Driving back Home via Hoces del Río Duratón, Segovia, Spain.

Making my way home with a year tick on the way.

Dawn at Hoces del Río Duratón.

I left Santi's early and drove South to Hoces del Río Duratón a well known site for the uncommon Dupont's Lark (Alondra Ricotí / Chersophilus duponti), on the way along the track in to the site I started the day list with Thekla (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea) and Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Hoces del Río Duratón.

I parked several times as I drove along the track and listened hoping to hear and see a Dupont's, in two spots I could hear a male singing from across a ravine but as I know how sencertive the site is I did not try for views as it would have meant wandering out into the grassland and a sound record will do for my year list.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus).

Other species seen as I was birding up and down the track included Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and half a dozen Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus).

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus).

As I drove south I added Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) x8, Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans) x40+, Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica).

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus).