Laguna Dulca and the Osuna area

I have just received an email from John and Jenny Wainwright who would appear to be on their way down to the Donana National Park to sample its birding wildlife.  Travelling from Salar just east of Antequera, they first made the short journey over to the Laguna Dulce near Campillos and then, following my recent report, booked a night (or more?) at the small hostal in Los Corrales where I had stayed a fortnight ago following (my) Jenny's departure to England.  Like me, they arrived in plenty of time to do some exploring north of Osuna taking in both the lakes to the north and the "Great Bustard Land" to the south of La Lantejuela.  Whilst, like me, they dipped on the Great Bustards they do seem to have found a marvellous selection of birds before returning to the hostal for the evening.  Today is another day, as they say, so I hope they will get chance to find the lake and lovely surround at the Laguna Gorgque a mile north of Martin de la Jara before continuing on with their visit westwards.  Time will tell so I will keep you all posted.

Having heard nor read nothing for the past couple f months or so, it was good to see, literally with a photograph taken by Jenny, that the Red-knobbed Coot is still at the Laguna Dulce.  I think you will agree when you finish reading the report that John and Jenny had a marvellous day and I have made a list at the end to give an indication of the wonderful range of birds seen by them.  John and Jenny's report is as follows:

Day One::  22nd May 2012

A very warm day with a light breeze.

Reed Warbler Carricero Acrocephalus scirpaceus (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

Laguna Dulce  was the first stop of the day, and what a stop it was. Our first bird was a Melodious Warbler, then Goldfinch, we could hear a Reed Warbler singing just over the fence , when we got into the hide we managed to get some good photos of him. Then Jenny spotted the elusive Crested Coot just off the shore.  Also here we saw Red-crested and Common Pochard, Common Coot, Moorhen, Little Ringed Plover, Mallard, Corn Bunting, Shoveler, White-headed Duck, Black-necked, Great Crested and Little Grebe, Whiskered Terns, Greater Flamingos, Greenfinch, Cetti´s Warbler, Linnet, Zitting Cisticola and Bee-eater.

Next we headed for Campillos and the road towards Los Corrales and the B&B.  After dropping the luggage we headed off for Osuna on the A378 and just past km 17 marker, we stopped at a road bridge here we found Black-winged Stilts, Moorhen, Mallard and Nightingale.  Onward for another 3km where we had Griffon Vulture, Black Kite and Raven.  Carrying on at about 8km prior to Osuna there is a sign on the left for Naverterinne, this  track goes deep into the campo and brings you out into the poligonos at Los Corrales itself.  On this stretch of track we saw Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Common Swift, Common Kestrel, Hoopoe, Red-legged Partridge, Stonechat and Collared Dove.  Just as we were approaching the poligonos we crossed a small stream, here we picked up two Kentish Plovers.

After tapas we headed for Ecija on the A351 and turned off at the El Termino X-roads towards Lantejuala.  As suggested by Bob Wright we stopped just after we turned left here and parked off the road where we had great views of Collared Pratincoles, Whiskered and Gull-billed Terns, Red-crested Pochard, Black-headed Gulls, Zitting Cisticola, Southern Grey Shrike and Lesser Kestrel.

Red-knobbed Coot Focha Moruna Fulica cristata (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

Then we headed for Lantejuala.  Turning left at the roundabout in the village  (A407) we headed for the high railway bridge.  At the railway bridge we scanned the fields but to no avail, so we went over the bridge and turn directly left along a track, here we picked up Spectacled Warbler, Red-rumped Swallows and more Collared Praticoles over the fields.  At the end of this track we turned right and headed for Marchena.  Along this road we had raptors galore; at least twenty Black Kites, Griffon Vultures, one Red Kite and Buzzards (they were sitting on the pylons on the hedgerows and in the groves).  We also managed to pick up a White Stork which had made a nest on a silo top.

Making a turn back into Lantejuala direction  we found a fox hunting alongside the new fast line, it stuck its head into a crevice and pulled out an unwitting rabbit then disappeared from sight.  Crested Larks were in good numbers in this area.  As we pulled over to watch at least eighteen Lesser Kestrels following a harvester and spotted a Roller on a building to our left and further down the field we found another one perched alongside three Lesser Kestrels on a pylon.  Turning right along the (SE7201), we picked up a male Montagu´s Harrier, a Blackbird, Sardinian Warbler, two Jackdaws and more Ravens.

Back to the B&B for a few bevvies.

Birds recorded by John and Jenny:

Mallard, Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, White-headed Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, White Stork, Flamingo, Griffon Vulture, Red Kite, Black Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Red-knobbed Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Collared Pratincole, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Collared Dove, Swift, Bee-eater, Roller, Hoopoe, Crested Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Nightingale, Stonechat, Blackbird, Cetti's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Reed Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Jackdaw, Raven, Southern Grey Shrike, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet and Corn Bunting.

Check out the accompanying website at http://www.birdingaxarquia.weebly.com for the latest sightings, photographs and additional information.