A very healthy and peaceful New Year to all our members and readers! December rarities are now posted on the forum and although the month was very quiet, it produced southern Europe’s first record of Belted Kingfisher observed in Murcia. January began with an American Golden Plover between Osuna and Marchena, where a wintering Booted Eagle was noted in addition to a very healthy wintering population of Red Kite. Please note in your dairies Saturday 23rd January for our next field meeting click here for details. Watch this front page 'Next ABS Meeting' for an exciting field trip in February!

Changes to endangered species list on the Canaries upsets ecologists. The Canary Islands Government have approved a bill which intends to remove 50% of the species and sub-species from the protected list of flora and fauna on the islands. Those who oppose the change blame real estate interests. The new registry will remove 226 protected species, reduce the protection for a further 131 and cover 94 in a way which some experts have described as ‘irrational and perverse’. 

Member’s field trip. ABS met at Fuente de Piedra on Saturday 12th December and enjoyed a day’s birdwatching together and a great lunch in the village. The meeting was again very well attended and we enjoyed good company and birding. We were especially lucky to see so many Common Cranes and large flocks of Stone Curlew, but for many sights of Dartford Warbler and Bluethroat also made the journey worthwhile! A single Sacred Ibis was feeding with a group of Common Crane and some of the members saw 5 Little Bustard on leaving the village. Thanks to all who attended. See ABS Forum

Rarities reported for Andalucia in November. A reasonable month for rarities, November saw Little Auk reported from Granada province, whilst Sociable Plover Vanellus gregarious was spotted at Los Olivillos, Sevilla. Long-legged Buzzard, Rüppell's Vulture, House Bunting and Little Swift were again reported from Cadiz province. A more familiar rarity Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was seen in Malaga province. The undoubted star rarity for November was the Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus seen at Cabo de Gata only the 3rd record for Spain! See ABS Forum.

Bird watching in Morocco. A winter’s birding tour in Morocco, the society’s first overseas tour! With 15 members, we toured the marshland habitats of the northwestern Atlantic coast of Morocco and sampled not only the varied birdlife of Morocco, but also to some extent gave ourselves a taste of this wonderful country. We were based in Asilah and made excursions to the Oued Tahadart flood plains, the lower Loukos marshes near Larache and ventured south to Moulay Bousselham and the large marsh and lagoon of Merja Zerga. A very successful and enjoyable tour.