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Saturday 7 May 2016

Trujillo to Sevilla Airport, Fuente de Piedra, Guadalhorce, Malaga Airport and Home.

Our last day of the tour with a few new species.
Donana and Extremadura tour Day Eight.

At Pena-falcon.
We were up and out fairly quickly after breakfast and made our way south on a cross country route to a site where we were going to be looking for more Bustards and Sandgrouse, on the way we passed the Embalse de Zújar and in an area of broom scrub we made a stop after I had a male Black-eared Wheatear (Collalba Rubia / Oenanthe hispanica) flew across in front of us. We parked and eventually found another bird perched and added  Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and a little further along the road our first Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus) of the trip with a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).
Just before we arrived at the spot we were heading for we stopped on the road side and watched fine male and female Montagu's Harriers (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Roller (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) and a couple of Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which flushed up just for a moment and dived back in to a crop field.
In the North of the Doñana.
We found the track we were looking for and drove to a nice high point and scanned the fields and by the time we had finished we had found 14 Great Bustards, two more Little Owls, male and female Little Bustards chasing each other and Ravens.
Time had moved on very quickly which meant our next stop was to be the Airport at Sevilla where Mike Langley and I said goodbye to Mike H, Pam and John, Judy and Linda and saw them off in to the Airport. Mike and I then hit the road again and called in at Fuente de Piedra on our way down to Malaga Airport but it was much quieter than on the way out but we did see Common (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos) and Curlew Sandpipers (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Stint (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Avocet (Avoceta Común / Recurvirostra avosetta), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Gull-billed Tern (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).
Lunch stop in Monfague.
From here we went just down the road to some pine woodlands and had a walk adding Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Crossbill (Piquituerto Común / Loxia curvirostra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus viridis), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).
We dropped down the motorways to Malaga and made our last call at the western seawatch point at Guadalhorce and soon started to find interesting species including Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres), Kentish (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus) and Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Black-winged Stilt, Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), 2x Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons) and Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus).
At the central Visitors centre.
Once Mike repacked his back we made our way to the Airport and said goodbye before I headed off and dropped the Van off before Jayne picked me up and we went home.

The species total ended up at 175 which included some cracking species which we had great views of. Thanks to the group for making this a memorable trip with their hard work and great company.

Friday 6 May 2016

Monfrague, Embalse de Almaraz-Arrocampo and Belen Plain, Extremadura.

Mountains, Lakes, Plains and Rain but that did not spoil the birding.
Donana and Extremadura tour Day Seven.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
After looking at the weather reports we decided to head north in to the mountains instead of south out on to the plain and in general this turned out to be a very wise move as for most of the day the only rain we saw was whilst we were moving between sites but we did finish just slightly earlier than normal as the rain got quite bad out on the Belen Plain area at the end of the day.
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
W drove north and made our first stop by the bridge over the Rio Tozo and in the 30 minutes or so we were there we recorded 33 different species including Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Great Reed (Carricero Tordal / Acrocephalus arundinaceus), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warblers (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Grey (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Golden Oriole (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus). 
Pams picture of Branched Asphodel.
In the same area we hear lots of Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) and saw a couple of fast moving Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).
We moved on along the road to the car park right at the bottom of the hill up to the Castillo of Monfrague, on the way there we saw a very smart pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguililla Calzada / Hieraaetus pennatus), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and several Crag Martins (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).
The group birding from the long bridge.
From the car park six of us walked up to the next parking area just below the castillo whilst Pam got the paints out again near the van, on the way up we heard and saw Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), a male Subalpine Warbler (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans) and near to the top of the walk Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), European Black (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and Egyptian Vultures (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) and a singing male Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).
House Martins (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) nest on the dam wall.
Just after reaching the top we checked a small area of wildflowers and found several species including Common Grape Hyacinth (Muscari neglectum), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum), Brown Bluebell (Jacinto bastardo / Dipcadi serotinum), Borage (Borago officinalis), Common Snapdragon (Antirrhinum major), Great Mullein (Verbascum giganteum), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), Rosy garlic (Allium roseum) and Star Clover (Trifolium stellatum) before starting to make our way back to the van. On the way down we felt a few spots of rain which quickly turned in to a real down pour, Mike L, Mike H, Judy, Linda and I sheltered under a rather porous Oak tree whilst John pushed on down to the van getting rather damp on the way. 
Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).
Once we were back at the van and had dried off a tad we moved on to Pena Falcon just down the road but we did not stay long as the place was heaving with a rather noisy crowd of coach trippers, but before we moved on we saw several more Griffon Vultures, some drying out after the rain, Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti).
Again we continued on a short way to the long bridge over the river where we again picked out Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) from amongst the hundreds of House Martins and up on a ridge a pair of Bonelli's Eagle (Aguila-azor / Hieraetus faciatus),one of which was sat in a dead tree and the other on a rock.
We made a brief stop near the next dam and saw quite a few more European Black Vultures amongst a large group of Griffons and an Egyptian Vulture sat on a nest. 
Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia).
Our last stop before lunch was back at the last view point where we set the scopes up and watched the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) which was flying off to the right of the main crag, it was soon joined by the other bird of the pair and the both landed in a tree on the opposite side of the river. The one bird flew off and disappeared but the second bird flew up and landed on the crags and the flew up again and had a squabble with a Griffon before returning to the original tree. quite a show!!!! In the same area we had Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus). 
House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).
After getting such stunning views of the Eagle we were already for some lunch so stopped just a short way up the road at a bar and sat out side where we could still do some birding and whilst we ate our sandwiches and Potata Bravas we sa and heard Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and what looked like an Italian Sparrow (the hybrid between House and Spanish which were both there) which were new for the day and another 22 species.
Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).
After Lunch we continued on along the same road northish and then jumped on to the motorway going east for a few Kms before coming off again and going south to the large area of water called the Embalse de Almaraz-Arrocampo where we had a look at the reed beds ear the first locked hide. On the way in we had a single and only Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) of the trip and over the reeds at least three Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus) two females and a stunning male. In the same area we also had Little (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Western Cattle (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) and Great White Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), Purple and Grey Herons, Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), plenty of fighting Western Swamp-hens (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica). 
Little Bittern (Avetorillo Común / Ixobrychus minutus).
After a while we got back into the van and drove around to the next hide getting more good views of a second male Little Bittern and from the ramp up to the hide where we joined a group of other birders we saw both Gull-billed (Pagaza Piconegra / Gelochelidon nilotica) and Little Terns (Charrancito Común / Sterna albifrons), Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) another Great White Egret and a Squacco (Garcilla Cangrejera / Ardeola ralloides) which gave us an impressive list of herons for the site. We moved around the lake a little further but the rain started to get quite heavy and started to make the lake look like it was steaming as it got very heavy so we made a dash for it and headed back down to Trujillo and out on to the Belen Plain.
The group taking a well earned break at lunch time.
Out on the plain the visibility was not to good and we only saw Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting and White Stork before we called it a day and went back to the hotel for a very nice meal there on our last night.

Thursday 5 May 2016

Belen Plain, Santa Marta de Magasca area, Extremadura.

Bustards, Sandgrouse and Eagles.
Donana and Extremadura tour Day Six.

Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) at a nest box.
We again met out on the steps above the main square in Trujillo and whilst we were waiting for the group to assemble we picked up the expected Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), House Sparrows (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Feral Pigeons (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia).
Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) male.
Our first stop was out on the Belen Plain, on the way we had Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and once there we quickly located the first of the days Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) as well as loads of Calandra (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and Crested Larks (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), more feeding White Storks,  a calling Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), a Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) which flapped across in the distance, European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and a grounded Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) which was sat on a rock a couple of hundred meters away. 
Some of the group looking for Great Bustards.
We continued on down the road and parked again, this time we were in a slight dip but we scanned the area again and found a good number of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), a fly through Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus) and then two nice new species for the trip, first a brief view of a flying Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and then a Great Spotted Cuckoo (Crialo Europeo / Clamator gladarius) which was sat on a fence post on the far side of the fields in front of us, later we saw this and another bird in flight.
Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops).
We retraced our way back along the road and stopped at another spot on the way back where we had good prolonged views of a calling male Little Bustard and a couple more Great Bustards but they were along way off over the fields. 
Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra).
We continued on out on to the fields to the west of Trujillo and as soon as we came of the main road and out on to the quiter roads and tracks we satrted to find some intersting species including a small flock of 6 Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Ganga Ortega / Pterocles orientalis) which landed just out of sight in the next field to where we were. In the same area we had several Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Rollers (Carraca / Coracias garrulus) and a fine male Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) which flapped low over the same area. 
Iberian Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus / capensis).
We moved on along the next road and spent quite a while searching for Great Bustards but could not find any on the ground and only managed a brief flight view, we did however see and hear Calandra and Crested Larks, Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), European Black (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) which due to the cloudy weather were quite low, Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and then a very smart immature Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) which was sat on a large concrete post a long way off but did a nice flyby and cam quite a bit closer and flushed a Little Bustard as it came. We continued on along the track then spotted a largish group of Black Kites and a single Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) low over a stubble field harrasing a much larger raptor which turned out to be an immature Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) which flew off low but quickly to get out of their way. 
A soggy looking Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis).
We continued on around the track to where we thought the Eagle had dropped but found no sign of it. We turned around and made our way back to the motorway and then along one junction west to a bar for lunch. 
Later we went back to the same track we had just left to check the roadside hide that we had seen earlier but was swamped by a coach load of birder at the time. We arrived and scanne the surrounding fields and picked up two more Great Bustards, Rollers, and on a pool down in a nearby dip Gadwall and Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis). 
Clover species probably part of a fodder crop.
The weather had taken a turn for the worst so we headed back towards Trujillo but as things improved we took a side road and checked the oak woodlands and fields along its length until we reached a village where we turned around, along this stretch of road we had the largest female Northern Goshawk (Azor Común / Accipitor gentillis) I have ever seen sat on a post, then in a tree and in flight, as well as Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Iberian Grey Shrike, Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), yet another Great Bustard, Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and a couple of Iberian Brown Hares (Lepus europaeus / capensis). As we drove back we took a drive along a track we had spotted on the way out which turned out to be one of the best choises we were to make during the trip.
Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum).
We stopped on a low ridge which gave us nice views all around and had the best views so far of a Great Bustard, a soaring Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and then the birds of the day, Judy picked up a couple of Sandgrouse in flight which we all thought would be more Black-bellied but then they turned and showed us bright white underparts confirming them to be the much more difficult to find Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Ganga Ibérica / Pterocles alchata) and if this was not good enough another four soon followed and landed in the same area but in to grass that was just too deep for us to see them. 
Me trying to get up after photographing the Clover and probably loosing my mobile phone at the same time!!!
A couple of minutes later we had a large eagñe species flying away from us which looked too dark to be Golden again but we could not be sure what it was until a few minutes later when it flew back towards us and landed in a large Ecalyptus tree and showed well giving us a chance to see all the white markings on the shoulders and in the wings telling us
it was infact an adult Spanish Imperial. It later flew off away from us and was joined by a second adult bird which landed in a distant bush but soon moved on again. This was a fantastic way to finish the day.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Trujillo, Monfrague and the Belen Plain, Extremadura.

A day in the hills and woodlands of the Monfrage Park.
Donana and Extremadura tour Day five.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
We got up and headed out of Trujillo going north but not before starting the list in the main square with Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica). 
Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
Just out of the town we made a stop to look at the first Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) of the trip and also picked up Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica) and Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae). We also had a very smart Lineria species and a Catapillar which is unidentified at the moment but working on it.
Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus).
We again continued on and made a stop at the bridge over the Rio Tozo and checked to pools rocks and banks for new species and we did quite well adding Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Reed Warbler (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Spanish Sparrow (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis) as well as White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis) which were new for the trip. 
In the same area we could hear quite a lot of Perez's Frogs (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi) calling from amongst the Water Crowsfoot in the main stream. 
Lineria species.
We moved a short way along the road and stopped again at the bridge over the Rio Almonte and saw Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and heard several Nightingales (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos) before moving on to the crags of Pena Falcon. 
At Pena Falcon.
We parked and scanned the cliffs from the walkway and had nice views of a good number of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a calling pair of Peregrine Falcons (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) which was sat on a nest down close to the water, a very distant European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) which was also sat on a nest near a Griffons, Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and a nice Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) which sang from a close tree. 
Watching the Vultures.
On the rocks there were quite a few clumps of Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), lots of French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas), Great Mullein (Verbascum giganteum) and what looked like Branched Asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus).
Pam at work.
We spent a while here watching the raptors before driving up to the car park below the steps up to the Castillo nearby, Pam set up her painting kit in a nice spot at the far end of the car park and John did some birding in the same area whilst the rest of us went up the steps to the castillo and spent some time watching the Vultures from there. 
The art and Pam with her Ice Cream.
From the top we had great views of Griffon, Black and a more distant Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus), Blue Rock Thrush, House and Crag Martins, Red-rumped Swallow, Black Kite and a male Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) plus a couple of Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) butterflies.
The Original which now hangs in my house.
We were all surprised to find a guy on the top selling ice creams and as her had mad so much effort to get it up there it would have been rude not to support his enterprise so wit did and I took two down the steps at high speed as they were melting fast for John and Pam down at the van. With the Ice creams safely delivered the group started to walk down the hill whilst I stayed with Pam so that she could put the finishing touches to a super painting of the Thistle plants that grew at the side of the track, once all was completed we picked the others up on the way down and went on around to the long bridge over the Rio Tajo and parked on the far side.
The view from the top.
From the bridge we watched the hundreds of House Martins as the whizzed around their nests on the underside of the bridge and picked up the first Alpine Swifts (Vencejo Real / Apus melba) of the trip in amongst them.
Judy and Mike at the top of the Castle.
Our next stop was for lunch at a cafe just up the road and whilst we had a drink and a sandwich we watched a pair of Barn Swallows building their nest in the corner of the seating area on a light fitting. As we walked back to the van we also added a single Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) to the list as it circled away with several Blacks
Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
Down the road a short distance we had great views of at least 5 Egyptian Vultures before reaching the furthest of the view points where we spent quite a while trying to get decent views of the Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) at this spot but on this occation we only managed head and partial body views as the bird was obscured by lots of branches. The only other new species for the day list was a Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) which drifted over, we stayed at the spot for quite a while but the decided that we would head back to Trujillo and go out on to the Belen Plain nearby. 
At the far view point waiting for better views of the Spanish Imperial.
We went through the village of Belen and out on to the vast area of grassland on its eastern side and scanned the fields. We soon located a fine male Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) which was strutting his stuff on a slope across the valley from us but not long after we got on to it a couple of 4x4 vehicles came along a track close to the bird and it flushed a long with two more birds which had been just out of sight to us in a small dip. 
Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) after arranging a lump of mud in the nest.
We had nice flight views and later found the birds again on our way back to the hotel, in the smae area we had lots of Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and we heard several Common Quail (Codorniz Común / Coturnix coturnix) and a single Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) before returning to Trujillo and having our evening meal and hitting the pit after another enjoyable day.

Tuesday 3 May 2016

North of Hinosos, Sevilla Province, Embalse de Corvales, Merida and Belen Plains near Trujillo, Extremadura.

The change of location day, heading north from the Donana into Extremadura.
Donana and Extremadura tour Day four.

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).
We started the day on a road heading north from Hinosos, our first stop was on the roadside where we checked the nearby woodlands. Most of the group walked north whist Pam spent some time painting the wildflowers around the van.
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).
We soon started to see and hear species in the Olives and Poplars including Nightingale (Ruisenor Común / Luscinia megarhynchos), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Tree Sparrow (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and a couple of new species Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).
European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).
Wild flowers seen here included Eruca (Eruca sativa), Mediterranean Catchfly (Silene colorata), Blue Hounds-tongue (Cynoglossum creticum), Dove's Foot Cranesbill (Geranium molle), Common Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), Star Clover (Trifolium stellatum), Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris), Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Crown Daisy (Chrysanthemum carinatum var discolor), Field marigold (Calendula arvensis), Purple Bugloss (Echium plantagineum), White Mignonette (Reseda Alba) and Rabbits bread (Andryala integrifolia).
Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanifer).
We moved up the road and checked a couple of areas of Grape vinesadd picked up Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Cuckoo (Cuco Común / Cuculus canorus), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra) as well as Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Western Dappled White (Euchloe crameri) and Large Psammodromus (Lagartija colilarga / Psammodromus algirus).
The Group.
We moved a little further up the road and in to some Cork Oak (Quercus suber) woodland where we had a walk to see what we could find, species found included Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Crested Tits (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Nightingale, Iberian Magpie, Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Blackcap, Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Orphean (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis) and Garden Warbler, European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster) and a very nice Wryneck (Torcecuello / Jynx torquilla) which showed very well for the whole group.
French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas).
In the same area we had Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Small White (Artogeia rapae), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).
Oak Grasslnd.
Time clicked on so we hit the road and started the drive north stopping for lunch before having a few hours around the beautiful woodlands surrounding the Embalse de Cornalvo to the east of Mérida. 
Tounge Orchid (Serapias lingua).
We parked on a roadside and had a walk down through some sunning Cistis and wild flower meadows amongst the Cork Oak woods until we reached the lake, on the way down we saw Gum Cistus (Cistus ladanifer), French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas), Spotted Rockrose (Tuberaria guttata) and out on the grass areas around the lake Tounge (Serapias lingua) and Small-tongue Orchids (Serapias parviflora). 
Oak Woods.

Birds seen included Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Spotted Flycatcher, Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Melodious Warbler (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).
John in amongst the wild flowers.
On our way back to the motorway to complete the last 80 or so KM of the trip we found several spikes of Lax-flowered Orchid (Orchis Laxiflora) and on the journey north we picked up Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus) and European Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).
Lax-flowered Orchid (Orchis Laxiflora).
After the trip we decided to book in at the very smart NH hotel in the Centre of Trujillo and then go out into the main square and have something to eat and drink, whilst we were eating we did see Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Lesser Kestrel (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni) and hndreds of Common Swifts.