TRANSFER FROM MALAGA AIRPORT TO TARIFA WITH STOPS AT ESTAPONA GOLF CLUB - CAZALLA RAPTOR WATCH-POINT
Weather: dry, hot & sunny, light westerly winds, max temp 30C
I had a busy day at Malaga airport as I, collected my bus, assembled my group throughout the morning and got them all safely to Tarifa by late afternoon.
We left Malaga at 1pm and headed southwest to Tarifa, after stopping near Estepona to buy drinks we went for a birding excursion for an hour or so.
The Golf Course at Estepona is usually good for a few species including Eurasian Hoopoe, we saw a dozen or so species but not the Hoopoe. We started listing with Yellow-legged Gull along the way and Sand Martin and Short-toed Lark at the supermarket. Pallid Swifts hawked above us over the golf course, they were joined by Barn & Red-rumped Swallows and House Martins. We found Yellow Wagtail (Iberica), Common Stonechat, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Cattle Egret feeding on the grass and a Booted Eagle drifted over.
We noticed small flocks of Honey Buzzards as we climbed the hills just passed Algeciras before we made a quick stop at Cazalla watch-point. It was windy at Cazalla, no birds were passing so we stayed just long enough to admire the terrific view down to Tarifa and across to Morocco.
We checked into the hotel and called it a 'short' day, a two hour relaxation period before dinner was most agreeable. Dinner was served at 7:30pm as we sat on the terrace enjoying a beautiful sunset.