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

Just a short visit before the rains arrived.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

After lunch I popped just up the road to La Yecla Gorge but the light was really bad and it was rather cool so It was a very brief visit and I only managed to see Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula) before I jumped back into the warm car.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

I had a drive along one of the track which has farm land one side and uniper woodland on the other, just after starting out I had a very nice female Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) which stood in a patch of cultivated ground amongst the Junipers, it stood nicely as I went up the track and was still there when I came back giving me a second chance.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

I also saw White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Song (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos) and Mistle Thrush (Zorzal Charlo / Turdus viscivorus), a single Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), several Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and a flock of 50 or so Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) before the rain arrived.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus) female.

 

Between Santo Domingo de Silos and Carazo on the BU-910, Burgos Province, Spain.

A walk through a different gorge.

Ebird List.

 

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) female.

I parked on the side of the road a few hundred meters out of Silos and walked up the road for around 4KM scanning the cliffs and Juniper trees along the way.

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) female.

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) female.

Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) female.

The light was again quite bad so when a pair of Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus) showed well as part of a passing Tit flock I was surprised to get anything shot wise, they are not great but still nice.

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus).

Other highlights were Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Redwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) and the omnipresent Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

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

The Wallcreeper is still playing hard to get.

Ebird List.

The largest Crags at La Yecla.

Again I went up to the gorge hoping for the wintering Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) but as with all my other visits it did not show for me, however I still had a good hour or so watching the masses of Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) going about their daily tasks including some nest rebuilding, Mating and just general flying around incircles just for the hell of it, anyway it kept me entertained.

Griffon's along the Crags.

I also had Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax) in the sky above the site.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) with nest material.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) mating.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

In the trees lower down there were several noisy Jays (Arrendajo / Garrulus glandarius), Iberian Green (Pito Real / Picus sharpei) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs) and Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula).

Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax).

 

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

Back with the Thrushes and Finches again at Sad Hill.

Ebird List.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

I drove up to the Sad Hill cemetery and then walked through Juniper woods to the North West before dropping further down the Valley.

Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris).

In this first area there were loads of birds including at least 40+ Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), 2x Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) and amongst a flock of Linnets (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Goldfinches (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) I was very pleased to see at least 3 Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis citrinella). 

Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus).

In the same area I also had Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus), Crested Tit (Herrerillo Capuchino / Lophophanes cristatus), Firecrest (Reyezuelo Listado / Regulus ignicapillus), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Dartford Warbler (Curruca Rabilarga / Sylvia undata) and Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), the full list is on the Ebird Link at the top of the post.

Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus) male.

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

A return to the crags looking for but not seeing the Wallcreeper again.

Western Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica victoriae) ???????

I drove just up the road to La Yecla Gorge to look for the Wallcreeper (Treparriscos / Tichodroma muraria) again but with the same results as last but I was pleased to see 4 male Spanish Ibex (Cabra montés / Capra pyrenaica hispanica) which I am told are not all that common locally.

Western Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica victoriae) ???????

Western Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica victoriae) ???????

They look a little different to the Hispanica subspecies we get down our way so I wonder if it could be the Western Spanish Ibex (Capra pyrenaica victoriae)???????

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Birds were as expected, lots of Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo).

The only unexpected species was a Eurasian Black / Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) which drifted across, heading North East. 

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Another walk along the Lucerne Fields to the Walnut trees.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

I parked and went for a walk along the side of the Lucerne fields but only as far as the two Walnut trees as it was piggin freezing and I could not feel my fingers by the time I reach the Walnuts.

Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla).

Highlights were 21x Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and 20 or so Brambling (Pinzón Real / Fringilla montifringilla) around the Walnut trees.

Huétor Fields, Granada Province, Spain.

Back on the Patch.

Ebird List.

6x Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

I was tired after yesterdays drive but wanted to go and see what has been happening on the fields, I parked at my usual spot and walked the track between the Arroyo and the Lucerne fields, one of the first things I saw were 6x Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) right at the far side of the fields near the Olives whch was a good record and the bigest flock to settle here so far. 

Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

After a few minutes I heard the birds calling and they had taken off as a tractor had flushed them and they flew off west towards Granada along the Genil Valley. 

Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita).

Other species seen included Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) x11, Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) x38, Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild) and Reed Bunting (Escribano Palustre / Emberiza schoeniclus).

Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki).

Common Waxbill (Estrilda Ondulada / Estrilda astrild).

The full list is on Ebird via the link at the top of the post.

Lagunas de Fuente de Nava, Palencia Province and driving South Home, Spain.

Travelling back home for a few days. 

Ebird List.

Horrible very low light shots of some of the Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

I set off early to spend a few days at home as Santi and Howard were travelling South tomorrow for Hospital appointments, first of all I went pretty much due west to visit the Lagunas de Fuente de Nava reserve to see what Geese I could find.

I arrived just before light but had four Redwings (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus) feeding in the car park, I walked out to the screens right at the start of the track where I could hear lots of Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) but they were out of sight behind the reeds.

As the light got better the Geese and Cranes started to fly out to feed so I scanned flocks as they left and after sifting through a good number I had a single Barnical Goose (Barnacla Cariblanca / Branta leucopsis) fly out with the one group which was a new species for my Spanish list but I could not find either of the two Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) which had been reported in the week.

Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

I walked up towards the tower hide which give a great view over the pools but again it was closed for some reason, even so I still found a 4x Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda), 8x Great Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba) out on the fields to the right of the track along with quite a few White Storks (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia) and numbers of Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Other species seen as I walked this track included Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Iberian Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus sharpei), Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus) and back at the car another 10x Great Bustards on the fields there.

I decided to head off south and had an uneventful drive home.