Spain part one. 9-14.5.2016

So, we arrived to Malaga over a week ago and I had some birding almost every day. At 9th we arrived to Torrox Costa were we have our house for the vacation. My wife´s sister and her family are also here, so lots of kids and never boring.

Vilma in the airplane. Sanni took this amazing photo.

Spain seems to be a very good place for birding. Birds are everywhere and there is lots of different species. With quick sea watch from the beach just other side of the road I had Balearic Shearwater, Gannets, some Audouin´s Gulls and lots of Yellow-legged Gulls. Behind the house is little bushy area where Spotless Starlings, Sardinian Warblers and especially Serins spend their time. Some Honey Buzzards migrated over the village and both species of Kestrels are quite common.

Flock of Audouin´s Gulls

Yellow-legged Gulls.

Documentary photo of the Balearic Shearwater.

Handsome European Stonechat near our house.

First few days were rainy and dark and there was actually quite cold too.. I did not care about the weather and I found Western Olivaceous Warbler near our house day before we arrived. My first lifer of the trip.
12th of May we made whole day visit to Granada which was super cool city. Firecreast, some Honey Buzzards were best in the city, but during the drive there I saw few Black Wheatears and Rock Sparrows to my life list. Wheatear was on my wish list!

Cathedral de Granada.

14th I took Antti with me and we had amazing morning in Velez-Malaga. Birds like Little Bittern, Little Egrets, Audouin´s Gulls, Western Olivaceous Warblers, Common Nightingales, Reed Warblers, Zitting Cisticolas, Squacco Heron and Booted Eagle, Iberian Chiffchaff and Woodchat Shrike were nice! Also the place was beautiful and really worth to visit even for non birder like Antti.

Western Olivaceous Warbler.

Audouin´s Gull.

Same bird. Shame the ring is just behind the other leg.

Iberian Yellow Wagtail.

Booted Eagle.

Squacco Heron.

Also later that night I had Cory´s Shearwater from the beach!

More later.

-Tom