Andalucian adventures - part two

More about our birding trip to the South of Spain last September!

Sights visited: Bonanza Salinas & Algaida Marismas (wetlands)

Doñana National Park is one of Europe's most important wetland sites - particularly for wintering migrant birds. Access to the core of the park itself is restricted, but these sites in the surrounding area attract many of the same birds.


Driving towards Trebujena to enter the Marismas area, we were surprised to see an adult Imperial Eagle perched on a pylon - presumably one of the Doñana birds. Sadly as it's a fast & busy stretch of road, we couldn't stop for a better look.

We always like to come through the Trebujena end of the area, as you get a spectacular view down across the river and marshes. In the early autumn, it's also very nice to see the grapes being harvested in the vineyards as you pass through.

As there had been very little rainfall all year, the area of Marismas between Trebujena and Algaida were extremely desiccated, so most of the wildlife was concentrated along the drainage channels. Unfortunately, since many of the wider channels seem to have been dredged in the previous winter, the banks are now so high that it is impossible to see down into the channels from a car. This made getting views of Purple Swamp Hens and Jack Snipe more difficult than in previous years. This section of the wetlands does tend to be of more interest in the Spring, when the area is wet & verdant. However, it's a good area for both Short-toed and Lesser Short-Toed Lark, Corn Buntings and Stonechats and we had a Red Kite circling above us for quite some time. 

Crested Lark & Stonechat

A number of small raised pools just before the road reaches the river are generally worth a  stop for a look for smaller waders, Little Grebe, Stilts, Wood Sandpiper, and Squacco Herons - as well as the Greylag Geese that are the emblem of the Park.

Moving on alongside the Guadalquivir river towards the fish farm, there were plenty of birds to see, such as young Flamingos, Black Winged Stilts, Shovellers, Avocets, Cormorants, Little & Cattle Egrets. I spent some time with a pair of juvenile Flamingos on a small inlet, playing with reflection shots.

Greater Flamingos (Even though the smaller one is very small it is a greater)

Just before Algaida village, a clump Tamarisk bushes is a daytime roost for a large colony of Night Herons. If disturbed, we've seen up to 60 birds stream out, and circle round a few times before settling back once more.

Knight Herons (Juveniles and Adult leaving the roost)

The Algaida pinewoods are home to a substantial number of Black Kites, as well as a very elusive group of Azure-winged Magpies, which we've never yet managed to see in this location. As the track through the woods is in a very poor state, we tend to drive through the village instead,  stopping for a look at the Laguna Tarelo, where you can reliably see White-headed Ducks. It does seem a bit incongruous to find one of Europe's rarest ducks surrounded by agricultural poly-tunnels & cloches!

White-headed Duck (Spring)

The Salinas at Bonanza can be fantastic for getting close views of many small waders, gulls, terns and of course, Flamingos. It always seems a little bit strange following the sign for the Parque Natural and turning into a salt works. It's interesting to see how this traditional industry of salt-extraction provides such an important habitat for wildlife. There always seem to be one or two evaporation pools which are at just the perfect stage to provide a feast for migrant birds. A particular speciality of the site is Slender-billed Gulls, although these are at their best when viewed in the Spring to get their lovely pinkish breeding plumage.

 This autumn, the dry conditions in the surrounding area seemed to have made the Salinas a magnet for all manner of waders, including Dunlin, Knots, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, Kentish & Little-ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshanks, Spotted Redshanks and even a pair of Red-necked Phalarope. We also spotted two Ospreys, both dining on their own fishy catches. With a bit of patience I finally got a shot I've always wanted - showing both an Osprey and a Flamingo.

Osprey & Greater Flamingo

Behind the Salinas, is a large lagoon & pumping stations - which is always absolutely packed with birds. As well as more of the waders seen on the main Salinas, there were Sandpipers, lots of Spoonbill and White Storks and a small number of Black Storks. This is also a  good place to see Kingfishers, who often fish off the weir, and Little Terns plunging into the out-flow from the pump for small fish.


Laguna de Medina and Puerto Real lagunas

The Laguna de Medina is one of the largest lakes in the Cadiz area, and becomes very important for birdlife in dry years, when most of the other smaller lagoons in the area dry up completely. It attracts some great species, including rarities like the Red-knobbed Coot, Ferruginous Duck, Marbled Teal & White-headed Duck, as well as Pintails, lots of Grebes, Egrets, Spoonbills, Grey, Squacco & Night Heron and the largest numbers of Coots we've ever seen!

However, it's not an ideal location for photography, as it can be quite difficult to get a good view of the birds. Most of the lake is fringed with a thick reed-bed, and for much of the way round, the path is separated from the water by dense bushes, so you can't actually see much of the water. There is a comfortable observation hide part-way round, but most of the birds tend to be at either end of the lake.

Marbled Duck (Teal)

It's still a very pleasant place to visit and for me, one of the big attractions is the huge variety of dragonflies & damselflies to be seen.  I love watching shimmering, iridescent male Greater Emperor dragonflies patrolling up and down the path. Trying to photograph them hovering is always fun!

The surrounding Olive groves are good for huge numbers of Red-legged Partridges and Woodchat Shrike.

Woodchat Shrike

This year, I was really annoyed with myself for not being quicker off the mark, when we rounded a corner & a Booted Eagle took off from the bushes directly in front of us!

A short drive away from the Laguna Medina are a series of three much smaller lakes, just outside Puerto Real. They are reached through a very pleasant - though bumpy!- drive through a Stone Pine woodland and fields.

Pair of Stonechats

This site is generally very good for raptors. We've seen juvenile Imperial Eagles and Black-winged Kites in the past, and this year we had Booted Eagle, Buzzards and Black Kites. All of the Lagunas were dry during our visit, so the birds to be seen were mainly Stonechats, Wheatears, Partridges, Hoopoe and Spanish Sparrows. We were particularly looking for Stone Curlew during our visit, as there are usually a large flock of them in the fields around the Laguna del Taraje. We did find them, but weren't able to get close enough for photos, as they are very skittish!