The first heat of the year has clearly arrived in the south of Spain, and this was clearly noticeable during our most recent birding trip near Arcos de la Frontera. I was curious whether we would spot many juvenile birds again, and the answer was a resounding yes.

Despite the rising heat, it was a very pleasant walk in a still green environment, always close to the Guadalete river. The nature surrounding Arcos de la Frontera offers a lush landscape perfect for bird watchers. The river itself provides a constant presence of water, which is crucial for many birds in this region.

As on a previous visit to this site, it was necessary to be careful when crossing certain parts of the route as they were slightly flooded. Especially after a rainy period, some paths can be muddy and slippery. Much depends on the flow of the Guadalete. That is why it is important to know the route well and be prepared for such circumstances.

Right from the start we noticed many bird species, mainly songbirds. It seemed as if the birds wanted to make themselves heard on this beautiful spring day. The Nightingale in particular made itself heard and seen, with at least thirty specimens that were not ashamed to perform their beautiful song. It was a real spectacle to see these little singers in action. Their cheerful singing provided the perfect background music for our journey.

In addition to the Nightingales, we also heard a few Penduline Tits. And to top it all off, we even saw a Little Bittern, a fairly rare sight in this region. The presence of these species made the trip more than successful.

Another highlight of the day was seeing and hearing four Iberian Green Woodpeckers. These beautiful birds, with their green plumage and loud calls, added an extra touch of colour to our tour. It was fascinating to observe them foraging for food on the tree trunks.

Unlike the European Green Woodpecker, the Iberian subspecies does not have black around the eye, but rather grey.

There were also many young Grey Geese present. A passerby told us that many young chicks had been swallowed by a Grey Heron last year. Fortunately, this year seemed to be a better year for the goslings as we saw a lot of them in good health.
















It was also worth watching a group of House Martins as they frantically splashed their beaks in the mud.


The route we followed ended with a fairly steep climb, which means you need to be in good shape to complete this hike, but our effort was rewarded. At the top of the hill, a beautiful view of the landscape and a welcome refreshment on the terrace of an ice cream parlour awaited us.
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