The Spanish Tour for WINGS - Day 5 - 4th May 2023

Jim, Eldon and I were our pre-dawn once again at El Rocío and got very lucky and heard the rasping rattle of a Baillon’s Crake as it moved through the chomped grasses along the lake front.  There was no chance of seeing it but we were happy and promised to some back that evening. A single Sand Martin was found in the Swallow roost in the reeds and hung around long enough for everyone to see and the Reed Warblers were still showing well in the same clump.  

Red deer out early on the marsh

Sand Martin amongst the Swallows

Black-winged Stilts

Glossy Ibis

Breakfast was consumed and we were soon on our way again and our stop around Bullullos del Condado looked familiar and indeed within just a few minutes we were watching singing Rufous-tailed Bush-chat Robin-thingies singing from the same old vineyards that I saw them on back in 2019 on my short break with Shaun and Bradders.

Rufous Bush Chat

Four males performed very well for us and always made for the slightly high points of their chosen patch. Iberian Magpies moved around in packs and an Iberian Grey Shrike was singing from a scraggly tree and allowed a fairly close approach while Bee-eaters and Hoopoes added Mediterranean colour.  John was looking for Black Shouldered Kites and found an adult hovering in the distance which we then followed to a tree where three fledged youngsters perched up in it. Apparently the male takes the young off after they leave the nest  to give them some guidance!

Black Shouldered Kites

Black Shouldered Kite

Black Shouldered Kite

Iberian Grey Shrike

Bituminaria bituminosa

Scabiosa atropurpurea

It was a wee bit hot so we sort refreshments before heading to the coast and the Salinas and coastal shallows of the Marismas del Odiel. We had timed it spot on with the incoming tide which at least meant that the problems caused by the heat haze were alleviated by the fact that the waders ended up under our noses and we enjoyed excellent views of both Curlew and Whimbrel, summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot and Grey Plovers, Turnstones, Dunlin and the three small Plovers. 

Curlerws

Bar-tailed Godwit

Virginia Stock

Cistanche phelypaea 

Cistanche phelypaea 

Limoniastrum monopetalum 

Viper's Bugloss

Helychrisum sp

Thekla’s and Crested Larks were seen but this in one of those areas where things get a little clouded over which one is which and there may have been some Crekla’s and Theksted amongst them! Short-toed Larks and Zitting Cisticolas were heard and some Linnets stopped long enough to be scoped.

We drove alongside the Odiel as far as we could and not long before then end we both stopped at the same time as there alongside us was a Razorbill fishing in the clear deep water!  We decamped and watched seven first-summer birds actively diving, bathing and calling which was not something any of us expected in May in Spain!  And before you ask, no there were no other small Alcids lurking there but it was exactly the same group of Razorbills in the same spot that held the Ancient Murrelet a week later!

Razorbills

We drove back out looking for a lunch stop but the park actually closes its centre and even its car parks at lunchtime which is just bizarre so we resorted to a gate entrance for our picnic which was as sumptuous as ever and did include views of Spoonbills, Ibis, Red-crested Pochards and a selection of waders on the hidden pool behind us along with our first Purple Heron, quartering Montagu’s Harriers and Ospreys sat up on nesting platforms.

Purple Heron

Greater Flamingo

Spoonbills, Kentish Plover, Turnstones & Mallard

On again to the suburban freshwater Laguna del Portil that held the now usual assortment of calidrid waders along with a couple of Ruff, two Shelduck, eight Gadwall and a host of Flamingos amongst the feeding raft of Coot.  Iberian Magpies were in the Tamarisks and a Hoopoe was moving back and forth with food for a nest somewhere.

Back down along eth coast we went through a huge port and industrial area but eventually arrived at the swish harbour at Mazagón where as per our tip off we quickly found 36 Audouin’s Gulls loafing on the pontoons.  Seeing a good sized group also meant that they were vocal which was good as I never hear the singletons in Lesvos.  We had a quick look along the front for the vagrant Boat Tailed Grackle that has been around for some months but had no joy in our brief search before looping back round to our hotel at El Rocío.

Audouin’s Gulls

We got back quite early so I offered to pop back to the La Rocina lagoons where a very pleasant couple of hours was spent before dinner and a bit more exploring gave us some superb views of Cirl Buntings, Hawfinch, Woodchat, Nightingale, Short-toed Treecreeper, Crested Tit and Melodious Warbler as they all became more active at the end of the day along with at least two reeling Savi’s Warblers, one of which actually was scoped as it took food to its nest site!

Broad Scarlet

Broad Scarlet

The ’wet’ birds were as before but the light was better on the Red-knobbed Coot and a male Marsh Harrier was causing trouble our over the marsh.

White Stork shade fishing

Spoonbills

Purple Swamphen

Spoonbills, Greylags and the Red-knobbed Coot

Red-knobbed Coot

Nightingale Serenade

Back at the hotel the 12 Black-tailed Godwits were still present along with  a whopping 87 Black-winged Stilts and Booted Eagle and Great White Egret was seen from the window while we were having dinner before we abandoned and zoomed back to El Acebron to wait for the Red-necked Nightjars to get going.  It did not take long before the 'tok-tok' of this emblematic species was heard across the heath and after a couple of brief fly-bys we had one male perch in the road and then up on top of one of the Umbrella Pines.

Three male Cuckoos and Stone Curlews were heard as the light faded but the Mosquitos soon drove us back to the vans.  We looked for Iberian Lynx on the way out but just saw a couple of Rabbits - never mind.

Back at the hotel the Baillon’s Crake unfortunately did not sing but Mr Musk's Skytrain disturbingly lit up the heavens as it raced overhead at 17,000mph.