The Summer months in Spain are not great for birding, particularly since bird numbers have declined at an alarming rate. I have therefore not been very active lately. A quick trip down to Tarifa and Bonanza in October yielded very little of interest, virtually no signs of any migration and a general lack of birds everywhere except for this handsome Cirl Bunting, one of a number seen taking a drink down near the beach to the east of Tarifa.
Cirl Bunting - emberiza cirlus
Cirl Bunting - emberiza cirlus
After Tarifa and an equally empty La Janda we ventured down to Bonanza. The salt pans were again almost devoid of birds, but since there had been very little rain in this area the marshes beyond, along the south bank of the Rio Guadalquivir, were dry enough to traverse by 4x4 and here there were lots of waders present.
Waders though do not excite me, they offer very little of interest photographically, just another image of a bird standing in the mud is quite boring so I satisfied my urge to click with a shot of this coaster looking like it was actually in the field with us. It caused me to reminisce about my days at sea and the excitement of setting off to visit new and interesting destinations around the World. I will however post a rather poor shot of a Northern Wheatear only because it seems to have remarkably long legs, a very tall wheatear indeed.
Northern Wheatear - oenanthe oenanthe
Back at home we enjoyed the sight and sound of a young Blue Rock Thrush that frequently visits our terrace and serenades us with its delightful song. One of my favourite local birds.
Blue Rock Thrush - monticola solitarius
An evening walk around the Charca de Suarez was again not terribly interesting birdwise, but I quite like this shot of a Little Egret on a carefully placed perch in front of one of the hides.
Little Egret - egretta garzetta
After leaving the Charca we observed all the usual Avadavats in the long grasses along Turtle Dove Alley. By this time there were very few showing the bright red male breeding plumage, but still worth a look anyway.
Red Avadavat - amandava amandava
