Recalling a most memorable visit to Spain's lovely Costa Del Sol
Posted By KEN HOOLES
Posted 6 months ago
One of my most memorable excursions occurred in the fall of 2007 when my wife and I were invited by friends to visit them at their rental villa in the Costa Del Sol in Southern Spain.
The Costa Del Sol is often referred to as the playground of the rich and famous in Europe. For me, it was an excellent opportunity to experience a new culture and to add some new bird species to my European list.
Our friend's villa was located on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean in a small rural area near Estepona. It had a nice swimming pool, a lovely garden, and a large tree at the end of the yard. There was an excellent view of the mountains nearby as well as part of a golf course. It was an ideal spot for bird watching!
Right on day one, I began to record new and old species of birds. In the gardens and walled areas, I located Corn and Cirl Buntings, Chaffinch, Green Finch, European Goldfinch, a Blackcap, Hedge Sparrow, Garden Warblers, Spotless Starlings, an Azure Magpie, Olivaceous and Melodious Warblers, Raven, Carrion Crow, and Jackdaw.
In a small pond area just down the road from the villa, I was pleased to find some old friends such as a Coot, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, and a Mallard Duck. A pleasant surprise in the pond was a Little Grebe.
On the golf course nearby, I spotted Egrets, Cattle Egrets, and a weird looking bird called a Hoopoe. High in the skies above the golf course and along the roadsides, I observed a rare White-tailed Hawk in migration, Red Kites, Sparrow Hawks, and Kestrels.
On a day's excursion to the Island of Gibraltar, a British bastion and the southernmost tip of Spain, I spotted lesser Blackbacked Gulls, Herring Gulls, Pied Wagtails, and a variety of Doves including Rock, Stock, and Turtle Doves.
The next day, we travelled to the walled city of Ronda. It is a fortress city built high in the mountains and is famous for both its architecture and its bull fighting history. The first bird sighted here was a magnificent Booted Eagle that was easily observed gliding in the valley below the city walls. Along the cliffs, especially near the bridge, I noticed a Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martins, and Swifts. In a couple of brushy areas near the cliffs and garden areas, I located a Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, and Black Redstart.
One of the most interesting historical spots visited was the coastal town of Tarifa. It is famous for its Moorish castle, fortifications, and beaches, and is one of the few ferry points to travel to Tunisia and Morocco. In this town, like many others, Redrumped Swallows could be seen and Crested Larks were easily found in some of the sandy areas of the beaches.
During our last two days at the villa, we experienced more pleasant surprises. One afternoon an Imperial Eagle flew over a nearby hill and a Great Spotted Woodpecker landed on the tree at the foot of the garden.
The most spectacular sightings came over a two-night period. On the second to last night at our villa, a Little Owl landed on this same tree and the following night, the Little Owl returned as well as a larger Scop Owl. We had two different owls sitting in the same tree at the same time. It was a nice way to end our excursion to the Costa Del Sol.
From the Costa Del Sol, we travelled to the city of
Barcelona. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. While touring the sites, the waterfront, and the parks of this grand city, I was able to add four more bird species. These included Gull-billed Terns, Rock Sparrow, Alpine Swift, and Crested Tit (a variety of Chickadee). There were also a few flocks of parrots that I spotted in the city and in parts of the Costa Del Sol, but I could not identify them. If anyone knows what kind of Parrots they are, please let me know.
The Costa Del Sol turned out to be quite an exciting place and a nice playground for this old bird watcher. Over the two-week period, I recorded 60 bird species in which 24 were new birds for me. Ole!
I have just a few sightings to report. On July 21, Linda Clarke of Barron Canyon Road informed me that her House Wren was able to find a mate this year and has several fledglings. She also observed an American Bittern on the side of the road near her home.
On July 22, Gary Severin of Tralfalgar Road was pleased to observe a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak in his yard. They are indeed a beautiful bird!
Finally, around this same period, I received a call from a lady from Locksley Road. Unfortunately, I was unable to catch your name on the answering machine and you left me no number to call. The large brown bird that you have in the fields behind your home is most likely a Sandhill Crane.
Please call me with your bird sightings at 613-735-4430 or e-mail me at:
