Guadalhorce Ramble
The birding month started with a walk around the Guadalhorce reserve in Malaga, hoping to see some signs of migration. It was generally quiet however with relatively few birds present but at least this Willow Warbler provided a photo opportunity. Apparently one of Europe´s commonest species they usually make an elegant picture and are well worth recording.
Willow Warbler - phylloscopus trochilus
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Willow Warbler - phylloscopus trochilus
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The main hide revealed gulls, coots, moorhens, some grey herons, little grebes, little egret, common sandpiper, ringed and little ringed plover, redshank and black-winged stilt. The only wildfowl present were mallard and a singe white-headed duck. As well as the usual black-headed and yellow-legged gulls there were some meditteranean and a few Audouins Gulls which provided an opportunity for photography. I like this photo (below) but admit that I photoshopped out the bird´s rings, or "Bling" as I like to call it.
Audouins Gull - larus audouinii
Here is the same bird after landing and this time I left the rings on, one on each leg. I did report the PVC ring code via the "Euring" website and it turns out that this bird was ringed in the Donana region and I can now trace it´s history online.
Audouins Gull - larus audouinii
Other photographs of note today were of an Oystercatcher on the Old River pond, and a good shot of a White-headed Duck. These ducks are quite rare in European or Global terms but they are almost always present at the Guadalhorce, and are in fact not difficult to find at all in Southern Andalucia.
White-headed Duck - oxyura leococephala
