Now Fuengirola is not as bad for birding as it looks but that did not stop me using the excellent local train service to go on several away days. One of my two expeditions was to the mountains to the north of Benalmadena which I reach from the station at El Pinillo. A rather taxing stroll took me up through the dry pinewoods which line the hills north of the motorway and then on into the mountains themselves.
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| Black Wheatear and Blue Rock Thrush. |
Although these pine woods can seem sterile at first glance I have over the years built up a fair list but it has to be said that they were a little on the dull side this time around. Chaffinches were the commonest species with a few Crossbills also seen. A couple of Short-toed Treecreepers were feeding in their usual unobtrusive fashion while a party of Jays were anything but. One Wood Pigeon, in stark contrast to the legions thronging UK skies was flushed and flew low into more cover. They're always a little on the nervous side here as many are shot as game so it's not difficult to work out why.
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| Stonechat. |
Reaching the old quarry I found the hoped for Black Wheatears, a pair always breed in this area and at least three were seen. A Song Thrush was my first at this site and was possibly a wintering bird. Loads of Black Reds and Stonechats joined it and a Blue Rock Thrush but the wind was blowing a gale and birding was proving difficult.
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| A slightly duff picture of a Thekla Lark. |
Thekla Larks take over from their Crested cousins up here and I found several but was not so lucky with either Dartford Warblers or Rock Buntings which are both fairly regular on less windy days. I could only add Raven to the list and seeing that even assured flyers such as Crag Martins were struggling I bid a retreat back to the bars and restaurants of Fuengirola.
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| Seen just about everywhere, Serin. |
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