Spanish Travels Part Two - El Pinillo and the Mountains.

A short hop on the train brought me to El Pinillo on the edge of Benalmadena for a chance to wander up through the pinewoods to the mountains beyond. Things kicked off early with three Hoopoes having something of a barney before I even reached the underpass that leads under the motorway.

The pinewoods and the disused quarry.

Once under the road and into the woods the songs of Chaffinches filled the air. Another call heard on a few occasions were that of Great Tits, they're the tit species that I encounter most frequently though on this occasion they were joined by individual Crested and Long-tailed Tits. On a slightly bigger scale were the Wood Pigeons displaying over the woods, they're normally quite scarce but seemed commoner this year. A purring Turtle Dove was in the same spot as last year, presumably this bird does not pass through the blighted skies of Malta.

Turtle Dove and Linnet.

Jays are more often heard than seen in these forests so getting a good view of one was nice, likewise a Crossbill that called noisily as it passed overhead. Leaving the woods meant that the songs of Chaffinches were replaced by that of Linnets and I also heard Thekla Larks on several occasions. Black Wheatears were not obliging this year and I only had one relatively brief view this year. Rather more prolonged though more distant was the view of a Raven flying high overhead. Dartford Warblers were heard at least twice and Rock Buntings once.

Stonechat.

Not much else on view this time around so I made my way back down to the train.