Huelva to Malaga

We stayed a day longer than I had planned in the Huelva area and Pam had a flight back to the UK from Malaga on 26th March so on the 25th we started out on the sea-front at El Rompido with a couple of nice Whimbrel and my first Turnstone of the trip then set off for Malaga.

Whimbrel

We took the route via Seville rather than down the coast past Cadiz as I had planned to save time.
On the way we stopped at El Rocio and viewed the floods from the village. There were plenty of Glossy Ibis and Flamingo and my first Collared Pratincole of the trip with around 70 dispersed over the raised islands in the lake, but no sign of any 'Marsh' Terns yet.

Collared Pratincole

We had a look at the pool to the west and added Purple Gallinule to the trip list with at least 3 individuals in different areas of the reed bed, but all distant. A flock of 40 Spoonbill was nice and there were plenty of Cattle Egret in the area.
We moved on to an overnight stop just outside Malaga and the following morning after dropping Pam at the airport I went to the nearby Guadalhorce reserve. It was busy, especially so, with it being Easter, but there were still some nice birds. I was particularly interested in White-headed Ducks and saw at least 12 of these amazing looking duck, with a similar number of Pochard and Shoveler plus a pair of Black-necked Grebe, a couple of Avocet and a Woodchat Shrike.

White-headed Duck, male upper female below

On the beach I added Kentish Plover which is the first I have seen for a while.

Kentish Plover - female

I then head off for Gibraltar, for my first visit and staying at the Observatory.