Sad Hill Cemetery, Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province, Spain.

A walk around the Cemetery and through the Juniper woods.

Ebird List, 35 Species.

Looking down to Sad Hill.

Santi and I headed up to the Sad Hill Cemetery and after parking we walked out wide of the actual main site as there were a coach load of people there already, as with most tours they were soon back on the coach and away allowing us to look around the main spot.

The way down to the Cemetery.

Clint.

This has always been one of my favourite locations in Spain, Jayne and I have enjoyed visiting this special place several times over the years and since she has passed it holds many very good memories for me.

Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium).

On the walk down to the center of the Cemetery where the main gunfight from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly was filmed we found lots of Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium) which would have pleased Jayne as she loved Daff's as well as quite a lot of the tiny Sand Crocus (Romulea bulbocodium).

Sand Crocus (Romulea bulbocodium).

We reached the Post with Jayne's name and were pleased to see the paint was lasting well so we did a loop of the Cemetrey checking the Juniper Woods as we went and we saw or heard Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and off down the valley a Short-eared Owl (Buho Campestre / Asio flammeus) which was hunting over the larger areas of grassland.

A soggy approach to the Gunfight circle.

We came back around towards the car adding a singing Woodlark (Totovia / Lullula arborea) aand a flock of small birds including Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

Other species seen during the walk included Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

Jaynes Marker.

We returned to the car and went back to the house, later Santi went for siesta so I decided to head back to the Cemetery to see if I could see the Short-eared Owl again.

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

As I walk down through the Junipers I could hear lots of small birds getting very upset at something, as I approached I could see it was a Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) that was been scolded and harassed by several Crested and Great Tits as well as at least 6 Firecrests, this stunning male turned towards me but was more annoyed at the owl than me so allowed me to approach and get great views and some nice pics. 

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

As I continued on down the Valley a large flock of finches flushed up from the grass ahead of me including Goldfinch, Linnets, Goldfinches, Serins and several Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis citrinella).

Citril Finch (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis citrinella).

I walked on down the Valley again but did not find the Owl again and only added a single Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) before I returned to the car.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).