Armed with a Fiat 500 hire car, I headed out an hour before dawn on the 28th eventually arriving at Guadalhorce just after dawn. I say eventually, as normal I got lost and spent an extra 10 - 15 minutes or so, trying to get to the other side of Malaga Airport. Although dark, the plan was to keep the Med on my right and I can’t go wrong, sod’s law.
All good fun however, found a location to park and headed out along the river towards the sea, accessing the Reserve from the sea end. It was not my intention, having visited in 2019 with Lee and Mart, my compass was a little bit out and instead of finding the bridge onto the Reserve, I ended up at the sea end.
En route I had around 50 Glossy Ibis leaving the Reserve from roost, possibly from there or further afield, after this many species started giving themselves up, Nightingale for one, great to hear a number from the Reserve.
Reaching the sea didn’t produce the hoped for passing Cory’s Shearwater but did provide a couple of passing Gannets.
As I entered the Reserve, I spied 7 whitish Egret type birds coming in off the Sea, this turned out to remarkably be 6 Squacco Herons and a Cattle Egret, bearing in mind I had 6 Squacco’s on the 26th further up the coast, it’s entirely possible that it was the same birds.
As I entered the reserve, lots of waders everywhere dominated by Black Winged Stilt but so much more to see.
Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, Little, Kentish and Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Little Stint, Redshank, Greenshank, Avocet, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone and Whimbrel supporting.
Other goodies soon appeared in the shape of a pair of Woodchat Shrike, Marbled Teal, White Headed Duck, Red Rumped Swallow, Greater Flamingo and Crested Lark.
On the Gull front, ever present Yellow Legged Gulls, were joined by Slender Billed, Audouins and Mediterranean Gull, a large flock of Sandwich Terns also contained a Common Tern.
Over 3+ hours I thoroughly enjoyed it, missed out on others I have seen here in the past but a thoroughly enjoyable morning, this place and Spain never disappoints.
I really enjoyed reading this. I think it has sorted us for an autumn trip to Spain!
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