Malpartida de la Serena in Bajajoz, Área de descanso "Río Tozo", Rio Almonte, Castillo de Monfragüe, Salto del Gitano, Fuente del Francés and Mirador de la Portilla del Tietar in Cáceres and Finca La Sayuela in Avila, Spain.

Continuing on North through Extremadura to Finca La Sayuelato stay with friends Jane and Keith at their very special Finca.

Karen and Rob, Day Two.

 

We were up and out earlish and soon on our way to the north of Trujillo where we made our first stop of the day at the Área de descanso "Río Tozo", on the way we saw Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Western Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Swift (Vencejo Común / Apus apus), Eurasian (Urraca Común / Pica pica) and Iberian Magpie (Rabilargo Ibérico / Cyanopica cooki), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Crested Lark (Cogujada Común / Galerida cristata), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real / Lanius meridionalis) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus).

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

At the Rio Tozo we had the first butterflies of the trip which were Small White (Pieris rapae) x2, Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) x2, Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera) x3 and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) x11.

Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) ♀.

European Pond Terrapin (Emys orbicularis).

Other species included Banded Groundling (Brachythemis leucosticta) x1♀, Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus), European Pond Terrapin (Emys orbicularis) x4, Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Barn and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Cecropis daurica), Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Curruca melanocephala) and Rock Sparrow (Gorrión Chillón / Petronia petronia).

The Bridge over the Rio Almonte.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina).

Our next stop was just along the same road at the bridge over the Rio Almonte, a few more butterflies were added to the list at this site including Bath White (Pontia daplidice), Small Copper x1, Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) x1, Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia) x2 and Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) x5.

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) ♂.

Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Other species seen included Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) x2♂, Perez's Frog (Rana Común / Pelophylax perezi), Barn Swallow, Eurasian Crag Martin, Cetti's Warbler (Cetia Ruiseñor / Cettia cetti) and Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator).

Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus).

As we went on North we came to the road up to the Castillo de Monfragüe where we found a couple of Red Deer (Ciervo común / Cervus elaphus) right at the bottom, we continued on up to the top car park and the Karen walked up towards the castle whilst Rob kept watch around the car.

Castillo de Monfragüe.

Karen came up to the halfway point before dropping back down, I continued on up and soon found a stunning Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) which sat nicely for me.

Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius).

Whilst I was getting some shots of the Pasha I heard some Swifts above me and two of them where my first White-rumped (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer) of the year mixed in with some Common Swift, along with Griffon Vulture, Black Kite, Eurasian Crag Martin and Long-tailed Tit (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus).

The Info board at Salto del Gitano.

Karen and Rob at Salto del Gitano.

The view from Salto del Gitano.

Rob at the view point above one of the Embalse's in the Río Tajo Valley.

I returned to Karen and Rob at the car and we dropped back to the road and went to the nearby Salto del Gitano where we had a really nice time watching good numbers of Griffon Vultures as well as a single Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus), Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Northern Ravens (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax), Barn and Red-rumped Swallow and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax).

Northern Raven (Cuervo grande / Corvus corax) getting some stick from the Eurasian Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris).

Cinereous  / Eurasian Black Vulture (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus).

Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

We eventually dragged ourselves away from this amazing spot and continued on along the road that follows the Rio / Embalse and just before the bridge we parked up and checked out an area where there was some water run off from a couple of troughs at the Fuente del Francés, here we found one of Karen and Robs main target in the odd shaped Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis), we found at least 3 of these butterflies high up in a tree at first but then they started to come down to the water and gave us better views.

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis) up high.

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis) down low.

Nettle-tree Butterfly (Libythea celtis).

Other butterfly species seen included a Two-tailed Pasha, Lang's Short-tailed (Leptotes pirithous) and Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia), Meadow Brown and a very smart Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora) which flew in and landed right in front of Karen for a few seconds.

Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus).

Queen of Spain (Issoria lathonia).

Cardinal Fritillary (Argynnis pandora).

Lang's Short-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous).

Other species seen here and from the bridge were Black Kite, Alpine Swift (Vencejo Real / Apus melba), Western House Martin (Avión Común Occidental / Delichon urbicum), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Europeo / Merops apiaster), Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus) and a small quick moving Grass Snake (Natrix natrix).

Again we went back to the car and moved on, our next stop was for a drink at "Al Mofrag" Terraza & Restaurante before moving on to our last stop at Mirador de la Portilla del Tietar but it was now getting hot all we added was an Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) and calling European Turtle Dove (Tórtola Europea / Streptopelia turtur).

Egyptian Vulture (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus).

As it was so hot we left quickly and continued on up to Finca La Sayuela in Avila where we were welcomed by friends Keith and Jane who made up very welcome, Karen and Rob settled into their lovely accommodation and I got myself sorted in the house with Keith and Jane.

Later we all got together for a very nice meal (thanks Jane), a few drinks (my first Red Wine in a long time), a good catchup before making some plans for tomorrow and then turning in.