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

Back out looking for the Wallcreeper.

Ebird List.

The Gorge at La Yecla.

After breakfast I went for a walk down the village and got the beard and then went for a couple of hours birding at La Yecla hoping to see the Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria), when I arrived there was little activity but within a few minutes the air was full of the local Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) with around a 100 birds circling above the cliffs.

On of the 100 or so Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) sat on the cliffs around the gorge.

Passing Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

As I stood there I also saw Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) x2, Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) x2, Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and then 5 minutes worth of the Wallcreeper but it was distant and right at the top of the crags for the whole time unfortunately but at least I got it for the year list (308).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

I returned to Santi's where we had a very nice French Cassoulet for lunch and then slobbed out for the rest of the day.

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

A walk into the village and then a visit to the Cemetery.

Ebird List for Sad Hill.

After Breakfast Santi and I walked down into the village to the Bakery where we picked up a few supplies and then walked back up to the house, during the walk I saw House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

The final location from the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY.

Once we were back I headed out for a walk up at the Sad Hill Cemetrey, a place I love to visit and have a one sided chat with someone I miss greatly but feel close to here. 

An approaching bit of weather.

Once I got my head together I went for a longish loop walk around the site, as I walked through the Juniper trees I could hear good numbers of Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) and as I came out into a more clear area I saw a flock of 42 birds flying back behind me along the hill side.

Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium).

I continued on around the site seeing more Fieldfare's as well as Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), a single Citril Finch (Verderón Serrano / Serinus citrinella) which flew just as I pressed the shutter giving me a nice yellow blur through a rose bush and just one flowering Hoop-petticoat Daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium).

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

I returned to Santi's and spent the rest of the day catching up with a few bit whilst watching some nasty looking weather pass along the valley. 

Water trough in amongst the Juniper trees.

Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Santo Domingo de Silos and La Yecla Gorge, Burgos Province, Spain.

Around and about near Silos.

La Yecla.

After breakfast Santi and I headed to Salas de los Infantes so that Santi could try and sort out something at the medical center there, on the way and on the way back we saw Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

La Yecla.

When we got back I popped up to La Yecla to see if I could find the elusive Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) but it did remain elusive and all I managed to see were loads of Griffon Vultures, Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros) and Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

On the way back I did a slight detour along a track towards Santibáñez del Val which followed the Rio Mataviejas but it was generally quiet and I only added 20 odd Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major) before returning to Santi's.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Travelling North to Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos Province, Spain.

Off North to spend a few days with good Friend Santi.

Art work on the side of the house.

I was off at just before 06:00 and arrived at Santi's at 13:35 which considering half of the journey with made more difficult by some very thick Fog and even harder by drivers who can't be bothered to put any lights on let along switch on their fog lights.

Anyway once I cleared the fog near Madrid I dd see Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

and again.

I made a stop to stretch my legs 130km north of Madrid and in a clearing in some roadside pines I added Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus).

Just before I arrived at Silos I passed through La Yecla gorge where I saw good numbers of Griffon Vultures circling.

The only species added at Santi's were the resident House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), we had some lunch and later a nice evening meal before I saw the large sculpture / Art work on the side of the house, stunning. 

Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Siskin's on the feeders.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

During the morning I spent a short while watching at least 5 male and 2 female Siskin's (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) coming to feed on my seed feeders just outside my back door in the fig tree.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) Male.

Huétor Fieds and Sierra de Loja, Granada Province, Spain.

A bit of Christmas Day Birding.

Ebird List for Huétor Fields.

Ebird List for Sierra de Loja.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) in the frost.

I started the day with a Whatsapp chat with Deb, Ian and Renate out in South Australia during which Deb managed to get me views of my number 1 Australian bird the Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and a Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) on her Mom's veranda, brilliant.

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus).

This was quickly followed by the call I had been looking forward to from Alan, Becki and the three Grandkids Ryan, Zach and Finn.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Later after doing a few bits at home I headed down to the fields to check what was about and was surprised to bump into Elena and Steve Powell just out side Huétor, they were up to look for the Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) and then later they were going to go up Sierra de Loja looking for the Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) and they asked me to join them and I was very pleased to accept.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

At the spot where I met them we started the list with at least 17 Little Bustards, 100+ Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) female.

Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) female.

We moved to our next stop was up at the Lucerne fields, on the way we had the first Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) of the day and a female Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Looking at the crags to the North.

Shortly after parking we had what were almost certainly the same Little Bustards from the other field fly in, we also saw 2 more Little Owls, Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) male.

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) male.

Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) male.

We again moved and made our way down to the Mesia Road irrigation channels finding Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos).

Looking out West towards Antequera.

We made our way out to the motorway and then to the Abades service area were we took to the tracks up Sierra de Loja looking for and finding at least 30 Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) as well as Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae),  Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

Charca del Negro.

We started to make our way back down the hill but only added a Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) Elena saw before we headed back to the hotel where I had left my car and then off home, back at the house there were several Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) on the feeders.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR.

 

Sierra de Loja and Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

An unexpected bit of birding with Friend Juan.

Ebird List for Sierra de Loja.

Ebird List for the Fields.

A view out to the West.

I got up planning to do a bit in the garden once it warmed but after getting a message from friend Juan Perez about doing some birding up Sierra de Loja I thought the garden can wait and made plans to meet him at the Crortijo de Tajar.

We met, then headed along the Motorway and up the hill via the Abades Services the Hawthorn trees on the far side where we were going to search for Thrush species.

The most obvious of the Thrushes were the 28 or so Ring Ouzels (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus) we saw, Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) were also seen but considering the amount of berries there we were surprised by the low numbers of birds.

We also recorded Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Black Wheatear (Collalba Negra / Oenanthe leucura), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and a single Alpine Accentor (Acentor Alpino / Prunella collaris).

On the way back down we saw lots of flowering Broad-leaved Iris (Iris planifolia), several Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) and a few Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) before getting back onto the Motorway and heading back to Huétor Tajar and out onto the fields where Juan was hoping we would find Golden Plovers (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) and we were soon watching 10 on the Lucerne Fields. We also saw Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and as we dropped back to the hotel we had a single Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) drop into the river.

Back home I had 5+ Siskins (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) coming in to the feeders in the garden along with House Sparrow, Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricailla) and a pair of Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto).