INFORMATION: Site Guides, Information Centres & Leaflets
Books & Leaflets
SITE GUIDES & BOOKS
Don't forget to check out my two site guides (''lite' & 'standard') on the area - see drop down menu.
There are a number of excellent books, in English,which deal, wholly or partly, on Cadiz Province and its birdlife:-
"Where to Watch Birds in Southern & Western Spain" (Helm - 3rd edition 2008) by
Garcia & Paterson is required reading. The latest edition has been substantially
revised and contains details of several 'new' sites - well worth getting even if you
have an earlier copy. It has a good appendix on the status of birds in the area.
serious student of this area and its birds should be without this book. You can order
it online at www.wildsounds.com. (see also under 'blogs')
"Where to watch birds in Spain: the 100 best sites" (Lynx - Montero et al) covers the whole
country, but it includes good accounts of five sites in the area. The four of these are in Cadiz province - Laguna de Medina,
Sanlucar de Barrameda, Straits of Gibraltar and Bahía de Cadiz - and one, Grazelama, is shared with Malaga.
"Travellers' Nature Guide: Spain" (Oxford - Farino & Lockwood) - an attractive, well designed and authoratitive guide to the
wildlife of Spain with a substantial chapter on Andalucia including a number of sites in Cadiz Province. Out of print, but well
worth searching second hand bookshops for.
"Where to Watch birds in Doñana" (Lynx - Chiclana & Garzón). As well as the Coto Donana in sensu stricto, this book
includes a number of sites on the eastern bank of the Guadalquivir (i.e. the Chipiona - Sanlucar de Barameda-Trebujena area).
"Finding Birds in Andalucia" (Easybirder - Dave Gosney 2nd Edition 2009). A 48 page booklet, unlike other guides, reads like
an extended trip report which gives it somewhat sketchy (if fresh and immediate) feel. The accompanying DVD is an
excellent visual introduction to the area.
“The Guide to the Sierras of the South"(Crossbill – Cantelo & Hilbers 2007) deals with all aspects of the wildlife, not just birds,
of the Alcornocales, Grazelema and the Ronda areas. It is the best English language guide to the wildlife of these
mountains, but I'm biased as I was the junior author with Dutch naturalist polymath Dirk Hilbers (see the page on the
'CROSSBILL GUIDES').
"Guia de Aves del Estrecho de Gibraltar / Birds of the Straits of Gibraltar" (Pub: Ornitour). This bilingual, superbly
illustrated guide provides an excellent, beautifully illustrated review of birds found in the southern part of the province.
Indispensible for status and population details.
"Nomads of the Strait of Gibraltar" (Fernando Barrios Partida 2007) not a guidebook, but a beautifully illustrated homage to
this spectacular area.
"Birds from the Coast of Trafalgar" this excellent - and free - booklet, is available from the natural park information centre in
Barbate, has information on several 'key' species' and a useful guide to a dozen interesting sites in the area.
"Al-Andalus: How nature shaped history" (Clive Finlayson - Santana) - although written by an expert birdwatcher and authority
on the ornithology of the area, this is not a bird book, but a fascinating examination of the area's history and how this is
relates to the natural world. This is less surprising than it seems as Clive Finlayson is also a world authority on neanderthal
man and the Director of Gibraltar Museum. Highly recommended (see also under 'blogs')
"The Birds of the Iberian Peninsula" (Helm - De Juana & Garcia 2015) - although this book covers the whole of Iberia it is a fantastic source of information about the birds of Andalucia.
INFORMATION CENTRES
There are a number of helpful information centres serving the natural parks are dotted round the province - Alcornocales (just off the A381 near Alcala de los Gazules towards Benalup), in Barbate (almost hidden within the harbour), Grazalema (in the centre of the village), Straits of Gibraltar (near La Pena NW of Tarifa) and two centres serving Bahía de Cádiz (near San Fernando at the base of the Punta del Boqueron and at the Marismas de los Toruños (near Valdegrana)
LEAFLETS
Reflecting local interest in attracting birdatchers to the area there are an increasing number of leaflets, many of them available for download on birdwatching sites or walks in Cadiz province. Most are produced by the same company and can be seen (and downloaded) via their website (http://adsise.com/). Although most of these downloads are in Spanish, they still contain valuable and usable information for a monoglot English speaker. They cover Cadiz Bay, Alcornocales, Grazalema, Los Lances, Bolonia, the Parque del Estrecho, Brena and Barbate area. There is also a nice little booklet called “Nature Routes from Jerez” which, as the name suggests, describes birding routes from that city. Happily this is available in English and can also be downloaded from – see http://www.turismojerez.com/index.php?id=2253&L=1 Unfortunately, the best leaflet the 'Birding Map - Los Alcornocales & the Strait of Gibraltar', although widely availble, does not seem to be downloadable.
Don't forget to check out my two site guides (''lite' & 'standard') on the area - see drop down menu.
There are a number of excellent books, in English,which deal, wholly or partly, on Cadiz Province and its birdlife:-
"Where to Watch Birds in Southern & Western Spain" (Helm - 3rd edition 2008) by
Garcia & Paterson is required reading. The latest edition has been substantially
revised and contains details of several 'new' sites - well worth getting even if you
have an earlier copy. It has a good appendix on the status of birds in the area.
serious student of this area and its birds should be without this book. You can order
it online at www.wildsounds.com. (see also under 'blogs')
"Where to watch birds in Spain: the 100 best sites" (Lynx - Montero et al) covers the whole
country, but it includes good accounts of five sites in the area. The four of these are in Cadiz province - Laguna de Medina,
Sanlucar de Barrameda, Straits of Gibraltar and Bahía de Cadiz - and one, Grazelama, is shared with Malaga.
"Travellers' Nature Guide: Spain" (Oxford - Farino & Lockwood) - an attractive, well designed and authoratitive guide to the
wildlife of Spain with a substantial chapter on Andalucia including a number of sites in Cadiz Province. Out of print, but well
worth searching second hand bookshops for.
"Where to Watch birds in Doñana" (Lynx - Chiclana & Garzón). As well as the Coto Donana in sensu stricto, this book
includes a number of sites on the eastern bank of the Guadalquivir (i.e. the Chipiona - Sanlucar de Barameda-Trebujena area).
"Finding Birds in Andalucia" (Easybirder - Dave Gosney 2nd Edition 2009). A 48 page booklet, unlike other guides, reads like
an extended trip report which gives it somewhat sketchy (if fresh and immediate) feel. The accompanying DVD is an
excellent visual introduction to the area.
“The Guide to the Sierras of the South"(Crossbill – Cantelo & Hilbers 2007) deals with all aspects of the wildlife, not just birds,
of the Alcornocales, Grazelema and the Ronda areas. It is the best English language guide to the wildlife of these
mountains, but I'm biased as I was the junior author with Dutch naturalist polymath Dirk Hilbers (see the page on the
'CROSSBILL GUIDES').
"Guia de Aves del Estrecho de Gibraltar / Birds of the Straits of Gibraltar" (Pub: Ornitour). This bilingual, superbly
illustrated guide provides an excellent, beautifully illustrated review of birds found in the southern part of the province.
Indispensible for status and population details.
"Nomads of the Strait of Gibraltar" (Fernando Barrios Partida 2007) not a guidebook, but a beautifully illustrated homage to
this spectacular area.
"Birds from the Coast of Trafalgar" this excellent - and free - booklet, is available from the natural park information centre in
Barbate, has information on several 'key' species' and a useful guide to a dozen interesting sites in the area.
"Al-Andalus: How nature shaped history" (Clive Finlayson - Santana) - although written by an expert birdwatcher and authority
on the ornithology of the area, this is not a bird book, but a fascinating examination of the area's history and how this is
relates to the natural world. This is less surprising than it seems as Clive Finlayson is also a world authority on neanderthal
man and the Director of Gibraltar Museum. Highly recommended (see also under 'blogs')
"The Birds of the Iberian Peninsula" (Helm - De Juana & Garcia 2015) - although this book covers the whole of Iberia it is a fantastic source of information about the birds of Andalucia.
INFORMATION CENTRES
There are a number of helpful information centres serving the natural parks are dotted round the province - Alcornocales (just off the A381 near Alcala de los Gazules towards Benalup), in Barbate (almost hidden within the harbour), Grazalema (in the centre of the village), Straits of Gibraltar (near La Pena NW of Tarifa) and two centres serving Bahía de Cádiz (near San Fernando at the base of the Punta del Boqueron and at the Marismas de los Toruños (near Valdegrana)
LEAFLETS
Reflecting local interest in attracting birdatchers to the area there are an increasing number of leaflets, many of them available for download on birdwatching sites or walks in Cadiz province. Most are produced by the same company and can be seen (and downloaded) via their website (http://adsise.com/). Although most of these downloads are in Spanish, they still contain valuable and usable information for a monoglot English speaker. They cover Cadiz Bay, Alcornocales, Grazalema, Los Lances, Bolonia, the Parque del Estrecho, Brena and Barbate area. There is also a nice little booklet called “Nature Routes from Jerez” which, as the name suggests, describes birding routes from that city. Happily this is available in English and can also be downloaded from – see http://www.turismojerez.com/index.php?id=2253&L=1 Unfortunately, the best leaflet the 'Birding Map - Los Alcornocales & the Strait of Gibraltar', although widely availble, does not seem to be downloadable.