Culleredo in A Coruña and San Valentín, Ferrol and Encoro de Cecebre, A Coruña, Spain.

A Fawn Yawn in A Coruña and a few more bits.

Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola).

I set off to a spot on the outskirts of A Coruña where an immature Rosy Starling (Estornino Rosado / Sturnus roseus) had been for a few days but with just some sketchy Information I did not expect to find it, there is not a great deal of rare bird info in Spain at the best of times but for some time now birders report birds on certain sites without pinning locations for some reason.

Rosy Starling (Estornino Rosado / Sturnus roseus) Immature.

Rosy Starling (Estornino Rosado / Sturnus roseus) Immature.

Anyway I got to the spot nearest to the Ebird pin which was helpfully put in the middle of the river, I parked and crossed the railway and walked along the river side Paseo where I found  Grey Plover (Chorlito Gris / Pluvialis squatarola), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) and Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and several Spotless Starlings (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

After a while I saw a group of Starlings in some Laylandi trees at the back of a Dia store and when I walked closer I soon found the not so Rosy Starling sat up on a cable, not one of the nice pink adult birds but the name from the 80sthe fawn yawn is more apt for this chap but still very pleased to find it.

Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) female.

My next stop was a few KMs to the North at Ferrol on the river at San Valentín on the more Southern side of the river where I started my search for a reported Bonaparte's Gull (Gaviota de Bonaparte / Chroicocephalus philadelphia) but I could not find it and only added Great Crested Grebe (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and White Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba).

Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

I had a look on Google Maps and decided to check an area opposite on the Northern side of the river, so I crossed the bridge and parked on an industrial estate before I walked along a path which followed there shore of the river. On the way I scanned the groups of Gulls but only turned up the same species as before, I also found Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Long-tailed (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Perparus ater) and Siskin (Lúgano / Carduelis spinus). 

Bonaparte's Gull (Gaviota de Bonaparte / Chroicocephalus philadelphia).

I turned around and walked back towards the car but checked a group of around a 100 or so Black-headed Gulls and was pleased to find the Bonaparte's out on the water at the far side of the flock but it stayed distant and when a Runner came passed and flushed the gulls up it disappeared even though most of the others returned.

Encoro de Cecebre.

I moved on to my last stop of the day at Encoro de Cecebre a reservoir where I had popped into yesterday, I walked the track back down to the water and again found the flock of Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) still in the same area but more spread out which made picking out the other species easier. I found the two Lesser Scaup (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis), a male and female along with 2 male and at least one female Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila).

Fuente de Nava, Palencia Province and Encoro de Cecebre, A Coruña, Spain.

A Spanish lifer and a few other nice bit and pieces for the year list.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) before the hunters arrived.

I left Santi's in Silos and headed to Fuente de Nava arrivining before dawn but did not see any owl species as I had hoped for on the way, I parked at the Observatorio de Corralillos and waited for the light to improve as I sat in the corner of the hide trying to keep out of the very cold wind.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

The first species I saw in the air were several Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus) and I soon started to hear the Geese getting restless and soon they were on the move but they flew straight out right in between the two places I could park so I missed most of them and only saw Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) when the hunters arrived.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

Species seen in the area included Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Spotless  (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and Common Starling (Estornino Pinto / Sturnus vulgaris) and several Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

Common Crane (Grulla Común / Grus grus).

I looked at the direction the Geese were leaving in so I decided to head to Laguna Boada de Campos, on the way I came across a group of 12 Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) and a small flock of Common Cranes (Grulla Común / Grus grus) but the light was still not great so I continued on to the Laguna.

Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

I parked at the point where it say no access beyond this point and walked to the hide, on the way I had several Greylag Geese, Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), a good sized flock of Tree Sparrows (Gorrión Molinero / Passer montanus) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).

Canada (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Greylag Goose (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Greater White-fronted Geese (Ánsar Careto / Anser albifrons).

I got up into the hide to give myself a break from the wind, I set up the scope and found good numbers of Northern Lapwings (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) along with Shelduck (Tarro Blanco / Tadoma tadorna), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata) and White Stork (Ciguena Blanca / Ciconia ciconia). 

Canada (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Greylag Goose (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Greater White-fronted Geese (Ánsar Careto / Anser albifrons).

I retraced my way back towards Fuente de Nava again, I was surprised to find the Great Bustards and Common Cranes were still there and they behaved very nicely until a convoy of 6x 4x4 full of Hunters came by with the hands on their horns and yelling out of the window at me flushing everything, Assholes.

3x Greater White-fronted Geese (Ánsar Careto / Anser albifrons).

As all the birds had settled way off on the fields I made my way back to Observatorio de Corralillos where a decent sized flock of Geese were feeding on the fields and when I scanned them I found most were as expected Greylags but mixed in the group there were 17x Greater White-fronted Geese (Ánsar Careto / Anser albifrons) and 2x Canada Geese (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis) which were new for my Spanish list.

Other species seen before I moved on were Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina) and Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba).

Canada (Barnacla Canadiense /Branta canadensis), Greylag Goose (Ansar Común / Anser anser) and Greater White-fronted Geese (Ánsar Careto / Anser albifrons).

I left the site and hit the road for Galicia, the postponed part of my Christmas holiday but before I arrived I checked Encoro de Cebere, a resovoir where there had been Lesser (Porrón Bola / Aythya affinis) and Greater Scaup (Porrón Bastardo / Aythya marila) but as it was raining when I arrived I just took my bins with and found a way down to the water where I found a good sized flock of Tufted Duck (Porrón Monudo / Aythya fuligula) and I could see some Scaup species in the flock but could not Id which from the distance.

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.

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 Cemetery, 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 / Lophophanes cristatus) and overhead several Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Citril Finch (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis citrinella).

5x Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis citrinella).

23+ Citril Finches (Verderón Serrano / Carduelis 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 / Carduelis 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 / Cyanistes 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).

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.

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.