Driving Home Via, Sierra de Gredos, Ávila Province, Spain.

Driving back home picking up a couple of year ticks on the way.

 

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

I had breakfast with Howard and Santi and thanked them for there kindness during my few days there, I had hoped to stay longed had to get back South.

Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata).

I left Santo Domingo de Silos and headed across country to the Sierra de Gredos where I was hoping to pick up a couple of year ticks so I was very pleased to quickly find a few Ortolan Bunting's (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana) in the area around a bridge over the Río Barbellido on the way down to the Parking Plataforma de Gredos.

Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana).

Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana).

Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana).

Ortolan Bunting (Escribano Hortolano / Emberiza hortulana).

After getting some shots of the Bunting I started to drive back out of the site but made a fast stop when I saw two Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella) sat on the top of a dry stone wall near a Pine plantation.

Fledgling Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Fledgling Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

I made one more stop in amongst the Pine Woodlands where I saw a very nice fledgling Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major).

I reached the far side of the pines and then drove the rest of the way home without incident.