Marismas de Santoña, Victoria y Joyel PNat area, Santoña and Santander area, Cantabria, Spain.

Three Spanish Lifers in the worst birding weather conditions I have encountered so far in Spain, even I put a coat on and wished I had got some gloves with me.

Ebird list for the Hide.

 

The next band of rain coming across the estuary, pleased I was in the hide.

I left Silos early and drove North through Rain and heavy Snow but as the Spanish road network people are on the ball and there were loads of Snowploughs out I made good time and I was sat in the Observatorio de La Arenilla on the outskirts of Santoña at just after 09.00.

Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator).

Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator).

Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator).

As I got out of the car I was very pleased to see only my third Red-breasted Merganser (Serreta Mediana / Mergus serrator) in Spain within seconds, it was on the water right next to the Hide with the long staying Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima), I took a few shots but the rain just got heavier and heavier so I retreated to the Hide and scanned the estuary seeing Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Anas penelope), Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), some very distant Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Barnacla Carinegra / Branta bernicla) way over on the far side of the estuary, Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), a good sized flock of Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta) which flew over with a few Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca) in the mix, Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), a distant Great Northern Diver (Colimbo Grande / Gavia immer), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Shag (Cormorán Mondudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis).

Common Eider (Eider Común / Somateria mollissima) male.

As the tide dropped a group of Spanish Birders arrived as did several species of wader including Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiatico / Haematopus ostralegus), Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), Whimbrel (Zarapito Trinador / Numenius phaeopus), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia) and Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus) along with Black-headed (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Great Black-backed (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia) and out in the channel nearest to the hide the main target here, a Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena) which showed up as the weather was at it's worst.

Distant Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena) with the rain bounching off the water.

Red-necked Grebe (Somormujo Cuellirrojo / Podiceps grisegena).

Before I moved on I also saw a female type Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) which whizzed over my head as I was getting into the car to head for my next stop which was just down the road at Polder y Ría de Escalante Where a smart Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula), my second Spanish Lifer of the morning was soon in the scope.

Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula).

Goldeneye (Porrón Osculado /Bucephala clangula).

Very pleased with this bird and not wanting to get too wet I jumped back into the car and headed for Molino de Santa Olaja, a few KMs up the coast, where I was looking for a Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser) which had been around for a few days. Once there I first of all checked the pool near to Casa de las mareas where I saw good numbers of wilfowl including Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Mute Swan, Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and a single Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

The Goosander (Serreta Grande / Mergus merganser) as it flew up the channel.

I drove around to the car park which over looks the Marisma de Joyel and then walked out to the Molino de Santa Olaja to check the tidal area of the reserve, on the way I met another birder so we walked out together and after just a few minute we were watching the Goosander up the main tidal channel but it ws being hassled by a Little Egret and before we could get any closer it took off and flew to the far end of the creek where it continued to feed hassle free but we still had good views in the scope until the heavens opened again and it absolutly hammered it down for another 30 minute but when It eased of I made a run for the car and almost made it before the next down pour.

I decided to start to head back via a couple of spots in the Santander area, first site was Marismas Blancas where I saw a lot of the same wildfowl as earlier, a few Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris) but dipped on a Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) that had been seen there.

Tundra Bean Goose (Ánsar Campestre / Anser fabalis fabalis).

My final stop of the trip was on the Ría de San Martín where it was again raining heavily so I parked and scanned the marsh finding the flock of wintering Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and the single Tundra Bean Goose (Ánsar Campestre / Anser fabalis fabalis) which had been with them for a while and was only the second I had seen in Spain.

I then gave in to the weather and drove back to Silos, on the way adding Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Hen Harrier (Aguilucho Pálido / Circus cyaneus).

Briongos de Cervera, Burgos Province, Spain.

Back amongst the Thrushes.

Ebird List.

I had a drive out to another of the local Ebird hotspots for a look but it was just a short visit as the weather took a turn for the worst. 

Main species were Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) x22 which flew through in one flock and Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) x29 which were all in or around a big puddle in the road bathing. Rest of the species on Ebird link.

Near Covarrubias, Burgos Province, Spain.

 A wonderful day with the Vultures again but a little closer this time.

Adult Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Santi had nade arrangements for us to visit a Vulture feeding station not far from Silos via a couple of friends Luis and Bergonia who were in touch with Lolo the guy how runs the station, so after making sure Howard was comfortable we wnt to meet everyone and the headed out to the Hide in Lolo's 4x4.

Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica).

Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

We arrived and there were loads of birds already in the area but once the food was put out they came in from every direction and the scene was quite spectaclar in a very gory sort of way, just a shame the light was so bad.

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White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

There were a 100+ Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and good numbers of Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) which were joine during the couple of hours we were there by Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), White (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba) and Grey Wagtails (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) and a Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus) which snatche a meal on a couple of occasions.

Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) mobbing a Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos).

The weather got even worse so we called it a day but we had been lucky enough to see this spectical very close up. 

Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus).

Thanks to Lolo, Santi, Bergonia and Luis for a great couple of hours. 

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

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

Back amonst the Vultures but still no Wallcreeper.

Ebird List.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

I again visited the La Yecla gorge as it was so close to the house it is easily reached for a quick bit of birding. Again as usual there were lots of Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and many of the species seen yesterday were still there but I did add Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).

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

An hour or so watching Vultures.

Ebird List.

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

I have always like visiting La Yecla as the views of the Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) are very good but they were difficult today as the light was very bad and the drizzle didn't help.

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Any way I stood at the top / upper end of the gorge scanning the cliffs for the Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) that had been seen a few days earlier but I didn't have any luck with that.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

I did however see a Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus) perched high up on the crags, Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

Lower down in the trees, bushes and along the stream I also saw Blue (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Long-tailed Tits (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Song (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) before I went back to the house.

Peña Carazo, Dehesa de Contreras (Sad Hill), Burgos Province, Spain.

Amongst the Thrushes and Magpies.

Ebird List.

A spot I like to visit, good memories.

I drove just up the road from Santi's and parked at the entrance to the Sad Hill site and walked out to the famous Grave Yard from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly classic film and almost straight away I was finding good numbers of Mistle Thrushes (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus) and had a smart Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) fly off calling into the Juniper trees on the slopes.

A view down to the center circle.

I walked down to the centre circle where the gun fight took place when I heard some calling Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) off to my right on the slope, so I went for a look.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) x4.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris) and two more.

A short way up the slope I started to find more and more Mistle Thrushes and good numbers of Iberian  Magpies (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), not sure if they have moved into the area in recent years but don't remember them from earlier visits.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

Just a little further up and I started to see the Fieldfares flying up into the trees ahead of me and by the time they flew off I had counted at least 18 birds. I carried on along the slope seeing the first of 3 Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), a single noisy Ring Ouzel (Mirlo Capiblanco / Turdus torquatus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Jay (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus).

I dropped back down and crossed the valley and then walk back to the car on the opposite side where I added Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major), Crested (Herrerillo Capuchino / Parus cristatus), Coal (Carbonero Garrapinos / Parus ater) and Blue Tits (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus) which had formed a flock and were joined by several Common Chiffchaffs (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita) and a pair of Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus).

As I continued on I finished off with Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and 2 Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia) before driving back to the house.

Laguna Navaseca, Ciudad Real and Fields South of Madrid, Toledo, Spain.

Heading North to Santo Domingo de Silos.

Ebird List for Laguna Navaseca.

View across the misty Laguna.

I started out early to make my way up North to stay with Friends Santi and Howard for a while, on the way up I stopped off at Laguna Navaseca, a spot I alway like to visit as there are always good birds.

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

I parked by the hide and scanned the lake but could not see a great deal to start with as the fog was fairly think but as it started to lift I started to see birds including a calling male Pheasant (Faisán Vulgar / Phaisanus colchicus) behind me on the car park, White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) heard only and down in the reeds the first of a few Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis), good numbers of Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) and calling Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

A distant Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Male Ring-necked Duck (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris).

Male Ring-necked Duck (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris).

I had a walk along the road down to the far corner where you can view the far end of the pool better and started to check through the Common Pochards (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina) finding a Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula), Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) and a nice male Ring-necked Duck (Porrón acollarado / Aythya collaris) which had been around for a few days.

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

In the same area I also saw Bluethroat (Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica), Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), both male and female Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus) and 2 flyover Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Ganga Ibérica / Pterocles alchata).

Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

I walked on along the Northern edge of the laguna where I saw more Spanish Sparrows, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and an amazing 15+ more Ferruginous Ducks.

Spanish Sparrows (Gorrión Moruno / Passer hispaniolensis).

As I made my way along the eastern shore I was surprised to see a winter plumage Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus) with 3x Black-winged Stilts (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), a Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia), Western Swamp-hen (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio), a female White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Eurasian Spoonbill (Espátula Común / Platalea leucorodia).

Spotted Redshank (Archibebe Oscuro / Tringa erythropus).

Along the Southern shore on my back to the car I picked up White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Great Tit (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia).

Once back at the car I set off for the north againm between the Laguna and a spot 100KM or so from Madrid where I again pulled off the motorway I only added Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus) to the list.

Female Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Female Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca).

Out on the fields off the side of the motorway I saw more Red Kites, Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa) and a group of a dozen or so Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I had to wait until I was a little further along the motorway and had come off for fuel to find any Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), just after I had fueled I found a group of 28 birds close to the slip road back on to the motorway but had a loorry right behind me so I coud not stop typically.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

A walk along the Arroyo and Lucern Fields.

Ebird List for the walk.