Birding in Andalucia got off to a reasonable start and rarities for the month can be found by following this thread. Our January field trip was well attended given the extremely wet weather and our thanks to Franky Hair for organising the day. The Belted Kingfisher remained during January and birdwatchers from around Spain made tracks for Almeria to view this first ever record for Europe! Our field trip for February has been organised by Stephen Daly and will meet at Laguna de Medina and will be on the 27th, meeting in the car park 10am in front of the Lagoon, see here for details.

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’. 

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.