Birding

We offer self catering accommodation for birders and bird watchers, available in the white villages of Cútar and Almáchar, in the Axarquia, Andalucia, Spain. Rural tourism in an unspoilt rural setting, offering sightings of Southern European resident birds and birds migrating to and from Africa. We have two self contained traditional cottages in the hamlet of Cútar, suitable for couples or families, both with private terraces suitable for birdwatching (Please click the tags below for details)

John R. Butler in his excellent and detailed book* calls this site 'one of the best all round birding sites on the coast'.

John says 'The ecosystems change rapidly, and can be walked or viewed from various vantage points by the roads that cross the Rio. First the beach and estuary environment have gulls and terns, the reed banks follow with Little Grebes herons and Shoveler ducks, Squaco, Night Herons and little Bitterns. Beyond this in the marshes are Little Egrets warblers and finches, and Flamingoes and Spoonbills in the winter. As this landscape gives way to the cultivated fields of artichokes, sweetcorn and sugar cane, avadavits, waxbill and both the rose ringed and monk parakeet can be seen. The streams and pools further upstream yield crested larks, hoopoes, spotted flycatchers and wheatears among others, also waxbills and finches.'

*John R Butler

Birdwatching on Spain's Southern Coast Santana Books.

The villages of Almáchar and Cútar are Moorish white villages to the north east of Málaga city. Unlike the tourist villages to the west such as Competa and Frigiliana, they are still absolutely Spanish in character and are surrounded by unspoilt countryside. In spring the land is a riot of wild flowers and butterflies which, for those of us in our fifties, reminds us of the countryside of our childhood, now long destroyed. Here raptors can be seen regularly. Rock thrushes, shrikes, warblers and turtle doves live in the valley with a large and various community of finches. This region is one of the last natural homes of the now rare European chameleon. Cascades of sparrows and an astonishing variety of garden birds make the terraces of the cottages themselves prime bird watching sites.

The villages lie within easy reach of the three great birdwatching sites of Málaga Province

To the immediate south of the villages lies the Rio Velez, attracting a range of waders and waterbirds to its extensive reedbeds and marshes (see below). To the west the massive Parque Natural of the Mountains of Malaga offers a range of bird life from warblers to birds of prey. Further South west, The Paraje Natural del Rio Guadalhorce is the temporary or permanent residence to flamingoes, spoonbills and storks. Hen harriers can be seen along its marshes and mudflats.

We have about two hectares of land close to the cottages. Half of our land is laid down to fruit - mangoes, avocados, plums, grape, figs, grapefruit, sweet and sour oranges, olive, almonds, lemons and custard fruit.

The other half we have left natural for wildlife with wild pomegranate, medlars, prickly pear and aloes.

Visitors are welcome to set up hides and use the land for birding by arrangement. Beware, the countryside is steeply terraced. The local farmers do every task by hand because the land is far to steep to allow any machinery - you have to be reasonably fit to negotiate it!

The following sites are about one and a half hours drive from the villages, in the Antequera area

In the north of Málaga province 19km from Antequera is the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. This is the largest natural lake in the Iberian Peninsula at 2.5km wide and 6.5km long, it is a haven for birds with over 170 different recorded species. Apart from its abundant aquatic birds, it is well known for its flamingo population, the second largest colony in Europe after the French Camargue region and the only inland site on the continent where they breed. In spring flamingos flock here in their thousands to reproduce, attracted by the water's high salt content and the fact that it is shallow.

The extrordinary limestone moonscape of El Torcal is another great birding site. Shrikes, choughs and buntings are in evidence but the area is notable for its birds of prey. Griffon vultures are common, but rare native raptors have been released into the area as part of a breeding programme

The El Chorro gorge with its nearby freshwater wetlands the so-called 'lake district' of Andalucia is a further landscape attracting its own specialised bird population

Other fine birding sites

Many other sites such as the Rios Genal, Guadalmansa and Padron, the Arroya Vaquera and the Rhonda region are all practical as day trips.

"I spent a week in the high Pyrenees after I left Cutar. Unfortunately, the weather was poor and we spent many hours walking in snow and sleet. Looking on the weather channel, you appear to have it hot down your way again.We look forward to a return visit.

Very best wishes

Paul and Jackie Gallagher"

Paul and Jackie

saw the following birds in our area May 2008

Little Grebe

Grey Heron

Little Egret

Flamingo

Spoonbill

Egyptian Goose

White Headed Duck

Gadwall

Mallard

Pochard

Black Kite

Griffen Vulture

Sparrow Hawk

Kestrel

Red Legged Partridge

Moorhen

Coot

Ringed Plover

Little ringed Plover

Kentish Plover

Avocet

Curlew Sandpiper

Black Tailed Godwit

Bar Tailed Godwit

Black-winged Stilt

Knot

Ruff

Dunlin

Sandling

Redshank

Black-headed Gull

Audouin`s Gull

Yellow-legged Gull

Common Tern

Sandwich Tern

Black Tern

Woodpigeon

Collard Dove

Rock/Feral Pigeon

Turtle Dove

Crested Lark

Thekla`s Lark

Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

House Swallow

Bee Eater

Hoopoe

Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail

Woodchat Shrike

Sardinian Warbler

Orphean

Blackcap

Whitethroat

Spotted Flycatcher

Blackbird

Blue Rock Thrush

GreatTit

Blue Tit

Linnet

Wheatear

Stonechat

Rufous Bushchat/Bushrobin

Serin

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

House Sparrow

Spotless Starling

Golden Oriole

Chough

Hooded Crow

(73 species seen during

a five day holiday)

The river Velez runs past Velez Malaga, our nearest town, towards its estuary near Torre del Mar. Like most Andalucian rivers, its bed is dry until quite close to the coast where it opens into a marshy estuary. However the flood plain yields a huge variety if vegetables, and the actual river bed is wild, offering a wide variety of eco-systems to a large range of coastal and wading birds