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Published: November 18th 2023
I've really enjoyed the last few days exploring the rural roads around Tarifa. I've passed through this area several times on my way to Morocco, but never spent much time here even though I know it's a migration hotspot.
I knew that the main migration period would be over by the time I got here, but it's probably worth visiting Tarifa at any time of year.
I got off to a great start on Monday. I headed east on the N-340 for several kilometres and then followed a little track to the top of a ridge. The plan was just to sit there and see what came my way.
I quickly noticed dozens of vultures enjoying the thermals above the hills a good five kilometres away. But no sign of them coming any closer.
In beautifully sunny weather I saw and heard loads of finches. Then a deep blue/purple coloured bird sat up on a rock above an old quarry. My initial thoughts were some type of wheatear. I'd forgotten my field guide so confirmation would have to wait.
Then just as I was about to call it a morning a bird of prey soared over
the ridge ahead of me. I was sure it was an eagle, but which of the half dozen species that can be seen here, I had no idea.
It circled twice before disappearing. Fantastic. About to call it a morning again, I spotted a raptor a little further away. I thought it was the same bird a third time. Fortunately I took some photos anyway and went to check out the Bird Observatory at Cazalla.
There, I showed the photos to Pedro who was staffing the information desk. He very patiently identified a juvenile Spanish Imperial eagle and a short-toed snake eagle. He didn't know the English name of the purple bird and I forgot to ask him to write it down in Spanish.
Checking it in my Collins guide later I discovered it was a blue rock thrush.
Pedro then gave me a couple of maps showing the best birding areas and described each to me in impressive detail.
A very productive morning. Three lifers and an itinerary. What a start.
Next day I headed along the coast towards la Torre de Guadalmessi. A lovely cycle on back roads and tracks. The only
Plastic pollution.
The ocean is not a dustpan!exception was the kilometre or so where I pushed the bike along the coastal footpath after coming to a sign that said no entry, military land.
The detour was worth it as I finally got a reasonable photo of a swallow-tail butterfly after dozens of attempts over several trips.
As I arrived at the tower a pair of little owls were staring down at me.
Finding the right track back to the N-340 took me longer than expected. I enjoyed the sunset from the side of the road and made it back to the campsite just as the last usable light faded.
Pedro had also suggested a trip to La Janda. When I got there it took me a while to understand what the pale blue shadow on the satellite image of the site on the information sign was supposed to represent. Then it was obvious. That was the extent of The Former Lagoon of La janda. Whether it dried up naturally or was drained for farmland I don't know.
The bird of the day for me was corn bunting. Lovely close views of several singing their jangly, buzzy, electric song. It's sad to think
they became extinct in Ireland in the 1980's.
Due to a combination of me underestimating the distances and taking a few wrong turns and ending up at a closed track, I cycled 91km. I was knackered, but made it home half an hour before sunset rather than 30 minutes after it.
Today I explored the tracks on the hills around Betis and Puerto de Bolonia. I eventually managed to get myself under the flight paths of the griffon vultures. For half an hour I enjoyed watching them soar back and forth across the glen towards Facinas and back.
This evening I watched the sunset from the beach behind the campsite. A couple of dozen sanderling were feeding voraciously around the edge of a little lagoon.
I wonder if I can watch the Ireland match somewhere?
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