Yellow Wagtail male - motacilla flava
A lovely sunny day this Thursday, lucky for us eight members of the Axarquia Bird Group who met at the Rio Velez for a day´s birding. The Rio was a raging torrent, obviously water was being released from Lake Vinuela after the recent heavy rain and it was rushing out to sea through Torre-del-Mar.
We did pick up 29 species at this site which was not a bad total given that there was very little mud flat for waders and much of the cover for small species had been swept away. A pair of Yellow Wagtails were foraging in the muddy pools that were once the main footpath to the beach. This one with the obligatory "Bling" on its leg, all done in the name of science of course!
We did pick up 29 species at this site which was not a bad total given that there was very little mud flat for waders and much of the cover for small species had been swept away. A pair of Yellow Wagtails were foraging in the muddy pools that were once the main footpath to the beach. This one with the obligatory "Bling" on its leg, all done in the name of science of course!
Cettis Warbler - cettia cetti
As usual the Cettis Warblers were more evident from their song than their sightings, but this one did show well and it made a nice picture, perched on the weather damaged canes near the beach.
There were plenty of late Chiffchaffs about and they are always very obliging photo models. Other little brown jobs included numerous Zitting Cisticolas and a Robin or two. Plenty of Blackbirds, a few Greenfinches, Crested larks and Meadow Pipits were seen along with the usual Goldfinches and Serins. A few Black Redstarts were present but I only saw one Stonechat. Barn Swallows, House and Crag Martins were all quite numerous. Starlings on the wires and a Woodchat Shrike gave good views.
There were plenty of late Chiffchaffs about and they are always very obliging photo models. Other little brown jobs included numerous Zitting Cisticolas and a Robin or two. Plenty of Blackbirds, a few Greenfinches, Crested larks and Meadow Pipits were seen along with the usual Goldfinches and Serins. A few Black Redstarts were present but I only saw one Stonechat. Barn Swallows, House and Crag Martins were all quite numerous. Starlings on the wires and a Woodchat Shrike gave good views.
 Woodchat Shrike - lanius senator A Redshank managed to find a few shallow spots to wade in the lower reaches of the river, joined by a solitary Ringed Plover.  Redshank - tringa totanus |  Chiffchaff - phyloscopus collybita Water birds were not present in any numbers but a solitary Avocet gave us a nice flypast  Avocet - recurviristra avosetta  Little Ringed Plover - charadrius dubius This Little Ringed Plover preferred to forage in the growing fields instead of the very small available mudflats. |
There were a few Cormorants drying their wings in the sun but I photographed this one in the sea close inshore because he had a very colourful head with blue eyes and the neck tinged with grey. The yellow patch below the eye is bare skin.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - dendrocopos major
Other water birds included small groups of Sanderling, a Little Egret and various gulls including at least one Audouins.
From here we headed up to the picnic site above Alcaucin to look for woodland species, and almost immediately "spotted" a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the trees around the car park. At the same time the raucous yaffling call of a Green Woodpecker was clearly heard but this particular bird kept out of sight.
A high flying raptor kept us all "rapt" with it´s presence and in fact once the record shots were scrutinised it was confirmed as being a Golden Eagle, possibly bird of the day?
The trees in this attractive location always harbor Nuthatches and Crossbills and although neither were present in great numbers today we were not disappointed.
From here we headed up to the picnic site above Alcaucin to look for woodland species, and almost immediately "spotted" a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the trees around the car park. At the same time the raucous yaffling call of a Green Woodpecker was clearly heard but this particular bird kept out of sight.
A high flying raptor kept us all "rapt" with it´s presence and in fact once the record shots were scrutinised it was confirmed as being a Golden Eagle, possibly bird of the day?
The trees in this attractive location always harbor Nuthatches and Crossbills and although neither were present in great numbers today we were not disappointed.
 Golden Eagle - aquila chrysaetos |  Nuthatch - sitta europaea |  Crossbill - loxia curvirostra |
My favourite photographs of the day were of a humble Great Tit, which seemed unperturbed by my presence nearby. This is a particularly colourful and handsome specimen, probably a male in full breeding plumage. Whatever the case it made for an excellent photographic study with hints of yellow, blue and slate grey.
Great Tit - parus major
 Great Tit - parus major |  Great Tit - parus major Now I always thought that the Great Tit was an attractive but innocuous little bird which wouldn´t hurt a fly! well, it might eat a few but you know what I mean. Then I saw this...(Click on it) http://www.iltasanomat.fi/videot/kotimaa/vid-1288538785461.html I will never look at great tits in the same way again! |
Siskin - carduelis spinus
After this things started hotting up. I stood directly under a Firecrest but only managed useless close-up shots of its bottom. I did manage some record shots of a Long-tailed Tit, and then I fired off a quick snapshot of a little bird in the same tree. I thought it might be a goldfinch but there was something different about it, and some time later I came across the photo and can see that it was in fact a Siskin! A Spanish lifer for me and quite a surprise.
We moved on from this location and wound our way on a circular route back to Zafarraya for lunch, after which we walked along the old railway track to observe the resident Red-Billed Choughs around the rock face, spotting also a pair of Peregrine Falcons and then adding more birds to our list with Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush and Crag Martin.
We moved on from this location and wound our way on a circular route back to Zafarraya for lunch, after which we walked along the old railway track to observe the resident Red-Billed Choughs around the rock face, spotting also a pair of Peregrine Falcons and then adding more birds to our list with Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush and Crag Martin.
 Long Tailed Tit - aegithalos caudatus |  Black Wheatear - oenanthe leucura |  Crag martins - ptyonoprogne rupestris |
Our initial count for the day was 61 species recorded by the group, since then however we can add the Siskin, to make a grand total of 62. Not a bad day´s birding. The full list can be seen on Bob´s (The Axarquia Birder) blog.
