Spring Migration

[Peter]

I don't know about you, but here in the Serrania de Ronda spring migration has arrived with the beautiful Eurasian Bee-eater Merops apiaster making an appearance this morning. For me these wonderful and colourful characters replace Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica as being the bird to bring the message that spring has arrived.

For those wishing to add their Spring firsts, then join this thread and give your dates and species. For those also wishing to join the European wide Spring watch then please follow the link below.

http://www.andaluciabirdsociety.org/component/content/article/104-general-information/22-the-spring-alive-project.html

 

Peter
 

[john]

Wonderful to hear that the Bee-eaters are back already particulaly as here in the UK frost is being forecast for this weekend.   I'm still finding it hard to reset my "birding clock" to the Spanish seasons.

Last month I had typical northern summer visitors like Sedge Warbler and Yellow Wagtail plus Lesser Kestrel, Egyptian Vulture, Booted & Short-toed Eagle.  In the past, I've also had Alpine and Pallid Swift before the end of February,

John     

[TonyB]

I heard, but didn't see, European Bee-eaters in central Ronda at 12.30 today.

One solitary White Stork seen flying low over the Bodega San Francisco (Ronda) 15 minutes later.  Maybe we should all meet up for tapas there and see if it's still around 

[TonyB]

Now I'm told that White Storks live in Ronda all the year round.   

[Peter]

Now I'm told that White Storks live in Ronda all the year round.   

Umm, not too convinced about that. IMHO I believe they leave the area briefly during the autumn and return by December.

I had several Alpine, Pallid and Common Swift today, Woodchat Shrike (also yesterday), Black-eared Wheatear males appear to be back on territories, several Red-rumped Swallows also prospecting under a few bridges. At least 3 pairs of Little-ringed Plover are now settled on the Guadiaro, plus Nightingale seen and heard yesterday. Has anyone else noticed the almost total absence of our wintering Chiffchaffs? Also had a Spanish Sparrow at the hotel Cortijo de las Piletas yesterday. Both Booted and Short-toed Eagles seen in breeding territories yesterday and today. As an aside, Barn Swallows are now brooding eggs.

Peter

[mike in Jerez]

I`ve seen Chiffchaff in the hedges just up the road from us. Also saw Black-eared Wheatear just metres from the beach at Costa Ballena (Rota) last Sunday. There are several pairs of Montagu`s Harrier over the wheatfields near us. Plenty of Yellow Wagtails too near that marsh on the Jerez-Trebujena road.
mike

[Peter]

Good to hear you have Chiffchaffs Mike, I only managed a single at Fuente de Piedra yesterday! I did have 7 (yep 7) Lesser Flamingo amongst 000's of Greater Flamingo, Temminck’s Stint  Calidris temminckii, Little Stint 20+, 5 Sanderling, several other wader species, a single Common Tern with the usual good number of Gull-billed Tern, Red-crested and Common Pochard, a solitary White-headed Duck. On the approach to Fuente de Piedra we had Gadwall, 2 male Montagu's Harrier and a single female Marsh Harrier. On the wetland areas near to the visitor's centre there were 00's of Yellow Wagtails that as far as I could see were mainly M.f.iberiae, but also a few M.f.flavissma. Near to Arriate I also had Black-eared Wheatear on territory (also 4 males on territories near to Cartajima on 27.03). An early record was a male Rock Thrush at Acinipo 26.03.

Peter

[john]

Dammit, Peter I wasn't going to look for those Lesser Flamingos, but with SEVEN present I think I might well be tempted!  Where's the best place to look?

Masses of Chiffchaff were around in February incidentally,

John

[Peter]

Dammit, Peter I wasn't going to look for those Lesser Flamingos, but with SEVEN present I think I might well be tempted!  Where's the best place to look?

Masses of Chiffchaff were around in February incidentally,

John

If you look from the mirador in front of the slowly renovating visitor's centre and cast your scope to the far shore (left side) in front of some white farm buildings, they were on the shoreline with other more numerous Greater Flamingo.

I had masses of Chiffchaffs around during February and early March (before going to Morocco with a group), but on my return 23rd March the birds had virtually disappeared. Still, Iberian Chiffchaff should soon be making an appearance, normally around the mid to second half of April. It is interesting that the 2 species of Chiffchaff here rarely overlap.

Peter

[Peter]

Good couple of days. Lots of Nightingale now back on their territories as are most Black-eared Wheatears. Sub-alpine Warblers continue to build in numbers along with a few singing male Bonelli's Warbler. Not yet heard or seen Orphean and Olivaceous, but have had early Iberian Chiffchaff busy proclaiming territory. Eygptian Vulture was seen feeding at the top end of Sierra de Libar and Griffons are still sat tight (assuming they are still brooding eggs). Also found another pair (sub adult) of Golden Eagle breeding in the serrania and this takes the area's known total to 13 pairs. Alpine, Pallid and now Common Swift are back on breeding territories (although Pallid has been here since February). An early male Rock Thrush was again noted near to Cartajima. House Martin and Barn Swallow are all brooding, whilst their northern cousins continue to pass in large numbers. Also seen today was Tawny Pipit and my first female Montagu's Harrier. Spectacled Warbler was singing near to Ronda on the Adajate road.

Peter

[Peter]

Most, if not all, of our summer residents have now returned, though some species are still to occupy all known territories i.e. Bee Eater and Golden Oriole. Today we had 00's of Honey Buzzard and over the last few days we also noted very large numbers of Black Kite moving North.

Peter

[Peter]

Today at Fuente de Piedra:

Among others we had White-winged Black Tern (1)  , Black Tern (13), Common Tern (1), Whiskered Tern (4), Gull-billed Tern (80+), Mediterranean Gull (2), Temminck's Stint (2), Little Stint (6), Curlew Sandpiper (20+), Greenshank (1), Spotted Redshank (1), Lesser Flamingo (4), White-headed Duck, Spanish Sparrow, Great Reed Warbler etc., etc.

Without doubt the White-winged Black Tern was an unexpected and most welcome sighting.

Peter

[Peter]

Yet another visit to Fuente de Piedra - 08.05.09

Well who can blame me after tuesday's visit? Waders were much reduced in numbers and I couldn't locate the Lesser Flamingo! Black Tern and the W-w B Tern not there, only a singleton Whiskered Tern, usual high numbers of Gull-billed Tern, but stars of my day were 5 (yes 5) Knot comprising 4 adults and a bird still looking like a juvenile from last year and (yes) a Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos! Curlew Sandpipers and Common Sandpipers were around in very high numbers with Little Stint (4) and Dunlin (12), but no sign of any Ruff. The day was then completely ruined by gangs of school children running around the edges of the scrapes near to the visitor's centre where they proceeded to flatten marginal vegetation and spook just about any bird around! The teacher, despite being asked to keep the children away from the water's edge, just looked -on as if it didn't matter! Amazing and not a warden in sight.

Peter

[john]

The day was then completely ruined by gangs of school children running around the edges of the scrapes near to the visitor's centre where they proceeded to flatten marginal vegetation and spook just about any bird around! The teacher, despite being asked to keep the children away from the water's edge, just looked -on as if it didn't matter! Amazing and not a warden in sight.

Peter

On those few occasions I've happened across a group of Spanish children on a 'field trip',  I've been amazed at a) how much noise they make and b) how poorly they're supervised.  It certainly wouldn't happen at Dungeness!  Although British children are often assumed to be uniformly dreadful, those school groups who visit Dungeness RSPB reserve are always pretty well behaved and reasonably quiet (although they do need a little schooling in this!),

John

[mike in Jerez]

Noise is a national problem(pastime?) in Spain, not so in Portugal, however.One can only hope that things will improve with education, starting with teachers....
On a spring migration note - while officiating at an athletics meeting in Algeciras yesterday morning, I glanced up once or twice and was pleasantly surprised to see flocks of Honey Buzzards gliding and soaring overhead, on an almost windless day at ground level. About 200 in all, but I probably missed a lot - when you`re operating the video finish you can`t afford to take your eye off the athletes!
mike