Guadalhorce

12 May 2009

Thought I would get a real early start today as the Summer heat seems to intensify each day. By 12 noon it is quite hot and so I arrived at Guadalhorce when it was still dark at 6.00am. I had never been there in the dark before so ventured over the bridge into the reserve. The tall trees next to the river attracted my attention as I could hear an unusual screach coming from one of the trees. The moon was out which gave me a sillohette of the tree. I saw what looked like a kestrel, same size but the sound coming from it was not that of a kestrel. While I was looking at it another bird much the same size flew near it and both birds flew off and landed in the scrub in the field. Once they took to flight I reckon they were two Nightjars. When I got home I listened on the RSPB site at the Nightjar call, and sounded very similar. Never saw much else while it was dark but I could see the dawn starting to break in the East. When I got to the furthest hide near the sea hide the dawn chorus was in full swing. After sitting in this hide for about 10 mins I decided to go and as I left another Nightjar was flying straight at me. It saw me when it was about 3 metres away and veered to the left. I could make out the white undermarkings as it flapped it's wings. Great excitement. Other than this not much else happened. I waited down near the pond edge under cover for an hour and half and waited to see if any other waders would arrive, but the whole pond was taken over by the Black-winged Stilts. Other than a lone Redshank and a Little-ringed plover nothing else. It was now 10.00am so I started a slow walk back. I met Manuel Aravjo doing some digiscoping but on the pond was only a pair of White-headed duck. When I got to the hide overlooking the main pond there was a Grey Plover amongst the rocks. I had read Andy's blog report as he had seen this bird earlier, so this made up for the lack of waders, as this was a new bird sighting for me.
Birdlist: Nightjar, Shovelar, Black-winged Stilt, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Little-ringed Plover, Ringed plover, Redshank, Goldfinch, Swift, Swallow, Martin, Kestrel, Coot, Blackbird, Woodchat Shrike, White-headed duck, Grey Plover.