Hide Away

As 2020 rolled to an end the Covid-19 restrictions tightened in Andalusia, preventing travel outside our local area. This seemed like the perfect excuse for me to work on a plan I have had for a while. It was time to build my own bird hide. This would give me the opportunity to observe and photograph up close the birds of the Sierra Morena. The area I chose is surrounded by cork oaks and pines, which attract a wide range of woodland species such as Tits, Finches, Woodpeckers and noisy travelling bands of Azure-winged Magpies.   

Eurasian Nuthatch

My brother-in-law was the brains behind the hide, coming up with the design and helping me build it. My first job was to level the ground before laying pallets which would be the base. 

Building the base

Then we constructed a metal frame which would be strong enough to support the wooden panels of the hide. We sloped the roof to help rain water run off. Next we cut wood to fit into frame and added four windows which could act as a table to support a camera when opened. At present I haven't added spy glass- that may be a future add-on. However, I was worried about losing quality in photographs taken through glass.

The frame

I coated the wood to protect it from the damp before adding a plastic cover to keep the water out. Finally, the whole construction was wrapped in brown wind shield material. 

The finished hide

To start I have a set up a feeder with sunflower seeds and a small pond for the birds to drink from and bathe in. I will need to experiment with the food I put out to see what works best and I plan to use mealworms to attract insectivorous species.

Within a couple of weeks I had a Great Tit cautiously approaching the feeder. Then the Nuthatches arrived. They appeared to be less wary, with two individuals coming in to the feeder regularly, often leaving with two or three sunflower seeds at a time to take back to their store. I suspect I might see sunflowers growing nearby next spring! Sometimes they would take a seed and bang it against the bark of the tree in an attempt to get it open. This behaviour is what gave the bird its name. The suffix hatch deriving from the word hack. I also observed the other typical behaviour of this species, that is their ability to climb both up and down the side of a tree. They would often land high up in the tree, wait for the other bird to finish gathering seeds, before climbing down to the feeder. By the time the bird had got the seeds the second bird was back and waiting in position. It felt like a busy airport at times.

A Nuthatch showing off its ability to climb down a tree head first.

While the hide allows me to learn about the behaviour od indiviual species it also gives me the chance to observe the interactions and dynamics between species. The Nuthatches are the bosses at the moment. They bully the Chaffinches, which have to make do with picking up the scraps on the ground most of the time. A Chiffchaff also came to the water feature, but it too was scared off by the bold Nuthatches. 

Chaffinch

With time I hope to see more species come in to feed and bathe. The anticipation of what I might see certainly makes up for the effort of building the hide. Now I have the perfect hide away to enjoy doing what I like best - watching my feathered friends. 

Winter is coming

The arrival of autumn in Cordoba is signalled by the arrival of much needed rain after the long hot summer. The nights become colder, while the daytime can still bring glorious sunshine and temperatures in the thirties. The changes are noticeable everywhere. The locals perform the ‘change of wardrobe’, putting away the summer clothes until next year and the chestnut vendors set up their stalls across the city. In the garden the persimmons and pomegranates are ready to be picked and the oranges begin to ripen on the trees. In the countryside the olive harvest is picked ready to be pressed or marinated. And in the Sierra it is the time of the 'berrea' or rutting season and mushroom picking.

This time of year is also marked by the departure of our summer visitors, such as the colourful Bee-eaters, Rollers and Golden Orioles. However, we are compensated by the arrival of new bird species, either passing through as they make their way to Africa or those that wintering here in southern Spain. Black Redstarts, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, White Wagtails and Meadow Pipts appear in the gardens and parks in the city, as do flocks of Starlings. The nests of White Storks on electricity pylons which line the main roads into the city are left empty for a few weeks as their inhabitants head south. However, they are soon occupied by other storks arriving from further north in Europe. 

The weather permits walks into the Sierra where the birdlife is more visible than in the hot summer months. Without the distraction of our summer visitors we can closely observe our resident mountains species. Robins, Nuthatches, Tits and Finches are commonly found as they make their preparations for winter. 

Great Tits are widespread both in the oakwoods and pinewoods. The characteristic black band may be an indicator of dominance. Individuals with thicker black bands are more successful in attracting a mate during breeding season.

Great Tit

The Chaffinch is ubiquitous in the woodlands of the Sierra Moreno and its numbers are boosted in autumn and winter by individuals from Scandinavia and the Baltic States.  

Chaffinch having a bad hair day

One bird which is always a joy to see is the Hawfinch, which often moves in small flocks through the Oakwood forest. Its thick neck and huge powerful beak contrast with its shy and elusive nature. 

Hawfinch having a drink

Greenfinches and Goldfinches, which are common in the city gardens and parks, also have their numbers boosted by birds from northern climes. 

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

As temperatures in northern Europe drop we can look forward to winter visitors such as Bramblings, Siskins and Redwings. In the dehesas of the north of the province Common Cranes should be arriving soon too. There is evidence that their arrival in Spain is occurring earlier in recent years, possibly due to an advance in the breeding season as a result of increasing temperatures in northern Europe.

Spending time in the Sierra of Cordoba allows me to experience the changing of the seasons. The chestnuts on the trees, the ripening of the fruit of the Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) and departure and arrival of birds all act as a natural calendar and as a marker of time. 

Surviving the Summer

Cordoba is renowned for its scorching hot summers, with temperatures regularly in the 40s in July and August. This poses a problem for birds as they risk overheating and death. Songbirds have have a relatively large body surface area through which they absorb heat and so to counteract this they become inactive during the hottest parts of the day. Unable to sweat, they can be seen panting in an effort to maintain their body temperature and will seek water sources for hydration and bathing. This is advantageous for birders as if you find the right spot, all you have to do is sit and wait for the birds to come to you.  

One such spot is the spring at Fuente del Elefante in the sierra next to Cordoba. It becomes a hive of activity with Long-tailed tits coming down in family groups for a dip as well as Great Tits and Blue Tits. Goldfinches, Serins and Chaffinches are also frequent visitors as are warblers like Bonelli's and Sardinian. The songbirds are usually forced to retreat when a Jay or a group of noisy Azure-winged Magpies decide it is their turn. 

Bonelli's Warbler

Bonelli's Warbler

The shade of the bushes around the stream also provide protection from the heat of the sun. Here Blackbirds, Wrens and Robins hop along the ground in search of small insects. 

Robin

Southern Skimmer

The large fig trees next to the aqueduct attract Golden Orioles and groups of squabbling Spotless Starlings. Hawfinches can be seen feeding in the treetops and this August I saw a male Bullfinch too. This is an unusual sighting. The Sierra Morena is at the southern tip of their winter range but finding one this far south in the middle of the summer is unexpected as their breeding range is in the far north of the Iberian peninsula. Eduardo de Juana and Ernest Garcia in their book 'The Birds of the Iberian Peninsula' say that there have been occasional reports of stray Bullfinches in the south of Spain in the summer months (Monfrague in July 1997 and the Sierra de Mijas in June 1998). 

Bullfinch

The cork oak forest is the ideal area for Nuthatches and Short-toed Treecreepers to show off their acrobatic skills as they search for food. Crested Tits are also common and Spotted Flycatchers can be seen sallying from their perches to hawk insects flying close to the ground. 

Crested Tit

Larger soaring birds, with their relatively smaller body surface area are able to cope with the heat better and take advantage of the warm thermals to reach cooler air at higher altitudes. This area is home to a colony of Griffon Vultures as well as Booted Eagles.

August is also a time when many species start making their way south to Africa frequently stopping off in the Sierra. Large numbers of Bee-eaters pass overhead filling the skies with their noisy chattering as they go. Others such as the Western Olivaceous Warbler (also know as the Isabelline Warbler- the adjective Isabelline is given to other species of birds such as a shrike and wheatear because of their greyish brown colour) descend from the mountains to the Guadalquivir valley on their southern passage.

Western Olivaceous Warbler

The wealth of species here shows us how birds have adapted remarkably well to the blazing hot temperatures of the Andalusian summer and that in fact it is us birdwatchers who seem less capable of coping!

Lockdown Birding 2

As we start our eighth week of lockdown in Cordoba the weather is changing. Temperatures are starting to rise and the skies are clear again after a rainy April. The rain was much needed and the garden is looking green with lots of wildflowers such as poppies, sticky willy and thistles, which attract Goldfinches. Despite the unsettled weather, spring migration carried on as normal with large numbers of black kites passing by almost on a daily basis, sometimes in groups of more than a hundred.

Black Kites in migration

White Storks, a lone Black Stork, Griffon Vultures and a few Honey Buzzards have also been heading north-west over the garden in small groups. And within a few days of the first sightings of bee-eaters on the south coast I heard and then saw them passing here. 

White Stork

Meanwhile the resident birds have been busy preparing for the next generation. Blackbirds and White Storks have been building and making repairs to nests. House Sparrows wait patiently on the telephone cables until they spot a passing insect to bring to their young. And the Spotless Starling chase off competition and defend their nests.

Blackbird with nest material

Spotless Starling preening

While many of the birds seem to be in a hurry to make the most of spring the Collared Dove seems to take life at a gentler pace. This is at odds with the fact that they conquered Europe in such as short space of time. They spread south down the Iberian peninsula arriving in Andalusia in the 1990s. Between 1998 and 2012 they underwent a remarkable seventeen-fold increase in the region. This spread is even more intriguing when you realise that they are sedentary birds, although young birds have been recorded moving several kilometres. In my garden there are several pairs and they spend their time gently cooing from their perch. 

Collared Dove

The resident raptors have also been active over the last few weeks. Short-toed Eagles frequently pass above the house scanning the ground for prey and there are a number of local Booted Eagles. One afternoon, we watched as one dived down behind a neighbour's house before coming up again with a Moorhen fledgling in its talons. A Black-winged Kite sometimes makes an appearance and the Common Kestrels mob larger birds such as Griffon Vultures or Booted Eagles. One afternoon we had a Golden Eagle circling fairly high above the house before gliding off in the direction of the mountains. A great sight to see and a new tick for the garden list. At night, with fewer cards passing by we can hear a Little Owl calling nearby.

Dark phase Booted Eagle with young Moorhen

I read other people's lockdown reports with envy and there is a real sense that I am missing out on the best months of birding. My lockdown list currently stands at 34 species, which doesn't feel very impressive. However, considering that I live in a fairly built up area I can't be too disappointed, especially as some of the species I have seen are not common in an urban area. And spending more time scanning the skies from the terrace also means that I have seen species that I hadn't seen in the garden before, such as Glossy Ibis, Night Heron, Cormorant and Hoopoe. But most of all I feel fortunate that I can continue my hobby at home. Birdwatching is my stress relief, my way to switch off. At a time when others complain about the negative effects of being cooped up at home, I am fortunate that I can still unwind from the comfort of my garden 

Lockdown list from the garden:

• Collared Dove
• Feral Pigeon
• Blackbird
• Serin
• Sardinian Warbler
• Goldfinch
• Greenfinch
• Bee-eaters
• House Sparrow
• White Stork
• Black Stork
• Common Swift
• Pallid Swift
• House Martin
• Barn Swallow
• Common Kestrel
• Black Kite
• Black-winged Kite
• Common Buzzrd
• Booted Eagle
• Short-toed Eagle
• Golden Eagle
• Griffon Vulture
• Glossy Ibis
• Night Heron
• Cormorant
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Spotless Starling
• Jackdaw
• Raven
• Crested Lark
• Hoopoe
• Honey Buzzard

The Furze Wren

There are some birds which I remember clearly seeing for the very first time. When I was a child I recall being taken to see Hen Harriers displaying near their nesting site in Northern Ireland. Being so young, I was amazed at seeing such large birds of prey. Since moving to Spain I have seen many more new species and my first encounters with them often remain clear in my mind. In Huelva I saw my first Osprey sitting by the water's edge. This was a bird I had spent years looking for in Northern Ireland and to finally see it, even in the distance, provoked a feeling of great excitement. Another, is the first time I saw bee-eaters. Driving along a country road near Cordoba, my attention was caught by these amazingly colourful birds swooping in the air as they caught their prey. I immediately pulled the car over to the side of the road to watch them and listen to their distinctive call. I remember thinking how exotic they looked compared to the birds I was used to seeing back home. Now, like for many people in Spain, their arrival marks the beginning of spring and warmer weather. I remember these experiences so vividly because they were birds that I had being trying to see for a long time. However, there is one first sighting which I remember for different reasons. In fact, when I first saw this bird I didn't even know of its existence.  

  

I was at the Mirador (viewpoint) in Villafranca near Cordoba watching raptors during spring migration. During a lull in birds passing overhead, one of the Spanish birdwatchers pointed out a bird in the gorse. Each time I tried to get on it with my binoculars it would hide itself deep in the shrubs or dart to another patch of vegetation. Its distinctive rattling call was almost teasing me. However, my persistence paid off and after a while I got a good view of it perched on top of heather. It had a blueish grey head and back, and red wine coloured underparts. This was a color I had not seen on any other bird and the throat was spotted with white. Its red eye-ring was also clearly visible. The Spanish birdwatcher identified it as a Curruca Rabilarga. The direct translation would be a long-tailed warbler. However, searching for it in my field guide I found the name Dartford Warbler, quite different from the more apt Spanish name.  

  

Many birds are named after where they live such as House Sparrows, Marsh Harriers and Barn Owls. Others, like the Dartford Warbler are named after certain areas. We have the Mediterranean Gull, Canada Goose, and Iberian Magpie. But I soon learned that the name Dartford Warbler is a misnomer as they don’t in fact live there. The first official recording of the species was in 1773 by an ornithologist named John Latham who shot a pair of them on Bexley Heath. He then decided to name them after the nearby town of Dartford. Interestingly, he also discovered two other species (Kentish Plover and Sandwich Tern) whose names have the same origin- the county of Kent. Maybe an old folk name for the Dartford Warbler, the Furze Wren, is better suited- furze meaning gorse. Or we could use Long-tailed Warbler like the Spanish. However, its current name gives us an insight into the interesting story of how this species was first documented.  

Dartford Warber

Southern England marks the northern edge of their breeding range, which stretches south to north-west Africa. They are relatively localised in England and are vulnerable to harsh winters, nearly dying out completely in the winter of 1962-63. In Spain they are much more common, with 1.7-3 million breeding pairs. It is largely resident, although some local migration occurs with birds abandoning colder mountainous areas in winter. 

They are insectivores, feeding on caterpillars, butterflies, beetles and spiders. Here in southern Spain they lay their eggs around the beginning of April and can raise two or even three broods a year.  

While the species appears to be benefiting from warmer winters in northern Europe, there is evidence to suggest that numbers on the Iberian peninsula are falling. Habitat loss could be a cause of this and as a result the species is now listed as 'near threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

They are a reasonably common sighting for me now around Cordoba, especially in the Sierra Morena and the Sierra Subbética. However, every time I see this warbler my mind is cast back to that first encounter.   

Lockdown Birding

Like much of the world right now, Cordoba is in lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Since the 14th March my birdwatching has been restricted to the confines of my garden. I have enjoyed reading other people's accounts of their garden birdwatching so I have decided to share what I have been seeing over the last three weeks.

Lizard in the garden

Although the garden does not attract a wide variety of birdlife, I can consider myself lucky that I am not trapped in a flat in the city. The cooing of Collared Doves and the melodious whistle of Spotless Starlings is almost constant except when it is drowned out by the chirping of House Sparrows, which nest in a large Palm Tree. Blackbirds, a pair of Sardinian Warblers and a Chiffchaff are frequent visitors to the fruits trees and a patch of scrub with wildflowers attracts Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Serins, Crested Larks and occasionally Waxbills in the early morning.

Sardinian Wardbler

Common Waxbill

Beyond my fence the area is a popular nesting site for White Storks and they can been seen circling overhead or heard making their clattering call in the nests. Another regular visitor is the Common Kestrel, passing overhead as it searches its prey.

Common Kestrel

The skies above are also worth watching. March and April sees groups of Black Kites making their way north on migration when the weather is good and last week I saw our first Short-Toed Eagle of the year. I have also had a couple of Booted Eagles, Buzzards and Griffon Vultures, probably from the nearby mountains. Other spring arrivals include Barn Swallows (including one that has come into the living room a few times) and Common Swifts.

Black Kite

In the evening Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Night Herons and Jackdaws head towards Cordoba, presumably to their roosting site by the river. Last week I saw a Black-Winged Kite hovering over nearby fields just before sundown. This was a new species on the garden list, although I have previously seen it perched on lampposts or trees nearby while driving to work.

House Sparrow

While our lives have ground to a halt, nature carries on as normal. The birds I see in the garden are busy building nests or bringing food to their young and migrants are coming back from their winter ground. I hope that as the weather warms up I will start to see more arrivals from Africa. Bee-eaters should be here soon and if I am lucky I may get some warblers stopping off in the garden. Most of all the current situation has made me appreciate even more the opportunity to observe the behaviour of birds that we often overlook or take for granted, such as the  House Sparrow or Blackbird.

"Better a sparrow, living or dead, than no birdsong at all." Catullus

Fire Hair

The warm weather at the start of the New Year gave me the chance to get out on my local patch and burn off some of the excesses of Christmas. I headed for Santa Maria de Trassierra, a small village in the Sierra Morena, about 15km from Cordoba. It is the birthplace of Beatriz Enrique de Arana, the lover of Christopher Columbus and it is thought that he stayed in the village. Today it is popular with Cordobans who have holiday homes here and as the starting point of a number of walks. 

I set off from the village towards Fuente del Elefante. This is an area I have walked many times before and despite the presence of walkers and cyclists, there is always an abundance of wildlife. Along the way I stopped to watch Blue Tits, Great Tits and Sardinian Warblers with their distinctive red eye ring. I also saw numerous Nuthatches and a Short-toed Treecreeper climbing up tree trunks in search of insects.

Sardinian Warbler

Fuente del Elefante is a large fountain in the shape of an elephant, which may date from Roman times and is part of the Valdepuentes Aqueduct, built to supply Cordoba with water. In Arab times it also brought water to the nearby Medina Azahara. The remains of the aqueduct can still be seen here, however the original elephant fountain is now housed in a museum in Cordoba and has been replaced by a replica. 

I stopped for a while near the fountain and watched Hawfinches, Chaffinches and Greenfinches in the treetops. Seeing these species together put the Hawfinch's size into perspective. Looking like a bird that has spent too much time at the gym, it is about twice the size of a Greenfinch. In Spanish it is called Picogordo which translates as big beak. This is an apt name for a birds whose bill, with a crushing force of over fifty kilograms, is able to break open acorns. Lower down in the canopy a Crested Tit hopped between the branches before being frightened off by the arrival of a Jay. In the ruins of a nearby building a Black Redstart darted between the ground and its lookout point on a wall and White Wagtails scurried across the fields. A loud 'krack krack' call marked the arrival of a pair of Ravens. 

After a while the tranquility was broken by the arrival of a group of walkers and so I headed back the way I came, taking the path towards Aroyo del Beyarano. Robins, Chaffinches, Nuthatches, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Azure-Winged Magpies were common along this part of the track which passes through more oak forest. Then the high pitched song of Firecrest caught my attention. It was moving restlessly among the branches, but close enough to give me the chance to observe its bright green mantle and orange crest. In the sunlight its crest looked almost as if it had been sprayed on with luminous paint. In fact, the ignicapilla of its scientific name (Regulus ignicapilla) translates as “fire hair,” a reference to this blazing crown.I could also clearly see its white supercilium which its relative the Goldcrest doesn't have. However, like the Goldcrest this is a tiny bird, at just nine centimetres long and weighing just six grams. The fact that I was able to observe it for around ten minutes was the highlight of my afternoon. 

Firecrest

As I came out of the trees I could see Griffon Vultures circling as they looked for their next meal. There is a small population of about forty birds which nest nearby at Baños de Popea. The area is also home to other raptors such as Sparrowhawks and Goshawks, as well as Booted Eagles and Black Kites in the spring and summer.

Griffon Vultures

As I reached the stream (Aroyo del Beyarano) a movement on the ground caught my attention. At first I thought it was a small bird taking a mud bath, but on close inspection I realized that it was a bat which was flapping desperately in the mud. I believe they should be hibernating at this time of year so what it was doing here, I don't know. I rescued it from the mud and set it off the path to help it avoid the unwanted attention of passing dogs.

The path continues on to Baños de Popea but I decided to turn back as the afternoon drew to a close. The peacefulness of the oak forest and time spent oberving the woodland birds proved to be the perfect antidote to the New Year blues.