BIRDING IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH SPAIN - APRIL – MAY 2002
Day 1, 18th April: Madrid
The 19 members of The Brooks Bird Club, from West Virginia (USA), landed in Madrid at 11:00 am. At the airport Eva, Carmen and Santi, their tour leaders, were waiting for them. The morning was sunny and warm and after leave the luggage in the Tryp Alcalá 611 Hotel we went to our first destiny: the small town of El Pardo.
Santi, our Birdwatching Guide, decided to have a short walk before the lunch to the Capuchinos bridge. There we recorded several Hawfinches, heard the first Nightingales of the trip and enjoyed with the Wood Pigeons, Serins, Blackcaps, Great Tits and even a brief glance of Black Kite and Griffon Vulture. It was very curious to watch a Blackbird with some white feathers on mantle and head.
After lunch (we ate the typical meal from Madrid “cocido”) we walked along the Manzanares River... and could see White and Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Wren and Greenfinch. A very confident male of Great Spotted Woodpecker drumed several times in a nearest tree, showing his reddish vent and the small patch of his nape. Because the travel from USA was too long we were very tired and backed to the Hotel a little bit earlier than Santi expected.
Day 2, 19th April: North-east Plains Of Madrid
Some birders did not understand how in Spain we use to start the birding at 8:00 am more or less. Santi explained to the group the reason why we did it: most of the birds we were looking for were raptors and only with the thermals of the mid day you will have success to detect species such us large eagles or vultures.
Our first stop was in Valdetorres Plains. There we could see several Great Bustards... even in flight! So the Calandra and Crested Larks were very common and a pair of Montagu’s Harrier were patrolling searching for food. This place is one of the few where is possible to see the three species of Harriers but only Montagu’s was recorded.
At 12:00 am we reached to Colmenar Viejo surroundings. The place known as Marmota gave us beautiful moments. A noisy couple of Great Spotted Cuckoo was “fighting” with two Magpies while all were observed by a female of Woodchat Shrike. Flying over us a small group of Griffon Vulfures and a pair of Black-eared Wheatear was perched in a nearly fence. After a short walk uphill we reached the top. From there we could see hundreds of Holm Oaks and Crimson-Spotted Rock Roses. We saw Fallow and Red Deers, and Wild Boars, but the most exciting moment was when a 4th calendar year of Spanish Imperial Eagle flew over our heads for a few minutes. It was a great day!
Day 3, 20th April: Madrid
That day we visited the El Prado Museum, the Botanical Garden and the Royal Palace. In the Garden was posible to hear some Blackcaps, Blackbirds and Great Tits.
Day 4, 21st April: La Mancha Wetlands
Surely this day was the hardest in the whole trip because we drove along 500 km. We left Madrid direction to the marshes of La Mancha early in the morning. In the Villacañas lake, the first point we visited, the Pintail Sandgrouse was heard but it was not posible to detect in flight. A lot of small waders run in the mud probing with their bills... most of then were Little Stints and Dulins but we saw Northern Lapwing, Ruffs, Avocets, Greenshanks, Redshanks and Black-winged Stilts too. Another Great Spotted Cuckoo flew in our eyes and landed in a small hill... he was hunting a huge caterpillar, which was taken from the ground.
The Gull-Billed Terns were nesting in two of three artificial platforms in the water and they were flying everywhere, even following a harvester...
After a couple of hours in Villacañas we decided to change of place and going directily to Pedro Muñoz marsh, without doubt the most famous lake in La Mancha to see the scarce White-headed Duck... and we saw! At least 7 or 8 birds were recorded. So Black and Whiskered Tern were seen and many species of ducks such as Red-crested Pochard, Mallard, Common Shelduck, Gadwall or Common Pochard.
In the way to Gredos Santi decided to stop in Toledo. We could see the amazing cathedral and walking into the jewish quarter of the town and in two hours we were travelling again towards the Gredos mountains. We slept in the Parador of Gredos, a very nice hotel join the road in the mid of a pine trees forest.
Day 5, 22nd April: Sierra de Gredos Range
Before breakfast, a small group decided to go birding in the surroundings of Parador. Several confiding Citril Finches, Rock Buntings, Crag Martins and a solitary Black Redstart were recorded.
In Navarredonda de Gredos, the village where we had to take our pic-nic lunch we saw the first nest of White Stork and two or three Rock Sparrows in a old building.
The snow laying the last weeks made hard to walk along the old roman track from the known as Plataforma de Gredos. Only we could walk a pair of kilometres but we saw Water Pipit, White-throated Dipper, Dunnock and Bluethroat, this one only seen by three of us who walked a little bit more than others. Here we also watched a small group of Iberian Ibex of Gredos, an endemic subspecies of this wild goat.
Down in the valley we enjoy with several species of raptors such as Booted and Short-toed Eagle, and both Kites, Red and Black. We backed to the Parador for resting before dawn but some of us wanted more birding… and had their prize. Santi, our birding leader, imitated the song of the Tawny Owl and an excited female answered him! We couldn’t see her but she was into the canopy trees while all small birds and several Eurasian Jays were terrified.
Day 6, 23rd April: Monfragüe Natural Park I
Our first day in Monfragüe was really amazing but we did not see something special. Curiously we were waiting a long time before we saw the two first Egyptian Vultures from the viewpoint of La Tajadilla where they nest. A few minutes before we saw the only one Golden Eagle of the trip, and of course a small party of Azure-winged Magpie. In the Salto del Gitano viewpoint we could watch several Black Storks, and two of their nests. In the nearby rocks a male of Blue Rock Thrush was singing and Red-rumped Swallows were very common. Monfragüe is the most important breeding area in Europe for Eurasian Black Vultures… we saw a lot of then flying joined to dozens of Griffons.
Day 7 , 24th April: Monfragüe Natural Park II
Santi knew where a nest of Spanish Imperial Eagle was and went there early in the morning. In the walk we recorded Winchat, rare in Extremadura region, Hoopoe, Little Ringed Plover, Bee-Eater, Thekla Lark, Black-eared Wheatear and Woodchat Shrike. As is an very endangered species, our leader decided not approach more than a couple of kilometres. The light was great and all we saw the huge nest in a electricity pylon with a small cream coloured head inside. The other member of the pair was in a nearby pylon. This season the pair has bred two nice chicks. In Spain breed the total of the world population of Spanish Imperial Eagle, there are still 150 pairs, and inside Monfragüe and surroundings no more than ten.
The day was very hot and we decided backed to the hotel in Plasencia and waiting to dawn when is possible to see the scarce Eagle Owl. At half past six we were again in Monfragüe, exactly in the known as Portilla del Tietar. We knew that a pair had bred this season and three big chicks were with the adults. After a couple of hours scanning the rocks Santi saw one of the adults. It was not hidden but was really difficult to detect due to the mimicking plumage!.
Day 8 , 25th April: Belen Plains & Trujillo
We visited the plains of Belen, a place located to the South of Trujillo town, for trying to see some steppe birds. Lesser Kestrel, Great Bustard, Montagu’s Harrier and three Stone Curlews were the most important records, but Roller or Little Bustard were not seen. That morning was really hot!
In the main square of Trujillo we saw hundred of Common and some Pallid Swifts. Lesser Kestrels, Jackdaws and White Storks flew joined over the roofs of this beautiful town. After a rest in the Parador of Trujillo we went on the travel towards Almendralejo, our next stop.
Day 9, 26th April: Mérida
This day was a very typical tourist visit to Merida but had a little break of birding in the new bridge over the Guadiana river. In the African Tamarisks and Poplars of the banks there is a colony of herons. Cattle Egret was the most common bird but was possible to see Little Egret, Black-backed Night Heron and only one Purple Heron flying over the bridge too. Here we saw our first Alpine Swifts of the trip.
People was really happy after seeing the old roman ruins of theatre and anfitheatre, unfortunately that day there was an special festival for children and the town was colapsed… we got back to the hotel in Almendralejo.
Day 10, 27th April: La Serena
We knew that probably our last chances to see Roller and Little Bustard would be in La Serena. Second one was seen very good into the grassland and at least three displaying males and two females were watched, but sadly the “blue twister” only was seen briefly from the bus. In the first stop of the day two Pintail Sandgrouses crossed noisy and quickly while the Calandra Larks were singing. Here the Zitting Cisticola is a very common bird and even the Spanish Sparrow is abundant in some spots of Eucalyptus.
In the afternoon we visited the small habitation called Benquerencia de la Serena and surroundings. Again we saw Alpine Swift and Blue Rock Thrush but we could see our first Black Wheatear in the rocky area behind the village. Sardinian and Melodious Warbler were recorded too.
Day 11, 28th April: Doñana Natural Park I
After the breakfast we went on the travel towards the most important nature reserve in Europe: Doñana Natural Park. In the way we crossed the amazing Sierra de Aracena range, one of the best examples of Mediterranean ecosystems but a dense mist did not allow to see something. Finally we reached El Rocio, the emblematic village of this natural park at lunch time. In front of this village we watched Whiskered Terns, Greater Flamingos, Eurasian Spoonbills, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts and several species of small waders.
In the known as La Rocina we did a short walk where could be seen Squacco Heron, Purple Swamp-Hen, Sardinian and Reed Warbler and some typical birds of forest such as Great, Long-tail and Blue Tit or Wren, Serin and Short-toed Treecreeper.
Day 12, 29th April: Doñana Natural Park II
In spite of to visit the main marshes of Doñana the most important species were warblers and forest birds. Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Dartford Warbler, Cetti’s, Reed and Savi’s Warbler were recorded and a female of Marsh Harrier was patrolling the ground looking for small mammals. That day the most exciting moment was when Santi imitated the song of the Golden Oriole and a pretty male answered him from the trees of El Acebuche… finally we could see him after a long wait.
Day 13, 30th April: Doñana Natural Park III
If the second dayin Doñana was slightly poor in species our third day was really amazing! The destiny was the viewpoint of Cerrado Garrido, now called Jose Antonio Valverde. Along a twisty path where the bus had some problems we saw Little Owl and a lot of Purple and Squacco Herons… but very close of the end of the road a white bird falcon-like was perched in the fence… then Santi screamed “Black-winged Kite to the left hand side!”. We were seeing one of the most beautiful raptors of Europe!. In North America lives a very similar species called White-tailed Kite, Elanus Leucurus, and this was the reason why at the beginning some people thought that it was the same. Santi told us the differences between the two kites and why was very strange to see it in that place.
When we arrived to the visitors centre hundreds of birds were flying in all directions, Glossy Ibises, Purple and Squacco Herons, Little Bitterns, Spoonbills, Greater Flamingos… under some African Tamarisk we saw a couple of the scarce Marbled Teal and curiously two Garganeys.
After lunch we tried to see the rare Red-knobbed Coot in the Caños del Guadiamar, close to the centre… and we got it. Even we could see three chicks and the two adults, one of then with a white band in the neck. Santi told us that probably was a mixed pair of wild and introduced birds.
Short-toed, Lesser Short-toed and Crested Larks were the most common birds in our back.
Day 14, 1st May: Seville
In Seville we started a cultural visit of three days. The Reales Alcázares, Barrio de Santa Cruz, the Cathedral and Giralda were the places we visited that day. We did not go for birding but we could see join the Cathedral a lot of Pallid Swifts. The next two days we were going to sightseeing in Cordoba and Granada.
Day 15, 2nd May: Cordoba
One of the first things we did in Cordoba was visiting the Mosque-Cathedral an impressive building with a strange mix of culture and religions. After seeing this amazing place we went on to the Jewish quarter with its straight streets and white houses. Here we saw the old synagogue.
Day 16, 3rd May: Granada
Our third cultural day in Andalusia was in Granada. The main activity that day was the visit of La Alhambra and after dinner we saw a Flamenco performance in the city…very amazing.
Day 17, 4th May: Sierra Nevada Natural Park
A fter three cultural days we visited the Sierra Nevada Natural Park. Our two targets were the Rock Thrush and the Alpine Accentor. Only we could see in good conditions the second one and a male of the first was seen for a moment in the top of a boulder. In the skiing station we saw a few Alpine Accentor… the behaviour was very confided and got it very close from our binoculars. Northern Wheatear, Red-billed Chough, Common Crossbill and Bonelli’s Warbler were other interesting species of that day.
As the day was cold and we did not see many birds we decided to get down trying to see other species before arriving our hotel in Torremolinos.
Day 18, 5th May: Guadalhorce’s River Mouth & Torcal de Antequera
The Mouth of Guadalhorce’s River is famous by records of rare birds. In the last years Cream-coloured Coursor has been seen so several scarce migrants of waders. Probably the most important bird in this area is the Audouin’s Gull… we were lucky and saw two into the water joined a flock of Yellow-legged Gulls.In front of us several Balearic Shearwater flew over the water with their typical wing beats, and two Razorbills floating close the shoreline.
Searching waders along the bank of the river we saw a strange egret. At the first sight looked like a Western Reef Heron but the white under parts and neck (not only chin and throat) and the silvery grey (not dark) of back told us was a possible hybrid between this and Little Egret.
Walking along the path of the reserve we saw serveral Monk Parakeets feeding on thistle seeds, so in a small pond Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Dunlin. In the afternoom we headed to Torcal de Antequera Reserve, a limestone landscape with strange shapes which holds a rich and varied community of birds, mainly small passerines.
Here the most important species were our first and unique Cirl Bunting, a male singing of Blue Rock Thrush, Thekla Lark, Sardinian Warbler and Black Redstart but we could see several species of orchids.
Day 19, 6th May: Ronda & Sierra de las Nieves Range
Ronda is probably the most beautiful village of Malaga province. Their famous gorges, the big one with more of 100 metres of fall, hold some species who live in the rocky habitats. So we saw Rock Sparrow, Red-billed Chough, Crag Martin and Common Kestrel. We spend most of the morning sightseeing and after lunch in a typical restaurant we went to the Sierra de las Nieves Range.
Along the track of Los Quejigales we were looking for Bonelli’s Eagle in several stops. After a briefing sight of Subalpine Warbler into the Kermes Oak we finally could watch (but too far) the wanted raptor. Only for a few seconds was possible to see their features, white under body, dark wings and fly Goshawk-like. In fact its profile resembles more a big Goshawk than an eagle with a very long tail and short rounded wings.
The Sierra de las Nieves Reserve is not only known by the Bonelli’s Eagle, surely the species more important is not a bird. There grows up the Spanish Silver Fir, and endemic coniferous which only can be seen in a few ranges of the south of Spain. Of course we were watching close this majesty tree before back to the hotel in Ronda.
Day 20, 7th May: Las Tablas de Daimiel Natural Park
Our last day birding in Spain was very intensive and amazing. We left Ronda early in the Morning and backed to Madrid. In the mid of the travel we made a stop for lunch and talk about the possibility to cancel the trip of that day because the strong rain.
Finally we decide to do it in spite of the wet weather… was our last complete day in Spain. Las Tablas de Daimiel Natural Park is famous in Europe by its wintering wildfowl but in spring season a lot of species come to breed. Here we could record some “lifers” such us Penduline Tit, Sedge Warbler or Wood Sandpiper, but the most important record was a Water Rail feeding on mud far of the reeds. We could see it for a long time. Only when it was raining like cats and dogs Santi decided back to the bus to continue our travel. We reached Madrid at 18:00 pm, with time to have a shower and change the clothes to have our last dinner in Spain.
Day 21, 8th May: Madrid
End of this amazing travel shared by a very good friends. Spainbirds will never forget to the travellers from West Virgina (USA).
PARQUE NATURAL DE EL HONDO - AUGUST 2002
Day 1, 3 August 2002: Parque Natural de El Hondo and Salinas de Santa Pola
Despite the late arrival of the guard who was to open the northern gate of El Hondo Nature Park for us, we were still the first to enter the reserve that morning. Well aware that August is not exactly the best month to see birds, we were nonetheless hoping that the last lingering breeding species might be joined by the first post-breeding migrants. On the first few metres of the path running between the eastern and western lakes we heard the repetitive yelp of a Little Owl and saw hordes of Reed Warblers catching mosquitoes from the swarm that surrounded us, while a Southern Grey Shrike flashed across the reed bed.
In the first hide we saw Whiskered Terns, a solitary young Purple Heron standing stock still, some Little Bitterns in flight, a drake White-headed Duck and our first Marbled Teal of the trip. In the nearby eucalyptus trees Melodious Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers were feasting themselves on the swarms of mosquitoes that had earlier belaboured us along the path.
It was from the tower hide, our next stop, that we saw our best birds. As well as various groups of Marbled Teal in flight, we saw several Squacco Herons, a female Marsh Harrier, more Little Bitterns, this time much closer to us, Purple Herons, a pair of Purple Gallinule, a drake Red-crested Pochard in eclipse, Common Terns, Little Terns, Kingfisher... and many of the commoner water birds such as Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Coot and Moorhen. On our way back we stopped off in the Calamón Hide where we saw a couple of young Whiskered Terms begging food from their parents.
After about four hours of observations in the reserve we decided to return to Elche to eat and rest up during the hottest hours of the day. At five pm. We were back in the field, this time in the salt marshes called Salinas de Santa Pola. A first stop in the salt pans of Bonmatí offered us good views of Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Yellow Legged Gull, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Little Tern and two young Slender-billed Gulls. Later we were lucky enough to see some adults of this rare gull in the same place.
The tiny Fan-tailed Warblers accompanied us along the whole path, where we also recorded some common species like Stonechat, Spotless Starling and Great Reed Warbler. Perched by the side of the track a strange wagtail caught our eye. At first we thought it was a young White Wagtail but the absence of black marks on the head and breast ruled this out immediately. It was very slender, generally pale grey in colour with a very pale head and two striking white wing stripes. Everything seemed to indicate that it was a Citrine Wagtail, a rare migrant in these parts. But the sighting was too brief for us to confirm the absence of yellow in the undertail coverts and thus distinguish it from a young Yellow Wagtail, so we can't claim for sure that we have seen this rarity for the Iberian Peninsula.
On our return to our vehicle we identified an adult Mediterranean Gull that had already begun its moult to winter plumage, showing a peculiar head pattern. Without doubt a fine codetta to our visit to the wetland sites of Alicante.
Tours 2000
Tours 2002
