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Saturday 8 January 2022

La Yecla NP, Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province, Spain.

5 second of success at last with the Wallcreeper.
Ebird List for La Yecla.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

During the morning Santi and I headed to Burgos to get some shopping and fuel ready for my move to Galicia tomorrow.
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
On our way there I saw several Red Kites (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and on the way back I added a fly over Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) near the village of Quintanilla del Coco.
Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
During the afternoon I went for a look at La Yecla crags, I parked at the lowest pull in and then walked up through the two tunnels and scanned the cliffs that were in the sun, as usual there were loads of Griffon Vultures and my second species was the one I had been looking for on several occasions over the last few weeks a flyby
Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria).
I only saw the Wallcreeper for a few seconds, it flew from my side of the gorge and looked a though it was going to land on the sunny cliff but instead it went down the back of a large crack and out of sight.
Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Other species included Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Song (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus).
On my way back to the house I took a track into the Juniper woods where I saw a single Wild Boar (Jabalí / Felis silvestris) and a couple of Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) but no new birds.

Friday 7 January 2022

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

Just a quick stomp around the Juniper woods amongst the Thrushes and Finches.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).
A bit later in the afternoon than planned I went for a drive just up the road to Sad Hill and then did a wide loop around the Good, the Bad and the Ugly Cemetrey, on the way up there were good numbers of thrushes including Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).
Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).
I parked and the walked up in to the Junipers on the top side of the cemetrey and then down along the far side through the trees, on the way I had quite a few more Fieldfares, probably 30+, 20 odd Mistle Thrushes, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and overhead several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Citril Finch (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella).
5x Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella).
23+ Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella).
I came out into a more open area with lower plants and some Wild Rose bushes, in this area there were quite a few
Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), a pair of Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), an Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei)which flew up from the short grass and even more Thrushes.
Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).
Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).
Just as I was about to walk back towards the car I saw several more finches up on the slope above me that looked interesting so I walked up a short way and I was soon able to identify the first ones as
Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella), as I got closer more and more birds were coming up and the suddenly the whole flock of around 40 birds went up as a stunning male Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus) came over the ridge. 
Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus).
Unfortunately it saw me straight away and turned and shot off low down the valley, I continued on back to the car picking up
Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and in a patch of rose bushes by the car a couple of Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) and a Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) in amongst a big group of Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

 

Thursday 6 January 2022

Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province, Spain.

A walk in the Snow.

Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos.
I started by having a walk down through the town passed the Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos and then along the river Mataviejas through the camping ground as far as the first gorge and the back again to the house.
As I walked I recorded Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Grey (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) and  White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) Male.

Wednesday 5 January 2022

Travelling back to Santo Domingo de Silos, via León, Castillo Y León, Spain.

A change of plan for my trip to the North.

After getting a phone call from friend Santi I changed my plans for Gijón and headed back to Silos Via León, as I drove around the City I stopped for a coffee at a spot where in the passed I had seen good numbers of Rooks (Graja / Corvus frugilegus) but there were none today so I continued on.
Just over the Rio Turío on my way out of the city I notice a group of Corvids flying towards the area where I usually see them so as there was no one behind me for a way I slowed down and they passed right infront of the car and I was able to confirm that it was a group of 7 Rooks.
I continued on adding Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and on the last bit of track up to Santi's house Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Cirl (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia).
During the afternoon I went for a walk up the track from the house towards the Sad Hill Cemetery and as I walked through the Juniper woods I saw good numbers of Common Chaffinches (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata),  Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and 5 species of thrush including Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) x10+, Mistle (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) x25+ and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) x5+, Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) x100+ and at least 6x Fieldfares (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), 
Other species included Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).
As I walked the snow started, just a few flakes but as I went on it got heavier until I could no longer see very much so I turned around and headed back towards the house.

Tuesday 4 January 2022

Gijón, Asturias, Spain.

Start of a few days in Gijón, a town with memories.

Iglesia de San Pedro.
I left Porras after loading the car and making sure all was tidy for Elena the owner and heade West to Gijón but shortly after leaving the rain started and it threw it down for most of the day.
I arrived and as I could not check in until 14.00 I parked by the Rio Piles and walked out onto the sea front and took the paseo del muro de san lorenzo around to the right for a couple of KM or so, on the way I saw Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Black-headed  (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Ruddy Turnstone (Vuelvepiedras Común / Arenaria interpres).

The rain just kept getting heavier and I was absolutly soaked so I rang the Hotel Santa Rosa and they kindly said I could check in a couple of hours early, I got the room sorted and then later at about 15.30 I noticed tha it had just about stopped raining so I went out again and walked out on to the Paseo by the Iglesia de San Pedro and walked the 4 KM or so back to Mirador Paseo Litoral where I had been this morning and back again via the Parque Isabel La Católica where I checked the pools.
On the Paseo I found a roost of around 40 Ruddy Turnstones and mixed in with them were 14 Purple Sandpipers (Correlimos Oscuro / Calidris maritima) a species I had hoped to find at this spot.
In the park I added Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) and a good number of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis) which were coming into roost. All of these species appeared to be wild which was more than could be said for many of the wildfowl on the pool, several of which are on the Spanish list and would be lifers but don't think I would get away with it.
I made my way back to the hotel and almost made it back before the rain started again, I returned to my room were I got a phone call and my plans had to change.

Monday 3 January 2022

Fuente de, Pico's de Europa, Asturias, Spain.

Looking for mountain Species in the Snow.

The view from near the upper station.
I left Llanes for my last trip out from this area and headed down to Potes and then to Fuente De where I was going to get the Cable Car up in to the higher parts of the area for my first winter visit.
I had three targets, Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris), Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus) and Lammergeier / Bearded Vulture (Quebrantahuesos / Gypaetus barbatus). 
The view from near the upper station.
I was there a little early so I spent a while birding around the conifers in the car park and found 4+ Marsh Tit (Carbonero Palustre /Parus palustris) as well as Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) and Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea) and over head Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) and Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).
Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).
I got the first box up and I was soon out on the snow above the upper station and with in seconds I had the first of the targets when half a dozen Alpine Chouchs flew past calling before landing on the roof of the Station as well as a couple of
Chamois (Rebeco / Rupicapra rupicapra).
Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).
Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).
I walked out a bit further and on one of the clear rocky areas I saw a single Alpine Accentor which allowed me to get quite close, four other birds on another clear patch about 20 meters away then flew up and they all went off down the slope and away.
Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).
I found a nice flat rock on one of the clear spots and spent an hour or so scanning the ridges looking for Raptors but only saw more Griffons and a few Ravens so I went and had a couple of coffees before gong back out for another couple of hours walking a bit further out and again finding a rock to sit on but with the same results, no Lammergeier.
Chamois (Rebeco / Rupicapra rupicapra).
I decided to call it as the wind was getting up and was dam cold so I headed back to the Upper station but stopped to get a couple of shots of the Choughs, suddenly I heard a call and straight away knew it was a 
Snowfinch (Gorrión Alpino / Montifringilla nivalis), a species I had not expected as several of the Spanish birders I had talked to earlier on the trip said they will all be down at lower levels during the winter so a bit of a bonus.
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
Alpine Chough (Chova Piquigualda / Pyrrhocorax graculus).
I got the next box down and it was a tad rougher than coming up, we had a bit of a swing going by the time we reached the half way point so I was pleased to get off and go for a walk up into the nearby woods where I added Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus) and more Marsh Tits.
Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus).

Time was now moving on so I decided to start heading back but made a stop at Los Llanos where I checked the river as I had seen Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus) there in the passed and I was not disappointed wen one gave me nice views but not quite close enough for a decent photo.
Dipper (Mirlo Acuático / Cinclus cinclus).
In this area I also had Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) and Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) before I headed back to Porras for my last night.

Sunday 2 January 2022

Punta Jarri and Altu la Torneria, Asturias, Spain.

A bit of a sea watch and then a walk in the hills.

Female Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).
I went just down the road again and walked out to Punta Jarri where I set up for a while sea watching but it was much quieter than the last two visits and I only recorded 14x Northern Gannets (Alcatraz Atlántico / Morus bassanus), 9x Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and a single Manx Shearwater (Pardela Pichoneta / Puffinus puffinus), 3x Razorbills (Alca Común / Alca torda), a single Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) as well as Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gulls (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).
Female Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).
Fire in the hills nearby there was another off to the left which had been burning all night.
Out on one of the rocky Islands I found a  Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) and as i walked back down to the car I added Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and a more unexpected female Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii).
Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) male.
I got to the car and went inland for a walk in the hills but stopped just down the road to get a shot a fire in the hills just down coast, there had been another fire off to the left which had been going all night.
Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis).
I drove upto and parked at Altu la Torneria and took the track out to
Pico Los Resquilones, a nice 2.5 KM walk which give good views back down to the coast.



On the way I saw several Bullfinches (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula) but as usual they were secretive and difficult to get a clear shot of, I also saw a Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago) which flushed up from a track side ditch, Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), good numbers of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and on the way back down a Water Pipit (Bisbita Alpino / Anthus spinoletta) which was feeding by a small pool and a couple of Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) which were on the wing in the warm sun.