Tuesday 12th - Seville and El Rocio (Doñana)

Monk Parakeets were plentiful in Seville

Having arrived at Gibraltar the evening before, I got a very early bus to Seville, where I was to spend a few hours before another bus took me to El Rocio, the renowned town on the edge of the Doñana national park. The journey took me along the south coast, stopping at famous birding sites such as Tarifa, before heading north through the Bahia de Cadiz to Seville. The abundance in birds was clear as I gazed constantly out the windows and I was able to add two lifers, Crested Lark and Greater Flamingo, to the numerous Spotless Starling and Pallid Swift I'd seen the evening before.

There were plenty of White Storks, Glossy Ibis and Cattle Egrets throughout the journey, and I saw a large roadside colony of the latter species when the bus stopped briefly in La Barca de Veyer - this place would add a surprise bird on the journey back. A few Red-rumped Swallows and Black Kites were seen in the more open areas towards Seville, and when I arrived I headed for the cathedral in the city centre, with the first attempt for one of my main targets.

A Lesser Kestrel above my head as I ate lunch

It wouldn't take long to find it, but before I could look another lifer nosily made its presence clear - Monk Parakeets, and plenty of them.  These South America natives are rapidly increasing in a number of urban areas of Spain, including Barcelona and Malaga, and I saw well over 20 in my time in Seville, many nesting in the various palm trees dotted around. 

Shortly after, I had my first glimpse of a Lesser Kestrel, as one rose above the beautiful cathedral. More and more would appear from the rooftop colony, including some nice views as the birds came to and from their nests - somewhat unusual seeing large numbers of falcons together. It's safe to say I've had worse lunches than eating tapas next to the cathedral as the Kestrels flew overhead. It was then on to El Rocio, another lifer obtained via the bus, several Azure-winged Magpies near Almonte.

Flamingos & Black-winged Stilts on Madre de las Marismas

It's hard to describe arriving at a place like El Rocio (more specifically the Madre de las Marismas, the huge lagoon that skims the south of the town). With heavy bags on my back, and a hotel to check in to, I simply had to stop and get the binoculars out to take in the sheer number of birds. Greater Flamingos (150+), Black-winged Stilts (60+), Glossy Ibis (50+) and Spoonbills (30+) littered the shimmering waters, and I wasted no time in dropping my stuff off and getting back out there.

I walked the promenade along the north of the lagoon and down the west side, towards Puente Canaliega in the south-west corner. Waders were very much in evidence - Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Snipe and a Common Sandpiper noted, with my first four Collared Pratincoles flying over. Nightingales, Cetti's Warblers and Serins sang from almost every bush, and in the skies above the numerous Black Kites were joined by another lifer, Booted Eagle, of which 2 were around.

Awful shot, I know (phone held to scope lens!), but of a
memory I'll long cherish - Crested Coot at El Rocio

Captivated by the sheer number of birds, I made my way back as the sun dropped. I was well aware that Crested (Red-knobbed) Coot could be the hardest bird of the trip, and with this in mind, and a couple of huge rafts of Eurasian Coots fairly close to the east shore, I made the effort to scan through them all, though I found nothing of note on the walk down. In some vegetated shallow water in front of La Choza restaurant I decided to re-inspect a group of about 20 Coots feeding. One of the birds nearest to the shore struck me - a blueish tone to the bill was clear, and the frontal plate was small. The red knobs weren't immediately apparent, though, but to my amazement, as the bird turned in the evening light, I clearly made out 2 very small red patches at the top of the plate through my scope. 

I was stunned - this species is notoriously hard to find and see, often individuals among big and distant Coot flocks, but here was a Crested Coot at very close range. Several more sights of the red knobs lead me to draw others attention to it, including a very surprised French couple, who quickly got it in their telescope, and were very grateful - they'd spent 5 days without seeing one. I then informed a Polish couple who were adamant it wasn't, for some time, and were about to leave before the gentleman analysed the pictures he'd taken and whooped in delight! I later learnt that the smaller knobs indicated a first-year male bird.

Madre de las Marismas in the late evening

Buzzing, I headed back along the promenade, full of anticipation for what else I'd see in this area. The magic didn't end with the Coot though - a singing Great Reed Warbler and 2 showy Purple Swamphens (another of my main targets), in reeds right next to my hotel, rounded off a simply wonderful afternoon. Surely things couldn't get better?