Category: About Birds

We asked Antonio Pestana if he could let us know what birds we might expect to see during our next Field Meeting (November 16th). Although Antonio was at pains to point out the list is not exhaustive, it does give a flavour for what is … Continue readingNovember 16th Field Meeting

I wonder how many times, when seeing a small brown job flying from one side of the road to other, that we catch ourselves saying ‘it’s just a House Sparrow’? Or when we see a warbler flitting through scrub we say ‘oh it’s only a … Continue readingAppreciating Birds

October 2019 is certainly proving to be a rewarding month for rarities. As if we needed any further incentives to get out and about birding! Moussier’s Redstart  Phoenicurus moussieri  male, seen at Los Lances, Tarifa on the 13th October. Andrés de la Cruz. Paddyfield Warbler … Continue readingOctober Rarities Report. And there’s more…

Sunday 28th October. We decided to go and see if the Little Bunting was still present with friends at the park in La Linea. It wasn’t long before our friend, Alex Colorado, spotted an Olive-backed Pipit, then amazingly, while taking Photos we realised there were … Continue readingRarity Report – Olive-backed Pipit

While doing an eBird list at my terrace, near Cazalla observatory in Tarifa, a small bird flew into a very close Araucaria and immediately started calling. Both the looks and call seemed unfamiliar and I thought of a Common Rosefinch because of the general structure, … Continue readingRarity report: Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus)

It was Sunday 20th of October and local ornithologist David Cuenca had come across a Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla in the park at La Linea (Parque Princessa Sofia). It is a rare species for Spain and would normally migrate to Asia. So it drew a … Continue readingLittle Bunting pays us a visit

Autumn migration for smaller passerines tends to be a slow affair. It is particularly so this year with weather conditions in the north enjoying moderate temperatures and sunny days. Of course, unlike spring migration, birds do not need to hurry to establish prime territories for … Continue readingWhere are our wintering birds?

A Yellow-browed Warbler (Mosquitero bilistado – Phylloscopus inornatus) in the mist near Casares, found by Enrique Garcia 12th October 2019 and photographed by ABS member Kevin Wade. Breeds in temperate Asia and is a wide ranging migrant, wintering mainly in tropical South and South-east Asia. … Continue readingBird of the month – October 2019

A host of birds, from northern and central Europe, make their way south during the autumn to spend the winter with us in Andalucía. We are fortunate to live in a temperate climate during a time when low temperatures and constant inclement weather can grip … Continue readingWintering Birds – The Bluethroat