Introduction
This was primarily a family holiday with a few day trips to good birding spots.
The ferry was excellent for Dolphins on the outward journey and for Whales on the return. I only spent 5 hours seawatching on each leg and could have seen higher numbers of all species, but the only cetaceans I missed were Minke Whale and Harbour Porpoise. The journey South to Malaga was broken with 3 nights camping at Monfrague where it was very hot with temperatures in the high 40's. The campsite had excellent facilities including a tour guide who told me that the Spanish Imperial Eagle nest on the pylon near Torrejon still had young and that there was no point looking for Eagle Owl at this time of year only in the spring. He was wrong on both counts and I failed to see the Eagle, but did not put in much time at the recognised places, but did see the Owl early one morning. If using the campsite as a base, beware that the gates are locked till c.8 a.m. and drastic action was called for to ensure an early start. The next two weeks were spent at a villa, just west of Malaga, with occasional trips to good birding sites.
Itinerary
July 29th - 31st - Pride of Bilbao
August 1st - 2nd - Monfrague
August 3rd - 16th - Malaga, with trips to Coto Donana -7/8, Laguna Medina-12/8 etc.
August 17th - Castro Urdiales
August 18th-19th - Pride of Bilbao
Birds
Having spent some time in Northern Spain in August 2000, I had already seen some of the typical 'Target' species either then or as vagrants to Britain so I did not put in much effort to see birds such as Rock Sparrow, Rock Bunting, Audouin's and Slender-billed Gulls etc. I missed the Spanish Imperial Eagle as already mentioned, I also missed White-rumped Swift which I looked for in a valley near Casares without any luck. I did not check the Castillo at Monfrague. I looked for Western Reef Heron at the Coto Donana, which was assumed still present, despite no further entries in the log since Mick Watt's party in early June.
Systematic List - 112 species recorded
Little Grebe A few on the Coto Donana and many on Luguna Medina
Great-crested Grebe 2 from Lucio Cerrado Centre and a few on Laguna Medina
Black-necked Grebe A few on Laguna Medina
Storm Petrel 9 at sea on the return crossing
Gannet 1 on the outward journey and 3 on the return
Cormorant In flight over Malaga
Night Heron Abundant at the Coto Donana
Squacco Heron Abundant at the Coto Donana
Cattle Egret A few in Cattle fields in the South and around troughs. A large heronry near Santa Marta de Magasca
Little Egret Many around the Lucio Cerrado Centre, a few on Laguna Medina
Grey Heron A few in the Coto Donana
Purple Heron A few in the Coto Donana
White Stork A few from the car in Northern Spain and abundant at Coto Donana
Glossy Ibis c.100 around the Lucio Cerrado Centre
Spoonbill A few in the Coto Donana
Greater Flamingo Many at the Coto Donana
Gadwall A few on Lagune Medina
Teal 2 in the Coto Donana
Mallard 9 recorded on a farm pond near Trujillo Many moulting at Laguna Medina, 1 at Guadalmar on the river.
Shoveler 2 in the Coto Donana
Marbled Duck 2 in flight near the Lucio Cerrado Cenre
Red-crested Pochard Many on the Laguna Medina
Pochard A few on the Laguna Medina
White-headed Duck At least 50 on the Laguna Medina but no accurate count made.
Black-shouldered Kite 1 on wires at site 10 in John Muddeman's book p.58, near Monroy. Showed well early morning perched and hunting over fields but not seen mid afternoon.
Black Kite Common everywhere with 50 in the air together over Laguna Medina
Red Kite Only 1 recorded just north of Monfrague
Egyptian Vulture c.3 at the north entrance to Monfrague
Griffon Vulture Common throughout Monfrague. 1 in the north North and a few in the south of Spain.
Black Vulture 3 roosting distantly from the Mirador de la Bascula and 3 in flight at the Northern entrance to Monfrague, one very close over the car.
Short-toed Eagle 2 on poles at the Coto Donana
Marsh Harrier 1 in flight at the Coto Donana
Montagu's Harrier 1 in the steppes near Santa Marta de Magasca and a male in flight in the south of Spain
Sparrowhawk 1 soaring over the campsite at Castro Urdiales Northern Spain
Common Buzzard A few in flight on the southward journey through Spain.
Booted Eagle 1 dark phase at Monroy, 4, 2 pale at Gibralter, 1 pale nr Casares
Lesser Kestrel A few in the Coto Donana
Common Kestrel Common throughout
Red-legged Partridge Regularly seen in small groups e.g. Mirador de la Bascula, Laguna Medina
Moorhen 1 at Coto Donana
Purple Gallinule 3 near or from the Lucio Cerrado Centre
Coot 2 on the river at Guadalmar, a few at Lucio Cerrado Centre and c.10,000 at Laguna Medina
Crested Coot 1 superb adult with knobs at Laguna Medina - not necked collared.
Great Bustard 2 in fields near Santa Marta de Magasca
Black-winged Stilt 4 at Guadalmar and many at Coto Donana
Avocet A few at Coto Donana
Stone Curlew 5 in dry fields in Coto Donana
Ringed Plover 1 at Coto Donana
Lapwing 2 at Coto Donana
Dunlin A few in Coto Donana
Redshank A few in Coto Donana
Greenshank A few in Coto Donana
Common Sandpiper One on the rio Almonte S. of Monroy, a few elsewhere.
Grey Phalarope 2 from the ferry on the return journey
Black-headed Gull Uncommon - a few in the north nr. Bilbao
Yellow-legged Gull Common on the coasts.
Lesser Black-backed Gull A couple from the ferry on the outward journey.
Common Tern 2 seen on the return ferry crossing.
Whiskered Tern Common at Coto Donana, 1 at Laguna Medina.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse 2 seen in flight- 1 near Santa Marta de Magasca and 1 near Monroy
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse 1 seen in flight near Santa Marta de Magasca
Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon Abundant
Wood Pigeon A few seen in flight across roads
Collared Dove Common
Turtle Dove A few seen in most locations
Monk Parakeet c.100 seen on waste ground in Guadalmar
Eagle Owl One of the adult Tietar cliffs birds performed superbly at 7.15 one morning flying across the cliff and sitting in daylight on top of a rock to the right of the cliff.
Tawny Owl One perched on roadside wires near Madrid
Red-necked Nightjar 1 calling for 3 nights at the back of the Villa at Malaga, seen briefly in flight on the second evening.
Common Swift Common particularly in the north.
Pallid Swift A few at Ronda and Casares
Kingfisher 1 at Laguna Medina
Bee-eater Common in Monfrague
Roller 2 seen on wires south of Monfrague
Hoopoe A few seen around Monfrague
Green Woodpecker 1 in flight across the road in Northern Spain
Short-toed Lark A few in Coto Donana
Crested Lark Common Everywhere
Thekla Lark 3 identified in dry fields near Monroy
Woodlark 1 seen in Monfrague
Sand Martin a few at the Laguna Medina
Crag Martin A few at Ronda and some at the bridge over rio Almonte S. of Monroy
Swallow Common throughout
Red-rumped Swallow A few in the South around Casares.
House Martin Common throughout
Yellow Wagtail 2 at the Coto Donana
White Wagtail A few seen particularly in the north.
Stonechat Common
Black Wheatear 1 at Casares and 1 near Teba.
Blackbird Common
Melodious Warbler 1 in bushes near Monroy
Whitethroat 1 in bushes near Monroy
Sardinian Warbler 1 around the gardens at the villa
Fan-tailed Warbler 1 at Guadalmar, 1 at Laguna Medina, a few in the Coto Donana
Spotted Flycatcher 1 around the villa
Long-tailed Tit A family party at the Monfrague campsite
Blue Tit A few around the campsite at Monfrague
Great Tit A few around the campsite at Monfrague
Southern Grey Shrike A few around Monfrague, also at Coto Donana
Woodchat Shrike A few around Monfrague and at the Coto Donana and a juv. at Laguna Medina
Azure-winged Magpie Common in Monfrague with c. 35 to roost from the campsite
Magpie A few particularly in the north
Jackdaw 2 near Teba
Carrion Crow A few widely scattered records
Raven 2 in Monfrague
Spotless Starling Common
House Sparrow Common
Spanish Sparrow Common in the Coto Donana
Greenfinch A few seen
Goldfinch A few seen
Corn Bunting Common in the steppes nr. Monroy
Cetaceans
Striped Dolphin - 120 seen well on outward journey c. 40 on the return.
Common Dolphin - A large school estimated at c. 500 on outward journey.
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6 on outward leg and a few on the return.
Long-finned Pilot Whale - 2 on the return journey with Bottle-nosed Dolphin's
Cuvier's Beaked Whale - A bull close to the boat on the return journey
Sperm Whale - 1 blowing mid distance before fluking on the return leg.
Fin Whale - 4+ including a female and calf.
Butterflies
Scarce Swallowtail
Long-tailed Blue
African Grass Blue
Bath White
Silver-washed Fritillary
Clouded Yellow
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Speckled Wood