This small wetland just south-east of Los Palacios y Villafranca achieved ornithological fame in 2018 when long staying Laughing Doves were found here. Most reports involve 1-2 birds but up to six have been reported (see https://ebird.org/species/laudov1/L6722670 ) here with a few reports elsewhere within c5km (inc. Laguna de la Merjorada). I briefly visited this site to see these birds in 2019 but finding them fairly quickly I only looked at a restricted area (I & j on my map) since I was en route to Osuna. I was very keen to return to have a closer look at the swampy area I could see through the trees along the road but, like many plans, the Covid outbreak scuppered my hopes of doing so until this year.
Humedal El Patano This small wetland just south-east of Los Palacios y Villafranca achieved ornithological fame in 2018 when long staying Laughing Doves were found here. Most reports involve 1-2 birds but up to six have been reported (see https://ebird.org/species/laudov1/L6722670 ) here with a few reports elsewhere within c5km (inc. Laguna de la Merjorada). I briefly visited this site to see these birds in 2019 but finding them fairly quickly I only looked at a restricted area (I & j on my map) since I was en route to Osuna. I was very keen to return to have a closer look at the swampy area I could see through the trees along the road but, like many plans, the Covid outbreak scuppered my hopes of doing so until this year. This time I could have a much better look around with a view to adding this site to my notes (although I was again under a time constraint as I was driving down from Seville airport to meet friends in Alcala). The first thing I noticed was that there’s now a cap park and small tower hide opposite the T-junction as you arrive (h on my map). That’s the good news, the bad news is that the view from the hide is almost entirely obstructed by reeds which probably explains the existence of a narrow but well-beaten path heading off into the marsh at its base. Either side of the structure the trees were crowded with (unoccupied) egret nests. On my next visit, I’ll try walking along the road (g – i) to see if there are any points where you can conveniently see over the wetland. This time, however, I contented myself with looking at the area just west of the car park (g) as it seemed by far the wettest part of the reserve in this very dry year. My reward came in the form of a dozen each of Teal and Shoveler, half-a-dozen Purple Swamphen, a couple of dozen Snipe and at least 4 Spoonbill. Much of the area close to Los Palacios y Villafranca is occupied by low intensity farming as indicated by the presence of working horses, mules and even ‘oxen’ which suggests that Rufous Bushchat may still hang on here although there are relatively few reports on eBird (where it’s called Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin). For more details about the species found here, which includes several exotics, check eBird. All this new information demanded that I rewrite my account and redraw my map for the Los Palacios area to include El Patano. In doing so, I also discovered that the upgrading of the N IV and changes in the junction with the N IVa meant my directions for that site too needed revision.
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Visiting the straits during raptor migration is always a highlight of any trip to Cadiz province in spring/autumn. This year I was lucky to witness a particularly good passage of Short-toed Eagles at Cazalla. The eagles were constantly pushing across from Africa generally in dribs and drabs but also sometimes in groups of twenty odd. It’s hard to keep count in such circumstances but I probably saw c1,000 birds (although the official Migres count that day was 1,500+). There were also a few Egyptian Vultures and ubiquitous patrolling Griffons but, surprisingly, hardly any Black Kites. Good though the Cazalla watchpoint is, I often prefer dropping down to the coast at nearby Punta Camorro (to get there from Cazalla you have to drive down towards Tarifa round a roundabout and then back the way you came - see map). The scrub and bushes here always hold the promise of small migrants (I've had Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Woodchat Shrike, Wryneck, etc here in the past) whilst the sea is worth scanning for shearwaters, gulls (although neither put in an appearance this time around) and even whales. I’ve redrawn and made minor alterations to the map of the area and my description in my notes. This includes slightly treatment of two tracks, one running along the coast (d) and the other heading up towards the coastguard station (e). The first passes by some good cover and should take you all the way to Algeciras if you’re determined (or more likely have a bike). The second takes you past the coastguards up to an old military battery which some may find of interest. Beyond the decommissioned guns there’s a small hill regularly used by Migres counters but, unfortunately, this is in a restricted military area and you need a permit to go beyond the guns. This pity, as it has better views along the coast than anywhere else. I’ve continued to mark the old watchpoint on my map (a) despite being little used as the track here allows you to loop round back into Tarifa or back down to (b). Guadalmesi is at the mouth of the valley that drops away from the popular Mirador del Estrecho on the main road. The small stream and cover on the coast here looks ideal for attracting passerine migrants and the old medieval tower nearby adds a dash of romance. However, access to this area has often been in doubt since, like much of this coastline, it’s in a restricted military area and both cars & pedestrians have been stopped by the military and turned back. However, I was informed by friends that the army has now returned to their old laissez-faire approach and allows access (more de facto than de jure, I suspect). The military seem fickle about such things and may yet return to restricting access so use at your own risk.
The Bonanza salinas are rightly celebrated as one of the region's premier birding localities, a hotspot for waders, gulls and terns. When first I ventured this way five decades ago the entrance was gated but, although we didn't know it at the time, you could ask permission to enter. By the time I returned in the early 2000s access was unrestricted you could drive across the middle of the salinas viewing the waders, gulls and terns as you did so. When you reached the T-junction at the end of the track, you could turn right and drive c1km up to a small pumping station from which you could get still better views across the expanse of salinas and even more birds. Then in **** a barrier appeared across the start of this route. It didn't last long and was soon wrecked. So for years, I and many other birders happily drove up the track to the small white building. However, when I return this year (2022) I found the track across the centre in excellent condition but discovered a far more robust gate than hitherto on the side turning up to the pumping station. It was open but we decided not to risk driving to the far end of the track. Later driving back past the gate our caution seemed justified as it was now firmly padlocked. So it seems that the owners no longer allow cars to drive up to the pumping station. However, the situation regarding pedestrians seems less clear. Unlike a barrier that briefly appeared here in 2009 and many other side tracks today, there are no signs forbidding access. There's also a well beaten path around the gate which was being used by mopeds/scoters and, quite probably, pedestrians. What this means for access to birdwatchers is unclear but I'd now be loathe to risk driving along this track. Walking may be permitted but it's a long 2 km round trip on a hot day! Deciding not to risk driving up this turning we proceeded towards the river. The track here was in a poor condition and whilst you could drive down to the river, it seemed unwise to do so given the ruts, slippery surface and, at one point, a narrowed track being eroded by water. The track on the right running parallel to the river was in a similarly poor state too. It's hard to imagine that back in 2011 I drove a hire car along this track past the Observatorio de Bonanza and then on to Trebujena. Nearby, the water in the nearby Lagunas de Camino Colorado (aka Bonanza Pools) was lower than usual for early spring but not as bad as I feared and the pools still held a dozen White-headed Duck and a couple of Marbled Teal. The extensive muddy margins however were good for waders which included 5 Temminck’s Stint (my first Spanish record of this species). The really good news is that after a campaign by Ecologistas en Acción this unprepossessing but excellent site is now officially protected (although what that means in practise is another thing!). It’s always been surprising that the narrow poorly maintained road along the Guadalquivir to Trebujena merits official designation as the CA 9027. Unfortunately, it continues to degrade and now needs some care to negotiate but the good news is that this has slowed the traffic down. The route has now sprouted some handsome tiled information points and a shelter for cyclists. However, the development of ornitho-tourism here seems to have stalled or at least not given the same priority as attractive tilework. The gateway though which I could see information boards which I optimistically hoped was infrastructure for better access for birders is now boarded over (thus restricting the view), adorned with 'Keep Out' notices and some of the information boards seem to have disappeared. A disappointment. Further along the track the small reserve area with pools and hides (where the road turns inland) was also closed with more signs that it's private. The sign announcing its temporary closure ("cerrado temporalmente"), that during the bird breeding season the reserve will remain closed and apologising for the inconvenience ("Debido al periodo de cria las aves, la finca permanecera Disculpen las molestias") which is fine but it does look (as I have been told) that the sign's been there for some time ... This isn’t a great problem as viewing from the road is good but as a former field-teacher I hate to see the opportunity of educating and informing the public apparently so under-used. Happily, the track by Cortijo de Alventus was dryso easy to drive along but less happily we missed a Pin-tailed Sandgrouse here by minutes (although it’s good to know that they persist in the area).
I've visited many of the sites in my guide to birding Cadiz numerous times, others only occasionally and a few only once but there are a fewsites I've not visited at all. These I've added due to their long standing repute (e.g. Pinar del Rey), recommendations by others (mainly sub-sites) and, more recently, due the number of lists on eBird (e.g. Dos Rios). One such site is (or rather was) the Costa Ballena just south of Chipiona. I first became aware of its existence through the 'Rare Birds in Spain' website but latterly largely through the many eBird lists generated from there. I admit that I've driven past the place quite a few times mainly when en route to look for Chameleons in Rota. I confess that visiting a large golf complex with well-manicured lawns and gardens had no appeal appeal whatsoever even if good birds could be seen there. I really should have known better as this site has an unrivalled track record for turning up rare American gulls. On my recent visit to Cadiz (my first for over two years) one species I wanted to reacquaint myself with was Red-knobbed (or Crested) Coot. Unfortunately, the winter of 2021/22 has been exceptionally dry so all of the usual sites for this species, which can be elusive even in good years, were dry or nearly so. Fortunately, eBird alert was reporting birds from three sites, all of them atypical habitat; Lagunas de Martin Miguel, a small pond on an Industrial Estate near Puerto de Santa Maria and at Costa Ballena. With my guest for the week, Brendan Ryan, we first tried Lagunas de Martin Miguel, a misnomer for two embanked, lined reservoirs near Sanlucar. Not helped by having only one 'scope between us or that, as we subsequently learnt, the bird had only tiny red swellings, we couldn't winkle out our target amongst the many distant Common Coot. Accordingly, we decided to try our luck at Costa Ballena encouraged by recent reports of both Red-knobbed Coot and Ring-billed Gull there. The lawns at Ballena proved to be as well-manicured and the grounds well-tended as I'd assumed but the waterways there proved to be a mecca for a surprising variety of ducks, many gulls, even a few waders and, of course, coots. The park was also rather larger than I had expected. We pulled over near the park (f on my map below), checked the canal below the bridge and then made a circuit of the small lagoon with a lake picking up Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Greenshank and White-headed Duck as we went. We then headed along the canal toward the other laguna (g) which we also circuited but still had no luck (although Black Redstarts and a gang of Monk Parakeets were a pleasant distraction. We were heading back towards the car when I spotted a fine adult Ring-billed Gull perched on a footbridge only a few metres away. Not have seen the species for decades I wasn't sure I could pick out but in the event it was obvious. One down and one to go ..... Minutes after walking away from the Ring-billed Gull, I raised my binoculars for (yet) another scan of the numerous coots and found I'd put them more or less straight onto the Red-knobbed Coot. We'd obviously started at the wrong end of the park! I'd never seen a Red-knobbed Coot feeding out on the grass like a Common Coot either which may also be attributed to dire necessity brought on by the drought. When I've seen them bobbing around on water I've managed to convince myself that the two species do have (slight) structural differences but walking around on the grass none of these were apparent. You can decide for yourself by checking out my short video of the bird at youtu.be/CYo2KDB0mQM As with the bird reported from the Lagunas de Martin Miguel, this bird's trademark red appendages hadn't fully developed and consequently weren't at all obvious. In this state, such a bird could easily be passed over amongst its commoner congeners (as we found out at the previous site). This bird also showed distinctly brownish wing coverts which seemed to suggest that it was a first year bird. However, this is not mentioned in the "Birds of the Western Palearctic" which only comments that feathers can be brownish when worn. That all three birds reported in Cadiz province (plus another on a golf course in Malaga) were feeding in unusual habitats probably reflects the exceptional dryness of the season. Costa Ballena turned out to be a better site for birding than I had imagined it might and is certainly worth more than a passing look. In less dry years there are better places to look for Marbled Teal (reported here several times during our stay), White-headed Duck and Red-knobbed Coot but if you're a "Laridophile" then this is the place for you as you have a very real chance of picking up a vagrant American gull.
Entering the resort from the roundabout at the junction of the A 491 and A 2077, as we did, proved to be a mistake as you then have a tedious drive through the whole area before reaching the lakes. It's better to take the A 491 north for c3 km and come in on the northernmost entrance. Unfortunately, I discovered, the map in my notes wasn't entirely accurate as it omitted both this and another entrance to Costa Ballena. The corrected version is below. I also realise that I haven't given full access details to the site in my notes. These too are below - For Costa Ballena – head south from Chipiona on the A 491 & take the first exit signposted for Costa Ballena to enter the complex. Turn left at the second roundabout & park near the park. If arriving from Sanlucar on the A 2077 head north on the A 491 for c3 km and follow instructions as above. I was browsing in my local branch of Waterstone's last week when my eye was caught by Tim Birkhead's latest book, Birds and Us. He's an excellent writer but I don't usually buy his books as soon as they come out, not least because my daughters complain that there's nothing left for them to get for me on my birthday or at Christmas. However, one glance at the opening chapter and I knew I had to buy the book without waiting. The subject of that chapter was El Tajo de las Figuras, a small rock shelter (it can hardly be called a cave) a few kilometres east of Benalup. Despite being more open to the elements than most 'cave' paintings sites, the inner walls are decorated with hundreds of images dating back 8,000 years. The Neolithic artists who decorated caves rarely bothered with birds concentrating instead on humans and the large game animals like bison, deer, horses etc that they hunted. So it's quite remarkable that so many images here are thought to represent birds - more than all the other European cave art sites combined. I knew nothing of this when Liz and I visited the site back in 2005 so I was taken aback by the volume and number of paintings crammed into a relatively small space. I took some indifferent photos of the paintings with my small and by today's standards primitive digital camera . To my irritation all of my photos proved to be indifferent and the worst of all were of the birds, most didn't come out at all. I promised myself that I'd come back the following year to obtain better images but I have never found the place open since! Birkhead himself apparently had to have permission from the Junta de Andalucia when he visited the site in 2017 with two local archaeologists. Birkhead's book gives details of how they were revealed to the wider world by oologist, pioneer bird photographer and inventor Willoughby Verner in 1901. Local people, of course, had long known about this Neolithic Sistine Chapel as it was Verner's guide who told him about them. It was Verner, though, who publicised the existence of the site which resulted in great interest from archaeologists. Birkhead goes on to write that "There are no fewer than 208 birds on the walls of the cave. Some 150 have been identified as comprising at least sixteen different species". After a quick bit of Googling, I managed to find a 2018 paper written by the two archaeologists from whom Birkhead appears to have obtained his figures (see www.researchgate.net/publication/330685602_Prehistoric_Bird_Watching_in_Southern_Iberia_The_Rock_Art_of_Tajo_de_las_Figuras_Reconsidered?fbclid=IwAR06b5wv0Yi-PP3jgJe-IqgdI3H0rlELnuG1Aqytj8PYjauVbFhmft7x-Do). The figure of 208 is, it seems, a little optimistic as this includes 44 'possible' birds but even so this represents a remarkably high percentage of all the bird images ever found in Neolithic cave art. Of the remainder 150 are described as 'securely identified' and a further 14 as 'unidentified'. The species list is interesting - Great Bustard (35), Little Bustard (7), Purple Swamphen (3), Purple Heron (15), Cattle Egret (3), Common Crane (17), Flamingo (11), Spoonbill (2), Glossy Ibis (5), Avocet (2), Black-winged Stilt (2), Marsh Harrier (1) and Ruppell's Vulture (1) plus gull sp (24), coot sp (16) and duck/goose sp (6). Some of these identifications such as Flamingo seem reasonable but others strike me as highly conjectural (particularly Ruppell's Vulture!). Oddly enough, from photographs of the illustrations I've seen elsewhere there's a reasonable case to suggest that one of the species shown is Bald Ibis which they don't list. The table listing these birds in the paper also has a column for 'Habitats' which indicates that of the bustards is "flooded lowland" ...! I was amused to find Birkhead suggesting, as I have done somewhat tongue-in-cheek, that the paintings were a proto-field guide for nascent hunters. As indicated above, this treasure is strangely neglected and rarely open to the public but if you're in the area look out for a small wooden kiosk half hidden in bushes north of the road that passes the Embalse de Celemin (see map). Nip in if it’s open as you may not get another chance. Hopefully, when Birkhead’s book appears in a Spanish edition (as most of them do) then it will generate sufficient interest this site for it to be open to the public more often.
Although Covid restrictions have meant I have not been out the Alcala since the outbreak started, I've been busy for the last week updating and revising my notes on birding sites in Cadiz Province. Having started with no intention other than revising details of E-bird links, I ended up adding an entirely new site (Pinar del Rey), revising the account for the Casares area (M 1), many minor corrections and drawing up a checklist for the area's regular birds. My New Year's resolution for 2022 was to start using E-bird to record what I see on my walks around Canterbury (my home town in the UK). My good intentions to upload my sighting in Spain have been more observed in their breach than anything but I will certainly use the system when I (hopefully) get out to Spain this year. The most striking thing I discovered in browsing E-bird is just how much its use has grown in Cadiz since I first added details back in 2018 and revised them again in 2019. The one example for which I have comparative figures must serve for all; in 2018 Cabo Roche (NW 4) listed 14 checklists noted 106 species, by 2019 this had risen to 183 checklists and 179 species and now (Feb 2022) stands at 387 checklists documenting 196 species! The number of observers involved and checklists now submitted is remarkable. As I write it stands at c111,000 individual checklists from over 2,100 observers covering 526 sites for Cadiz Province (for the current figures see https://ebird.org/region/ES-AN-CD/activity?yr=all&m=). As the map below indicates, this is a rapidly developing and increasingly comprehensive guide to the birds and birding sites in the area (and across the world). The strengths and weaknesses of the resource are well illustrated by the map below. The increase in observers is welcome but there remains a strong bias towards coastal areas and seasonal bias to migration periods (not obvious from the map). That said, the number of lists submitted for popular areas now means that it is possible to generate useful checklists and seasonal bar graphs (the latter are also helpful for similar less often watched habitats) An additional benefit of E-bird about which I was entirely unaware until my good friend and E-bird enthusiast Brendan Ryan explained it to me is the system of Rare Bird Alerts based on checklists sent in to E-bird. For the UK this is updated on an hourly basis (although lists may be uploaded hours after the sighting) but for Cadiz it's daily. This may not be ideal but it's a lot better than nothing! So whilst I've been scandalously remiss, I strongly urge birders to use E-bird to log their sightings not only because it helps fellow birders to pin-point good sites/bird sighting but also because it's a useful tool for conservation. I have always been reluctant to add sites I've never visited which is why I've not previously covered the well-known site of Pinar del Rey. I've still not been there (see above) but the relatively good coverage on E-bird (see ebird.org/hotspot/L13518344) has persuaded me to add it. I've not shown the senderos (footpaths) in the area on this map as there seem to be so many routes that it was impossible to decide which to add but instead I direct people to Wikiloc for a list of walking routes (see The Best Trails in San Roque, Andalusia (Spain) | Wikiloc). I have also added, speculatively, two other areas nearby. The first is the open rolling pastures north of Santa Anna (d) which I've only viewed via 'Streetview' when I've been impressed by the habitat's potential for attracting passing harriers and birds such as Tawny Pipit. The rocky maquis of the Sierra del Arca also looks interesting. This route could also provide a more scenic route to Pinar del Rey from Sotogrande and Alcaidesa. I've driven past the narrow road off the A 2100 signposted to Complejo de Educacion & Ambiental la Alcadeisa several times but never had the time to explore the area but added it since there are a number of checklists from "Monte Publico" (see https://ebird.org/hotspot/L13428205), which appears to be along this route, to suggest it's worth exploring. My revision of the account of the Casares area (M 1) largely involved adding details of a nearby area, the Junta de Dos Rios (g), since with 165 checklists (featuring a creditable 167 species including some rare/scarce birds) on E-bird it was hard to ignore (see - Junta de Los Rios, Málaga County, AN, ES - eBird Hotspot). Despite being in Malaga Province, Junta de Dos Rios is most easily reached by car from Cadiz Province via Los Angeles (Estacion de Jimena de la Frontera) & San Martin del Tesorillo. However, the existence of a track off the A 377 (c 1.5 km south of the A 7150 to Casares) by which you may be able to drive c6 km down to the Rio Genal (check locally) persuaded me to cover the area under "Casares". There also seem to be footpaths c5 km down to the Rio Guadario (see, for example, https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/casares-79476130). I've (briefly) visited the Junta de Dos Rios a couple of times and found it to be a very pleasant spot with a shallow wide bushy-lined river with dotted with shingle banks. It seems to be a well watched spot which has turned up elusive species like Olivaceous Warbler, Black Vulture, Rock Sparrow and even a single record of Lesser Spotted Eagle. In summer at least the river seems to be fordable (I'd only risk it on foot or by a 4x4) as a small chapel (Ermita de la Virgen del Rosario del Campo) is a destination for a religious pilgrimage from Casares. This peaceful chapel should also be accessible by car by turning off the CA 8200 by the Venta La Fuente and following tracks roughly parallel with the Rio Guadario. Based on submitted checklists there are 375 species currently recorded on E-bird from Cadiz Province. An additional 30 species (at least) not listed by E-bird have been recorded from the province bringing the total up to 405. A few more (<10?) have been recorded only from Gibraltar (which has a longer history of intensive birdwatching/ringing) all of which could potentially turn up in Cadiz Province too. Using this information, I have amused myself by drawing up a checklist (with space to record sightings over two weeks) of just under 300 species that can be regularly found in the province during a year (plus a handful of species found in Seville/Malaga but elusive in Cadiz). If any visitors would like a copy to record the species they see on a trip please contact me.
Europe's Birds: An Identification Guide by Rob Hume, Robert Still, Andy Swash & Hugh Harrop Pub: WILDGuides 2021 ISBN 978-0-691-1765-6 £20.00 As usual, I purchased my copy from WildSounds (see www.wildsounds.com/cgi-bin/lookup.pl?prodid=9780691177656) WildGuides book ‘Britain’s Birds’, particularly the improved second edition, established itself as the premier photographic guide to our birds and, arguably, the best bird guide of its type on the market anywhere (see my review at birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birding-blog-page/review-britains-birds-an-identification-guide-to-the-birds-of-britain-and-ireland-2nd-edition-2020-hume-et-al-wildguidesprinceton-university-press-isbn-978-0-691-19979-5). Much of this reputation stems from the cleverly crafted multiple-image plates showing a variety of plumages, depicting birds in different poses and generally employing larger than images its rivals. Less recognised, perhaps, but just as important, were the excellent introductions to bird families (waders, skuas, etc.), good annotations, succinct ID text and the clever use of tables to highlight key identification features for similar species. All of this, however, takes up a good deal of space which meant ‘Britain’s Birds’ was a hefty tome more suitable for the glove-box or rucksack than even the most generous pocket. Like many birders, from the outset I was hoping for a similar guide on European birds and now, at last, it has appeared! ‘Europe’s Birds’ covers almost a third more species (from 631 to 928) and the number of photos has risen to a similar degree (3,500 vs 4,700).* With only c60 more pages the question must be whether it maintains the standards of the original guide and what compromises would have to be made to shoehorn so much more information into such a (relatively) limited space. * Note - these details are taken from the the book's back cover. Confusingly, several online booksellers describe it as only covering 914 species and containing far fewer photos ("more than 3,800 photos"). I've not counted up but as it certainly has 640 not 624 pages I'm going with the higher figure on the cover! The book’s name is something of a misnomer as the whole of Turkey (not just its tiny toehold in Europe) plus Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia (often not considered as being within ‘Europe’) are covered by this book. Together these push that the list of regular species up by 30+ species to c540. With another dozen or so Macaronesian endemics plus 300+ vagrants and several dozen established exotics, the task of doing them all justice becomes dauntingly difficult. So this too is a hefty book although it’s surprising to discover that not only does it share the same dimensions as ‘Britain's’ Birds’ but is actually 68g lighter. So where has the space been saved? The first clue isn’t long in coming as by turning a few more pages past the section showing waterfowl in flight you arrive at a double page spread, instead of three generous pages, on swans. Gone are the attractive, atmospheric images of flocks of swans feeding or at rest and the text has become almost staccato in its brevity. The basic description of Mute Swan reads as follows “Very large; approachable in most of range. Neck ‘S’ shaped or straight with head typically down-tilted. Wings often slightly arched (dramatically in threat). Tail pointed, usually raised Ad| all-white; orange bill has black knob, base and tip. Juv| brown wings whiter” - a mere forty-one words where the earlier book took over twice as many (eighty-nine to be precise). The only points omitted from the main description are that it’s “the familiar swan of park lakes and riversides”, that it's “often stained reddish/olive on head and neck”, some basic comparisons with wild swans (which you can deduce by reading the texts on those species) and that the male has a larger knob on its bill (which is noted in an annotated photo). The determination to reduce the amount of text extends replacing ‘ADULT’, ‘ADULT BREEDING’, ‘ADULT NON-BREEDING’, ‘JUVENILE’ and even ‘VOICE’ as per the older book with abbreviations (Ad, AdBr, AdNbr, ‘Juv’ & ‘V’). The heading ‘IN FLIGHT’ has been replaced with a terse ‘FL’ but extended to cover most (but not all) passerines and a selection of vagrants, doubtless reflecting the influence of its ‘companion volume’ the “Flight Identification of European Passerines”. This policy of omitting less vital illustrations, excising discursive elements in the text and compressing the points does, perhaps, make the book less visually appealing and not such an enjoyable read. However, it means that, despite covering more species, most if not all of the important ID points in the earlier book are illustrated and described. Although the coverage of the skuas, for example, remains largely the same, by tightening up the text and reducing the size of a handful of illustrations, they are described in eight rather than nine pages without any loss in utility. Another example of a good range of plumages being shown is the highly variable Honey Buzzard which enjoys over a dozen depiction of birds in flight. Oddly though, some plates have fewer useful annotations than the original even where space is not an issue which is disappointing (Purple Sandpiper for example). On the positive side (in my copy at least) the photos seem a little sharper than in the previous book, something which is particularly evident when comparing those photographs used in both guides. Many photos are, however, new and are generally an improvement. One example (of many) is that the ‘saddle-back’ of juvenile White-winged Black Tern is much more clearly depicted (but perversely, despite available space, the photo of an adult’s underwing has been hived off to a general plate of terns in flight where it could easily be missed). Equally surprising is the lack of a good photo of Wood Sandpiper’s underwing (well depicted in the original guide), but these are quibbles that shouldn’t detract from the books overall usefulness. At the core of the book are the 500 pages covering c540 regular species of the region plus a selection of introductions, escapees and the odd vagrant (generally those that may be regarded as a 'confusion species' for a commoner species). Of these c40% are afforded a whole page, a handful a double page spread (e.g. Long-tailed Duck) and the rest (particularly passerines) half a page or a third of a double page spread. The remaining pages are occupied by good introductions to various bird families (ranging from 3 or 4 pages to a brief paragraph) and useful comparative photographs of birds in flight (particularly for wildfowl, waders, raptors and gulls). Arguably, this book has the best and most comprehensive photographs of gulls outside a specialist book on that tricky group (although whether they are entirely adequate for the task will surely be hotly debated). However, the selection of species allotted a full page is sometimes surprising as it includes several distinctive species that scarcely need additional space (e.g. Shelduck, storks, cranes & Purple Gallinule) whilst some trickier or more variable species have less space than in ‘Britain’s Birds’. For example the stonechats, which were masterfully covered in three generous pages and 23 photos in ‘Britain’s Birds’ are now addressed in half the space and only 11 photos. Redpolls have suffered a similar fate, down from three pages and 13 photos to two pages (albeit with only one less photo). Several difficult ‘sister species’ have been allowed less space than expected. Oddly, for such a tricky species Thekla's Lark is covered in only half a page (and denied the now customary apostrophe 's'!). Another example is that bench mark amongst waders, the Dunlin which is down from a double page spread to a single page squeezing out interesting illustrations of the species’ subspecies. This seems a retrograde step as "learning your Dunlins" is the first step to tackling stints and Curlew Sandpiper with confidence. However, the innovative use of tables goes a long way to make up for any deficiencies in individual species texts. Although the information presented may not always be totally exhaustive, I find it far easier to digest ID details in this format than in conventional text. Such comparative tables are given for many similar species including an assortment of waders, various birds of prey, treecreepers and several challenging groups of warblers, The taxonomy errs on the side of conservative with stonechats and redpolls, for example, ‘lumped’ although, perhaps surprisingly, the three ‘red’ crossbills have survived intact. However, there have also been a few welcome splits such as Iberian Green Woodpecker and Cyprus Scops Owl. Beyond the section on these ‘core species’ there are three ‘appendices’: “Endemic birds of the Atlantic Islands”, “Vagrant birds in Europe” and “Established introductions” (usefully marked by colour coded tabs green, pink and greyish-blue respectively). The seven page section on the endemic land birds of Atlantic islands makes sense as they lack obvious confusion species where they are found but might sow confusion for beginners if covered in the main text. Note, however, that wide-ranging seabirds found in the islands are treated in the main part of the book as is African Houbara. The coverage of these endemics is a little briefer than in the main section but still generally adequate. The recognition that Plain Swift (treated in the main text) occur on mainland Portugal is remarkable as it is something which was only confirmed this year. The term “vagrants’ doesn’t seem to be defined anywhere in this book but it covers both species that are annual in small numbers in some areas (e.g. Rüppell's Vulture in SW Spain and several Phylosocopus warblers in the UK) and those that have appeared only a handful of times in scattered locations across the continent (Black-crowned Tchagra, Basra Reed Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, etc). Personally, I would have preferred it had ‘annual vagrants’ been given more space by reducing the space devoted to extreme vagrants or even omitting them altogether. Would anyone really miss coverage of vagrants found, say, fewer than a dozen times or even those 'regular' species only found in difficult-to-visit locations on the rim of the area? Most users of this book, being UK based, would find more detailed coverage of Radde’s, Dusky, Pallas’s and Hume’s Warblers, for example, more useful than details of Chestnut-shouldered Bush-sparrow (aka Yellow-throated Sparrow) which barely manages to get a toehold in the extreme SW Turkey. However, a few vagrants are covered in the main text so that they can be more easily compared with confusion species and these are generally better illustrated and described than those crammed into the 90 page section devoted to them. Space given per species in this “appendix” varies enormously; just over a dozen species luxuriate in half a page (mainly fairly regular but rare gulls and waders) but most of the rest are covered three or four to the page. This scant coverage is usually adequate to allow identification but for some more detail is needed. Most American passerines get very short shrift being squeezed in 8-9 to a page hence giving the feeling more of an illustrated checklist than field guide. For those vagrants that have been found in the Britain and Ireland ‘Britain’s Birds’ generally provides better coverage. Given that the text concedes that some introduced species “are more likely to be seen than many rare native birds” it’s disappointing that so many are poorly treated with 30 species covered in just over four pages. Wildfowl are a little better treated than most but widespread and increasingly common birds like Rose-ringed (meriting a full page in ‘Britain’s Birds’) and Monk Parakeet, Common Waxbill and Red Avadavat are poorly covered being squeezed in eight to a page (and not afforded maps showing their distribution). In my view, the maps in ‘Britain’s Birds’ were that book’s Achilles’ heel so I’m disappointed to find that the same is the case here. The admirable ambition to cover such a wide area doesn’t help since maps stretching from the Caspian to the Canaries makes showing small isolated populations very difficult indeed and the use of arrows to highlight isolated populations is inconsistently used. In this respect, I’ve always been puzzled why field guides (with few exceptions) use maps based on a single standard scale. This may be unavoidable where a species is very widely distributed across their chosen area but if they have a more restricted range why not use maps of a more appropriate size to give greater clarity? This weakness is compounded, I think, by the map projection used which evidently makes it more difficult to accurately map distribution in southerly regions (compare the size of Spain in the examples given below). Given that they appear only as tiny black dots, it seems pointless to extend the maps out include Atlantic islands; better to have used the space to make the continental land mass a little larger (a simple letter code on the maps could indicate presence on those islands). Coastal waders are particularly badly served as a glance at the maps for Sanderling, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Purple Sandpiper, etc. do not obviously show that they commonly occur around the coast of Britain and elsewhere. The weakness of the maps is also compounded, in my view, by their colour coding: dark green/green/blue/sandy rather than the easier to see red/purple/blue/pale orange to show summer/resident/winter/migratory status. The comparison with maps from the Collins Guide (which are almost precisely the same size) is telling as they are much easier to understand, show isolated populations more clearly and are often more accurate (even though they’re a decade or so older). A still better comparison is with the maps in the main rival photoguide, Jiguet & Audevard’s “Birds of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East”, where the maps, despite being still smaller, are also easier to use thanks again to the colour scheme and map projection employed. Some maps are also inaccurate. Examples from Iberia include Little Swift and Bald Ibis (despite the Swiss population being acknowledged) which are entirely absent from the map whilst the ranges for Black-winged Kites and Egyptian Vultures are depicted as far more restricted than is the case. Even status in the UK is unclear as Dartford Warbler is not mapped there. Conversely, some species are shown breeding where they are absent (e.g. Willow Tit is depicted as being present across southern England where it’s been absent for decades). This review has turned out rather more negative than originally intended so I’ll use this conclusion to focus on the positives. First and most importantly, this is by far the best photo-guide to European birds on the market. No competitor comes close. Like the earlier book, rightly in my view, it eschews the increasingly unintuitive taxonomic order to group similar birds together (although the precise order used has been tweaked a little). It may not cover some extreme vagrants as well as ‘Britain’s Birds’ but in compensation the coverage of many essentially continental species is better and, of course, it includes many continental species not found in Britain at all. It also notes the existence of various subspecies (even if many cannot be safely identified in the field) which most other books entirely ignore. It would, perhaps, have been a better book if it had, as the title suggests, actually limited itself to Europe (sensu stricto) but not all will agree where to strike the balance between size vs comprehensiveness vs detail. Like its predecessor, the tables showing key differences between similar species are a very useful and helpful innovation. Whilst the Collins Guide continues to be the indispensable guide to the area’s birds, for the many people who like photographic guides to birds this book will undoubtedly appeal. Certainly the larger size of most images compared to those found in most artist-illustrated field guides will make it very helpful for showing novice birders what to look for. Some are already muttering that they'll wait for the (inevitable?) improved second edition but unless the original sells well that won't happen! The bottom line is that, despite some flaws, with this book you will be able to identify every bird that you’re likely to see in Europe and most of the ones that you’re not. In essence it "does what it says on the tin"! Recommended.
I’m often asked how visiting birders can support conservation in the area. In the past I've directed people towards the Asociacion Amigos de la Laguna de la Janda (www.lagunalajanda.org) and the Salarte Project (see my previous blog - salarte-project.html). Whilst both remain excellent organisations worthy of support, a new organisation The Flyway Birding Association (see here) has been formed which makes it even easier to support conservation projects in south-west Spain (and beyond). You can chose between donating to projects involving Rüppell’s Vulture, supporting managing salinas for birds (Proyecto Marambay), counting migrating raptors and helping protect the habitat of Rufous Bushchat (aka Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin or whatever it's called this week!) plus projects further afield in the Gambia. This organisation was co-founded by my friends Simon Tonkin & Niki Williamson, who run the conservation-minded tour company the 'Inglorious Bustards' (see ingloriousbustards.com/) and Dr Alejandro Onrubia, project manager at Fundacion Migres (see www.fundacionmigres.org/en/) who I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting. Together they’ve put together an impressive team to initiate and support conservation work in SW Spain, Morocco and the Gambia. These include another friend Juan Martin Bermudez (who also established the Salarte Project noted above), Antonio Jesus Rivero Reyes (co-founder of Marisma21 www.marisma21.com which works to sustain and improve the biodiversity of the Cadiz marshes), Stuart Gillies (who works in the UK for ethical optics firm Viking Optical www.vikingoptical.co.uk) and Virginia Morandini (an expert in public engagement with conservation). What is both refreshing and most important is that they have also included in their team experts from the Gambia: Tijan Kanteh (one of the country's leading conservationists), Karanta Camara (a campaigner for the restoration of Kotu Creek and President of the Gambian Birdwatchers Association) and Yankuba Jammeh Conservation Officer of the Gambian Birdwatchers Association (see www.birdguidesassociationthegambia.com). Rather than have me chunter on, here’s what Simon himself has written about the initiative: We set up the Flyway Birding Association as a way to ensure we could work seamlessly across the East Atlantic Flyway to help migratory species with at least 85% of our work being here in The Straits and the Cadiz province .…. we were being asked how visitors and residents can assist with projects that help migratory birds both here and on their wintering grounds. So we thought we should do something about that! So many of the projects might be already conducted but have no facility of support managerial or financial. We also wanted our approach to be measurable - not simply money in the bucket and the donor or supporter not aware of progress or for that matter the conservation initiative managers knowing! So we use a recognised approach - framework of spatial targeting for single-species conservation planning (“the Species Recovery Curve”) This enables us to demonstrate success or failure as well as funding need based on status on this curve and whether we can move the project/species/initiative to a sustainable footing where there can ultimately be removal of support and financing - making any financial input go much further! It’s also well worth reading Simon’s blog (see https://www.blueskywildlife.com/flyway-birding-association-ecotourism-conservation/) on the topic. Since Project Migres work is relatively well known and I've (inexplicably) never been to the Gambia or visited Morocco to see Marsh Owls, I'll focus here on the two projects in Cadiz Province but please visit the website for details of the other projects. Proyecto Marambay This project seeks to restore of traditional salt pans in the Bahía de Cádiz to benefit both coastal birds and cultural heritage (see www.marisma21.com/ - in Spanish but if even I can get the drift of the message you will too). The project is based within the Parque Natural de la Bahía de Cádiz - a Special Conservation Area of the European Natura 2000, a Ramsar site, a Special Protection Area for Birds under EU law. The traditional methods of salt extraction are wildlife friendly as they promote diverse aquatic micro- and macro-fauna in the pans themselves and a specialist saline-tolerant flora which inhabits the edges of such low key managed saltpans. Unfortunately, in recent times the intensification and mechanisation of salt production has not only reduced the attractiveness of remaining active saltpans for wildlife but also caused the abandonment of uncompetitive less intensively managed operations leading to less favourable conditions for wetland birds. The main objective of this project is to enhance the attractiveness of Salina Preciosa y Roqueta by combining environmentally-sustainable management, traditional salt extraction and sustainable aquaculture. This will allow wildlife tourism and recovery of the cultural heritage of the salt pans (as an historian by training another topic close to my heart). The project has already been successful with traditional aquaculture being reintroduced with a resultant increase in the diversity of native fish and other wildlife. Invasive flora and rubbish have also been removed, returning to the area its original form and access for locals and visiting birders alike has been improved. Old salinera (salt processing buildings) have been restored as a multipurpose centre (sustainable seafood restaurant, visitor centre and conference centre/exhibition hall). In the future, the project will focus on the creation of a nature reserve in conjunction with the reintroduction of traditional salt extraction methods and all the cultural, socio-economic and biodiversity benefits that it brings. Islands will be created for the breeding of endangered species such as Kentish Plover. Bird hides and interpretive signage will also be installed to promote and develop ornithological/wildlife tourism. This is precisely the sort of work needed to encourage visitors, international and local, birders and non-birders (as yet!), to understand, value and appreciate this magical area. You can find out more about this project and, more importantly, make a donation via flywaybirding.com/proyecto-marambay/ Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin & sustainable vineyards Like many of my generation the only negative thing about Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin (Erythropygia galactotes) is the current English name (it's had 4 or 5!) so henceforth I'll refer to it by the shorter and, for many the more evocative, name of Rufous Bushchat. Rufous Bushchat is an endangered species in Spain which is bad news indeed as it holds virtually all of the European population of the nominate race (which is also found in North Africa where it seems by no means common). There seems almost as much controversy about the birds' numbers as there is about its name. Few birds have been subject to such a contrasting population estimates ranging from an estimate in the hundreds of thousands (J Seoane - El Alzacola en Espana 2005) - a far higher figure than other estimates which at best suggested 24,000 pairs & possibly half that number - to a worrying but more realistic one of <5,000 pairs in the recent (2020) European Breeding Bird Atlas. Although it seems that 2005 figure was wildly optimistic, that the species is declining rapidly is beyond question. Whilst the population figure of several thousand pairs given in Seoane for Alicante, may have been exaggerated there were certainly more than the c100 pairs currently estimated in that region. Even in the decade or more since I started visiting the area numbers seem to have dwindled. The main threat (but not the only one) appears to be habitat loss with both the intensification of farming and, ironically, the abandonment of less profitable agricultural areas playing a role. The SEO (Sociedad Española de Ornitología) has identified traditional vineyards as a key refuge for the species and this certainly applies to the remaining population in Cadiz province. Here the traditional dry farmed vineyards in Doñana area are of vital importance. This is nowhere better exemplified than in the vineyards around Trebujena where many farmers continue to manage their plots in a traditional way resulting in the highest concentration of Rufous Bushchats in Iberia with a population just in excess of 125 pairs. Happily, as I know from personal experience, local farmers are very proud of "their bird" and their role in preserving and protecting this fantastic species (see birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birding-blog-page/blistering-bushchats-autumn-update-3) but they need our help, support and encouragement. We may be pushing at an open door but we can help to oil the hinges by assisting them to:
You can find out more about this project and, more importantly, join me in making a donation via flywaybirding.com/rufous-bush-robin-and-sustainable-vineyards/. I also recommend that you take a look at the video footage of this magical bird at ingloriousbustards.com/2021/06/27/a-fantastic-tail/; if that doesn't make you want to donate to this project then you don't deserve to see the Alzacola rojizo! Don't forget to check out the other excellent projects supported by The Flyway Birding Association via their webiste (see above)
I've written several times about the Trebujena area (see birdingcadizprovince.weebly.com/cadiz-birding-blog-page/spring-2019-update-5-three-cheers-for-trebujena) but make no apology for returning to the topic once again. My reason for doing so is that the WWF and Coca-Cola - who sponsored the restoration of the marshes - have put together an interesting website called "Guadalquivir Challenge" about the project (see Guadalquivir Challenge: protection of the water of the estuary | Coca-Cola ES (cocacolaespana.es)) with a video (#MisiónPosible: Desafío Guadalquivir logra su principal objetivo - YouTube) and a downloadable booklet in Spanish and English (guia_biodiversidad_ingles_1.pdf (panda.org)). Even those who, like me, have a woefully inadequate command of Spanish will find the video of interest; if a picture is worth a thousand words then a video must surely be worth still more!
Of course, it's not nearly enough and much, much more needs to be done to protect this important area but it is at least a start.
In the wider scheme of things not being able to get out to Cadiz province since 2019 may seem to be a minor annoyance and indeed it is compared to the trauma, distress and loss suffered by so many during the Covid crisis. Yet having scarcely been able to visit the area during Liz's long illness, there's no escaping the fact that I feel a little cheated by not being able to go there. This feels still more acute when I consider that there's so much I need to check, revise and update to keep my birding guide current, accurate and helpful. My plan for 2020 was to redraft my notes, edit out some sites, enlarge upon others and generally 'spring clean' my guide. Although correspondents have been helpful in updating me with various developments, there's only so much you can do without driving the area and walking the routes. One of the (many) things I was hoping to do was to redraft my description of birding sites near Conil. Originally, my description had started not with that town (as would be logical) but from the small relatively obscure village of Los Naveros. This was simply because this was direction from which I had discovered the area. As I wanted to drive the route from Conil and check a few things as I did so, I put off reviewing the site until I could visit Spain. I just hadn't imagined that doing so would take so long! Sancha Perez Bodega
In this the company has been highly successful winning various awards for their products and their efforts to educate visitors about the history of wine and olive oil production. However, it seems that this was not enough as the company also promotes wildlife and biodiversity on its land. In particular, they have worked to preserve the local population of Montagu's Harrier. Accordingly I've added the site of their bodega to my map & notes in the hope that birders visiting the area will not only enjoy the birdlife (Collared Pratincole, Stone Curlew, etc) along the stretch of the Rio Salado nearby but also support the company's efforts by buying some of their products (which include both red & white wine, olive oil, wine vinegar and, somewhat intriguingly, red wine jam). Bodegas Luis Perez Another wildlife aware winery is Bodgeas Luis Perez (see Home - Bodegas Luis Perez) which operates three estates - Balbaína, El Corchuelo & Carrascal around Jerez de la Frontera. They have produced a sherry - Caberrubia - named after the Rufous Bushchats (aka Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robins) that nest on their land. I've yet to try their products for the reasons noted above but they come very highly recommended. (NB - I don't know if this and the previous firm are connected in any way - Perez is not an uncommon name in Spain) Cooperativa Agrícola Virgen de Palomares S.C.A An equally commendable project by ecologically aware and progressive farmers can be found at the other side of the province in the organic vineyards near Trebujena. I've already waxed lyrical about this superb area in a previous posting (see here). To be honest, it almost physically hurts that I've been unable to return there in 2020 and nor, thus far, in 2021. It was a site I'd briefly explored back in 2016 but which circumstances prevented me from visiting again until September 2019. However, what I omitted from my previous post were details of the local concern - Cooperativa Agrícola Virgen de Palomares S.C.A. (see vinosdetrebujena.com/) - that is at the forefront of looking after the local population of the rare, endangered and indisputably wonderful Rufous Bushchat (yes, it is my favourite Spanish passerine). They too also sell a good variety of wines including, hardly surprisingly given their location, some excellent sherries. (Forget that it may have been your aunt's favourite tipple, sherry is in all of its various forms one of the world's greatest drinks). See my next post for how you can help conservation work in this area. Supporting these initiatives is vital to preserving vital habitats for wildlife on working farms; protected areas will never represent more than a fraction of the land surface in Spain. Buying the odd bottle of wine or good quality olive oil is a very small (and enjoyable) price to pay. I can't wait to get out there to do so myself! |
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. In that time I've served on the committees of both my local RSPB group and the county ornithological society (KOS). I have 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. CategoriesArchives
May 2023
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