Osprey - pandion haliaetus Not much activity this week. Elena and I went for a quick walk around the Rio Velez to soothe my nerves before she practiced her driving "Skills" on a tarmacked space near Velez-Malaga. Mick Richardson had been the day before and had recorded over 60 species, including Osprey, Yellow Crowned Bishop, Penduline Tit, Collared Pratincole and Bluethroat!
Well, I drove in past the fireplace factory & picked up a nice Pied Flycatcher in the large trees by the river. Then a pair of Collared Pratincoles shot past us, heading upstream underneath the old road bridge! I could barely believe my eyes and as I jumped out to see where they went, there above me was an Osprey, also flying upstream. It never rains but it pours!
The Pratincoles were too quick for a photo but I did catch the Osprey, fortunately as that was the last we saw of it, or of the Pratincoles for that matter.
Well, I drove in past the fireplace factory & picked up a nice Pied Flycatcher in the large trees by the river. Then a pair of Collared Pratincoles shot past us, heading upstream underneath the old road bridge! I could barely believe my eyes and as I jumped out to see where they went, there above me was an Osprey, also flying upstream. It never rains but it pours!
The Pratincoles were too quick for a photo but I did catch the Osprey, fortunately as that was the last we saw of it, or of the Pratincoles for that matter.
Pied Flycatcher - ficedula hypoleuca
Young Yellow or Blue-headed Wagtail - motacilla flava Things calmed down considerably after that and although we picked up all the usual birds (about 38 species) there was nothing interesting to report until we looked along the ditch behind the beach flood barrier & saw the Yellow Crowned Bishop that Mick had spotted a day earlier. I was not so lucky with the camera since it skulked in the tangled undergrowth, but it was almost certainly the same bird, it was mainly brown but had started to develop some of the yellow and black plumage of a breeding male.
I contented myself photographically with a few shots of Yellow Wagtails, some of which looked like first year birds. We met another birder who had spotted a Little Bittern, and Bob Wright turned up (having read Mick´s report) & he picked up a Common Waxbill. We however added nothing much more to our list
I contented myself photographically with a few shots of Yellow Wagtails, some of which looked like first year birds. We met another birder who had spotted a Little Bittern, and Bob Wright turned up (having read Mick´s report) & he picked up a Common Waxbill. We however added nothing much more to our list
Short-toed Treecreeper - certhia brachydactylla The next day (Sunday) Elena and I looked for woodland species around the Cave site at Maro. We did see Crested Tit, Crossbill, Firecrest and Short-toed Treecreeper amongst others, but bird of the day was undoubtedly the single Brambling that was foraging on the path with a small flock of Chaffinches. I did get a couple of record shots.
Although these are poor shot from some distance the second one does illustrate the difference between a Chaffinch and a Brambling, the latter being more orange than pink tinged.
I like Autumnn. Gold and red leaves, a slight chill in the evening air, a lie-in as the clocks go back, and the arrival of a few Bramblings. Christmas is coming.
Although these are poor shot from some distance the second one does illustrate the difference between a Chaffinch and a Brambling, the latter being more orange than pink tinged.
I like Autumnn. Gold and red leaves, a slight chill in the evening air, a lie-in as the clocks go back, and the arrival of a few Bramblings. Christmas is coming.
Brambling - fringilla montifringilla
Chaffinch & Brambling
