TRIP REPORT

GIBRALTAR & SOUTHERN SPAIN 1-9-2012 T0 8-9-2012

(PHOTOGRAPHING RAPTORS)

GLYN SELLORS

MALE HONEY BUZZARD - LA JANDA

ITINERARY

WE FLEW INTO GIBRALTAR ( EVENTUALLY ) , WE WERE DIVERTED TO MALAGA FOR 2 HOURS BECAUSE OF A BOMB SCARE AT GIBRALTAR AIRPORT - WHEN WE ARRIVED IT WAS TOO LATE TO COLLECT OUR CAR HIRE - SO WE COLLECTED IT THE NEXT MORNING FROM SPAIN - THIS MEANS CROSSING THE BORDER FROM GIBRALTAR - THAT’S WHY I WOULDN’T STAY IN GIBRALTAR AGAIN - YOU HAVE TO QUEUE TO GET BACK INTO GIBRALTAR FROM SPAIN - BUT IF THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT I WOULD DO A DAY TRIP. OUR HOTEL WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF GIBRALTAR - THE CALETA HOTEL WAS OK & WE DID GET A SEA VIEW - GOOD FOR WATCHING CORY’S & BALEARIC SHEARWATERS IN THE EVENING FROM OUR BALCONY ON THE FORTH FLOOR. MOST OF OUR BIRDING WAS DONE IN SPAIN - WE ONLY STAYED IN GIBRALTAR ON THE LAST DAY - THAT’S BECAUSE JESSIE J WAS DOING A CONCERT & I DIDN’T WANT TO GET STUCK IN THE QUEUE TAKING OUR CAR BACK INTO SPAIN OVER THE BORDER- WE DID HAVE QUITE A GOOD PASSAGE OF RAPTORS OVER THE UPPER ROCK ON OUR LAST DAY - THE FIRST TIME ALL WEEK THAT IT WASN’T TOO WINDY. GIBRALTAR IS IDEALLY SITUATED FOR RAPTORS PASSING OVER THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR TO AFRICA - THE IDEAL WIND IS WESTERLEY- WE HAD BLASTING EASTERLIES ALL WEEK - YOU PRAY FOR THEM IN THE UK IN AUTUMN - SO THAT’S WHY WE VISTED MAINLAND SPAIN EVERY DAY - TARIFA TO THE WEST OF GIBRALTAR IS MUCH BETTER IF THE WIND IS EASTERLY. SPAIN IS A BIG COUNTRY, SO WE CONCENTRATED OUR BIRDING AROUND TARIFA & LA JANDA - LA JANDA IS ABOUT AN HOUR’S DRIVE FROM GIBRALTAR. I WANTED TO TRY AND PHOTOGRAPH HONEY BUZZARDS - I WAS PANICKING A BIT-WE’D ONLY SEEN 6 AFTER 4 DAYS, BUT EVENTUALLY WE WERE LUCKY AT SIERRA DE LA PLATTA NEAR BOLONIA - A KNOWN SITE FOR WHITE-RUMPED SWIFTS - WE DIDN’T SEE THEM - BUT WE DID SEE LOTS OF RAPTORS. BECAUSE OF THE STRONG EASTERLY WINDS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CHECK TARIFA BEACH FOR GULLS & TERNS ETC.

FACTS & FIGURES

FLIGHTS & HOTEL FROM EAST MIDLANDS TO GIBRALTAR - £1250 CAR PARKING - EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT - AIRPARKS - £60 CAR HIRE - OVER THE BORDER IN SPAIN - £200 FUEL - DIESEL - SIMILAR TO UK PRICES

TOTAL COSTS - APPROX. £ 1700

SYSTEMAIC LIST

MALLARD GADWALL LITTLE GREBE CORY’S SHEARWATER - GOOD NUMBERS FROM HOTEL CALETA, GIBRALTAR BALEARIC SHEARWATER - GOOD NUMBERS FROM CALETA HOTEL, GIBRALTAR CORMORANT CATTLE EGRET - COMMON LITTLE EGRET GREY HERON PURPLE HERON - C. 3 AT LA JANDA WHITE STORK - COMMON - 500 OVER SIERRA DE LA PLATTA, BOLONIA GLOSSY IBIS - SEVERAL HUNDRED AT LA JANDA GRIFFON VULTURE EGYPTIAN VULTURE - C. 35 0VER GIBRALTAR & A FEW AT TARIFA & SIERRA DE LA PLATTA, BOLONIA SHORT-TOED EAGLE - C. 50 IN TOTAL BOOTED EAGLE - SEVEAL HUNDRED - GIBRALTAR, LA JANDA, SIERRA DE LA PLATTA,BOLONIA & GETARES. BLACK KITE - COMMON PASSAGE MIGRANT MARSH HARRIER - C. 10 AT LA JANDA

MONTAGU’S HARRIER - C. 12 AT LA JANDA - INCLUDING A DARK PHASE MALE - ALSO 1 AT SIERRA DE LA PLATTA, BOLONIA & 1 OVER GIBRALTAR BUZZARD HONEY BUZZARD - SEVERAL HUNDRED IN TOTAL - EVENTUALLY - BEST SITE WAS SIERRA DE LA PLATTA, BOLONIA - STUNNING VARIATION IN PLUMAGE SPARROWHAWK - QUITE A FEW PASSAGE MIGRANTS BLACK-WINGED KITE - AN ADULT AT LA JANDA KESTERL LESSER KESTERL - C. 12 HUNTING FIELDS NEAR LA JANDA LANNER FALCON - A JUVENILE OVER SIERRA DE LA PLATTA, BOLONIA MOORHEN COOT OYSTERCATCHER RINGED PLOVER KENTISH PLOVER GREY PLOVER SANDERLING TURNSTONE GREEN SANDPIPER - C. 3 AT LA JANDA BLACK-HEADED GULL MEDITERRANEAN GULL YELLOW-LEGGED GULL SANDWICH TERN WOOD PIGEON TURTLE DOVE SWIFT PALLID SWIFT ALPINE SWIFT HOOPOE - BEST SITE WAS LA JANDA - C. 10 KINGFISHER BEE-EATER - COMMON PASSAGE MIGRANT CRESTED LARK THEKLA LARK - 2 NEAR BOLONIA SAND MARTIN BARN SWALLOW RED-RUMPED SWALLOW HOUSE MARTIN YELLOW WAGTAIL ROBIN WHEATEAR BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR STONECHAT - COMMOM BLACKCAP WHITETHROAT SARDINIAN WARBLER

CHIFFCHAFF WREN SPOTTED FLYCATCHER WOODCHAT SHRIKE MAGPIE RAVEN STARLING HOUSE SPARROW CHAFFINCH GOLDFINCH GREENFINCH

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BOOTED EAGLE - DARK PHASE

BOOTED EAGLE

BOOTED EAGLE

GRIFFON VULTURE

JUVENILE PURPLE HERON

FEMALE HONEY BUZZARD

JUVENILE BLACK KITE

FEMALE LESSER KESTREL

HOOPOE

GLOSSY IBISES

DARK MALE MONTAGU’S HARRIER

SHORT-TOED EAGLE

MALE HONEY BUZZARD

DARK MALE HONEY BUZZARD

FEMALE HONEY BUZZARD

WHITE STORKS

WHITE STORKS

MALE HONEY BUZZARD

MALE HONEY BUZZARD

MALE HONEY BUZZARD

JUVENILE HONEY BUZZARD

BOOTED EAGLE

RAPTOR WATCHING

JUVENILE EGYPTIAN VULTURE

ADULT EGYPTIAN VULTURE