for much of its length (although in April the road up to the castle was under repair).  The view across rolling farmland towards Espera is wonderful and the view from the castle that dominates the village still better. 
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The view back towards Espera and its castle
Whilst the road to the first laguna (Hondilla) is in excellent condition, the same cannot be said of the laguna which is now almost entirely overgrown with only a tiny sliver of open water harbouring a few ducks and coots. About 400m further along the road is the track beside the second and largest laguna (Salada de la Zorrilla). Happily this laguna has not been swallowed up by vegetation but the neglect of the reserve no better illustrated than by the state of the vegetation around the hide ("Observatorio de la Zorrilla").  Small trees and bushes entirely obscure the view of the laguna from the hide as they have done for a decade or more (see photos). All is not lost, though, as there are now a couple of illicit paths down to the lakeside. I had a few Red-crested and Common Pochard, Coot and Marsh Harrier from here.  From the useless hide it's another c1 km to the final laguna (Dulce de la Zorrilla).  Here the lack of management is again apparent -  small wooden watchpoint was constructed just upslope from the laguna which would have improved the view ... had they not put it behind  some planted saplings which now - surprise, surprise - are bushy trees preventing any view of the wetland.  This laguna - where I once had Red-knobbed Coot - is also now almost choked with vegetation (see photos).  
Lagunas de Lebrija - Laguna del Pilon
Laguna del Pilon is often dry even when the other lagunas in this complex are wet.  This year it was wetter than I've ever seen it which was wonderful to see.  By pulling off onto a rough track I was able to explore the laguna more fully than usual but it harboured few birds (a few grebes, Red-crested Pochard and a passing Hobby).  Unfortunately, the track up to the main lagunas proved to be impassable by car so I left meaning to return when I had more time ... but I never managed to do so. 
Lagunas del Puerto de Santa Maria
The track from Laguna Juncosa down to Laguna Salada was once undrivable being deeply rutted and often very wet.  Even walking down the track could be tricky as the mud was glutenous and sticky.  Now the road's in excellent condition but the view of Laguna Juncosa is blocked by vegetation and the 'official' wooden viewpoint over Laguna Salada is so distant to be useless.  Even with a 'scope I couldn't find any birds swimming on the water there. Perhaps I should have checked the illicit viewpoint at the water's edge here as as Red-knobbed Coot & White-headed Duck were reported from the area recently!   Given I've always found the third laguna in the complex, Laguna Chica, hard to view I didn't check it this time.  
Laguna de los Tercios
Although only a short distance from Laguna Chica, Laguna de los Tercios (aka Las Marismas de Pozo or Laguna del Hato Carne) does not seem to be part of the Lagunas del Puerto de Santa Maria complex (Complejo Endorreico del Puerto de Santa María).  Perhaps as a result it's far less well-known (E-bird lists only 18 checklists for this site vs well over 200 for the Puerto de Santa María lagunas).  The great advantage of this site is that the views across the laguna are not obscured by tamarisks and other scrub.  I briefly visited the place in April and had more birds than my subsequent visit to  Lagunas del Puerto de Santa Maria. I had 8 Whiskered Terns (the only one of my trip to Spain this spring),5 Red-crested Pochards, 5 Shelducks, 45+ Collared Pratincoles, 12 Black-winged Stilts, 9 Avocets and 15 Yellow Wagtails
Laguna de Medina
There was a time when Laguna de Medina was thought to be the only one of the region's lagunas to never or only very rarely run dry even at the end of summer.  Sadly, this hasn't been the case in recent years with the laguna often drying up entirely (or almost so) in the summer and doing so even in spring when water levels should be high.  Happily it was entirely inundated on my visits with drowned tamarisks marking previous high water levels.  It will take time for any reedbeds to recover and the relatively few waterbirds (given the size of the laguna) indicates that the lacustrine ecosystem hasn't recovered.  Hopefully, it will have sufficient muddy margins come the autumn to attract waders but in the meantime check for Stone-curlews in the nearby olive groves. 
Lagunas de Camino Colorado - Bonanza
I omitted to take any photos at this site but it again came up trumps for Red-knobbed Coot - a lonely single bird.  Black-headed Weavers showed well too and I kept up my good 'hit rate' here for Little Bittern. Sadly, the heron/egret colony here is now deserted. 
Embalse de Barbate
This is a distant view of the Embalse de Barbate from Alcala de los Gazules.  Last autumn you could barely see any water in the reservoir at all but despite this a couple of pairs of Osprey still breed here.  
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Humedal del Pantano
I made a quick stop here en route to Carmona to look for Laughing Dove which happily obliged within a few minutes.  Like other wetlands it was satisfyingly wet but it was a disappointment that the egret colony is no longer active.  I also missed Little Bittern (usually obliging here) but had plenty of sightings of Purple Herons which nest in the reeds.
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Marismas de Casablanca
I still haven't figured out access to this site but it was good to see it so wet! 

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Update 1 Spring 2025 - Laguna de los Tollos

9/5/2025

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When I first visited Laguna de los Tollos in 2011 my expectations were low as I'd read that the claypits here had wrecked the local hydrology and ruined what had once been a premier site in Andalucia. However, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a large if shallow lake with Flamingos, Red-crested Pochards, Purple Swamphens and migrant waders.  Admittedly, the views were distant and, without a 'scope, it wasn't easy to check the birdlife but I was delighted to find the laguna still existed and that local people were fighting to repair the damage wrought by the extraction of clay.  
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The view of the laguna from viewpoint (c) in 2011
It was only after several subsequent visits that I fully appreciated just how lucky I'd been in 2011.  By then there was a designated mirador over the 'laguna' (Mirador La Mina), a hide with a board walk on the southern perimeter and several noticeboards. However, no sooner had this welcome infrastructure been constructed than a long drought set in.  Photos online show it was still occasionally wet (spring 2016 & 2018) but never as full as it was when I first saw it.  The photos below, taken in spring 2024, shows just how dry the 'laguna' had become.  By then, the signage had become cracked and bleached by the sun, and what remained of the 'laguna' had become the haunt of dog walkers and, to judge from tyre tracks, off-road bikers.  Stone-curlews were still present and Collared Pratincoles hawked over what few wet areas remained but it was a sorry sight and a poor reward for those locals who had fought to preserve the laguna.  
Arriving back in the area in March 2025 and fully aware of the deluge of rain that had beset Andalucia through the autumn of 2024 and well into 2025, visiting this laguna was a high priority. I wasn't disappointed! 

The view from the roundabout at the edge of El Cuervo instantly confirmed that the laguna had reasserted itself.  Better still it looked even fuller than it had in 2011.  The necklace of tamarisk that surrounded the lake now looked more like a crown.  ​
PictureBlack-necked Grebe
I visited the site twice during my stay (on 20/04 see here  & on 29/04 with Nick Brown - see here) and each time was a delight even though I missed the pair of Red-knobbed Coots reported earlier this spring. The star bird was undoubtedly Ferruginous Duck which I located from the hide amongst the many Red-crested Pochard (18) and Pochard (2).  On my second visit I was pleased to relocate the Ferruginous Duck in the same area but was still more pleased to see a second more distant bird. Also bobbing about on (and under) the water were Great-crested, Little and Black-necked Grebes (6+). Gull-billed Tern, Collared Pratincole and hoards of hirundines hawked above the laguna whilst the muddy margins held 9+ Little Ringed Plover, a few Black-winged Stilts, fewer Avocets and a handful of Common Sandpipers. Fewer than a dozen Flamingos stalked though water between the drowning tamarisks reminding me how shallow this superficially extensive laguna actually was.    The scrubby margins of the laguna had Sardinian, Melodious and Reed Warblers plus half-a-dozen Bee-eaters burbling away in the sky above them.  I was pleased to later discover that the nearby clay pits hosted a small colony of this gorgeous species. 

,Although it was wonderful to see Ferruginous Duck (a scarce and endangered species in Spain), the real star of my visits was the laguna itself.  The water was so high that a section of the (new?) boardwalk just below the Mirador la Mina as flooded and impassable.  The from the mirador itself had been transformed from somewhat dull one commanding a view over a pasture dotted with puddles of differing sizes, to one showcasing a vista across a laguna roughly a kilometre in diameter. Gratifyingly, the tired noticeboards have been replaced by smart new ones.  The hide was now at the end of a pier rather than a causeway over dry land and offered a stupendous view across the water.  On the far side of the lake there was a spruce new boardwalk which permitted a better view of the northern shoreline.  A section of flooded boardwalk stymied my plans to walk around the whole lake (c6km) so that will have to wait for a future visit.  The only cloud hanging over this wonderful experience was how long I may have to wait to see it repeated. the recent drought lasted for four years and even before then the laguna never seems to have regained its full size.  This, I'm told, has been compounded  by a local landowner who has dammed a small but vital feeder create a small agricultural reservoir.  Only time will tell, but if you're visiting this area and other lagunas seem to have a lot of water, I recommend you come here and see for yourself. Like me you might be pleasantly surprised.  
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March 2025 - Updates

10/3/2025

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View from the Mirador de Puerto del Boyar (1,103m) on the A 372 just west of Grazalema
Las Alamos Track, Grazalema
I owe the discovery of this new site to my friends Rob Rackliffe & Virginia Fairchild whose assiduous mining of E-Bird on our recent trip together for information about Rock Sparrow took us down this superb track.  The turning onto the track off the A 372 (by Meson Los Alamillos restaurant) gives no indication of the delights in store.  After passing several houses you continue through tall pine trees and drop down to the Chaparro de las Animas - a flat area in the flood plain of a small river (confusingly known both as the Rio Guadares & Rio Campobuche).  This is a particularly good spot for looking for Iberian Grey Shrike both to west and east. Viewing from the 'elbow' on the A 374 opposite had previously been my prime site for this species but this is much better.  In addition, other sought after species like Iberian Green Woodpecker and Rock Sparrow have been seen here (see E-bird lists here). 

The track continues through pleasant open woodland until it drops down to the Llanos del Apeo.  This flat grassy area here is a good site for Thekla's Lark. Park at the foot of the rocky massif here as the track worsens from this point onwards (and is apparently private as it reaches the small farm) so we parked near the small stream. This rocky ridge rises c100m above the plain (= llanos) and, as may be expected,  is a superb location for Black Redstart, Rock Sparrow & Black Wheatear.  We also had Bonelli's Eagle here soaring with the numerous Griffon Vultures. I also had a Large Tortoiseshell butterfly here in February. Regrettably, time did not allow walking further to the south-eat along the stream as the habitat looks very good and somewhere along the route there's a historic dolmen (OK not intersting to many but I was once a history teacher!).   E-Bird lists this site under the name Las Alamos (further details of sightings can be found here).  Although the Llanos de Libar (to which in theory at least you can walk to from here) remains my favourite site in Grazalema area, this is an excellent alternative
PictureA map of the area showing where we parked.

Lagunas de Camino Colorado 
(Lagunas de los LLanos de Bonanza)
As I've recounted elsewhere, I 'found' these lagunas by zooming in on a patch of water I spotted whilst browsing GoogleEarth.  At that time that resource included symbols which could be clicked on the bring up photos of the site.  I clicked on one icon and when a photo of Whiskered Tern popped up I determined to visit the place asap. I called the place "Bonanza Pools" but it's since become better known as "Lagunas de Camino Colorado" (although the 'official name seems to be "Lagunas de los Llanos de Bonanaza" according to a new noticeboard there).   Despite being a superb little site for wetland birds (particularly for getting stunning views of White-headed Duck and in recent years one of the few places your could find Red-knobbed Coot). Until recently it wasn't legally protected and was frequently used as a communal rubbish tip for agricultural waste. Large signs warning of heavy fines didn't necessarily prevent dumping but a new hide (see photos) has now been placed where the rubbish was mainly dumped.  It doesn't help that much for seeing the birds which can all be seen equally well from the road but it's a useful shelter from the sun/rain and emblematic of the site's importance!        
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Goodbye, Little Bustard?
Los Badalejos between Benalup and Medina Sidonia has been my go to site for Little Bustard for some years largely because it's the closest regular site for them to my base in Alcala de los Gazules.  My highest count there was 15 in 2023 but as many as 26 were seen there as recently as 2016 and I recall being told that 50+ were previously present in the area in the early 2000s.  This species has suffered a catastrophic decline in recent decades with numbers falling by 70% between 1998 & 2018. This is an extinction level decline and, to judge by the rate of habitat loss, here and around Osuna (see below) has possibly worsened in recent years. Only a couple of years ago I saw three males chasing one another on the hillside in the photo above.  Now it is covered by newly planted olive trees ...    

PictureA Map of the main area for birding
Osuna & Lagunas de Lebrija 
This is a favourite site but something of a stretch from Alcala de los Gazules so I was delighted to stay in Osuna this February when exploring the area with Rob & Virginia.  Quite apart from the birds, it's worth visiting the town for the many historic buildings to be found there.  We stayed in an attractive hotel, Hotel Las Casas del Duque (see here), and our meal on the first night was in the equally attractive restaurant, Doña Guadalupe Restaurante.   (see here) - one of relatively few open on Monday night. 
  
We saw two droves of 20+ Great Bustards (from a & c although they're often visible from b) but only two Little Bustards but spotting Black-bellied Sandgrouse took rather longer.  However, using the bridges over the abandoned AVE railway as tower hides thanks to Virginia's sharp eyes we eventually found a flock of 20+ birds - by far my largest flock here - from c.  It was good to see a small flock of Lesser Kestrels haunting a ruined cortijo and very satisfactory to see a Merlin not far away although it was a disappointment to hear of a Lanner Falcon in the area a few days later.  Other good birds included Iberian Green Woodpecker, many Spanish Sparrows, Black-winged Kite, a Stone-curlew, Greater Flamingo, Golden & Kentish Plovers and a Little Stint. The latter two were found at Laguna de la Ballestera (Lagunas de Lantejuela) which we reached via a maze of farm tracks as we searched for sandgrouse. It was pleasing to find a new designated car park and a hide here (see photos).  We didn't have time to check the other lagunas to see if they now had any infrastructure for birding but were able to confirm that Laguna Verde de Sal no longer exists.  
We checked Laguna de los Ojuelos from the SE 715 (e) and had an assortment of waders (Lapwing, Avocet, Green Sandpiper, etc) despite the distance.  We drove down the Cañada Vereda del Alamillo [GPS 37.2981, -5.2538 (d)] to the railway line but the track onwards to the laguna looked in a poor condition so went no further. This was a mistake as friend navigated it successfully later that week and had good views of the birds we had struggled to see from a distance.  

The rain in Spain ...
Until recently the rain in Spain hasn't been falling anywhere much at all, not even on the plains.  To a great degree, the unprecedented heavy rain that caused so much loss of life last year was so fierce that much of it ran off the land without topping up reservoirs. However, it's still been significantly wetter than usual in recent months (and in the weeks following my visit) so not only are many reservoirs fuller than they've been for years but so too are the lagunas.  It was good to see Laguna de Medina (see below) so full in February and better still to hear that Red-knobbed Coots have returned there.  We missed Ferruginous Duck here but we found a pair of Ring-necked Ducks. A site that has fared even better is the Laguna de Tollos which has been bone dry for years so much so that the last time I visited the bed of the laguna was regularly being used by dog walkers. Better still, Red-knobbed Coots have been found for the first time in decades (see here for recent photos of this laguna).  

Jardin Botanico El  Aljibe & Vistors' Centre
Alcala de los Gazules
 In recent years the El Aljibe visitors' centre off the A 2228 below Alcala de los Gazules has presented a sorry sight to passers-by.  The venta here closed long ago, the gates have been invariably locked since Covid (at least) and the centre firmly shut with the buildings looking very unkempt.  Happily, on my recent in February I found the centre had been spruced up and was, to my surprise, open (and thus the excellent exhibition available to visitors).  Even if you're not interested in the area's history (and the displays are all in Spanish, of course), it's worth stopping to explore the adjacent Jardin Botanico.  This small garden is a wonderful introduction to the plantlife of the Alcornocales and on hot days a shady respite from the heat.  It also rings to the sound of many Nightingales. 
Laguna de Tarelo & Marisma de Henares
Using E-Bird to locate target species is a tremendous bonus and certainly boosted the total of species (175+) seen during the week I was birding with Rob & Virginia. However, it can reduce the time 'off piste' looking for birds elsewhere.  The only recent sightings of Marbled Duck were all at Brazo del Este but I was pretty sure we'd find them along the Guadalquivir. My hunch proved to be correct with three near Trebujena and six at Laguna de Tarelo.  The latter site also nine White-headed Ducks and  38 ​Black-necked (Eared) Grebes (see here for the full list).  The track around to the marismas remains open but I notice that there's a gate here (although it seems permanently tied back - see photo) so use the track at your own risk! 
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The gate to the marsimas seems to be permanently tied back ...
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Review: 'Birds of Spain' (Lynx) 2nd Edition

10/3/2025

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Note the new edition (left) is marginally larger than the original (right) and in paperback
When I saw the orginal Spanish version of this guide, Aves de España, soon after it was published in 2000, I was so impressed by the artwork that I bought a copy despite my rudimentary Spanish. I soon learnt to appreciate the usefulness of the large distribution maps (covering the whole of Iberia and the Spanish Atlantic Islands) and discovered that with the help of a dictionary, I could grasp interesting details regarding population size and distribution. It was a book that I regularly recommended to others even the linguistically challenged like me! I was delighted therefore when the English translation appeared in 2016 and I was able not only to dispense with the dictionary but use the text for checking ID. Almost a decade on, a second English edition of this book has been published. I start with the assumption that, whether you live there or are merely planning to visit Spain, a copy of this book will be very useful so focus on two questions; What’s changed? and “Is it worth getting if I have the older version? ​
Even before opening the book two changes are apparent, it has a handsome new cover and it’s now in paperback form. Closer inspection reveals other less obvious changes. It’s dimensions have subtly increased (both width and length are a centimetre larger and it’s a little thicker, the page count rising from 257pp to 286pp). This allows more birds to be covered in the main part of the guide to rise from 372 to 448 species (although a few of these additions lack an illustration). Happily, these changes do not materially alter the book’s portability. Looking inside the changes aren’t immediately obvious either with largely the same illustrations and text being used but, as ever, the devil is in the detail.
As it was the book’s illustrations that first attracted me, let’s turn to them first. The preface tells me that the new edition has 129 “completely new or substantially revised drawings”. Some replace the occasional misfire in the original edition (e.g. Tawny Owl), others illustrate omitted plumages (e.g. juvenile Roller) or better illustrate exotic species which are now promoted to the main body of the work. The latter point is particularly useful for Black-headed and Yellow-crowned Weavers as the illustrations now show females (omitted from the Collins Bird Guide) something which, until now, you had to resort to African guides to discover. Several newly ‘split’ species have fresh illustrations (e.g. Moltoni’s Warbler and Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch plus one of a female). More rare/scarce species also get a fuller treatment being elevated from the appendices to the main part of the work (e.g. Caspian Gull) However, some disappointments remain. The existence of the Mediterranean race of Spotted Flycatcher, split by some, is briefly noted in the text but neither illustrated nor described. Regrettably, Common Rosefinch and Trumpeter Finch are only illustrated by depictions of males in their summer glory despite the drabber winter/female/juvenile plumages being the ones more likely to be encountered. That House Bunting failed to make the cut is unsurprising given that it only recently started breeding in Spain (Algeciras). The larger-than-usual images in this guide (and some seem subtly larger still in this edition) is something that, in general, I like. However, this comes at a cost as many species (particularly passerines) enjoy only a single large illustration reducing both the depiction of variation and the variety of postures shown. The absence of any illustration of juvenile Willow Warbler, for example, may invite confusion with Melodious Warbler for the unwary (although this pitfall is noted in the text).​
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Blue Chaffinches have been 'split' and re-illustrated (image from the Spanish original)
​This nit-picking, however, shouldn’t obscure the fact that, overall the illustrations perform the task demanded of them very well and handsomely. There’s also one simple change to the plates which, in my view, is a surprisingly helpful enhancement of the guide’s utility; all the birds (except divers/loons) now face in the same direction. This may not be game-changing but it’s surprisingly useful when comparing similar species.
The latter point leads on to another, and to my mind significant change, for a field guide. In the original English language edition birds were arranged by strict taxonomic order but this has now been replaced by a more intuitive grouping. The authors acknowledge in the preface to this edition that this arrangement was widely criticised. Taxonomic order may be great for scientists but can be disconcerting in a field guide. Most confusing was the insertion of ‘alien’ species into the treatment of traditional groupings (e.g. woodpeckers and other species intruding into the coverage of birds of prey and swallows doing the same for warblers). The guide now employs a more user-friendly and intuitive approach by grouping birds in four broad categories; seabirds, freshwater birds, terrestrial birds and passerines each indicated by coloured ‘tabs’. I would have preferred subdivision into more groupings with the “terrestrial birds” section in particular being something of a ragbag (and misnomer too as it includes species largely seen in flight). It is a pity, for example, that swifts and swallows/martins remain over twenty pages apart. However, a few caveats aside, this is a more easily navigable arrangement that goes some way to make up for the retention of the irritatingly dysfunctional index which lists birds by the first word in their name rather than by family. Hence to find what we know as Bittern, you need to remember that it’s listed as “Eurasian Bittern” not, as many books do, “Great Bittern”.
The text seems to be mostly unchanged from the original but the changes that have been made are not inconsequential. Details of range, status and population have been updated and refined. For example, whilst both guides state Little Bustard is “in rapid and worrying decline” only the new edition continues “a 70% fall in 1998-2018”. The text contains multiple examples of these small but helpful details all backed up by redrawn maps. However, the most significant change has been the inclusion of QR codes linking to the SEO/Birdlife’s Guía de Aves de España app via your smart phone (or other device). This gives instant access to a mass of further information including photos, videos, vocalisations and larger more easily studied versions of the distribution maps. The “Using this Guide” section notes, somewhat apologetically, that this resource is “in Spanish, with only the common names in English” but if you have your smart phone to access the information, you also have a ready means to translate it into English (or any other language). The translations may not be perfect but they are perfectly understandable and, by literally translating Spanish names into English, sometimes amusing (although English names are also given). ​
​The preceding paragraphs should, I hope, answer the question “What’s changed?” So is it worth getting if you already have I have the older version? My emphatic answer is “Yes!”. Taken individually, the changes may seem no more than incremental but taken collectively they have produced a significantly better and more useful guide. Buy it because it’s more intuitive to use. Buy it for those extra illustrations. Buy it for updated information on range and population. But, above all, buy it for the QR codes that give instant access to a great wealth of information.
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"Long-legged" Buzzard on La Janda

28/2/2025

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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!    
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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.   
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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. 
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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).  
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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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Canuto de La Utrera - M1

16/12/2024

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This is an area that I've not visited for some years so I'm particularly grateful to Julie Carter for pointing out the restrictions to this route July-November (see below) 
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For excellent photos of this area see also here 
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Alianza Marismas del Guadalquivir-Doñana

11/12/2024

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Much, rightly, has been written about the dire state of the Coto Doñana in recent years but there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the work of Salarte (and others) in forming the Alianza Marismas del Guadalquivir-Doñana (Guadalquivir-Doñana Marshes Alliance) to restore wetlands in the area.  One of the things that marks Salarte out from other conservation organisations is their commitment to working with communities and traditional occupations.  Having already done much good work in the Bahai de Cadiz, they have set their sites on restoring marshes along the Guadalquivir.  The organisation deserves enormous credit for the scope, ambition and innovative nature of this project. 

This attractive infographic below shows the extent of their project. 
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Although very attractive, the infographic above may be hard for those not familiar with the area to follow so I've set out the sites on the east bank of the Guadalquivir in a simple (if boring!) map. 

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The following article which appeared in the Dario de Cadiz explains the project.  Since articles on newspaper websites sometimes disappear, I've taken the liberty of quoting it in full (and translating it into English via Google) but the original can be seen here.  The Dario de Cadiz also deserves some credit for regularly highlighting conservation issues and is worth following online. 

An Alliance that reopens life in the marshes of the Guadalquivir 
Sustainability 
Deloitte and Salarte are committed to recovering the ecosystem of the marshes with an environmental and social revitalization project committed to biodiversity and local communities 
This alliance sets a precedent in innovation and sustainability for future generations, through ecological restoration and job promotion on the Northwest Coast 
Two organisations have joined forces in an alliance aimed at recovering a land of great strategic importance on the Northwest Coast: a valuable natural treasure located in the marshes that extend between the Guadalquivir River and the Doñana National Park. This ambitious project, supported by the collaboration between the multinational Deloitte and the Cadiz-based NGO Salarte, aims to revitalise the environment and social of a unique space. The signing of a historic collaboration agreement between the two entities marks the beginning of the project called the Alianza Marismas del Guadalquivir-Doñana (Guadalquivir-Doñana Marshes Alliance), which promises to become a model of integration between environmental conservation and sustainable development. 
This project represents a significant milestone, as Deloitte is positioned as the first private sector company to actively join the protection of this unique environment. Its involvement goes beyond economic investment: it is a commitment to sustainability that seeks to generate a lasting impact on both biodiversity and local communities. In a joint effort, Deloitte and Salarte are determined to restore the natural balance of the marshes, while creating new opportunities based on the principles of the blue economy, an approach that promotes the sustainable use of aquatic resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and the health of ecosystems. 
The agreement signed will allow the recovery of up to 140 hectares of marshes located between the Cadiz towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Trebujena, two emblematic municipalities on the Northwest Coast. The specific areas of intervention include the historic Salinas de San Carlos and Santa Teresa, in the municipality of Sanlúcar, and the Codo de la Esparraguera, in the municipality of Trebujena. This area, characterised by its biodiversity and ecological importance, has suffered for decades from the effects of abandonment and environmental degradation. 
Among the main actions to be carried out within the framework of the project are the restoration of tidal systems, essential to guarantee the natural regeneration of the marshes; the conservation of critical habitats that support numerous species of flora and fauna; and the development of innovative management models that optimize ecosystem services. These actions will focus on activities such as sustainable aquaculture, responsible tourism and scientific research, which will contribute to diversifying economic opportunities in the region. 
Beyond Environmental Restoration: A Commitment to People 
The recovery of the marshes is not only an ecological issue; The project also pursues social and economic objectives that will directly benefit local communities. Deloitte and Salarte seek not only to preserve the natural environment, but also to promote human development and well-being in the area. To achieve this, both entities have designed a comprehensive plan that combines the recovery of the ecosystem with the creation of employment and the revaluation of traditional trades. 
The alliance promotes the recovery of labor practices that have been part of the region's cultural heritage, such as artisanal salt extraction and sustainable fishing. These activities, adapted to modern standards, will be key to generating economic opportunities in line with the natural environment. In addition, the project contemplates an ongoing collaboration with local training centers to train new generations in skills related to the sustainable management of natural resources. This will contribute to strengthening the social and economic fabric, laying the foundations for long-term development. 
In the words of Adolfo Gutiérrez de Gandarilla, partner in charge of Deloitte in Andalusia and Extremadura: "We are delighted to be part of such an emblematic project as the Guadalquivir-Doñana Marshes Alliance. Our commitment to sustainability is focused on enhancing natural capital and helping local communities manage their resources responsibly." For his part, Juan Martín Bermúdez, president of Salarte, stressed: "Deloitte's support is crucial to carry out actions that not only benefit biodiversity, but also future generations. We want to teach them the importance of preserving and taking advantage of the environment in a sustainable way, guaranteeing its conservation for the future". 
A strategic impact for the region 
The collaboration between Deloitte and Salarte highlights how a partnership between the private sector and the third sector can generate a transformative impact in the region. Both entities agree that their commitment goes beyond a simple one-off intervention; This is a long-term effort that seeks to set a precedent in the sustainable management of natural resources. 
Thanks to this alliance, the region will become a living laboratory of environmental, social and economic innovation. From protecting iconic species to creating new sustainable business models, the Guadalquivir-Doñana Marshes Alliance aims to demonstrate that it is possible to balance environmental conservation with human progress. 
In this context, the project stands as a benchmark in the province of Cádiz and throughout Andalusia, consolidating itself as an inspiring example for future environmental conservation and sustainable development initiatives. This collaborative model not only benefits local communities and biodiversity, but also establishes a roadmap for other projects in which sustainability is at the center. 
The Alliance is already generating life in the marshes 
The NGO Salarte leads an ambitious project for the restoration, custody and management of wetlands in the regions of the lower Guadalquivir, Doñana and the Northwest Coast. The Guadalquivir-Doñana Marshes Alliance is an innovative commitment that brings together farm owners and owners, managers, farmers, aquaculturists, fishermen, scientists, universities, public administrations, hunting societies and NGOs that seek to recover a network of 11,500 hectares of coastal wetlands and marshes in the provinces of Seville, Huelva and Cádiz, with the aim of safeguarding 13,800 hectares in 2027. The members of the Alliance are committed to recovering the natural heritage of the lower Guadalquivir, the Doñana marshes and the Gulf of Cadiz, seeking to conserve the natural capital and ecosystem services that guarantee the quality of life of its inhabitants, and to recover the balance of a unique ecosystem in Europe. 
In this way, the primary objective of the Alliance is to ensure the quality of life of the living beings that inhabit its shores, to offer guarantees to an organization as important in the region as the Fishermen's Guild of Sanlúcar to facilitate that they bring the best fish from the Atlantic, the estuaries of the Guadalquivir produce shrimp, quality sea bream and sea bass, and so that Doñana continues to be the most important wetland in Europe, pantry of the European South Atlantic and refuge for thousands of waterfowl. 
The Alliance is already working in the area known as the Paleocauce de los Olivillos, in the municipality of La Puebla del Río, with the aim of restoring 60 hectares of marshland, an urgent action in the face of the drastic reduction of wetlands, the decrease in rainfall and the lower availability of water, factors that significantly affect rice cultivation in the area. These conditions, added to the scarcity of flooded areas in the Doñana Natural Area, make the Corta de Los Olivillos a priority area for new restoration interventions. 
In this first phase, Salarte has begun the reflooding of 30 hectares of this emblematic paleochannel, which had not received water for four years during the summer season. Thanks to the authorizations obtained in May 2024, Salarte implemented a technical plan that has ensured a stable sheet of water during the summer months, coinciding with the breeding and molting season of numerous species of waterfowl. The interventions included an initial pumping to ensure water circulation and adequate gradients in the water column. In addition, there was the key collaboration of the rice farmers, who contributed decanted water to recover the ecological environment of the old mother of the Guadalquivir, the original channel through which Magellan, Columbus and many crews who crossed the Atlantic sailed. 
This first stage of recovery is just the beginning. Salarte plans to continue with the restoration of the Cortas de La Isleta and Los Olivillos, expanding its interventions to other areas of the lower Guadalquivir in the coming years, consolidating its commitment to biodiversity and sustainability. In addition to the reflooding, the project includes the restoration of another 30 hectares by removing mud and invasive vegetation, the integration of livestock to control part of the vegetation in a first phase, manual clearing, the creation of new channels to feed the dry marsh and the adaptation of veins, walls and central islands. which will serve as nesting areas for waterfowl such as waders, which depend on these wetlands for their survival. 
The project not only seeks to return an essential habitat to birds and aquatic fauna, but also to contribute to the balance of the Guadalquivir and its marshes, restoring a lost environment that affects both fauna and human communities that depend on the river. Thanks to the commitment of farmers and aquaculturists in the region, this first phase of 30 hectares today represents a refuge and a source of food for threatened and endangered species. "It is not only a matter of giving back to the ducks what should never have been taken from them, but of recovering an essential balance in the ecosystem of the Guadalquivir, guaranteeing that those who live and work on its banks can continue to do so in the future," says Juan Martín, president of Salarte and promoter of the Alliance. 
After a year of work, restoration efforts are already showing tangible results. Currently, the 30 hectares reflooded are home to hundreds of red-crested ducks, shovelers, common and brown ducks, gadducks, blue ducks, teals and marbled ducks, swamphens, grebes, grebes, coots, purple herons, stilts, avocets, black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, terns, terns and harriers, among other taxa. More than 3,000 birds rest and feed in these marshes, which today represent an environment conducive to their development. 
This success has generated great expectation in the regions. Mayors such as Lola Prósper (La Puebla del Río), Carmen Álvarez (Sanlúcar de Barrameda) and Modesto González (Coria del Río) have requested technical visits to include new marshes and wetlands in their municipalities in the Alliance for their recovery and management. 
Additional Benefits and Goals 
Impact on biodiversity and local fisheries: Restored marshes are not only essential for numerous species of flora and fauna, but also strengthen local fisheries. Javier Garat, president of CEPESCA, warns that "if there is no water in the marsh, there is no fishing in the Gulf of Cadiz". 
Climate change mitigation: These areas function as storm tanks, retaining water, reducing flooding and sequestering carbon, helping to combat climate change. 
Pest control: Reflooding also promotes trophic balance, promoting the proliferation of insectivorous species that control pests such as the mosquitoes that transmit the West Nile virus, according to CSIC researchers. 
Sustainable production: According to the scientist José Pedro Cañavate, "each hectare of rehabilitated marshland produces one ton of food per year", contributing to economic development and the fixation of rural population through green jobs. 
The project stands as an example of how ecological restoration can harmonize biodiversity, economic development and social well-being in a joint effort for a more sustainable future. 

The following links give more information about this ambitious project: 
Wetland Restoration – Presentation - Andalucia Bird Society  
Salarte restores the Guadalquivir Marshes – Salarte
​La vida regresa a las Marismas del Guadalquivir – Salarte
​https://youtu.be/tayKZZLwLGg 
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Veni, vidi, vici - House Bunting in Spain

11/12/2024

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House Bunting - Morocco 2019
The Spanish and scientific names for House Bunting, Escribanos saharianos and Emberiza sahari, reminds us of its largely Saharan distribution. The English name, in contrast, reflects the species’ affinity for living around human habitations, something which has doubtless aided its recent expansion in range. Typically, after the discovery of a new colony, often in town centres, the population quickly expands.  This, and the impact of global warming bodes well for their predicted colonisation of Spain. ​
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Sightings in Morocco and Cadiz province from E-Bird
By the early 2020s House Buntings had been sighted in Cadiz Province (Algeciras and Tarifa), Málaga Province (Nerja, Frigiliana & Fuengirola) and on Gibraltar (five records by 2023).  Hence it was not entirely surprising when birds were found breeding in the urban centre of Algeciras in June 2023.    
PictureHouse Bunting distribution (adapted & updated from E-Bird)
The House Bunting first appeared in Europe as recently as 2009 when one was discovered in Tarifa but the arrival of this African species in Spain wasn’t entirely unexpected.  African birds (and insects) have been pushing north into Morocco and on to Iberia for many years. More recent examples of this trend include White-rumped and Little Swifts and Trumpeter Finch but, historically includes several other species that are now considered a part of Europe’s avifauna without a second thought (e.g. Red-rumped Swallow)​

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Map of climate zones in the western Mediterranean - note the similarities in climate between the southern Spain and North Africa
Despite a range across North Africa, in Morocco, House Bunting had been largely limited to the south in the 1950s with breeding further north restricted to a few localities in the Atlas Mountains. However, since the 1960s, it had been known to be expanding northwards. When birds were found breeding in Tangier in 2006, the first known breeding of the species north of the Atlas Mountains, it was predicted it would soon colonise Iberia.  Proof of breeding in Tétouan soon followed in 2010 and then Cueta in 2016.  In 2017 it was found to be as common as House Sparrow further east in Algiers.  With over 1,000km of coastline between Algiers and Tétouan, much of which is probably rarely explored by birders, it seems likely that the species is (or soon will be) breeding elsewhere along the North African littoral.  ​ 

PicturePlanned survey Dec 2023
By the summer of 2024, at least 3 pairs of House Buntings bred successfully in Algeciras and there were at least 20 birds were present in the city.  The exact number is thought to be greater and, hopefully, a survey in December 2024 (see left) will discover the true state of affairs. (I'll post the results on my blog as soon as they're available). When will it spread out of this small enclave?  Whilst there is no way of being sure, I’d be mildly surprised if other colonies aren’t found elsewhere in 2025 and astonished if it isn’t a lot more widespread by the end of the decade. Anyone keen to find the species would be well advised to learn the song which can be listened to online  here.
NB - I'm no fan of wandering around urban centres with a pair of binoculars dangling from my neck so, although the exact location of the colony is widely known, I haven't looked for them ... it helps that I saw so many in Morocco in 2019. I'm hoping that they'll to come to me! 

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    About me ...

    Hi I'm John Cantelo. I've been birding seriously  since the 1960s when I met up with some like minded folks (all of us are still birding!) at Taunton's School in Southampton.  I have lived in Kent , where I taught History and Sociology, since the late 1970s. I've served on the committees of both my local RSPB group and the county ornithological society (KOS).  I also worked as a part-time field teacher for the RSPB at Dungeness.  Having retired I now spend as much time as possible in Alcala de los Gazules in SW Spain.   When I'm not birding I edit books for the Crossbill Guides series.

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