We got a ride up to Malaga this morning to pick up the rental car. The ride was fun as we had ridden with this driver before. Getting the car was easy as well, we had a blast talking with Mar our agent. Her name means sea in Spanish, how appropriate. The bird sanctuary was very near the airport and so we only had to drive a short way. We parked at the church and then walked into the sanctuary. Two and a half miles later we were back at the car. Dusty and a bit sweaty but satisfied with our time investment. The trails were all nicely upkept, the bird blinds made it easier to see the birds and get pictures. We tried to get to a tea shop in downtown Malaga but it was a no parking, narrow streets, constant traffic flow kind of place. After a few missed turns I just took the highway entrance ramp when it appeared in front of me and we drove back to Puerto Banus. Once again, it is never easy. In this case "it" was the parking at the condo. We had the fob and I drove right past the gate when the arm lifted. However the garage door at the bottom of the ramp never opened. So I had to back up the ramp and enter the garage from the exit instead. The parking space was "generous" as we only had three inches space between our car and the next.
Mar invited us to stay with her next time we are in Spain
The preserve is large, 165 acers
A grey heron right off the bat!
Good signage, gives a hiker some confidence
The shadow hike
Wide trails
The Red-Shirted Ginger Waderbird
Marbled Teals
The white headed duck. There is a different duck, the blue-billed duck, found in Australia and the blue duck in New Zealand. We did not see any of the other two blue ducks but we saw this one.
Common Shelduck
Little Grebe
Northern Shoveler
This Little Grebe is cute
With a cute butt
Eurasian Coot
Sardinian Warbler sounded like six birds singing when it was only one
In Spain the flamingos dance flamenco
A Black Legged Stilt
Same stilt but right side up
Common Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Little Egrets
Egrets with cormorants
Little Egret. The bill looks white but it shouldn't
A Collared Pratincole
Not a common bird in these parts
Not too pink
Hey Miss Stilt, how you doin?
A match made behind the bird blinds
One of the flamingos woke up for a snack
A glossy Ibis
A Ringed Plover
Lone Gull
Yellow flowers everywhere
Two arms of the river flow through the preserve
The common house martins were loving this bridge
A Gray Heron
It was more like 2.5 miles since I did not start it at the beginning of the walk
It has been 284 days since we began our Migration
