The thing that keeps birdwatching fresh, particularly here in this South-West part of Andalucía, which is directly beneath one of the most important migration routes in Europe, is that every year is different in terms of birds seen. You just can’t predict what may be waiting for you to find in even familiar locations. This list is an honest one and is made up of species that have been sighted at various locations. As a general rule I don’t ‘twitch’ and like to watch and enjoy birds in their natural surroundings in a more leisurely way. I will, however, get up at before dawn on occasions to reach special locations, such as Brazo del Este before it gets too hot.
Amongst the most memorable outings have been those to La Janda in February for Common Cranes, huge numbers of White Storks & a whole host of other waders and passerines on passage; Brazo del Este during May, particularly good for Herons and other waders, and Sierra de las Nieves in both May and early June, for sightings of breeding Rock Buntings and Crossbills.
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Locations of sightings & abbreviations used:
Sotogrande garden/locality (STGDN/LC); Sotogrande Reserve(STGRES); Guadiaro Estuary(GDREST); Alcaidesa ALCDS; La Almoraima(ALMRMA); Castellar area(CSTLLR); Gaucin area (LJNDA); Gibraltar (GIB); Tarifa area(TRFA); Brazo del Este(BRZDEST);Sierra de las Nieves(SRRNVS);Laguna Medina Sidonia (LGMDSID)
Some birds have been seen in all or most of the locations mentioned and/or seen frequently on journeys etc.; they are marked as Multi – locational (ML)and/or Widespread & Common (W&C). Others may have been seen on passage, so are marked (psg), plus the location if it was specific or outside passage periods. (For example Black Kites on passage are a very common sight, but some do stay to breed, esp. around the general Doñana area & I’ve seen them at Brazo del Este in May.)
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- Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis – (STGRES)
- Gannet Sula bassana – (ALCDS), (TRFA)
- Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo – (ALCDS),(GDEST), (TRFA), (LJNDA)
- Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax – (BRZDEST)
- Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis – (ML),(W&C)
- Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides – (BRZDEST)
- Little Egret Egretta Garzetta – (STGRES)
- Great White Egret Egretta Alba LJNDA),(BRSDEST)
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – (STGRES), (LJNDA), (BRZDEST)
- Purple Heron Ardea purpurea – (BRZDEST)
- White Stork Ciconia alba – (JIMNA), (MCHNLL), (LJNDA), (BRZDEST)
- Ibis, Glossy Plegadis falcinellus- (LJNDA), (STGRES)
- Ibis, Sacred Threskiornis aethiopicus – (BRZDEST)
- Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia – (LJNDA), (BRZDEST)
- Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber – (BRZDEST)
- Mallard Anas platyrhyncos -(STGRES)
- Black-winged Kite (Elanus caerulus) – (LJNDA)
- Black Kite Milvus migrans – (W&C psg), (BRZDEST)
- Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus – (GCN),(JMNA)
- Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus – (STGRES),(LJNDA)
- Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus – (STGDN/LC), (ALMRMA),(MCHNLL)
- Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus – (STGDN/LC psg)
- Buzzard Buteo buteo – (CSTLLR),(MCHNLL),(ML)
- Booted Eagle Hieraatus pennatus – (ALMRMA psg), (W&C)
- Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus – (ALMRMA),(GCN)
- Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – (ML),(W&C)
- Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni – (JMNA), (CSTLLR), (TRFA)
- Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa – (CSTLLR),(GCN),(LJNDA)
- Pheasant Phasianus colchicus – (LJNDA)
- Moorhen Gallinula chloropus – (STGRES), (BRZDEST)
- Coot Fulica atra – (STGRES), (BRZDES), (LGMDSID)
- Purple Gallinule/Swamp hen Porphyrio porphyrio – (STGRES)
- Common Crane Grus grus – (LJNDA)
- Black-winged Stilt Himanoptus himanoptus – (BRZDEST)
- Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta – (BRZDEST)
- Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola – (BRZDEST)
- Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula – (STGRES)
- Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus- (STGRES),(GDREST)
- Turnstone Arenaria interpres – (STGRES)
- Sanderling Calidris alba – (STGRES), (TRFA)
- Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus (STGRES),(LJNDA)
- Yellow-legged Gull Larus carchinnans – (W&C)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus – (STGRES)
- Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis – (STGRES),(TRFA)
- Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus – (BRZDEST)
- Woodpigeon Columba palumbus- (STGLC), (LJNDA)
- Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto – (STGLC),(TRFA),(MCHNLLA)
- Pallid Swift Apus pallidus – (ALMRMA)
- Swift Apus apus – (STGLC), (MCHNLL), (W&C)
- Kingfisher Acedo atthis – (STGDN)
- Bee-eater Merops apiaster – (ALMRMA), (STGLC),(BRZDEST)
- Hoopoe – Upupa epops – (STGLC)
- Gt Spotted Woodpecker – Dendrocopos major – (STGLC)
- Crested Lark Galerida cristata – (STGRES), (W&C)
- Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula – (STGLC),(TRFA)
- Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica – (ALCDSA),(MRCHNLL)
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica – (STGLC),(MCHNLL)(W&C)
- House Martin Delichon urbica – (STGLC),(MCHNLL),(W&C)
- Pipit, Meadow Anthus pratensis – (STGDN),(MCHNLL),(LJNDA)
- Pipit, Tawny Anthus campestris – (MCHNLL)
- Pied (White) Wagtail Motacilla alba – (STGDN), (W&C)
- Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea- (STGDN),MCHNLL)
- Wren Troglodytes troglodytes – (STGDN),(ALMRM)
- Robin Erithacus rubicula – (STGDN),(ALMRM)
- Nightingale Luscinia megarhyncos – (STGDN),(LGMEDSID),(W&C)
- Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros – (STGDN),(W&C)
- Stonechat Saxicola torquata – (STGRES),(ALCDSA),(MCHNLL)
- Blackbird Turdus merula – (STGDN),(ALMRM)
- Song Thrush Turdus philomelos – (STGDN),(GCN)
- Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus – (ALMRMA)
- Savi’s Warbler Locustella lusciniodes – (BRZDEST)
- Fan-tailed Warbler Cisticola jundicis – (STGRES),(LJNDA),(BRZDEST)
- Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cettia – (SOTORES),(BRZDEST),(LGMEDSID),(W&C)
- Gt Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus – (BRZDEST),(LGMDSID)
- Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus – (BRZDEST)
- Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta (MCHNLL)
- Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans – (SRRNVS)
- Garden Warbler Sylvia borin (MCHNLL)
- Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla- (STGDN),(ALMRM),(MCHNLL)
- Sardinian Warbler – Sylvia melanocephala (SOTOGDN),(STGRES),(GIB),(W&C)
- Chifchaff Phylloscopus collybita – (STGDN),(STGRES),(ALMRMA),(W&C)
- Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus iberica – (ALMRMA)
- Crested Tit Parus cristatus – (ALMRMA),(SRRNVS)
- Blue Tit Parus caerulus – (STGDN),(SRRNVES,(ALMRMA),(W&C)
- Great Tit Parus major – (STGDN),(ALMRMA),(SRRNVS)
- Coal Tit Parus ater – (SRRNVS)
- Nuthatch Sitta europaea – (SRRNVS)
- Short-toed Treecreeper – Certhia brachydactyla – (STGDN,(SRRNVS)
- Woodchat Shrike – Lanius Senator (ALMRMA),(GCN)
- Spotless Starling – Sturnus vulgaris (STGD),(MCHNLL),(W&C)
- Jay Garrulus glandarius – (STGD),(ALMRMA),(SRRNVS)
- Raven Corvus corax – (GCN),(MCHNLL)
- House Sparrow – Passer domesticus – (STGD), (ALMRMA),(LJNDA)
- Common Waxbill – Estrilda astrild – (BRZDEST)
- Chaffinch – Fringilla coelebs (STGD),(ALMRMA),(SRRNVS)
- Serin – Serinus serinus – (STGD),(ALMRMA),(MCHNLL),(LJNDA)
- Siskin – Carduelis spinus – (STGD)
- Greenfinch – Carduelis chloris – (STGD),(STGRES)
- Goldfinch – Carduelis carduelis – (STGD),(ALMRMA),(MCHNLL),(W&C)
- Linnet – Carduelis cannabina – (ALCDSA),(LJNDA)
- Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra – (SRRNVS)
- Corn Bunting – Milaria calandra – (ALCDSA),(GCN),(JMN),(LJNDA)
- Cirl Bunting – Emberiza citrinella – (BRZDEST),(ALCDSA)
- Rock Bunting – Emberiza cia – (SRRNVS)
nightingale trails 