Bolonia

Bolonia

Cadiz Province > Spain

Bolonia offers a good variety of birding but is best known as a raptor watching location and for the presence of rare swifts and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin.

Added* by John Cantelo
Most recent update 2 May 2020

Description

Puerto de Bolonia, the name given to point where the road to El Lentiscal (aka Playa de Bolonia) crosses a ridge running between the Sierra de la Plata and the craggy mass of Sierra San Bartolo. In easterly winds it's a superb place to watch migrating raptors and storks: White Stork – Spring Feb-April (peaks early March): Autumn July – Sept (peak late August) Black Stork – Spring Feb-April (peak late March): Autumn Sept-Oct (p eak late Sept) European Honey-buzzard : Spring Late April – May (peak Early May); Autumn August-Sept (peak Early Sept) Black Kite : Spring Feb - April (peak March); Autumn July – Sept (peak early August) Egyptian Vulture : Spring Feb – May (peak late March); Autumn Aug – Sept (peak early Sept) Griffon Vulture : Spring Feb – June (peak early May); Autumn – Sept – Oct (peak early Nov) Short-toed Snake Eagle : Spring Feb – May (peak early March); Autumn – Sept – Oct (peak late Sept) Booted Eagle : Spring March – May (peak late March); Autumn – Sept – Oct (peak late Sept) Montagu's Harrier : Spring April- May (peak early April); Autumn – Aug – Sept (peak late August). The ridge is a good place for passing swifts with Alpine Swift Common Swift and Pallid Swift all being regular with a chance of two rarer species (but see below). The ridge (and elsewhere) is also good for passing migrants (e.g. Northern Wheatear , Tawny Pipit, European Bee-eater , etc).

The scrub on these hillsides here and across to nearby Facinas are good places to check for the elusive Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin - an increasingly scarce and declining bird even in this area. (For this reason caution should be used when looking for this species and under no circumstances should playback be used).

Dropping down to the coast you reach the popular resort of Playa de Bolonia. Out of season the small outflow of the stream here can attract waders (including Kentish Plover ) and gulls (including Audouin's Gull ). Watching the sea gives you a good chance of more gulls, terns (esp. Sandwich Tern ) and Cory's Shearwater although a 'scope is needed. In spring tired raptors often arrive low over the beach. Culture vultures will not want to miss the nearby Roman ruins (Baelo Claudia) but philistine birders will also be peased to find Black-eared Wheatear , Little Owl , Sardinian Warbler , etc in the ruins.

To the north-west of the ruins the road runs up to the rocky ridge of the Sierra de la Plata. However, before you reach the most popular destination in the sierra, the Cueva del Moro (Cave of the Moor), two excellent diversions present themselves. The first is to explore a track on your right (look for a sign to the Quesería de el Cabrero Bolonia) that runs to Laja de la Zarga (4 km) where there's a hide looking across to a massive rock wall that hosts a large Griffon Vulture colony and where Egyptian Vulture and Bonelli's Eagle are possible. The second is a 1.5 km walk along a track down to Faro de Camarinal (on your left) where the seawatching tends to be better than from the beach. Continuing up the main track (potholed in parts) you reach an obvious parking area below the Cueva del Moro (Cave of the Moor). This site is well known for both Little Swift and White-rumped Swift but in recent years both have been elusive here. However, with luck it is still possible to see 5 species of swift in the area (late April/early May - Sept), one of the only places in Europe where this may be possible. Fortunately, while you wait for the star attraction you can watch Griffon Vulture , Blue Rock Thrush and Crag Martin all of which breed nearby and, as always, keep an eye open for raptors.

Details

Access

Bolonia/El Lentiscal is well signposted off the N 340 north of Tarifa. Note that there are signs on the way up to the Cueva del Moro warning that it's a military road but the existence of official noticeboards here indicate that access is not banned. Parking at Laja de la Zarga is limited and the track up to the hide unsuitable for vehicles (unless a 4X4).

Terrain and Habitat

Forest , Mountain , Sea , Dunes , Beach

Conditions

Mountainous

Circular trail

Is a telescope useful?

Can be useful

Good birding season

Spring , Autumn

Best time to visit

Spring migration , Autumn migration

Route

Paved road

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Car

Birdwatching hide / platform

Yes

Extra info

The area is best avoided at weekends in summer when it can get very busy. Note that Atlanterra on the other side of the Sierra de la Plata cannot be reached from Bolonia. The Faro de Camarinal can also be reached via Atlanterra (Zahara de los Atunes) which is also a good site for both the rare swifts. Little Bustard are still sometimes reported from the area between the N 340 ad Zahara.

There are numerous places to eat in El Lentiscal (although most if not all will be closed out of season)

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