It is not really a practical proposition to cover the whole reserve in one trip, nor is it viable to describe it in one article so I will divide it into four manageable chunks.

The view from the cliff top will quickly show you that a long stretch of water separates the seashore from the cliff side so I will deal with these as two separate excursions.

The third excursion will cover the area around the lighthouse whilst a fourth will explore the stretch between the lighthouse and Roquetas.

If we start with the cliff walk side you should enter the reserve at a point near to the horse riding stables. Sadly much rubbish is deposited here but don’t be in too much of a hurry to get deep into the scrub land. Fortunately birds do not hold the same standards as we bird-lovers and many birds live happily at the fringes near to the stables. Many of these will be familiar to UK birdwatchers and include Sparrows, Collared Doves, Greenfinches and Magpies but patient watching will soon reveal a number of breeds rarely or never seen at home.

Black Redstarts and Stonechats are frequently seen chasing flies from their look-out posts on rocks or the tops of bushes. Their short acrobatic sallies usually end with them returning to the same take off point within a few seconds and they can make several flights in a minute. The males of the species (as with most birds) are the more striking and are easier to identify. The males of each of these species are predominantly black, the first having a red rump and the latter having a red breast with a white vicars collar. The females however are dull brown and sometimes difficult to identify from other species of similar size living within the same habitat.

To see hundreds of pictures of these, or any other, birds click onto any of the major internet search engines and search for the bird type you wish to view. Many of the sites will also give much background information that will assist in identifying the breed.

Now walk a little further into the reserve and look towards the section of cliff face which has numerous holes. Some of these are small enough to act as cosy nest sites for the thousands of Rock Martins that you will see swooping for flies throughout the Almerimar area. Slightly larger holes and ledges provide nest sites for Kestrels whilst you may well see Bonelli’s Eagles in the larger caves. Even if you miss seeing the eagles at their nest you should see them frequently flying over the golf course and scrubland searching for small creatures such as lizards, mice, rabbits and birds such as pigeons to add to their varied diet.

In the scrub you should see Crested and Thekla Larks scurrying along the ground foraging for shoots, seeds and insects. Both are so similar in appearance that the best way to distinguish one from the other is by their song.

A clearly defined path runs the length of this section of the Salinas through to the lighthouse area of the reserve. From this path there are a number of convenient spots to view the many types of waterfowl who reside in the reserve. The most impressive of these are the hundreds of Greater Flamingos who now appear to be domiciled throughout the year. Whilst these have clear tinges of pink in their plumage one needs to see a flock of them flying into the sun to really appreciate their deep crimson colouring.

Find a convenient lakeside rock and settle down (a cushion helps) to view a myriad of waders, ducks, and gulls with an occasional Marsh or Hen Harrier flying overhead. The lake shore line is muddy and just a little smelly, the type of environment that supports the worms, larvae, molluscs and shrimps that form the diet of most short legged wading birds. Longer legged waders such as Grey Herons and Little Egrets can wade in deeper water and catch small fish and frogs. This then is the perfect situation to discover many of the hundred or so waterfowl, waders and water dependent birds who live in or travel through Southern Europe.

We will look at these in more detail in my next note when we take a walk twixt sea and lake.

Almerimar is a great place to live as an expat amongst the expats, or to work amongst the Spanish. There are all kinds of properties including villas, apartments and town houses for rent or sale. It is a very traditional part of Spain, with traditional Spanish foods so if you plan to travel to Spain either to look for jobs, for your company to trade with companies in Spain, or to learn Spanish and enjoy the Spanish weather then come and take a look.

If you are interested in purchasing a property in Almerimar please visit our sponsor Mirror of the Sun