Today we leave the sea at Tarifa and climb to the mountains of Sierra Grazalema Natural Park. Its 200 square miles contain rivers, lakes, karst valleys, whitewashed villages and several mountain ranges. The highest mountain, Pinar at 5,427 ft (1,654 m), is more than a mile high.
The Natural Park is not a wilderness for there are small villages of whitewashed buildings called pueblos blancos — literally “white villages” — sprinkled throughout. Grazalema (pictured below, population 2,053) shares its name with the mountains and the park. The town is north of the center of the map above.
Because our lodging is in Ronda, chances are good we will be birding on the eastern side of the park where eBird indicates we can see these target species.
We might also see an Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) looking down at us from high above. These are literally the mountain “goats” of Spain for they are in the same genus as the domestic goat.
13 September 2024: Day 7, at the Strait of Gibraltar, Tarifa, WINGS Spain in Autumn Click here to see (generally) where I am today.
In Spanish the word “flamenco” is both a male adjective meaning “Flemish” and the name of the bird “flamingo.”
Several hundred years ago the term Flamenco was also used to identify the Romani people (Gitanos) of Spain, mistakenly identifying them as German/Flemish.
In the late 17th century the Gitanos in Andalusia developed a music and dance art form based on the folkloric music traditions of southern Spain. When this art form became famous it was called Flamenco.
We won’t see a flamenco performance on our birding trip but we have seen greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus). Lots of them! They live year round in southern Spain.
Notice the moves these flamingos make during their courtship dance. (Click here to see on YouTube. These are Chilean flamingos.)
Since the same word is used for both the bird and the dance it makes me wonder: Where did the human dance moves come from? Did we adopt them by watching flamingos?
12 September 2024: Day 6, Tarifa and birding at the Strait of Gibraltar, WINGS Spain in Autumn. Click here to see (generally) where I am today.
At U.S. hawk watches we track vultures, hawks, eagles, falcons and kites but rarely record other species at the official HawkCount.org. That is not the case at Tarifa where fall migration includes a total of 150,000 white storks (Ciconia ciconia) + black storks (Ciconia nigra).
This short video is the slow motion passage of four raptors. I am not sure of the first one but the others are two booted eagles (Hieraaetus pennatus) and an Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus).
Birding at the Strait is more than watching hawks.
p.s. We had a great morning on 10 September at Algarrobo hawk watch with thousands of hawks and eagles plus alpine & common swifts, four black storks, and 22 European bee-eaters.
In Greek mythology, Heracles (= Hercules) was the strongest and most courageous man on earth and the greatest hero of Greece. He often used his strength to help others but he was not very bright and sometimes experienced fearsome rages or (one time) temporary madness induced by the Goddess Hera that caused him to kill his wife and children.
Whenever Hercules caused trouble, he was always contrite and accepted punishment for his mistakes. He felt terrible about killing his family and willingly accepted the punishment of completing 12 impossible tasks, the Labors of Hercules.
The 10th task was to collect the cattle of Geryon (a monster), which were housed at the western end of the Mediterranean basin, and take them back to Cyprus. On the way there…
According to some Roman sources, while on his way to the garden of the Hesperides [to complete his 10th task] on the island of Erytheia, Hercules had to cross the mountain that was once Atlas. Instead of climbing the great mountain, Hercules used his superhuman strength to smash through it. By doing so, he connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and formed the Strait of Gibraltar. One part of the split mountain is [the Rock of] Gibraltar and the other is either Monte Hacho or Jebel Musa. These two mountains taken together have since then been known as the Pillars of Hercules, though other natural features have been associated with the name.
Interestingly, one version of the myth says the Mediterranean basin was dry at the time so Hercules’ action made it a sea again. It fascinates me that these myths describe something similar to what actually happened, even though humans would never have seen it. (According to Britannica the oldest known remains of the genus Homo date to 2.8–2.75 million years ago in Ethiopia.)
So now the Pillars of Hercules guard the entrance to the Mediterranean. No matter which way you sail through the Strait you will see them. In this photo a cargo ship is entering from the Atlantic so the Rock of Gibraltar in Europe is on the left, Jebel Musa (Mount Moses) in Africa is on the right.
p.s. At both sides of the Narrows there are governance surprises.
The Rock of Gibraltar and the town below it are a 2.6 sq.mi. British Overseas Territory called Gibraltar. It is not part of Spain. In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession; it was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 (according to Wikipedia).
On the other side of the narrows on the Peninsula of Almina on the North African Coast is the town of Ceuta, an autonomous city of Spain. Ceuta is not part of Morocco. It is where the Pillars of Hercules statue stands, shown at top.
10 September 2024: Day 4, Tarifa and birding at the Strait of Gibraltar, WINGS Spain in Autumn. Click here for a map showing where I am today.
We are now at the Strait of Gibraltar, the closest point between Europe and Africa. At its narrowest the Strait is only 13 km (8.1 miles) across, flanked on each side by mountains.
The passage is longer east-to-west than it is wide –> 58 km (36 miles) from beginning to end. Its current, water flow and variable depth give scientists clues as to how it was formed.
Water flows through the Strait more or less continuously, both east and west, but the balance of water moves eastward from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean. That’s because the Mediterranean evaporates faster than tributaries and precipitation can fill it. The Atlantic pours in but the Mediterranean stays saltier than the Atlantic Ocean.
In fact, Mediterranean waters are so much saltier that they sink below the constantly incoming Atlantic and form a warm highly saline layer of bottom water called a thermohaline. You can see this in the schematic of the Camarinal Sill which is west of the Narrows.
While the Camarinal Sill is the shallowest point (280 m = 920 ft deep), the deepest point is at the Narrows (900 m = 3,000 ft deep). Deep water is black on this underwater topo map.
With only 25km (15.5 miles) between the two points the flow often generates internal (subsurface) waves that can be seen from satellites, though they don’t look like waves in surface navigation.
Incredibly, the Strait of Gibraltar did not exist in the Miocene era when saber-toothed tigers roamed the earth. Here’s how the Strait came to be.
About 6 million years ago plate tectonics(*) closed the connection between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Without an influx of water the entire Mediterranean Sea evaporated, leaving behind salt and gypsum deposits. This Messinian Salinity Crisis lasted roughly 700,000 years. Then, rather suddenly, a leak developed between Africa and Europe. It quickly eroded a deep channel to the Mediterranean and eroded backwards (upstream) to create the Gulf of Cadiz. This video of an experimental dam failure shows how that looks.
The Zanclean Flood happened quite rapidly! The Mediterranean filled up within two years!
90% of the Mediterranean Basin flooding occurred abruptly during a period estimated to have been between several months and two years, following low water discharges that could have lasted for several thousand years. Sea level rise in the basin may have reached rates at times greater than ten meters per day (30 feet per day).
Cartoon (not to scale) showing the timing and the flood erosional and depositional features expected in the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean as a result of a large water input through the Gibraltar gateway, showing 5 stages: 0) Initial level before significant Atlantic inflow occurred; 1) time of maximum erosion rate at the Strait of Gibraltar; 2) the western basin level reaches the Sicily Sill. 3) eastern basin level reaches the Sicily Sill; and 4) the Mediterranean is filled to the normal oceanic level. — ScienceDirect: The Zanclean megaflood of the Mediterranean – Searching for independent evidence — Daniel Garcia-Castellanos et al)
Everyone had to run away from the flood while the Strait was being formed.
9 September 2024: Day 3, birding in Chipiona and driving to Tarifa, WINGS Spain in Autumn Click here to see (generally) where I am today.
Yesterday we went birding at local hotspots near Chipiona. One of the best was Playa de Montijo at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. We arrived just after high tide so the cobbles beyond the sand (not shown above) were exposed yet the birds were still close.
(embedded Google map of Playa de Montijo, Chipiona, Spain)
Since I wrote this article before this trip, the birds shown below are a selection of what was seen a year ago in September 2023. We saw them!
Of the 11 species of living oystercatchers, only the Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) has a distribution in Europe and Asia north of the equator. It is a Near Threatened species. We saw several noisy groups bowing and shouting, 25 in all.
A few whimbrelds fed near the oystercatchers. Interestingly the whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) has recently been split into Eurasian whimbrel and Hudsonian whimbrel. Some taxonomic authorities do not accept the split and have kept them as one species. Alas, eBird is one of them so I won’t gain this Life Bird until eBird says changes its mind.
The bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) is the most cosmopolitan of godwits, breeding in northernmost Eurasia and Alaska and spending the winter on the coasts of Africa, southern Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Its close relatives — black-tailed, Hudsonian and marbled godwits — are all New World birds.
The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia) resembles a greater or lesser yellowlegs except that its legs are green. All of them are in the Tringa genus.
Last September there was quite a collection of birds on this rocky bar including Eurasian oystercatchers, a black-bellied plover, common terns and the rare-to-the-area elegant tern. We saw them all plus a rare roseate tern.
This morning we’re at the coast in lovely weather. But out to sea, beyond the continental shelf, the wind is blowing hard and the sea is too rough for our planned pelagic birding tour in the Gulf of Cadiz in a boat that comfortably holds 12 people.
No problem. There are plenty of birds to see from land, some of which we would have seen on the boat and I’m willing to pass up an opportunity to learn about seasickness.
One of birds we cannot see from here is the critically endangered Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus).
The Balearic Shearwater is one of the rarest birds in Europe, being one of just two species there to be listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its successful conservation will require considerable effort, across country borders. As its name implies, as a breeder this shearwater is confined to the Spanish-owned Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean, where its population is usually estimated at just 1,800–2,500 breeding pairs (of which about 50% nest on Mallorca).
… Counts at sea (especially through the Strait of Gibraltar) suggest it is possibly more numerous, which has led to a revised estimate of 24,000–26,500 individuals.
This bird might be really rare. Or there might be 10 times as many as we thought.
Balearic shearwaters are regularly seen in autumn in the Gulf of Cadiz as they leave their breeding grounds on the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean …
To me shearwaters all look the same so I would never have known I was looking at a Balearic shearwater without a guide. They’re a little like confusing fall warblers. 😉
7 September 2024: Day 1, East bank of the Guadalquivir River and birding en route to Chipiona, WINGS Spain in Autumn Click here to see my evening destination today
Today we follow the Guadalquivir River from Seville to the the ocean at Chipiona, birding along the way. This 51 mile stretch of river used to be an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, but by the time of the Romans it was Lacus Ligustinus, a salty lake. Since then the lake has silted up and become a big marsh with a river running through it.
The Guadalquivir River has many twists and turns and some oxbow lakes but the downriver section (highlighted on map) has been straightened and channelized for navigation to Seville.
Meanwhile the marsh on both sides of the river is crisscrossed with canals to drain it for agriculture. The former eastern branch of the Guadalquivir River (Brazo del Este del Guadalquivir) is cut off from the main channel. In 1989 4,000 acres of it, mainly following the old river, were protected as a natural area.
embedded Goggle map of Brazo del Estes del Gualdalquivir
eBird and our tour description both indicate we’ll find marbled duck, white-faced duck, red-knobbed coot, Spanish eagle, greater flamingo and white stork at the marsh.
Marbled duck
White faced duck
Red-knobbed coot
Spanish eagle, adult
Greater flamingos
White stork
… plus the hoped-for star of the show, the collared pratincole. I saw this species loafing on river banks in Botswana but I have never seen it fly.
6 September 2024: Day 0, Arrive in Seville, Spain WINGS Spain in Autumn Click here to see (generally) where I am today.
Today I will land twice on the Iberian peninsula, at Lisbon, Portugal and Seville, Spain. It is the only home of the Spanish eagle* (Aquila adalberti), pictured above.
If all goes as planned I will land in Seville at 3:40pm Central European Summer Time (9:40am in Pittsburgh). Tonight our group will spend a night near the airport, then set out early tomorrow for our birding adventure. Since we won’t have time to study Spain’s culture and history, I’ll use this opportunity to describe the towns where we’ll be staying, marked on the WINGS map below.
Our trip is entirely within Andalusia, the autonomous community that covers southern Spain. Located between Europe, Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea, Andalusia has attracted immigrants, traders and conquerors throughout its history including ancient Iberians, Celts, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs. We will see their influences in the towns we visit.
Seville
Points A, B & G on the map, our tour will spend one night near the airport at the start of the trip. At the end I will stay one night at the same hotel before my 6:30am flight home the next day. We will not see much of Seville.
Seville is the fourth largest city in Spain and its only inland port. Founded in the 8th century BC in the Guadalquivir River Valley (the “frying pan of Spain”) summers are long, hot and dry (average 97°F in July, 88°F in September). Seville’s history is evident in its famous buildings, two of which are pictured here — one Catholic, one Muslim.
Chipiona is on the Atlantic coast near the mouth of the Guadalquivir River where the Salmedina Rocks are a hazard to navigation. The Romans built a lighthouse there and named the town for the Roman Consul who commissioned it. The present lighthouse, built in 1867, is the tallest in Spain and 5th tallest in the world.
Chipiona’s riverfront is packed with ancient buildings including Chipiona Castle, built in the 13th century.
The town has a popular beach on its Atlantic waterfront where highs in July are 84°F, in September 81°F. Needless to say, the birds are on the river side.
The southernmost point in Europe and gateway to Africa, Tarifa is only 8.1 miles (13 km) from Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar. The wind blows here. A lot! Which means warm weather can feel downright cold.
There are two types of wind in Tarifa: the windsurfer-friendly Levante (that comes in from the east, usually warmer and at it’s best during summer) and the Poniente (blowing in from the west, cooler from the ocean and more common during winter), which is best for kite surfers. Due to the force and consistency of windy days, Tarifa has hundreds of wind turbines. Interesting fact: in 2013, Spain was the first country in the world to rely on wind energy as its top energy source. Visiting Tarifa, and experiencing the velocity (and damage) of the wind firsthand, it’s no wonder why.
Because of wind and location, Tarifa is also a great place to watch fall migration. The bird observation post described at this link is at the pin drop on the map. Zoom the map to see the surrounding area.
We will also take a pelagic tour (see example at Birding the Strait) and go on a whale watch.
In the province of Malaga, Ronda is at 2,460 ft so its climate is cooler. July high temperatures average 83°F, highs in September are 77°F.
Ronda is known for its cliffside location and a deep canyon that carries the Guadalevín River and divides the town. It is one of the towns and villages that are included in the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
Though Osuna is built on a hilltop it is in the Guadalquivir watershed with hot-weather plains below. High temperatures in Osuna average 94°F in July and 85°F in September. Osuna is our last stop before returning home via Seville Airport.
* The bird pictured at top is an immature Spanish eagle coming in for a landing. Our trip checklist has it as the “Spanish imperial eagle.” Birds of the World lists the Spanish eagle and the Imperial eagle as a separate species.
For the past two years I’ve watched videos of fall migration at the Strait of Gibraltar and have longed to witness it for myself. Today I’m following my dream and flying to Spain to join the WINGS Birding Tour: Spain in Autumn, 7-17 September 2024.
For the migratory birds of western Europe the Iberian peninsula (Spain + Portugal) is the last stop before Africa on fall migration. The peninsula naturally funnels birds to its southernmost point, Tarifa, only 8.1 miles (13 km) from Morocco.
Now that it’s early September the weekly numbers are lower but the diversity is higher with the addition of many other species including black storks, booted eagles, short-toed eagles, marsh harriers, osprey and lesser kestrels. Meanwhile there are plenty of migratory songbirds feeding and resting during the day before they cross the Strait at night.
Our trip will take us in a big circle from Seville to Tarifa and back. Along the way we’ll visit marshes, mountains and coastal hotspots. We’ll make two pelagic trips and spend five days and nights in Tarifa.
The trip checklist includes 192 species, 73 of which are potential Life Birds(*). The only reason my “potential” list is not higher is that I saw many migratory European birds in Southern Africa in January.
Here are 12 of the many species I hope to see. Yes, white storks are on this list because I missed them in Africa.
Red-crested pochard
Alpine swift, Barcelona
Black-bellied sand grouse, male and female
White stork in flight, Madrid
Northern bald ibis, Morocco
Egyptian vulture
Short-toed snake-eagle
Iberian green woodpecker
Red-billed chough
Common nightingale
Blue rock thrush, male
White-throated dipper
(photos from Wikimedia Commons)
Because of the 6-hour time zone difference and our all-day birding schedule I’ve written 14 days of articles in advance. I’ll post to Facebook and X (Twitter) when I get a chance but I can’t guarantee it. If you don’t see me on social media, look for my latest posts here on the blog’s home page. For now, I’m mostly off the grid until I return to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, 18 September.
p.s. Throughout these articles I will usually use the English spelling of Spanish place names. For instance “Seville” is the English spelling of “Sevilla.”
