Sierra do Gredos, Tarifa and places between ...

Once one of the rarest gulls in the world Audouin's Gull recovered from this low point but appears to again be in decline ... there were just a few on this beach ...

Yellow-legged Gull was much more common, this 3CY bird ...

... and a nice Audouin's fly by ...

This male Stonechat showed typically more white on the rump than birds of the British race ...

a Caspian Tern put in a brief appearance ...

Raptors coming in off the sea were the main attraction near Tarifa and Short-toed Eagles numbered many and on a broad front ...

Black Storks were much less common and this group was impressive ...

A dark phase Booted Eagle ...

An adult Egyptian Vulture ...

And a pale phase Booted Eagle ...

Black Kite was the most numerous species with thousands passing by ...

A nice close Black Stork ...

And the only Lesser Kestrel, a 2CY male ...

Spotless Starlings were a delight ...

The only Mediterranean Gull was this 2CY bird ...

And a Yellow-legged Gull showing off the diagnostic solid black band on P5 ...

Red Kites were few and far between ...

Three Hoopoes in a tree ...

... and worth a closer look along with a Corn Bunting ...

... Woodchat Shrike nearby ...

... while a Griffon Vulture flies over ...

... and some Glossy Ibis feed ...

... and a few remaining wintering Cranes ...

... one of the most stunning sights was that of Bald Ibis on a cliff just above a busy road ...

... on a nearby wetland a lovely Ruff consorted with an adult Little Stint ...

... and a nearby Black-winged Stilt ...

... and a smart Iberian race Yellow Wagtail ...

... and a Spoonbill ...

... heading back north and some Red-crested Pochards ...

... while White-headed Ducks were present in good numbers, maybe the Ruddy Duck cull was worthwhile after all ...

... and another lovely gull, Slender-billed Gull, one of the most elegant of all ...

... while an Osprey looked on ...

... Flamingoes never fail to impress ...

... and a rather distant Black-necked Grebe ...

... now in the heart of the Gredos, a wing-tagged Lammergeier cruised by ...

... and a nearby Rock Bunting ...

... while a rather watchful pair of Little Owls posed in the warm evening light ...

 

 

 

South Cumbria with Richard's Pipit and Brent Geese ...

The Ulverston Richard's Pipit was surprisingly easy to find this week as it initially perched up on overhead wires and then flew to a field with short grass ... this was quite unlike most of my previous expreiences with the species where the bird skulks in long vegetation ...

... the long hind-claw showing nicely ...

... meanwhile a Barn Owl hunted over the fields and then perched up conveniently ...

As the tide came in on the causeway to Roa Island a family group of Dark-bellied Brent Geese fed close by on the water's edge, the pale fringes of the juvenile showing nicely ...

... while on the other side of the causeway some Pale-bellied Brent Geese were equally obliging ...

Wintering Waders ... and Raptors ... it's the Solway marshes ...

 The Knot flocks particularly on Grune Point over the high tides have been particularly impressive over the past month ...

Oystercatcher numbers there have also been high and a leucistic bird has lingered with the flock ...

Less impressive were Red-breasted Merganser numbers with small groups only ...

While the northern breeding waders were still distinctly in winter mode, Ringed Plovers seemed to think that spring was in the air and some lovely display was going on ...

Golden Plovers are elusive on some days but at other times great flocks wheel around the skies or loaf on the wet sand of the Wampool at Anthorn ...

... and three Ruff consorted with the Lapwing flock there ...

A juvenile Marsh Harrier  put in an appearance ...

... and a juvenile female Hen harrier too ...

... and to add to the raptor-fest a male Merlin perched near the waters edge at Port Carlisle before heading northwards into Sotland ...

... and another two (or perhaps the same birds as at Anthorn) Ruff fed among the Redshank at Campfield ...

It was a very welcome sight to see eleven Whooper Swans at Walby, my first sighting of them there this winter ... a family party with three juveniles

... and some adults ...