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Bi r ds of A n da luc i aAutumn 2013 Volume TWO, issue four

The Quarterly editorial journal of the andalucia bird society

Steppe birds, last haven in Southern SpainFlyway of the Mediterranean

Guy Mountfort´s Doñana

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Contact usAndalucia Bird SocietyApartado de Correos 37529400 Ronda (Málaga)SpainE-mail: abs.sociedad@gmail.com

AdvertisingContact the Society for advertisement1/4 page € 451/2 page € 80Full page € 140Back page € 180

2013 Membership FeesIndividual € 25Couple € 30Affiliated € 40Corporate € 60Life € 300

Andalucia Bird Society Quaterley Magazine

Contact usAndalucia Bird SocietyApartado de Correos 37529400 Ronda (Málaga)SpainE-mail: abs.sociedad@gmail.com

AdvertisingContact the Society for advertisement1/4 page € 451/2 page € 80Full page € 140Back page € 180

2013 Membership FeesOrdinary € 25Joint € 30Affiliated € 40Junior € 10Life € 300

Important dates for your diaryAttendance of all Field Meetings and meetings are free to members of Andalucia Bird Society.

October 19th 2013 - Field Meeting La Laguna Grande, Jaén provinceThe lagoon is south west of Baeza and 8km from Jaén. The meeting will start at 09.00hrs from the Hotel Hacienda La Laguna and it will be led by José Luis Sánchez, ABS member and Wildlife Guide. You may need warm clothes and will definitely need to take a picnic lunch.

November 16th 2013 - Field Meeting Ventas de Zafarraya, Granada/ Málaga provinces borderThe meeting will start at 09.30hrs from the Mirador of Ventas de Zafarraya, on the A402 road and will be led by Bob Wright ABS member. A picnic lunch will be necessary and possibly warm clothes and sensible walking shoes, though the walks will be easy along tracks.

December 14th 2013 - Llanos de Libar and Christmas lunch, Málaga provinceThe meeting will start at 09.30hrs from Venta la Vega, on the Ronda to Sevilla road, A374, and be led by Peter Jones ABS member. Lunch will be at 13.00hrs sharp at Hotel Al Lago, Zahara, where there will also be a Christmas market taking place. You will need very warm clothes, hats, gloves etc as it could be very cold.

January 18th 2013 - La laguna Fuente de Piedra, Málaga province. Presentation of Financial Accounts.The meeting will start promptly at 09.00hrs and be led by David Hird, Chairman of ABS. There will be 2 hours of birding, followed by the Presentation of Financial Accounts at 11.00hrs in the Visitors Centre. Lunch will be taken in a venta in the nearby village, and then more birding afterwards back at the lagoon. It can be frosty at La Laguna de Piedra at 09.00hrs!

NOTE: Please could you let us know if you are attending any of these meetings, via email or the forum, as we need to know numbers beforehand if possible. Thank you. More details of meeting places on the website and forum.

In this issue....Notice Board

Important dates for your diary ABS September Field Meeting

Polygynandry

Steppe Birds, last haven in Southern Spain

Sierra de Andújar, looking for Iberian Lynx

Flyways of the Mediterranean, 2 corners, 2 million birds

Photos with a story

Migration time is here ...

Guy Mounfort’s Doñana

My Local Patch - Olvera, Cadiz Province

DID YOU KNOW?

The Osprey’s ability to hunt is affected by wind or rain, which ripples the surface of water and makes fish invisible from above. Also the underside of its toes have small spiny scales and the outermost toe on each foot can be held

forwards or backwards. Both features help it to more easily grip a fish.

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Officers of ANDALUCIA BIRD SOCIETY:President: Alfredo Carrasco Chairman: David Hird Treasurer: Pieter Verheij Secretary: Helen Wallbank Membership Officer: Robert Wright Field Meeting Officer: Frank Hair Editor: Brenda JonesTo learn more about the society’s activities visit our website: www.andaluciabirdsociety.org

Frank HairOur Field Meetings continue to be very popular with our members so we have published a 12 month Field Meeting calendar to help you to plan your diaries. We endeavour to explore all the provinces within Andalucía so that we experience the whole of the region, but if there is somewhere that you would like us to go that is not in the calendar, please let us know.

Robert Wright Affiliated Members are important supporters of the Society and we are encouraging them to tell us more about the services they offer, with a full page of their details on our website. Hopefully, this will increase their profile resulting in other member groups becoming more aware of the services being offered.

Helen WallbankThe AGM was held on the 20th July at Finca Alqueria in Ronda. The meeting was well attended and we are extremely happy that we could welcome 35 of our members. There were some very interesting discussions about a variety of subjects. Some members volunteered to assist the Committee taking over some work. Lucy Alio to translate texts to Spanish and John Brooks to help with the description of Birding Sites in Andalucia. We are happy with all the help we can get. Do you want to help with something?

For your informationDespite the cut backs within Migres Foundation last year they are still involved in migra-tion counting at all their usual Observatories between Algeci-ras and the Tarifa area. They started the autumn migration count at the Cazalla Observato-ry on July 22nd.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus is a member of the Recurvirostri-dae family. The scientific name Hi-mantopus comes from the Greek meaning “strap foot” or “thong foot”.

Photo courtesy Pieter Verheij

Front Cover Photograph

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News from the Editor - Brenda JonesWe have introduced this Notice board to keep you up to date with what happens in the ABS Commit-tee. I hope it is informative for you and that you like the idea.I would like to thank our advertisers and authors most sincerely for their contributions to this edition of Birds of Andalucía. Without you, there would not be a magazine. Thank you all. We hope you enjoy reading the articles.

Pieter VerheijThe Society continues to attract new members each month and sometimes each week. To make it easier to join, we have simplified the joining process with the introduction of a new "Joining Form" on the website. It can be found by pressing the new "Join ABS Now" button.

David HirdSome of our members were present at this year’s annual Bird Fair at Rutland Water in August. As a result we man-aged to gain not only a few more members but were also able to spread the word about the Andalucia Bird Society to a wider circle of birders interested in Spain. So, if you are reading this magazine as a non-member then why not come and join us.

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ABS September Field TripTarifa and La Janda

A startling thirty nine members attended this Field Meeting, which is the largest number of attendees that we have ever had. In fact I still remember the days when we would have being thrilled with thirty nine members.The group was so large that we decided to split it into two groups. Nineteen went with Frank Hair as their leader and twenty one with Bob Wright. Frank started at the Cazalla Observatory above Tarifa, then went to the hide overlooking Los Lances beach just to the west of Tarifa and then onto La Janda. Bob did the reverse.The weather was warm with a temperature of about 24C, but when we started at 09:30 there was about a 70% cloud cover and a wind that was blowing from the east at 24kph with gusts reaching 32kph. The cloud cover reduced during the morning but the mist in the Straits that was obscurring the coast of Morocco remained.The Frank team headed to Cazalla Bird Observatory above Tarifa arriving at about 10:00am. We parked our cars and remained on the Migres side for the whole

of the morning. Unfortunately, the weather was not suitable for raptors or storks to attempt to cross to Africa but there were birds flying along the coast, usually into the wind. Cazalla was very exposed and the wooden shelter provided very little shelter from the wind. Telescopes had to

be constantly held in case they were blown over and if they were used to view birds at a distance they were almost useless due to the wind moving them about.The Booted Eagle was the most numerous species. We saw about thirty birds, all were light phased birds and most were

adults. Fortunately, lots of them came quite close as they battled with the wind through the valley below us. This enabled new members of the Society to learn quickly how to identify them and they were soon shouting “Booteds” to point them out to the rest of us.Other species that we saw in largish numbers were Black Kites and Griffon Vultures, and we saw about twenty birds of each species. We also saw Egyptian Vultures and were able to see adult, sub-adult and juvenile birds. Again we saw about twenty birds.In between watching raptors Pallid Swift (3), Barn Swallow (6), Red-rumped Swallows (12) and Spotless Starlings (30ish) flew past like jet rockets. Blinked and you had missed them. There were also two adult Ravens playing in the wind. Actually, watching the larger birds flying into the wind you had the impression that most of them were enjoying themselves. There were only a few who landed and gave up their struggle.Other raptors we saw were sparrowhawks and strangely these were all male birds. We also had magnificent views of Short-toed Eagles showing their white underparts as they banked in the wind. Honey Buzzards were also present in small numbers. We

also had an unidentified large falcon, which we suspect was an Eleonora’s but were far from certain due to us only seeing it briefly.Three Black Storks made an appearance from the direction of La Janda in the west. Before they got to us they turned round and flew back to La Janda.At about 13:00 we decided that we were not going to see anymore new species and headed to the hide at Los Lances beach. This entailed driving towards Algeciras for about 3km to the Mirador del Estrecho to turn round as the A7 was too busy to cross at Cazalla and it is also illegal.We parked our cars at the Service Station beyond Tarifa and carried our equipment and lunch across the road and down the kilometre track to the hide. We arrived at the hide at about 13:30 and fortunately it did provide some shelter from the wind, which was just as strong at sea level as it was in the mountains above Tarifa. This enabled everyone to enjoy their picnic lunch while observing the birds and the many wind surfers beyond.The hide overlooked a large shallow pool that was created by the río Jara trying to flow to the sea but, as the tide was out, its progress had been halted by a sandbank. At the far side of the pool were about a hundred gulls. Most of them were Yellow-legged Gulls, but there were a small number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and to one side were seven adult Audouin Gulls. In front of the gulls were four adult Sandwich Terns in winter plumage. Feeding in the pool was a juvenile, light grey, Greater Flamingo, an adult Grey Heron and eight Black-tailed Godwits in winter plumage, although a couple still had a tinge of the orange plumage of the summer in their feathers. Feeding in the river flowing into the pool were two Little

Egrets. Running along the back edge of the pool were a gang of Sanderling. Most were in their very light grey winter plumage but several were still in their brown summer plumage. Between the hide and the pool there was a single Kentish Plover, also in winter plumage and to its right was about twenty, feeding Ringed Plovers. Among the Ringed Plovers was a single Dunlin that showed a plumage in between its summer and winter attire. On the left side of the pool were two Oystercatchers, both in winter plumage. Feeding among the short, dry grass behind the hide were several Yellow Wagtails of the sub species flavissima, which is the bird from Britain. Walking back to the cars we spotted Stonechat, House Sparrow and Cattle Egret among some horses.At about 14:30 we set off for La Janda and used the entrance opposite the Zahara de la Atunes road junction on the A7 to enter. The plan was to follow the track down to the main drainage channel and follow the track westwards along the drainage channel until we could turn south and follow the track back to the A7. When we all gathered on the entrance track we were dismayed to find that the wind felt stronger in La Janda than it had at Tarifa. The strong wind did affect the birding as most of the birds were sheltering on the ground, usually out of sight. However, we were welcomed by an adult female Marsh Harrier flying low overhead and three Black Storks flying across the wind, which could have been the same birds we saw earlier. On our way down to the main drainage channel we also spotted a Serin and a few Crested Lark on the ground.Sheltering on the far side of the main drainage channel we quickly found a Squacco Heron crouching among the dried vegetation. In the distance on other

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Book Review by Brenda Jones

Birding and Nature trails in Sierra MorenaAndalusia. 1. Sierra de Aracena y Picos de ArocheAuthors: Rafael Romero Porrino. English translation: Dave LangloisPublisher: Editorrial Serrania S.L. ISBN 978-84-15030-32-4

This is the first book in a series of four, and it covers Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche in the province of Huelva, north Andalucía, southwestern Spain. This area is only one and a half hours from Doñana and is little known amongst new birdwatchers. The book covers 17 nature trails, some for cars and some for walkers and gives you all the details you would wish to know about the fauna, flora, accommodation and where to eat etc. It is very well done with some excellent photographs, maps and very comprehensive information and at 15 euros it is a very good buy.

side of the channel we estimated that there were about fifty White Storks standing in the fields. During our time in La Janda we saw about two hundred White Stork feeding in the rice fields and ditches.Driving along the track beside the main drainage channel, continually being buffeted by the wind, we also saw in the rice fields hundreds of Cattle Egrets feeding together in large groups, some of which were still showing breeding plumages. There were also about fifty Little Egret, but they were either feeding alone or in small groups. Individual Grey Heron were also spotted, totalling eleven birds.Barn Swallows were one of the very few species we saw flying and there were several hundred of them flying about in small groups. Other species seen flying in large numbers were Spotless Starling, about fifty birds, and Wood Pigeon in a flock of about eighty birds. Harriers, which were mainly Marsh Harriers, were seen hunting by flying low over the rice fields. Their mastery of the conditions was impressive. Some were able to remain stationary, looking down into the rice whilst facing into the strong wind. We saw quite a few females, a lesser number of juvenile birds and a beautiful male bird. In addition we watched a female Montagu’s Harrier in the distance.We had hoped to see Purple Swamphen in the reeds growing on the bank of the main canal, but it had recently been dredged and the reeds were flattened by dredged material that had been deposited on the bank sides. The portable watering machinery was also constantly scanned for perched Black-winged Kites but they were not to be seen. However, we did sees a soilitary male Common Kestrel perched on one of the metal electricity pylons beside the track and three Jackdaws revelling in the strong wind.At this stage La Janda was proving to be disappointing but then we arrived at the corner at the far end of the track as it turned back towards the A7. On this corner was a large sunken rice field at it was full of sheltering and feeding birds. They were also close so could be viewed with ease. There were about twenty Collared Pratincoles standing at the edge of the field and some were even on the track beside the field. There were juvenile birds among them. There were several Green Sandpipers, and even more Wood Sandpipers. In the centre of a large open area stood two adult Eurasian Spoonbills. Black-winged Stilts were there in large numbers, and Common Snipe were everywhere.

Bob Wright’s group found a Jack Snipe among them but despite intensive searching we unfortunately could not find it. Ruff were also feeding in large numbers and there were about a thousand Glossy Ibis feeding among the rice. They were easily spooked by the Marsh Harriers gliding above the rice, which caused a black cloud as hundreds of birds arose into the air at once. There were also Shoveler and Garganey feeding. The male Garganey birds

were in eclipse and were difficult to tell apart from the females. Also there were several Common Coot, one Moorhen and four Yellow Wagtails, again of the sub species flavissima, feeding.While we were searching the rice field for ever more species a Short-toed Eagle flew close behind us, as did two Black Kite but more distanct and directly overhead flew a sub-adult Egyptian Vulture. We were also entertained by several Zitting Cisticola flying, or more accurately being blown about by the wind and a Cetti’s Warbler singing from some reeds behind us.The time was now about 17:30 and people began to say goodbye as they started their journies home or sort a nice soft bed in a nearby hotel. On our way out of La Janda we saw Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Stonechat. We also saw an Osprey that flew ahead of us from metal pylon to metal pylon as we slowly drove down the track. Then we realised it had caught a fish and was trying to eat its supper. We therefore left it in peace looking forward to our supper after a long and rewarding day.

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Polygynandry? Know what that is? The Alpine Accentor  is one of my favourite birds. Small groups of them are regular visitors to the terraces and car parks in the Sierra Nevada Ski resort, supplementing their insect and seed diet with scraps from restaurant tables and skiers’ packed lunches. Most people pay no attention to the “Sparrows” but a closer look reveals a very attractive and interesting little bird. For a start they are true mountain dwellers, living mainly above 2000 metres, and it can cut a fine figure in the snow with their mottled orange flanks and streaky black, white and grey plumage. Below the thin yellow and black insectivores beak is an unusual white ¨Bib¨ with fine black speckles, a very distinctive feature. Now if all this isn’t enough to set them apart then consider their sex life. They are polygynandrous! That is, both sexes attempt to mate with every group member of the opposite sex, but the dominant alpha male (usually the oldest) will often protect his favourite females from lowly ranked males. The males then provide food for each brood of the females with whom they have had their wicked way with. In other words, if there’s any chance those kids are mine then I must pay. Very responsible behaviour I say, it is a pity some members of our own society are not so virtuous. Steven Powell - ABS Member

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It is a Sunday in the month of August, 7:30 pm, when we get into our car and head by road to the steppes of Campo de Calatrava. It’s just 15 minutes drive to start birding and we know that we have one hour, maybe a little more, to enjoy one of the last great natural spectacles in Europe. We leave the road, and after about 200m down a dusty track we start watching the target birds of our evening excursion: a flock of Little Bustard, over a dozen, scamper between barley stubble in search of the sought after cereal grains. A sudden chirping in the air makes us look up to see ten Pin-tailed Sandgrouse moving at high speed, almost at ground level, before coming to rest in a small fallow area. We continue on our way and stop beside a well maintained olive grove. A group of Crested Lark fly out of the way to let us pass. Under the shade of an olive tree rests a panting handful (covey, in English) of Partridge. Always cautious, the Partridge move around the old olive tree to keep away from us. A quick look with our binoculars uncovers other visitors to the

site; a pair of Kestrels and an Iberian Grey Shrike each watch us from their high vantage points. In the distance, standing on a pile of stones, a curious Little Owl monitors its territory. Our 4x4 continues and ascends a small hill, surprising a group of Montagu’s Harriers resting in the stubble. Some undertake a fast flight, but a couple of females still remain in the dry scrub. We decide not to stop the car to avoid disturbing them. Going down the hill we are shocked by a large flock of Great Bustards (over 50), which take off when they see us.We’ve always been fascinated by these fabulous birds that, weighing more than 16 kgs in males, are said to be the heaviest flying birds on Earth (with the exception of the Kori Bustard Ardeotis Kori). They stop at a safe distance of about 600m, and we watch them with our telescope. Near to the Great Bustards we discover a small group of jittery Stone Curlew. Not far from there a shepherd directs his Manchego sheep into the fold. The sun turns red and begins its descent which gives us a magical landscape, evocative and vibrant, with

the colours that draw the last dying rays and the dust raised by the flock of sheep. We decide to leave while a company of Calandra Lark fly around us and seem to be saying goodbye. We were unlucky with the Black-bellied Sandgrouse, but we didn’t mind; we’ll return another day.With numbers dwindling in Spain, steppe birds have one of their last great refuges in the steppes of Campo de Calatrava (Ciudad Real province, region of Castilla-La Mancha, just over the northern border of Andalucía), an exceptional area that extends to a total area of 8,978 ha. Becoming increasingly isolated, threatened by numerous infrastructures such as highways, recreational farms and even ruinous airports, steppe birds concentrate in small areas where they still have a last chance for survival. Also the new CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), threatens them, a nonsense that the European Union is determined to keep, favouring the interests of large Europeans landowners and clearly against organic farmers and the maintenance of a rural world that respects the environment.

Even the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha joins the harassment of our steppe birds by joining voices that demand authorisation for new large intensive vineyards in our insufficiently protected steppe areas. A bleak future for these last treasures of our biodiversity.But despite this, our Great Bustards, our true winged giants, resist. At least 17 areas with significant populations of Great Bustards have been identified and studied in our province of Ciudad Real, with a total population of over 800 individuals in the breeding season which is increased by more than 50% in winter, when many birds from the north of Spain fly down to our southern winter shelters. Winter is when the plains of Campo de Calatrava are teeming with life, and large flocks of Great Bustard (sometimes above 200) may be seen with mixed flocks of Little Bustard & Pin-tailed Sandgrouse that can number, easily, 1200 birds, an unusual and little studied association which can only be admired in our La Mancha steppes, one of the most valuable natural areas in Spain.

Black-bellied Sandgrouse: Spain total population 7,824 (min) to 13,273 birds (max). Total population of the province of Ciudad Real 375 (min) to 562 birds (max), this represents between 4% and 5% of the total in Spain.

Steppe birds, last haven in Southern Spain

Currently, the conservation status of our “big five steppe birds” is rather difficult to define, although all of them are considered VULNERABLE in the Red Book of Birds of Spain (2004 Edition). These are the most important and updated estimations of our main steppe birds in Spain:

Little Bustard: Spain total population 41,482 (min) to 86,195 males (max). Total population in the province of Ciudad Real 9,024 (min) to 14,179 males (max), this represents between 16% and 22% of the total in Spain. Our country concentrates about 80% of the European population.

Great Bustard: Spain total population 22,768 (min) to 24,493 birds (max). Total population in the province of Ciudad Real 800 (spring-summer) to 1,200 birds (autumn-winter). Shows a population decline of over 30% in the last 3 generations.

Stone Curlew: Spain total population 30,000 (min) to 40,000 pairs (max). Total population in the region of Castilla-La Mancha 10,000 (min) to 14,000 birds (max). The Stone Curlew has declined 22.2% between 1998 and 2011 in Spain.

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse: Spain total population 7,982 (min) to 10,972 birds (max). Total population of the province of Ciudad Real 1,902 (min) to 2,446 birds (max), this represents between 22% and 24% of the total in Spain.

Below is a list, not exhaustive, of the main species, excluding waterfowl that can be observed within the limits of the steppes of Campo de Calatrava.

Spring and summer: Golden Eagle, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Short-toed Eagle (Seen in spring and summer = e), Montagu’s Harrier (e), Lesser Kestrel (e), Red-legged Partridge, Quail (e), Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Stone Curlew, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse , Turtle Dove (e), Great Spotted Cuckoo (e), Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Red-necked Nightjar (e), Skylark, Crested Lark, Short-toed Lark (e), Calandra Lark, Bee-eater (e), Hoopoe, Iberian Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike (e), Red-billed Chough and Corn Bunting. Autumn and winter: In addition to the non-summer birds, you may see Black-Winged Kite, Hen Harrier and Golden Plover. Other interesting birds that can be observed around the steppes of Campo de Calatrava are: Black Stork (e) Common Crane (winter), Common Pratincole (e), Eagle-Owl, Long-eared Owl, Roller, Blue Rock-thrush, Black Wheatear, Subalpine Warbler, Spectacled Warbler or Green Woodpecker.Vicente Malagón Sanroma - ABS Member www.naturaindomita.com

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Although birds are my primary interest, like many birdwatchers I enjoy seeing other forms of wildlife. Given my interest in Spain, it was inevitable that seeing Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus would come high on my wish list. However, for years I had assumed that given the animals increasing rarity this was an impossible dream. It wasn’t until bird watching friends in Kent saw them that I realised that encountering Lynx in the wild wasn’t quite the impossible challenge that I’d imagined. Two main nuclei of the animals’ population remain – about 25-35 in the Coto Doñana and 80-100+ in the Sierra Morena north of Andújar. So in spring 2013, my ambition finally crystallised into a plan of action. Knowing that I was going to be out in Cadiz province in February/March 2013, it wasn’t too hard to add a quick side trip to look for lynx.

In theory the timing was good as, after they have young (in late March/April), the females are said to be more elusive. It’s also suggested that they tend to be more active during the day in winter than at other seasons. An indecently early start from Alcalá de los Gazules, it being a 4 hour drive to Andújar, meant

we had most of the first day ‘on site’, the whole of the second day and a good part of the third. Unfortunately, I managed to pick a period of heavy rain, thick fog and distinctly chilly temperatures. It wasn’t a castanet ensemble following us around, but my wife’s teeth chattering! Although Lynx were seen during our stay, sightings were brief and distinctly few, so we missed out. Although lynx are more active during

this period – the mating season – the short days and unpredictable weather can play havoc with your plans. Besides, given the nature of the terrain it’s quite possible for one group to see a lynx whilst others, only a few hundred metres away, miss it entirely. It was good to see several Spanish Imperial Eagle, Black Vulture, astonishing numbers of Azure-winged Magpie, Rock Sparrow and a Wild Boar, but there was no hiding our disappointment at not getting Lynx.

The more so since the day after we left the area, the weather improved and our Kent friends, out on another sortie, saw one!

However, whilst we’d been thoroughly dampened in the rain of the sierra, our enthusiasm for seeing the world’s rarest large cat remained un-diminished. Having been told that May was a poor month for seeing them as the female is busy with young and rather sedentary; we planned our next visit for September. However, news from a correspondent that he had them in early May the year before we

hastily re-organised ourselves to go again in early May (4th-9th), leaving September as a back-up. As we had allowed ourselves four full days to find the lynx, this time we left our base in Alcalá at a more civilized hour and had a more leisurely journey to Andújar. We even managed to have a look around Osuna and La Lebrija en route to look for Little and Great Bustards.

However, a mix-up over the exact location of our accommodation meant we spent the last couple of hours of the day looking for where we were staying rather than for lynx. However, we once again saw numerous Azure-winged Magpie and

heard Hoopoes all over the place.The next morning we started our search by driving along the rough track to Embalse del Jándula.

If it wasn’t exactly warm when we set off but it was at least clear and sunny. It was good too, to actually see some of the scenery we’d driven through in March. So we were quite hopeful about our chances although, realistically, we knew that we’d be in for a long wait. With these thoughts in mind we approached the main viewpoint when, as we rounded a bend, we were totally amazed to find a lynx loping along besides the track scarcely more than 10 metres away! I called “Lynx!”, but it seemed so unconceivable that it was one that I almost instantly thought ‘Is it a dog?” as I raised my binoculars. But, no, it miraculously remained a Lynx! With immense savoir faire it casually ignored us as I gently swung the car to one side to get some photos. Trotting down and then diagonally across the track, it seemed totally unconcerned by the frenetic excitement it had caused. It then doubled back across the track and climbed the bank next to the car. It was a totally mind blowing moment (a hackneyed phrase but no other will do). OK, aesthetically it was disappointing that it was sporting a radio collar, but it was a truly wild animal. We

later learnt that this was ‘Dingo’ a well known male which was, as we could see in the photos, blind in one eye. My only regret was that I totally forgot that my camera has an excellent video capacity! The rest of our stay was, understandably, something of an anti-climax. We looked for lynx several more times and even missed one by a few minutes, but the urgency had gone – we weren’t going to get a better view! It also meant I was able to indulge my other enthusiasm for history and visit nearby world heritage sites (Baeza and Úbeda).

I also explored other areas of wildlife interest using the excellent ”Birding and Nature: Trails in Sierra Morena 2 – Sierra Morena de Jaén” by Rafael Romero Porrino (Pub. La Serrania). This extremely useful book gives details for sites for Black Wheatear, White-rumped Swift, Rufous Bushchat, Little Bustard and much else.

1 - Centro de Visitantes Viňas de Peňallano (Km 13) has an interesting exhibition on the wildlife and ecology (in Spanish) of the Parque Natural de Sierra de Andjúar plus maps, guides to the senderos (footpaths) and books (some of which are in English). A good place to obtain books, some in English, maps and leaflets. (For opening times etc check www.juntadeandalucia.es)

2 - From the visitors’ centre take the A 6177 towards Santuario Virgen de la Cabeza, but just beyond the Complejo de Turistico Los Pinos (a good place to stay – see www.lospinos.es) take the minor road on your right (signposted to Pentano del Jándula) . This narrow tarmac road snakes its way up into the hills with chances of seeing Lynx increasing the further you drive. As the road rolls up and down, winding as it goes; the habitats vary from open dehesa to Mediterranean scrub.

Look too for Red Deer, Wild Boar or Mongoose, and certainly some rather nervous rabbits. However be prepared to wait several hours for Lynx. Happily you’re likely to be distracted by vultures (Black & Griffon), Eagles (Golden and Spanish Imperial – later in the year Short-toed and Booted), Goshawk, Iberian green Woodpecker, Rock Bunting, Sardinian Warbler, Red-billed Chough, etc.

Sierra de Andújar Looking for Iberian Lynx

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that ducks being such gregarious birds, have evolved various signals to ensure a flock or a pair take off together and stay close to one an-other in flight. When an individual is ready to take off, it signals its intention by extending its neck and shaking its head. It may take several minutes for the message to be passed round the members of a large flock, but suddenly, they are all ready and take off together.

John Cantelo has been a birder since the 1960’s. Was a Field Teacher for the RSPB 2000-2010. Lives in the UK but visits Spain several times a year. Junior author of “The Nature Guide of the An-dalusian Sierras.” These suggestions for seeing Iberian Lynx are a heavily edited version of the text from the forthcoming “Crossbill Guide to Andalucia” (which I am co-writing with Dirk Hilbers et al).

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When it comes to birds, Israel and Spain have a lot in common. Despite the significant difference in size, the fact that both countries are situated on parallel latitudes and boast a wide range of habitats contributes to their impressive natural wealth. It is not easy to compare the avifauna of both countries, after all Spain is about 17 times larger than Israel, but apart from their difference in size, Israel and Spain are very much alike. Besides the good food, nice beaches and beautiful women Israel and Spain are probably the 2 most attractive countries for birdwatchers in Europe. The fact that Israel and Spain are situated between continents makes them important zoo-topical meeting zones. It is here that species of African origin have a foothold in Europe, and European species are at their southernmost points of distribution. This unique geographical trait shared by both countries makes them great places to observe fascinating families of birds of semi desert and Steppe terrain. Nowhere else in Europe can birders enjoy such a variety of hard to come by groups like Wheatear, Larks, Sandgrouse, Bustard and more. Both countries offer visitors a chance to enjoy these birds of African

and Asian origin alongside more familiar European species which are represented in the lusher habitats.

But the most important similarity between Israel and Spain is the fact that both countries lie under one of the biggest migration flyways in the world. Neatly positioned on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea both countries are

world famous for their awesome soaring bird migration spectacles. Every spring and autumn hundreds of thousands of

soaring birds from European and Asian populations funnel through the airspace of both countries, on their way to and from the breeding grounds. These soaring birds that include White and Black Stork, Pelican, Crane and over 20 species of

Birds of Prey rely on Israel and Spain as land bridges. Soaring birds prefer not to cross large bodies of water due to lack of developing thermals and the Mediterranean Sea is quite a serious obstacle to overcome. In order to avoid crossing the Med, soaring birds follow either the Eastern flyway, over Israel and along the Great Rift Valley to Africa or follow the western route through Spain southwards, and cross at the shortest water crossing available, The Straits of Gibraltar. When it comes to numbers both migration funnels hold impressive checklists. Around 250 species of migrant birds migrate through the Straits of Gibraltar every season, with soaring birds numbering well over half a million individuals. Israel boasts an incredible 280 species of migrants and over a million individuals are counted during the autumn migration season. One of the iconic species that most symbolise migration is the White Stork Ciconia ciconia and Israel and Spain are the best places in the world to see the impressive large flocks that the species is famous

for. Every summer following the breeding season, the whole Eurasian population of White Storks splits into two main “streams” for their southbound journey. Storks from central and eastern Europe migrate south and funnel through Israel, and the entire west European population of White Storks migrates south west eventually congregating at the Gibraltar Straits, and cross into North Africa. During late August and early September a quarter of a million White Storks pass over Israel on their way south to their African wintering grounds. During the

same period over 100,000 Storks gather at the Gibraltar Straits. Another important species that is best seen here is the Black Stork Ciconia nigra. Around 8000 Black Storks are counted over Israel every autumn and over 3000 pass at Gibraltar. Both Israel and Spain operate long term counts and research projects on soaring bird migration. The Israel Ornithological Center has been actively monitoring soaring bird migration for 30 years! The project involves several weather radars now programmed to detect birds in the sky and a ground team of birders that is deployed throughout the width of Israel and “intercept” every soaring bird flock that enters the airspace. The Israeli project has two major causes, the first is scientific, to collect data and assess population trends in soaring birds. The second cause of the survey is to monitor the Israeli air space in an attempt to protect aircraft and pilots. In the past Israel suffered greatly from collisions with soaring birds, including the loss of 3 great fighter pilots and over a dozen aircraft. The Israel Air force now sponsors the counts and we are happy to

Flyways of the Mediterranean - 2 corners, 2 million birds

Jonathan Meyrav Israel Ornithological CenterThe author is the Tourism Director for the Israel Ornithological Center and a full time birder. Amongst other things Jonathan coordinated the Northern Valleys Soaring Birds Survey for 6 years and still supervises the counts in Israel.

say that the survey method is fine-tuned and the transfer of information on soaring bird flocks in the skies is registered very quickly. The correct collaboration between birders and radars and with our gained experience we have now been able to lower our collision rates to below 2%! Thus we are protecting both the birds and the pilots that share the airspace.

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I had been dreaming of getting this picture for a long time. Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo, are quite common today, but a difficult target to photograph. I know of some pairs in different cliffs not too far from Ronda. They call at dusk and dawn, normally from the same place, usually on a rock overlooking their territory. I have tried taking photographs several times before, arriving before dawn, but most times the owls were able to watch me walking to my chosen hide-out. Anyway, I like to put up my hide, sit and wait for any living creature crossing in front of the cliff. That morning the owl flew from the cliff to satisfy it’s curiosity, and perched there for a few seconds, just ten metres from me, an experience I’ll never forget. It is such a huge, powerful bird...

In this article Juan Luis Muñoz tells some more stories behind some very special photographs. Juan Luis is a very skilled photographer (with a pas-sion for birds) using digiscoping techniques to perfection.

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This is an amazing story. By the Guadiaro river a Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, came to perch on a dead branch I was holding in my hand, just a few centimetres from my fingers. I could not believe it! We spent some seconds watching each other, and the Kingfisher flew to a tree. It recovered from the experience, so I put the branch where I had stood and sat with no hide. Immediately the Kingfisher came again and perched, now for long enough to get many pictures, like this one, just 5 metres from me. I did not understand it’s strange behaviour; perhaps it was attracted to me as I was in the river, in its territory, or maybe it had no fear of human beings and just perched there for fishing... It will remain a mystery to me, but an experience I will never forget.

In the Spring of 2006 Juan, from Algaba Farm, in Ronda told me he had found a Short-toed Eagle pair, Circaetus gallicus nesting in his wonderful Mediterranean forest. Since then, when they arrive at the beginning of March, I watch them from a respectful distance and I spent one morning photographing them on their usual perches in a secluded and quiet valley. This picture represents the moment the male lands on the female for copulation; a very rare image few people have had the opportunity to watch, let alone photograph. Every season the pair raise a single juvenile; they are successful, at least for now. I really hope they keep returning, as I feel as if they are now part of my family!

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I don’t know about you, but for me at least it seems just a short while ago that I sat near to Tarifa watching the large exit of raptors from Europe headed towards the near shores of North Africa. Every year, around the start of September, I am either leading groups or making my own pilgrimages to the Atlantic seaboard of Andalusia in search of the spectacle that is migration.

The sheer volume of birds involved in the autumn rush to leave for warmer climes is staggering. For the grand spectacle, the larger migrants perhaps offer the audience the star attraction, but to see thousands of our smaller passerines, such as Bee-eater Merops apiaster, forming colourful clouds as they leave our shores is, I think, a sight that all should witness at least once in their lifetime.

Of course migration, whether in spring or autumn, can bring along the unexpected or very rare migrant. Apart from the now regular autumn visitor Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps rueppellii, a few autumns ago saw African White Backed Vulture Gyps africanus taking a bow! It all adds to the occasion and acts as a magnet for birdwatchers the world over.

So we can count our blessings, that we are very fortunate to live so close to areas

where we can bear witness to one of the natural wonders of our world. It is almost impossible to absorb the spectacle of this number of birds, either leaving for or arriving from Africa, without being curious about why and how it is all made possible?

We are so very privileged to live in the southern reaches of the Iberian Peninsular. Here we are able to witness firsthand the incredible spectacle that is bird migration. Enormous populations of birds from the northern reaches of Europe become concentrated during the late summer and autumn as they approach the short sea crossing over the Strait of Gibraltar.

Larger birds, such as Eagles, migrate during the daytime when they are able to take advantage of rising thermals and up-draughts, whilst many small birds migrate at night and take their direction from the position of the setting sun. As well as seeing

the sun go down, small birds also seem to see the plane of polarized light caused by it, which calibrates their compass. Travelling at night also provides other benefits. Predators are avoided and the danger of dehydration, due to flying for long periods in warm, sunlit skies, is also reduced. An added benefit to night migration is also apparent when the air structure is cool and smooth and conducive to sustained, stable flight.

Flight gives birds the power to fly in any direction for as long as they have the energy to keep going. They have lightweight, hollow bones, navigation systems that

simply defy belief, and an ingenious heat-conserving design that concentrates all blood circulation beneath layers of warm, waterproof plumage leaving them fit to face life in extreme climates.

Bird migration occurs in each natural region of the world, each country, each county and even each parish, where birds will come and go with the seasons. Many make vast journeys to reach their wintering grounds. Swallows, for example, may breed and spend the summer in one place, but spend most of the rest of the year travelling back and forth to their wintering grounds in southern Africa..

Bird migration evolved as a way for birds to exploit resources that are seasonally abundant and, equally important, to go elsewhere when the resources become scarce or harsh weather arrives. Many species can tolerate cold temperatures if food is plentiful, but if food is not available they must migrate. I suspect the secrets of bird migration will remain as curious as any of life’s other unsolved mysteries. Sadly, some never complete their journeys, but I always look forward to the spring and the return of those who have survived.

For all the complexities of migration I consider myself lucky to live in ‘The Magic Corridor’ that is for many European birds the main flyway for autumn and spring passage.Some viewing areas to watch both spring (March/May) and autumn (August/October) migration:

Tarifa area: Strategic observatories can be found both east and west of Tarifa and these are Algarrobo, Cabrito, Cazalla, Santuario, La Peña, Puerto de Bolonia and Puerto de Facinas.

Other areas: Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Grazalema: Puerto de las Palomas, Sierra de Libar, Acinipo, Casares.

Peter Jones - ABS - member www.spanishnature.com

MIGRATION TIME IS HERE….

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Black Vulture, ready to cross the Strait. Photo by Pieter Verheij

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IF you enjoy great birds and wonderful natural scenery but like to do so from a comfortable base, you need to check out the Ronda area’s most popular award-

winning hotel., Molino del Santo.Do you enjoy really good food, the friendli-est and most helpful staff who speak English if required and the security of knowing that 26 years of experience mean you will find your every need has been carefully thought about?Nestled alongside a rushing mountain stream – where dippers, kingfishers and grey wagtails are regularly seen, the old watermill that forms the base of Molino del Santo is a true delight. In the summer months you can eat on the riv-erside terraces at lunch and dinner time and when it is cooler, there is a cosy sitting room with log fires and a warm welcome.

SortedWhat do you need? Great birds all around? No problem, from raptors to passerines you’ll be spoilt for choice on your doorstep or step out to see flamingoes and stone curlews, Egyptian vultures and Rock thrush, eagle owls and bee-eaters, orioles and hoopoes, amongst an im-pressive bird list. You want great walking? Sorted – the hotel has dozens of walks to recommend from half hour routes to all day challenges. High mountain rang-es or riverside strolls. Which will you choose?Interesting things for non-birding days? Ron-da is on the doorstep just 15 minutes away, prehistoric caves to visit, Roman amphithea-tres, the famous white villages all around, big cities of Sevilla and Granada possible as day trips. You’ll be spoilt for choice.

ExcellentIs amazing food and carefully-selected local wine a priority for you? Molino del Santo can tick both boxes with confidence. The menus offer you light snacks and sandwiches to full 8 course tasting menus. People have been heard to say eating here has been the best meal of their lives. Excellent breakfasts are included in room rates – or call in for breakfast if you are in the area. Non-residents can also eat in the hotel but reservations are often essential.Comfortable rooms required? Look no further – choose from four categories with B&B rates from only 45 euros per person. Central Heat-ing, Kettles in rooms, Air con, wifi – free of course – and pool towels provided so that you can enjoy the heated pool.

PreciousSpecial assistance an issue? Not here. The ho-tel will do all they can to help you in any way to get the very most out of your precious lei-sure time. Booking visits to local monuments, arranging horse-riding, getting permits for zones of limited access, ground floor rooms, special diets... You’ll be hard pressed to hear that they can’t help you.

Need reassurance? The hotel guarantees your satisfaction or your money will be courteously refunded. Trip Advisor reviews rate the hotel and restaurant number one in the area, Guide books sing praises, 65% of visitors have been before – some returning many times each year. What are you waiting for? The downsides? Firstly, there are only 18 rooms

which means you get great personal service – but they do book early for many dates ; many people fail to make the reservation they want because it is too late. Check out availability at any time by email or phone. Secondly the ho-tel and restaurant close from early November to late February Don’t miss out. Plan to visit when Molino del Santo is open.

Are you looking for a great base near Ronda from which to explore Andalucia’s natural delights?Where dippers dip, where grey wagtails wag, and where griffon vultures… vultch

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In the Spring 2013 edition (Volume Two, Issue Two) of Birds of Andalucía, a small panel on P15, headed ‘Did You Know?’, pointed out the fact that there is no obvious physical recognition anywhere of the pivotal role played by the English naturalist Guy Mountfort in saving the Coto Doñana back in the 1960s.

It was a timely reminder that, but for the efforts of Guy Mountfort and a few other key players such as Don Manuel González Gordon and his son Don Mauricio González Díez, the Doñana might easily have been destroyed by development at a time when few people even knew of its existence. What the short piece in Birds of Andalucia did not mention, no doubt through lack of space, was something that brought the wonders of the Coto Doñana to a significant audience, the book Portrait of a Wilderness, published in 1958 and written by Mountfort himself.

Portrait of a Wilderness, to quote from the inside flap of the dustcover: ‘is an account of the work and adventures of three scientific expeditions to the fabulous Coto Doñana in the wilds of southern Spain, which took place in 1952, 1956 and 1957.’ It goes on to add: ‘The region was for 350 years the hunting reserve of the Dukes of Medina Sidonia and has remained completely isolated and unspoilt. It is today the most important wildlife refuge in Europe’. The book in its original form is a hefty hardback of some 240 pages, lavishly illustrated with photos, nearly all in black-and-white, taken mostly by the legendary Eric Hosking who was at the time Britain’s leading bird photographer.

I am aware of the book because my father bought it for me, way back,

as a Christmas present. Assuming this happened in the year of publication I would have been just eight, rather young for such a book, so I’ve always suspected there might have been an ulterior motive; not that I mind that. My dad’s no longer

with us so it’s too late to ask him about that now and anyway he had already enthused me with his interest in birds. The book was then on his shelves for decades until I reclaimed it and re-read it a few years ago, having by then been to the Doñana myself. Sadly, my father never even visited Spain, much less the scrub, open woodlands and wetlands of the Parque Nacional de Doñana. He would have loved it, despite the quirky belief he seemed to have, which strengthened as he got older but was usually unspoken, that somehow birds outside the UK were not quite as valid as those seen in the UK.

Mountfort, an advertising executive in his day job, was already a well-known ornithologist when he led the expeditions of the 1950s. He was the author of A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe (Collins, 1954),

illustrated by Roger Tory Peterson and with distribution maps by Philip Hollom, both of whom were on the Doñana expeditions. Subsequently, in 1961, Mountfort was one of the founders of the World Wildlife Fund, now the World

Wide Fund for Nature. In 1970 he was awarded the

OBE for services to ornithology. He also wrote Portrait of a

River about the Danube Delta and Portrait of a Desert about Azraq in Jordan. Interviewed at the age of 94 in 2000, he was “surprised and gratified” when he was told that his Portrait series was among the most frequently cited in a ‘best bird books’ debate on the UK Birdnet internet mailing list.

Doñana is no longer quite the wilderness it was 60 years ago but Portrait of a Wilderness remains both a glimpse into a strangely distant, privileged world and a memorable tribute to the Doñana itself. Guy Mountfort died in 2003 but his wonderful book is still available. If you go onto www.abebooks.co.uk and put in the author and title, you will find many copies available from specialist booksellers. Prices start at about £12; add in postage from the UK to Spain and you are talking around £20 for the total cost. This seems to me a very good deal for such a classic volume, especially given the relatively high price of even run-of-the-mill modern books if bought in Spain.

And meanwhile, to go back to the catalyst for my article, what can the Andalucía Bird Society and its members do to push for a permanent memorial to Doñana’s early champion, Guy Mountfort?

Kevin Borman - ABS MemberSorbas, Almería

Guy Mountfort’s DoñanaPortrait of a Wilderness

What can the Andalucía Bird Society and its members do to push for a permanent memorial to Doñana’s early champion, Guy Mountfort?

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North of Ronda lies my village of Olvera, my local patch; from here I travel west to Campillos and Fuente de Piedra, east to Arcos de la Frontera, north to Osuna and south to Montejaque. Olvera is a large village with a population of approx. 8,500 and it lies in the province of Cádiz. It is on the northernmost tip of the Pueblos blancos (White villages) route of Andalucía and stands majestically on a hill proudly overlooking thousands of acres of olive groves. I am going to concentrate on Olvera and the immediate surroundings from the Peñón de Zaframagón to our friends’ pottery just to the south of Olvera. As the summer comes to a close I am wondering where our Lesser Kestrels are by now as they left Olvera at the start of August and

will not return until the spring. They nest in the walls of the church and castle and you can see them whilst you are having some tapas in the bar behind the church, or the ones at the side of the Peñón by the market. Café con leche and a mollete with aceite and tomate as the Lesser Kestrels fly over your heads or at eye level, what more could you ask for? We have had a White Stork around the church a few times this summer which could be checking out whether here would be a good nest site for next year. We will have to wait and see. We have a large population of both Swift and Swallow but the House Martin seem to prefer Pruna just to the north, where there are houses full of nests and at the end of the summer there are large roosts on the cables that run along the front of

the houses. We do have some in Olvera but not as many. As the summer turns to autumn the Hirundinidaes will be leaving, and our skies will be the poorer for that. The most important site close to Olvera is The Peñón de Zaframagón, one of the largest Griffon Vulture colonies in Europe and home to a pair of Bonelli’s Eagle. The Griffons are present all year round along with Jackdaw and Spotless Starling (very clean birds) but during the summer their numbers are swollen by Egyptian Vulture and Alpine Swift. The Peñón de Zaframagón is about 10km from Olvera by road or 15km if you walk along the Via Verde (walking and cycling route) from Olvera. From the viaduct which is at the front of the Peñón you look up through the gorge to the east side where most of the nests are to be found. As you stand on the viaduct the Vultures fly over your head and then go off to find some food for their chicks. In the visitors centre you can watch live views of the nests in the spring and recorded highlights the rest of the year, at a small cost of 1€, expensive for me though as I visit so much to see what they have recorded since the last time I was there! I have also seen Crested Tit, Cirl Bunting, Chough and Bee-eater. One day last winter I was walking towards the visitors centre from the viaduct and a weasel ran out in front of me heading towards a small bush at the side of the track. It stopped and looked at me for a moment then ran under the bush. A second or so later it ran back out from the other side of the bush behind me and back to the other

side of the track. This was the same day I saw the Crested Tit. Another spot I visit frequently is our friends’ house in the campo (countryside) who have a pottery. I spend a lot of time down there and it is a very rewarding spot with a pair of resident Ravens which nest in the woods by the river. On the way down nearly every day the Little Owl says hello from the top of the “no overtaking” sign but he will not stay there long enough for me to get a photo of him. Last winter the river changed its course and they now have a ravine running through the middle of their field which was good for me as this year we had a pair

My local patch Olvera - Cádiz province

of Little Ringed Plover nesting on the river bank and I spent some time watching the parent bird doing it’s “chase me as I have an injured wing” bit. The banks are now steep and sandy; a great place for the Bee-eater to nest which they did (I spent a long time in a sweaty hide but no photos and as you have guessed as soon as I left the

hide they flew straight into the nest hole! Better luck next year). Last year a pair of Red necked Nightjar nested somewhere near the house, and at about 10.15pm every night you could hear a strange noise from the cliff overlooking the river. If you walked to the middle of the field the bird would swoop down and clap its wings at you until you returned to the house, then it would vanish into the night not to be heard again until the next night. Every year they have a pair of Golden Oriole

that nest in the Poplars at the side of the river and they have a fine time feeding on the mulberries when they come into fruit. All you see is a flash of gold and then into the tree where they stand proud and take as many mulberries as they can get into their beaks and then off they go. There are always Swallows at the pottery but two years ago a pair of Red-rumped Swallows took over a Swallows nest and built an entrance tunnel on it, but it was too late in the year for them to breed. During the winter the House Sparrows, which live all year around at the pottery roosted in this nest. The next spring the House Sparrow nested in that nest, and as the season progressed the tunnel that had been built by the Red-rumped Swallow was slowly taken apart until only a small piece was left. Whilst doing my pool boy bit at the house next to the pottery I heard a Sparrow screaming the alarm call and it flew just over my head and only a few inches behind it was a Sparrow Hawk. They crashed into the hedge that surrounds the pool. I was not fast enough to run around to the other side of the hedge to see whether the hawk caught the sparrow, but it just shows you don’t know when something exciting is going to happen so keep your eyes open all of

the time. Frank Hair - ABS member www.birdinginspain.co.uk

The Peñón de Zaframagón One of the largest Griffon Vulture colonies in Europe

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Cirl Bunting

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Andalucia Bird Society Aut 13.indd 1 20/09/2013 13:21