This report appears by kind permission of one of our guests, Dave Beetham, a keen birdwatcher who compiled his list during his week's stay at Finca Limoneros from 20 - 27 September 2003. A total of 89 species were recorded.
Dave noted that visits at this time to La Laguna de Fuente de Piedra and Laguna Dulce at Campillos were disappointing as Dulce was completely dry whilst Fuente was almost so, with only very distant views of Greater Flamingoes and some unidentifiable waterfowl in the middle of the lake. (Fuente had in fact much more water on my own visit only a week or so later, and close views of Flamingoes and other water birds were to be had).
Our thanks to Dave for providing a useful guide as to what birdwatchers visiting in the early Autumn can expect.
Dave noted that visits at this time to La Laguna de Fuente de Piedra and Laguna Dulce at Campillos were disappointing as Dulce was completely dry whilst Fuente was almost so, with only very distant views of Greater Flamingoes and some unidentifiable waterfowl in the middle of the lake. (Fuente had in fact much more water on my own visit only a week or so later, and close views of Flamingoes and other water birds were to be had).
Our thanks to Dave for providing a useful guide as to what birdwatchers visiting in the early Autumn can expect.
| Name | Locations |
| Great Crested Grebe (podiceps cristatus) | 6 on the Embalsa del Conde. |
| Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) |
1 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) |
Seen daily from Finca Limoneros more numerous than Little Egret. |
| Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) |
Seen daily from Finca Limoneros and 6 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) |
20+ at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce also on the river at Alora and the Ardales Lakes. |
| Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) |
3 overhead whilst travelling down the A357 and 2 flew over Embalsa del Conde. |
| Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) |
11 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Great Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) |
400+ at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. |
| Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) |
Small numbers at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) |
1 flew south west over the Finca Limoneros. |
| Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) |
Seen in numbers at most mountainous areas. |
| Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) |
Seen twice from the Finca Limoneros. |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) |
2 seen at El Chorro. |
| Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) |
1 from Finca Limoneros and 1 at the Guadalhorce river Alora both pale form. |
| Bonelli’s Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus) |
2 at El Chorro and 1 carrying a stick at Teba Gorge plus an immature bird at ArdalesLakes. |
| Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) |
1 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce flying west. |
| Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) |
1 at Teba Gorge and 1 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) |
Seen from Finca Limoneros, El Chorro and Ardales. |
| Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) |
Seen at Guadalhorce river Alora, Laguna de Fuente de Piedra and other sites not logged. |
| Coot (Fulica atra) |
Seen at Guadalhorce river Alora, Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. |
| Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) |
6 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) |
2 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) |
3 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce and 1 at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. |
| Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) |
6 at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. |
| Dunlin (Calidris alpina) |
2 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) |
1 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) |
4+ at Guadalhorce river Alora. |
| Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) |
20+ at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnans michahellis) |
6 at Embalse Guadalhorce, 3 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) |
Seen in numbers at El Chorro and Teba Gorges. There were many Feral Pigeons there also. |
| Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) |
Seen daily at the FincaLimoneros. |
| Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) |
1 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) |
10+ at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Little Owl (Athene noctua) |
1 heard late evening at Finca Limoneros. |
| Common Swift (Apus apus) |
Several seen from Finca Limoneros. |
| White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer) |
2+ seen passing through on the north side of El Chorro. |
| Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) |
2 at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) |
10+ mainly juveniles seen from Finca Limoneros. |
| Hoopoe (Upupa epops) |
Seen at close quarters on the track to Finca Limoneros and 6 near the Guadalhorce river Alora. |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) |
2 at El Chorro. |
| Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) |
Common. |
| Thekla Lark (Galerida theklae) |
2 at Las Ruinas de Bobastro. |
| Woodlark (Lullula arborea) |
1 at Embalsa del Conde. |
| Crag Martin (Hirundo rupestris) |
Good numbers at El Chorro and Teba Gorges. |
| Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) |
Passing through the valley in numbers at Finca Limoneros. |
| Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica) |
Seen at El Chorro and Finca Limoneros. |
| House Martin (Delichon urbica) |
Regular at Finca Limoneros. |
| Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) |
Seen at Teba Gorge and ArdalesLakes. |
| Pied/White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) |
Pied were seen at Finca Limoneros and Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. White at Guadalhorce river Alora and Ardales Lakes. |
| Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) |
1 seen at Teba Gorge |
| Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) |
1 seen in the El Chorro Gorge north side. |
| Stonechat (Saxicola torquata) |
Regular sitings at El Chorro, Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce, and Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. |
| Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) |
2 seen at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) |
1 at El Chorro north side. |
| Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) |
Seen at Teba Gorge and regular sitings in the El Chorro area. |
| Blackbird (Turdus merula) |
Common |
| Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti) |
Heard and occasionally seen at most locations where there is water. |
| Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis) |
Everywhere or so it seemed. |
| Olivaceous Warbler (Hippolais pallida) |
Walking from Finca Limoneros to Alora, 1 seen in a lemon grove. |
| Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta) |
1 at Embalsa del Conde. |
| Spectacled Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata) |
2 1st winter birds feeding on figs at Finca Limoneros. |
| Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) |
Common |
| Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) |
1 at El Chorro. |
| Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) |
1 at El Chorro and 1 male and 3 females at Ardales Lakes. |
| Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) |
Seen at El Chorro. |
| Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) |
Several 1st winter birds seen at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce. |
| Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) |
2 seen at El Chorro north side. |
| Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) |
3 at El Chorro and 1 at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. |
| Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) |
2 Embalsa del Conde and 2 at El Chorro Gorge north side. |
| Crested Tit (Parus cristatus) |
4+ at El Chorro. |
| Coal Tit (Parus ater) |
Seen frequently in the pine woods at El Chorro. |
| Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) |
Seen frequently in the pine woods at El Chorro. |
| Great Tit (Parus major) |
Seen frequently in the pine woods at El Chorro. |
| Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) |
2 at El Chorro. |
| Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla) |
3 sitings in the El Chorro area north side. |
| Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) |
2 on wires above the railway, El Chorro south side. |
| Jay (Garrulus glandarius) |
Seen at ArdalesLakes and El Chorro. |
| Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) |
Seen at El Chorro Gorge. Disappointing, expecting more. |
| Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) |
Seen at Teba Gorge and regularly along the valley in front of Finca Limoneros. |
| Raven (Corvus corax) |
2 flew past Finca Limoneros. |
| Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) |
Common. |
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) |
Very Common. |
| Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) |
Several sitings in the El Chorro area. |
| Serin (Serinus serinus) |
Seen at most locations. |
| Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) |
Small flock at Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce and in the olive groves at Finca Limoneros. |
| Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) |
Very Common. |
| Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) |
Seen and more often heard from the tops of the pines at El Chorro and Ardales Lakes. |
| Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) |
1 at El Chorro north side. |
| Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) |
2 at El Chorro north side. |