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Autumn at the Salinas de Santa María de Jesús in Chiclana

  • 5 days ago
  • 3 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

There are birding spots that always feel new, no matter how many times you go back. The Salinas de Santa María de Jesús in Chiclana de la Frontera are one of those places. I had already visited these saltpans several times, but this early-autumn trip stood out from the previous ones. What began as a casual afternoon visit became one of my most productive sessions in months. The variety of birds was so overwhelming that returning a week later felt almost necessary — a chance to revisit the same landscape and observe new details that I hadn’t noticed the first time.


Coastal wetland with shrubs and water channels under a clear blue sky.


If the first visit offered surprises at every turn, the second was even richer, with more than forty species recorded that day.


Heron standing alert in dense, sunlit bushes.
Grey Heron


First visit: a warm afternoon full of movement


Among the birds that caught my attention were White Wagtails, the first Bluethroat of the season, and an impressive flock of Black-tailed Godwits spread across the shallow water. There must have been hundreds of them, gathered tightly together in one vast group. Some birds were feeding, others were preening or resting, and there was a steady ripple of motion through the flock.



Flock of birds wading in a shallow pond, with brown grasses in the background.

One bird immediately stood out. Its rusty-brown plumage contrasted sharply with the grey tones of the rest. It was a Limosa limosa islandica, the Icelandic subspecies — strikingly different and a highlight of the day.


Birds wading in shallow water. A brown bird with a long beak stands out among grey birds.
Limosa limosa islandica

Three birds wade in a blue water pond.
... together with the other godwits


Flock of birds flying over trees, with a city skyline in the distance under a clear blue sky.



A flock of shorebirds wades in shallow blue water, with blurred greenery in the background.
More Black-tailed Godwits


Flock of shorebirds wading in a marsh, surrounded by yellow foreground flowers and reeds in the background.



A bird with a blue throat and brown feathers stands on rocky ground, surrounded by plants.
My first Bluethroat this year


Quiet ibises and noisy terns


While I was crawling carefully through the soft mud to get a better angle of the godwits, I noticed a small group of Glossy Ibises close by. They were roughly twenty metres away, clearly aware of me, yet completely relaxed. Their plumage appeared mostly brown and matte, with none of the bright reflections often seen in stronger light.


A group of dark-coloured birds stand in muddy reeds, some preening.
Glossy Ibises


In the distance, among the many gulls resting on the sand, I counted around a dozen Caspian Terns. They stayed on the ground, while in another part of the area — over the nearby river — other terns of the same species were calling and diving for fish. Their presence added constant movement and sound to the afternoon scene. That visit ended with a long list of species and a clear impression: this site had much more to offer than I could cover in a single afternoon.



Three Caspian terns with orange beaks stand on a sandy shore by blue water.
Caspian Terns

A tern with grey and white feathers catches a fish in its beak while flying over a sunlit, rippling blue water surface.



A tern with black markings flies in a clear blue sky, carrying a small fish in its beak.





A week later: even more birds


During my second visit, conditions weren't very different, apart from a small rise in water level, probably linked to the incoming tide. The godwit flocks were still present but spread over several ponds. I didn’t see the distinctive Icelandic bird this time, but the variety of species was still extraordinary.


Storks and herons wade in a shallow pond, surrounded by brown reeds.
Storks, herons and gulls crowded together in the shallows, drawn by the rich feeding conditions of this spot


Several White Storks passed overhead, and later I found many of them gathered in the shallows alongside gulls and herons. It was a quiet scene where several species fed side by side in complete harmony: storks moved steadily through the shallows, while gulls and herons mixed in calmly among them.



Three storks with black and white feathers and red beaks fly in a clear sky.



Three storks with walk on a dirt path in a dry, scrubby landscape under clear skies.



A stork with white and black feathers walks on a dusty path, surrounded by green shrubs under a clear sky.


Another memorable sight was the abundance of Moorhens. I managed to capture eight individuals in a single frame, each one busy foraging or chasing another away. In another part of the saltpans, groups of Greater Flamingos stood calmly in the distance, feeding and resting.



Birds wading and pecking in a tranquil pond, surrounded by lush green vegetation.
Moorhens

Flamingos wade in shimmering water, surrounded by greenery.



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Two flamingos with pink and white plumage touch beaks in shallow water.
A close encounter between two Greater Flamingos


A bird with a blue and orange chest stands on mossy rocks near water.
I saw the Bluethroat during both my visits


I also managed to capture some good photos of a Water Pipit, a species that isn’t always easy to see. The bird was feeding quietly in the mud, close to the spot where I had observed the Bluethroat earlier. It remained visible just long enough to follow its quick, precise movements as it picked through the mud.


A bird with striped feathers wades in shallow water surrounded by feathers and green algae.
Water Pipit


A wading bird with grey and white feathers walks through shallow water, surrounded by patches of brown marshland under a clear blue sky.
Greenshank

Two ducks, one male and one female, are mid-flight above a pond. Their wings are spread wide against a backdrop of tall reeds.
A pair of Mallards landing on the pond in near-synchrony

Two ospreys in flight against a clear blue sky, wings outstretched.
Two Ospreys

Whimbrel walking on muddy ground, showcasing its long, curved bill and patterned brown feathers.
Whimbrel

A speckled shorebird stands on muddy ground by a blue water body.
Grey Plover

Duck with blue and green wings flying over water.
Shoveler


A small brown and black bird perches on a twig against a blurred blue and beige background.
Male Stonechat


It’s remarkable how much time you can spend along this stretch of only about two kilometres. Hours go by easily while watching the constant movement of birds, each pond offering a different scene and new activity to follow. The variety and sheer number of species make it a spectacle that never feels repetitive.



Two brown birds stand on rocky terrain by water.
Crested Lark with a curious Linnet in the background


Black-winged Stilts with long pink legs wade in shallow water, sandy shore in background.
Black-winged Stilts


Aerial view of wetlands with winding water channels and grassy patches under a clear blue sky.


Across the two visits I recorded almost fifty species, from waders and terns to herons and flamingos. The diversity alone explains why the Salinas de Santa María de Jesús remain one of the most interesting birding areas in Chiclana.



Close-up of a gull with a sharp gaze against a blurred brown background.
A gull with unmistakable attitude







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