The Common Nightingale – Luscinia megarhynchos What is your favourite bird that you most look forward to seeing return to us this spring and stay for our summer? If you are like me, then it is a hard choice with so many I love seeing … Continue readingBird of the Month – March 2022
The familiar Robin Erithacus rubecula With many of us hailing from northern Europe, where the familiar and friendly Robin is widespread and often a common garden bird, it is strange to find Robins here are generally only present as breeding birds in forested or high … Continue readingBird of the Month – February 2022
Standing at up to 4 feet tall (1.22m) the Common Crane is one of our largest birds and really a spectacular sight for anyone interested in the wonders of our local wildlife. They are a winter visitor here in our region and can gather in … Continue readingBird of the Month – December 2021
The Iberian Magpie aka Azure-winged Magpie. Look through your guidebooks as long as you like, but you’ll never find an entry for Widdrington’s Magpie. This isn’t surprising, as it doesn’t exist! But for a quirk of timing and history, though, that’s what we might now … Continue readingBird of the Month – November 2021
Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata Bonelli’s Eagle can be found in southern Europe, Africa, across the Indian Subcontinent to Indonesia. It currently enjoys a status classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN. Despite this classification, there is evidence to suggest it has declined … Continue readingBird of the Month – October 2021
Great-spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major hispanicus. A common resident in our part of Spain and largely sedentary, but young birds are known to disperse considerable distances and some adult individuals can have a tendency to wander, which has led to the recent colonisation of Ireland, whilst … Continue readingBird of the Month – September 2021
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea is a widely distributed member of the heron family Ardeidae. It breeds in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia. Our Western Palearctic populations migrate between breeding and wintering habitats, whereas the African and tropical-Asian populations are primarily sedentary, except for occasional dispersive movements. Note: Above … Continue readingBird of the Month – July 2021
Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica our bird of the month and here the header photograph shows a male Black-eared Wheatear, so called black-throated morph in the foreground. The other form of male can be seen in the background, the pale-throated morph has a distinct black eye … Continue readingBird of the Month – May 2021
Bird of the Month – Yellow Wagtail There are three species of wagtail that we’re likely to see here in Andalucia; white, grey and yellow. Of these the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is an abundant winter visitor and a trip to wet or coastal grasslands … Continue readingBird of the Month – April 2021
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica rustica. For those of us with roots in northern Europe, the swallow has always been the harbinger of spring. The arrival of our swallows, back here as early as January in some areas, is always a cause for celebration. Although there … Continue readingBird of the Month – March 2021
