Little Ringed Plovers, Yellow Wagtails, Blue Rock Thrush March 15th 2009

With Sunday free took a run down towards the coast scouting for possible birdwatching sites. Had heard stories of Hoopoe being a common sight on the golf course at Motril. Didn't think it looked very promising so we travelled a short distance to Salobrena.

Ended up searching allotments and waste ground and had good views of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Cattle Egrets. By chance passed a mobile home parking area, closer inspection of a puddle revealed White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail and Little Ringed Plover feeding around the water's edge! The Little Ringed Plover were close enough to see the distinctive bright yellow orbital ring round the eye.

The Yellow Wagtails were of the Iberian subspecies, carrying the grey and white markings on the head peculiar to that race. A remarkable find under the circumstances...managed to take some photos. Lunch at a local bar brought another unexpected surprise...heard a bird singing from a balcony behind us on the street. Closer inspection revealed a male Black Redstart, without a doubt the most urban sighting of this species I've had in Spain so far. Again, rattled off a couple of hasty photos. Check the slideshow below...

With some time to spare took a quick run up the hill outside Lanjaron on the way back home and were rewarded with our first really good views of a Blue Rock Thrush, A Mediterranean speciality and a bird I had really hoped to find in the region. Again, managed some photos, just good enough to show below. An unusual and rewarding day.....