James Dee Birding

On my third attempt since arriving back in Spain in February, I finally spotted a Ruppell's Vulture  amongst the numerous Griffon's on the rock face.  I directed the recently arrived Polish tour group (about the fourth I'd seen at the site during my visits - the others weren't so lucky) onto the bird and lined it up in one of their scopes, but within a minute it was flying, circling several times over our heads before disappearing NE. I've missed this species so many times since 2017 it was driving me crazy so I was happy to finally experience one. At least I managed to snap some photos before it flew off but I was hoping for some of it perched.  Perhaps next year.  

 The unbelievable tree on la Janda gave up an unbelievable SIX Little Buntings  today.  Having seen four on the 27th March and two on the 26th march, I was surprised but not overly shocked.  Someone had seen four here in 2024 I believe.  But on those previous visits I hadn't seen Rustic Bunting, and that's why I decided to return and give it a longer go. The Little Buntings seem to co-operate if you go very slowly by yourself in the area of their favoured trees.  I think this is why many tour groups are missing them - too many people making too much human presence for them.  They do fly off once you are there for a time, although in my experience, soem woudl return after a while.  This one takes patience, and nowhere else to be! After the Little Buntings, I took a walk along the river edge around the bow in the river.  One Rustic flew up and away into the undergrowth and did not show again.  Another or possibly the same bird was seen t...

At 7am, (Nacho) Ignacio Barrioneuvo met me at Restaurante Apolo XI near Facinas.  We ordered coffee and some sandwiches to go.   At around 9 am after 10-15 mins searching, Nacho spotted our target, the  Isabelline Shrike,  my first in Europe. 45 minutes later we visited El Plantano where a Little Bittern  showed remarkably well after being flushed from beneath the hide.  In fact, I've never seen one so close for as long as this as it stayed in place for 5 or more minutes. We also heard three Penduline Tits whilst walking around here. After lunch at Brazo del Este PjeNat we noted 55 species including, three Wood Sandpipers, 19 Western Swamphens, 642 Avocet, 291 Black-tailed Godwit, 22 Green Sandpiper, 17 Greenshank, 2 Caspian Tern, 144 Greater Flamingoes, 1 Black Stork, 3 Black Kite, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Iberian Chiffchaff, 12 Bluethroat and 15 Common Waxbills.