22nd - 29th April - The Classic Spring Tour to The Coto Doñana and The Strait of Gibraltar - Stephen Daly writes
Every birding and wildlife lover should at least once in their life take time seeing the wonderful birds and nature in the two most famous areas in southern Europe.
This was the third such eight day spring tour this year, and as usual we try to keep dates in April to maximise the number of bird species that one can possibly see, plus it helps to avoid the last of the spring rains.... On saying that we did have some spectacular showers and thunderstorms.
Birding was terrific as usual and with Pintail Sandgrouse flying near Villamanrique de la Condesa in Seville province and Little Swifts turning up this spring on the Strait, all in all it was great birding. The Montagu's Harriers, Stone Curlews and assorted warblers on the Strait were stunning this year and the scenery is second to none - anywhere in Europe!

Coto Doñana's Spanish Imperial Eagle and Iberian Lynx decline
The downside is that the Coto Doñana's population of Spanish Imperial Eagle and Iberian Lynx are dwindling through various factors:
1. Ten Lynx were killed by vehicles on the roads in or around the Coto Doñana area in 2005. This usually happens during the hours of darkness.
.2. Myxomatosis is another factor as both species rely heavily for rabbits as their staple food. The disease is quite horrible and this year we saw a lot of affected Rabbits.
Clinical signs: Symptoms start to appear between one and three weeks following the virus being introduced into the rabbits body via an insect bite. The first sign seen is that the eyelids start to swell, eventually closing over the eye. Swelling may occur in other parts of the body particularly the base of the ears and the genitalia. There is often an eye discharge and there may be a nasal discharge. Affected rabbits often develop fast and laboured breathing as the disease develops, death usually occurs in almost all cases within about two weeks.
3. The final nail in the coffin of both species is the ever growing processions or Romerías that take place in spring and summer. The disturbance and noise to wildlife in the area of the National and other natural parks is quite incredible. Thunderflashes are set off day and night and the processions are huge with horse-drawn wagons, tractors and thousands on foot walking through the sandy tracks to various shrines en route culminating in a great meeting at El Rocío.

17th April - Collared Pratincoles, Tawny Pipits, Black Terns and White-rumped Swifts - Stephen Daly writes
Jeff Humm and his family have been staying at Hoopoe cottage, the guest house in our garden all last week, and took a tour with me around some of the local birding sites near Barbate. We decided to stick to the 'Marismas' and La Janda areas and the military land in between and travelled along the roads and tracks through El Soto to Montenmedio. White Storks nest in the Umbrella Pines there and Bee-eaters burrow into the soft sand of the old quarry to construct their special nesting chambers. A Hoopoe flew across our path as Nightingales, Blackcaps and Wood Pigeons made their presence known and some Sika Deer trotted through a clearing in the woods. The local colonies of Jackdaws were seen flying all the way across to the Military land, where good views of a Little Owl were seen. Tawny Pipits lined up to meet us and Crested, Calandra and Short-toed Larks kept us company with Yellow Wagtails and a few Northern Wheatears swapping posts with Corn Buntings and Stonechats. We watched the colony of Collared Pratincoles for a while, as Calandra Larks displayed in the foreground. Over by the Río Barbate the Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cormorants sat preening themselves or rested in the morning sun. Whiskered Terns came and went and when we crossed over to La Janda some of the Great Reed Warblers were heard belting out their songs. Twenty five Eurasian Spoonbills flew overhead and landed in one of the flooded paddy-fields, joining the usual ducks and waders to be found there. Three Black Terns were watched circling above us and Yellow-legged and Black-headed Gulls looked for food all along the area. Marsh Harriers quartered the margins and Short-toed Eagles were seen off in the distance with one of the eagles coming fairly close. We had excellent views of a displaying Spectacled Warbler with a male bird energetically flying from bush to wires, calling as he went.
I later dropped off Jeff in Barbate where he was meeting his family on the beach. As I was getting some fuel at the petrol Station I looked around noticing the Pallid Swifts that are nesting nearby and saw two smaller swifts in the group. I recognised them as White-rumped Swifts and this was the second year I had seen them over the town of Barbate.

15th April - An introduction to the Stunning Wildlife on the Strait - Stephen Daly writes
Giles Haywood phoned me to ask if I could give him a general overview of the birds, flowers and scenery with a view to focusing on areas that he could later walk around, when he comes down this way on holiday in future.
After leaving our meeting point a La Barca de Vejer, we drove up to the beautiful plateau of La Muela where there are excellent choices of places to walk. Most of the tracks are public access and many to and connect with small roads in the area.
At this time of the year the greenery and carpets of wild spring flowers are just stunning. Yellow and white Daisies, mauve Vipers bugloss, purple Vetch, pinks Wild Gladioli and bright blue and yellow Lupins, to mention just a few plants that seem to cover the meadows and verges on some of the 'hidden' trails and pathways that lead all across the area. Birds were plentiful as we walked and a Nightingale sat right out in the open where we had super views as it sang. Bee-eaters flew across just metres above our heads and Sardinian Warblers, Common Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs Linnets, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Serins fed on the verges, dispersing and calling as we approached. Griffon Vultures, Short-toed and Booted Eagles, Black Kites were seen and Lesser and Common Kestrels flew past and hovered around us. Nearby Vejer has quite a healthy population of Lesser Kestrels and are quite easy to spot from most of the Andalucian 'White Villages' or 'Pueblos Blancos' in spring and summer.
I showed Giles track and larger public drovers roads - some being still a bit too muddy to get down. It would take a few weeks of sunshine to dry out the more trickier 'camino's' so on those occasions we stuck to tarred roads avoiding any need to call the local farmer with his tractor should I get stuck! En route we saw over twenty Eurasian Spoonbills feeding with hundreds of Mallard Duck. There were also Teal and Shoveller with Snipe, Black-winged Stilts, Little Egrets and we had superb views of Spectacled and Melodious Warblers, Zitting Cisticola's, Whiskered Terns as well as more of the same raptors including a pair of Honey Buzzards.
We had a great day out and Giles said that he had seen so much - as well as trying to remember and mark down on his map all the lovely places to walk or cycle to.

12th April - Little Swifts, Egyptian Vultures, Bald Ibis, Tawny Pipits and Black-eared Wheatears - Stephen Daly writes
I drove down to Tarifa to meet three Icelandic birders yesterday. They were staying at Torremolinos and this was a mutual and logical meeting point for all of us to take in some birding and wildlife on the Strait. I'm really fond of the countryside of Tarifa and whenever I travel down the Strait of Gibraltar and start a tour at the narrowest point between Europe and Africa - especially during the busy spring migration time, I know that whatever birds turn up in the area, they always look stunning with such a magnificent backdrop.
Stonechats - lovely little birds, and as common as they are here in the south are the most wonderful and colourful of creatures to Icelanders! When European birding became popular in the 1970's, a whole bunch of new icelandic names had to be made up and given to all the southern birds when the translated " A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe" by Peterson, Mountford and Hollom, first appeared in Reykjavik's book shops.
Short-toed Eagles came next to impress us all. These pale coloured eagles flying low, hunting across the rolling hills that lead from the shoreline of Los Lances beach up into the foothills of the Alcornocales cork-oak forest are always a great sight to see. Their hovering skills are well known and they're deadly reptile hunting is renowned with small feet and talons, especially adapted to pinning and holding on to 'slippery' prey such as snakes and other wriggling reptiles! Egyptian Vultures were seen in the distance and two other adult birds came in from the sea after crossing the twelve kilometres to Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar giving us all superb close-up views. Montagu's harriers also put on a courtship display in front of us, climbing high then suddently tumbling out of the sky. Tawny Pipits sang and displayed on rocky hillsides kept company by Northern and the more colourful Black-eared Wheatears. The western Black-eared Wheatears (race hispanica) have a much more peach coloured mantle than the near 'black and white' eastern melanoleuca race as I've watched in Italy through to Turkey.
Eleven Northern Bald Ibis suddenly arrived to do a great fly-past near Tarifa's Los Lances beach just as we were about to take lunch. I rushed along a track with the mini-bus trying to verify that they were from 'our' Bald Ibis from the re-introduction programme further west along the Strait. I was looking for leg bands and radio transmitters and had t wait until they go into view in my scope before I could confirm this. I immediately contacted Pablo, my biologist friend from the programme to tell him of their location.
Booted Eagles came across but they were high in the sky with Black Kites and just one Red Kite. Griffon Vultures were seen wheeling in great groups or travelling at speed along the spines of the various sierras that come down to the sea. We checked the Little Swift site and were pleased to see two birds there. Blue Rock Thrush were seen and two Common Kestrels mated on a high rock above the Griffons that were sitting on their nest ledges, already with chicks. Colourful finches galore fed along the way with Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Serins, Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Corn Buntings and the ubiquitous Stonechats and local butterflies and wild flowers delighting our guests.

1st - 8th April - Marbled Ducks, Red-knobbed Coots and a Spanish Imperial Eagle - Who Could ask for More - Stephen Knapp writes
The first week of April can be great fun birding in the UK; the first migrants are in and with luck the weather may well be pleasant enough on one or two days to make a day in the field seem attractive. Having just spent that week leading one of our “Classic Southern Spain” tours where we birded the Coto Doñana region for three days before moving south to our hotel in Zahara de Los Atunes for four days birding the areas near the Strait of Gibraltar, I know where I would prefer to be!
The Coto Doñana region is an amazing place to bird watch. As perhaps the most important wetland area in Europe, the region supports amazing numbers of breeding waterbirds and the very gentle rolling wooded hillsides to the north of the wetlands provides crucial habitat for many of the regions other highly sought after birds.
At the “heart” of the Doñana is the Parque Nacional, with it’s vast areas of dunes, salt marsh, lagoons and on the higher grounds, woodland. This spectacular and strangely beautiful reserve is effectively closed to all but licensed researchers, which means birders are restricted to the Parque Natural which forms the buffer around the Parque Nacional. Whilst this is frustrating in many ways, with local knowledge it is still possible to see the fantastic diversity of bird species found in this region. For me, the highlights of birding here for three days were a pair of Marbled Duck alongside scores of Black-necked Grebes (in full breeding plumage) Garganey and Red-crested Pochard, a single Red-knobbed Coot at close range, a Spanish Imperial Eagle seen briefly flying off inside the woodlands and a total of 6 Marsh Sandpipers. The sheer numbers of Flamingos, Herons, Egrets, Spoonbills, Terns, Waders and Raptors and the anticipations of finding yet another “new” migrant is however the real magic of the Doñana.

Despite being no more than two hours drive away from the vast flatness of the Doñana, the scenery near the Strait of Gibraltar is very different. The mountains of the Alcornocales, the coastal sierras, the rolling grasslands of La Janda and the stunning coastline over-looking Morocco provide a welcome visual backdrop to one of the best birding areas in Europe. Highlights for me were undoubtedly the 16 species of raptor most of which were present in good numbers and gave great close views, including scores of Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Montagu’s Harriers, great close views of Black-shouldered Kites, Egyptian Vulture, and a migrating party of 23 Honey Buzzards heading north. Nightingales everywhere, Rock and Cirl Buntings by the mountain stream, Blue Rock Thrush and Black-eared Wheatear on roman ruins, dusty tracks with Crested, Short-toed and Calandra Larks, Yellow Wagtails and Tawny Pipits, and dozens of fresh migrants newly in from Africa making there way north.
Whilst we largely concentrated on the land birds, the coastal and inland waters of this region support, albeit in far smaller numbers, most of the wetland bird species seen at the Doñana, in fact, we even added a few to our list including Great White Egret, White-headed Duck, 17 Bald Ibis…..free-flying birds from the re-introduction programme, Caspian Terns, plus several gull and wader species.
A fabulous week birding set amidst dramatic and beautiful scenery. Oh, and the weather was fabulous!
The full list of species recorded for the week will be posted on the web site shortly.

2nd-9th April - Little Swifts, Pintail Sandgrouse, and a Melanistic Montagu's Harrier - Stephen Daly writes
Last week was really busy with the two Spring tours running at the same time. I met my colleague Dave Hollman and our clients from the Limosa and the Travelling Naturalist group at Seville airport, collected our mini-buses and headed over to El Rocío in Huelva province to start the tour. With heavier rainfall this spring than last year, the laguna in front of our hotel looked super with higher water levels and plenty of birds. Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Collared Pratincoles, Eurasian Spoonbills, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingoes and a host of hirundines with Pallid and Common Swifts feeding over the laguna, made a spectacular site. There were masses of duck which included Mallards, Shovellers, Garganey's, Teal, Common and Red-crested Pochard's Huge numbers of Common Coots but alas no sign any Red-knobbed Coot. Stephen Knapp did manage to find some though at another site in Seville Province.
Over the next few days in the Doñana area we discovered lots of great birds in generally superb weather. Our group had some stunning views of Montagu's Harriers, Pintail Sandgrouse and a lovely hepatic form of the Common Cuckoo route to various sites. The Sandgrouse put on a magnificent flying display for us, racing round a field and calling all the time as they flew around us.
Azure-winged Magpies, Bee-eaters, Hoopoes and Black Kites were in profusion in certain areas along the Corredor Verde as we literally bounced our way down to the José Antonio Valverde Centre. Purple Swamphens, Great White Egrets, Black Storks, Purple Herons and Glossy Ibis all kept us company along the tracks leading to and from the centre. Good views of Short-toed Larks, Calandra Larks and Crested and Thekla Larks were also had with Corn Buntings, Stonechats and Woodchat Shrikes popping up on posts along the route.
Our stay at our hotel was very comfortable and it was a great location on the waters edge with the chance to go out early and check the masses of waders and other birds.
When we left the flatlands and intense agricultural areas of the Doñana delta and moved across into Cadiz province we stopped en route to check out the Laguna de medina. Here, White-headed Ducks were our prize and with Whiskered Terns, Black-necked Grebes and Little and Great Crested Grebes displaying on the laguna and with Nightingales, Cetti's and Sardinian Warblers flitting and calling around us, it made for a lovely break from our journey.
Our second base was right on the Strait opposite Morocco at Zahara de los Atunes. Seeking out the wonderful Montagu's Harriers of the coast and the rolling hills inland, we also had great views of Short-toed and both phases of Booted Eagles. Bee-eaters were watched coming over from Africa as were flocks of White Storks and Black Kites.
                                              

Ocellated Lizards are great reptiles to watch. We managed to see several during our time spent on the Strait. These sun-loving large reptiles can measure up to 35cms from heat to tail!
We took time to locate and study the globally rare Northern Bald Ibis that now fly freely along the Spanish side of the Strait - such a wonderful sight to see! Egyptian Vultures displayed in the high pinnacles of the limestone sierras and masses of Griffon Vultures were continually around us. We took time to watch one Griffon adult feed its chick on regurgitated meat on its nest on a craggy ledge.
Two pairs of Little Swifts came as a welcome surprise flying along the limestone crags with House Martins and Crag Martins. Essentially North African species, Little swifts breed now in small numbers in Spain. Blue Rock Thrushes, Black-eared Wheatears, Tawny Pipits, Northern Wheatears and stunning views of Bonelli's Warbler and Cirl Buntings in the Ojen Valley and along the tracks and roads of the Alcornocales Natural Park.
Butterflies abounded on both sides of the Río Guadalquivir, with Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, S Tortoisehell, Wall Brown, Spanish Festoon, Moroccan Orange Tip and Green Striped White. Other interesting insects included two different types of Oil Beetles, various ladybirds and day flying moths.
Raptor views got progressively better as the week went on with Short-toed and Booted Eagles flying close by with the additional bonus of all three harriers visible on the Strait at the same time. Montagu's, Marsh and Hen Harriers!
Black-shouldered Kites were seen at three different locations and put on some wonderful fly pasts. Long may the numbers of these birds increase on the Iberian peninsular. All in all a great weeks birding and wildlife was had by all.
A more detailed account of this tour will be found on Limosa Holiday's website some time in the future.

1st April - Bee-eaters, Turtle Doves and Night Herons over our House - Stephen Daly writes
Final preparations for the first spring tour kept me at home today. The builders were also busy working on some home improvements and needed a helping hand and there was gardening to do besides! It seemed to be not a bad choice as migrating birds were coming over the garden at various altitudes all afternoon. First a flight of twenty six Night Herons flew across and later a Sparrowhawk was seen high on a thermal joining a group of White Storks and Griffon Vultures. Two Booted Eagles came across and one Short-toed Eagle.
I went out later at dusk to see if I could find any Red-necked Nightjars in the nearby forest. It was too early for the arrival of these wonderful night birds, but I did see some Tawny Owls.
Stephen Knapp started his tour collecting our clients from Seville and going across to Huelva province to El Rocío and I was ready to start a similar tour, this time for Limosa Holidays and the Travelling Naturalists to the Coto Doñana and thereafter to the Strait of Gibraltar.