A mixed bag this week, started with a visit to the Charca de Suarez which was very quiet, not much sign of migration happening yet. I was about to give up & go home when at the last hide on Laguna del Trebol I caught sight of a group of four Ferruginous Ducks sleeping on a little island opposite the hide. Fortunately one of them woke up & went for a swim, giving me the perfect photo shoot.
Ferruginous Duck - aythea nyroca
Wednesday was a good day, Elena finally passed her driving test, Well done Elena! While she was doing that I was out walking with Joan, Bob, Gill and Dennis. We had to get away from the coast to avoid the thick fog which had rolled in off the cold sea in what was otherwise very warm balmy conditions. We found it clear behind Acebuchal and had a pleasant stroll, noting the numbers of butterflies about including Spanish Festoon, Red Admiral, Cleopatra, Swallowtail, Common Blue and Large White.
Me, Dennis, Joan and Bob
| As Elena had passed her test I thought it would be a good idea for her to get some real driving experience, so we set off on Friday morning for Brazo del Este, stopping off at Fuente de Piedra on route. She drove all the way except for a final stretch near Seville and did very well. | 
Black Tailed Godwit - limosa limosa
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At Fuente the wind was very strong keeping small birds in cover, the Laguna was quiet with just a few Flamingos visible from a distance. The wader pools by the boardwalk held large numbers of Black Tailed Godwits, one of the more attractive wader species in my opinion and always a pleasure to see.
Black Tailed Godwit - limosa limosa
Rabbit It was interesting to see quite a few Rabbits around the Visitor Centre, We have seen foxes here in the past but so many rabbits out in the open indicates that predators are absent right now.
After Fuente we carried on to Brazo del Este, a fertile region of rice fields and cultivated wetland on the east bank of the Rio Guadalquivir. In good times is rich in bird life, but sadly after a dry winter many of the ponds and dykes were dry and birds quite scarce. A few shallow pools did harbor some species, with Glossy Ibis being the most common wader. The one below spent long periods in elaborate poses, yoga perhaps, or Tai Chi?
After Fuente we carried on to Brazo del Este, a fertile region of rice fields and cultivated wetland on the east bank of the Rio Guadalquivir. In good times is rich in bird life, but sadly after a dry winter many of the ponds and dykes were dry and birds quite scarce. A few shallow pools did harbor some species, with Glossy Ibis being the most common wader. The one below spent long periods in elaborate poses, yoga perhaps, or Tai Chi?
Glossy Ibis doing Tai Chi - plegadis falcinellus
The bird below had me baffled for a while. My first thought was Greenshank but it was not quite right, the bill is too fine and the bird too slender. I considered Spotted Redshank but the legs are the wrong colour. This narrowed the choice down to either Wood or Marsh Sandpiper and I am inclined to think the former as the supercillium is very pronounced behind the eye and the tail coverts are quite spotted. So unless someone tells me otherwise, Wood Sandpiper it is.
Wood Sandpiper - tringa glareola
Black Headed Weaver - ploceus melanocephalus Small birds were quite scarce so when one did appear I took notice and sure enough it was not just a common sparrow, it was in fact a Black Headed Weaver, one of a sizable colony that we have observed here several times before.
Black Headed Weaver - ploceus melanocephalus This one had not escaped the nets of the dreaded ringers, it is getting increasingly difficult to find birds that have, nevertheless a good sighting despite the worthless bling. Weavers are not native to Spain and are one of a number of foreign species that do well in this location, others include Black Crowned Bishop, Common Waxbill and Red Avadavat.,
On the Car Ferry to Coria del Rio
Buzzard - buteo buteo After spending the night at the excellent Hostal la Cruz in Los Palacios y Villafranca (Quite a mouthful) we crossed the Rio Guadalquivir on the little car ferry to Coria del Rio to try our luck in Isla Mayor and the Donana Region. Isla Mayor was disappointing, after a dry winter bird life was quite scarce with no signs of a migratory influx. White Storks were common and we did see a few Black ones, Glossy Ibis and Black tailed Godwits were present in some numbers where there was any shallow water and the lakes held all the usual wildfowl including some Red Crested Pochard, Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebe. In the past we have seen so much here but it depends upon rainfall and season. We saw no signs of any migratory influx. Storks abound as always including a few Black ones. Some Red and Black Kites were seen but my recollection was of Buzzards on every other pylon, Black Shouldered Kites, Marsh Harriers and Peregrines all being quite common. Not this time. An occasional Buzzard and a Kestrel or two was about all we found. Small birds were conspicuously absent.
White Stork - ciconia ciconia
Pochard having a bath - aythea ferina I managed to catch this Pochard having a self-made shower, creating quite a splash in doing so.
It had been our intention to spend the night in El Rocio but we found the place packed with weekend tourists so accommodation was going to be scarce. Also the lake held relatively few birds and the usually reliable El Acebuchal Visitor Centre held absolutely no water and therefore no birds to see, apart from the ubiquitous Azure Winged Magpies that throng around the picnic tables hoping for scraps. So after taking a few frustrated shots of these handsome scavengers we set off on the long drive home.
It had been our intention to spend the night in El Rocio but we found the place packed with weekend tourists so accommodation was going to be scarce. Also the lake held relatively few birds and the usually reliable El Acebuchal Visitor Centre held absolutely no water and therefore no birds to see, apart from the ubiquitous Azure Winged Magpies that throng around the picnic tables hoping for scraps. So after taking a few frustrated shots of these handsome scavengers we set off on the long drive home.
Azure Winged Magpie - cyanopica cyanus
As a footnote to this blog I will mention that our primary objective had been achieved, Elena drove most of the way there and back and gained valuable experience behind the wheel. I look forward to a few more glasses of wine on evenings out now that she can drive me home, hooray.
Finally, I am not a lister, I have not mentioned all the birds observed being more interested in those that I manage to photograph. One sighting worthy of note however was the strange mammal that we saw from the car, moving through some light woodland near the car ferry to Coria. It was like a very large, very pale cat with dark hoops on the tail. My initial thoughts were Genet, but neither of us noted any spots. The animal was heavily muscled and moved along almost hugging the ground. Elena remembers the long hooped tail being curled up at the end. Frankly I have no idea what it was, much too large for a domestic cat anyway, so a mystery we may never solve.
Finally, I am not a lister, I have not mentioned all the birds observed being more interested in those that I manage to photograph. One sighting worthy of note however was the strange mammal that we saw from the car, moving through some light woodland near the car ferry to Coria. It was like a very large, very pale cat with dark hoops on the tail. My initial thoughts were Genet, but neither of us noted any spots. The animal was heavily muscled and moved along almost hugging the ground. Elena remembers the long hooped tail being curled up at the end. Frankly I have no idea what it was, much too large for a domestic cat anyway, so a mystery we may never solve.
