Odiel Marshes

The Odiel Marshes sounded too good to be true. Easy access, good selection of birds, excellent views from the road which runs through the heart of the area, and particularly good for photographers. We had to go and of course, it was too good to be true. It was worth the visit but we did not see the selection of birds we were hoping for, the light was poor and the road was closed blocking access to the last four or five kilometres of the peninsular.

Best bird of the day was undoubtedly this juvenile Osprey, blue ringed LHO, hatched 12th June 2017 at Aberfoyle Scotland. He is carrying a lot of bling and a backpack but still a great bird to see.

Perhaps I should start collecting pictures of GPS packs!

There was a good selection of waders around but nothing exceptional and no sign of the Red-knobbed Coot that we had been hoping for.

Curlew

Greenshank

We then spent the rest of the morning checking out a mixed Gull and Sandwich Tern flock before heading back to the Coto Donana. Unfortunately nothing close enough for a decent photograph.

Sandwich Terns, Audouin's, Lesser Black-backed, and a Kittiwake seated bottom left

Interesting ring information. As well as the Osprey we had two Spanish and three Portuguese ringed Audouin's and a ringed Sandwich Tern. Perhaps it is not common practice to report ring sightings in this area but I was surprised that none of the five Audouin's had been reported since hatching between three and five years ago.


Memory of the day, the flocks of birds we could see wheeling over the peninsular well beyond the road closure that stopped us. We could have walked but we had already experienced one session of torrential rain and there was no cover to be seen.