birdwatching in Eastern Andalucía
See raptors, waders, the migrating and emigrant bird populations of the western Axarquia
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 offer our large five bedroomed house in Almachar for large birding parties. We also have two self contained traditional cottages in the hamlet of Cútar, suitable for couples or families, both with private terraces suitable for birdwatching.
See raptors, waders, the migrating and emigrant bird populations of the western Axarquia
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 offer our large five bedroomed house in Almachar for large birding parties. We also have two self contained traditional cottages in the hamlet of Cútar, suitable for couples or families, both with private terraces suitable for birdwatching.
Blue Rock thrush
Spanish sparrow
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Bee Eater
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Bonelli's Eagle
barn swallow
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little owl
Birdwatchers Paul and Jackie Gallagher saw all 75 species below during their five day stay in our cottage in late May
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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.
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 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 water birds to its extensive reed beds 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 Parque 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. The following sites, all in the Antequera area, are an hour and a half drive from our villages
In the north of Málaga province 19km from Antequera ist he 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 Ronda region are all practical as day trips.
Finally, a brief note about Rio Velez ,our 'local',home to a great variety of birds 25 minutes drive away
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 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
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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 |
Fine wader country
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"A wonderful place for birding -even in August!”
Di Stedman saw the following white stork Bonelli's eagle kestrel eagle owl barn owl little owl skylark yellow wagtail stonechat blackcap reed warbler goldcrest woodchat shrike goldfinch greenfinch serin ortolan bunting |