Tarifa autumn raptor passage (and more.....)

8-10 Sept - No September is complete without a foray to Gibraltar and Tarifa to pay homage to the autumn raptor passage, one of nature's most spectacular European events. This year was no exception - a 48 hour visit produced hundreds of migrating raptors, with flocks of Honey Buzzards 30-40 strong spiralling on the thermals, and a supporting cast of White and Black Storks, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, a few Harriers, and several rarities - Ruppell's Vulture, Long-legged Buzzard and Black-shouldered Kite. Not forgetting the parties of Bee-eaters, and steady stream of hirundines including Red-rumped Swallows, along with Alpine, Pallid and Common Swifts and a single White-rumped. There was also a good selection of passage waders on the coast, principally at Barbate (here amongst the startingly pink Greater Flamingoes) including Greenshanks and Spotted Redshanks, Grey and Golden Plover, Whimbrel, and Bar-tailed Godwit, together with a single Little Stint amongst the Sanderlings, Dunlin and clockwork-toy like Kentish Plovers. The strait itself wasn't to be outdone - a good passage of close Cory's Shearwaters and a few Balearics, and plenty of Audouin's Gulls. La Janda flooded ricefields held huge numbers of White Storks with several hundred Glossy Ibis, also 25 Spoonbills, Black-winged Stilts, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff, also Tawny Pipit and Iberian Wagtails and 5 increasingly rare Turtle Doves on passage. Hunting Montagu's and Marsh Harriers are always a treat here and are to be expected. Altogether a busy but rewarding area, very hot though this year, but well worth it.