Padul Wetlands, Granada Province.

Another morning with Juan Pérez Contreras and the Padul ringing group.

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

I headed off to Padul where I was going to meet up with Juan at the ringing shelter, I arrived a bit early and was very pleased to see a Tree Pipit (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis) before it was released, this bird was a new species for my Granada and year list. Juan turned up a bit later and we spent several hours with the bird ringers before checking out the canal where yesterday I had seen a couple of Sedge Warblers (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). 

Bluethroat (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica).

During the mornings ringing I was very pleased to see a couple of Bluethroats (Ruiseñor Pechiazul / Luscinia svecica) an immature Male and an adult Female, several Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Willow Warblers (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Red-rumped (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica) and Barn Swallows (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae) in the hand.

Tree Pipit (Bisbita Arbóreo / Anthus trivialis).

In the are we also recorded Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla).

As things began to wind up Juan and I headed around to the canal on the far side of the reserve, on the way we saw Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Woodchat Shrike (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator) and a couple more Common Kestrels. 

Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae).

On the canal we saw a single Sedge Warbler, Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) along with more Reed and Cetti's Warblers and Common Moorhens.

Taking the wing length of the Bluethroat.

I had to start to make my way back home so I left Juan watching the channel and walked back towards the car, as I was standing right at the end of the channel a pale phase Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) rushed in and took a Feral Pigeon (Paloma Bravía / Columba livia) off a nearby roof and then dropped down into a crop field behind the nearby reed beds but out of view.

Padul Wetlands, La Malaha Fields and Embalse de Cubilla, Granada Province.

Several sites around Granada whilst Jayne and Barb head for the city.

Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti).

I dropped Jayne and Barb in Granada where they were spending the day shopping whilst I visited a few birding spots nearby starting at Padul. I parked at the end of the smelly canal and walked out to the hide, on the way I saw a couple of Sedge Warbler (Carricerin Común / Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) along with Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Common Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala), Common Chiffchaff (Mosquitero Común / Phylloscopus collybita), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos) and Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea).

Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa).

In the air over the reeds there were good numbers of feeding Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Western House (Avión Común / Delichon urbica) and Sand Martins (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and a few Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus) all fatterning up for the next leg of their migration. Around the pools and along the channel I heard several Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus).

Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris).

I returned to the car and had a drive along the tracks around the reserve and saw several Whinchats (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), a single Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Western Cattle Egret (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus). On the lake the only new species was a group of three Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo). 

Immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus).

From Padul I headed out in to the fields near the town of La Malaha where I searched fields along several different track. In general things were very quiet but I did see Northern Wheatears (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Greater Short-toed (Terrera Común / Calandrella brachydactyla), Thekla  (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and Calandra Larks (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Red-legged Partridge (Perdiz Roja / Alectoris rufa), Eurasian Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua) and a pale phased Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus).

Two Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta).

My last stop of the day was at Cubillas, a large area of water to the North of the City, where I checked out the Northern shores looking for waders. I soon found a single immature Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus), two Little Stints (Correlimos Menudo / Calidris minuta), two Common Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula) and a Common Sandpiper (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos). Other species seen were Eurasian Coot, Mallard, 5x Grey Herons, several White Wagtails (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla alba), Barn Swallow, Sand Martins and on my way back to the car a Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla).

Later I made my way back to the city and met up with Jayne and Barb and headed home.

Setenil, Old Ronda Roman ruins and Laguna Dulce, Malaga Province.

A day out in the mountains with Jayne´s sister Barbara.

Jayne and Barbara in Setinel.

Barb, Jayne and I headed off for a day out to the town of Setinel over in the Ronda area, on the way the weather was not too good and we went through several heavy showers. As we arrived things dried out a bit and we got a gap of a couple of hours to have a good look around the town but we did buy a brolly just in case.

The ridge at Ruins.

Up near the castle we had good views of several Common (Vencejo Común / Apus apus) and Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor).

The approaching storm.

From the town we went a little further on to the Roman Ruins and walked up to the ampitheatre near the top of the hill and then had a look from the view pointwhere we watched several more Griffon Vultures. On the way back down we were racing the incoming rain storm but still saw several  Thekla Larks (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) and flocks of Corn Buntings (Triguero / Emberiza calandra) before getting soaked as we approached the car.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

From here we had a drive through the rain towards Ronda and had some lunch before starting to make our way back hove via Laguna Dulce. New species for the day from the hide included Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia), Cetti's (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) and Reed Warblers (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Common Pochard (Porrón Común / Aythya ferina), White-headed Duck (Malvasia Cabeciblanca / Oxyura leucocephala), Little (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Crested (Somormujo Lavanco / Podiceps cristatus) and Black-necked Grebes (Zampullín Cullinegro / Podiceps nigricollis), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Greater Flamingo (Flamenco Común / Phoenicopterus roseus) and Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Jayne and Barbara walking up to the Ruin.

From here we headed off home but stopped for a beer and tapa's on the way in Huetor.

A group of Northern Shovelers (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata).

In the Fig Tree, Near Huétor Tajar, Granada Province, Spain.

Some passage through the garden.

Garden Warbler (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin).

Whilst relaxing on the terrace after a nice birthday lunch I noticed a small number of warblers moving along the barranco and through the Fig tree where they lingered to feed for a while. There were a couple of very plain looking Garden Warblers (Curruca Mosquitera / Sylvia borin), an immature Common Whitethroat (Curruca Zarcera / Sylvia communis), a female Orphean (Curruca Mirlano / Sylvia hortensis), a couple of Willow Warblers (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) and down in the barranco a single Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti). In the air we had a couple of Black Kites (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Sparrowhawk (Gavilán Común / Accipiter nisus) and a latish Pallid Swift (Vencejo Pálido /Apus pallidus).

Rio Velez, Malaga Province.

A couple of hours birding and conflict.

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata).

Jayne and I headed across country towards the coast for a days shopping and birding, on the way down we saw Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula) and Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax).

Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) and a group of Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra).

I dropped Jayne off in the center of Torre del Mar for a few hours shopping, I went down to the river and parked near the beach. I walked out on to the sand and started to check out the pool and quickly found a neck collared Red-knobbed Coot (Focha Moruna / Fulca cristata) amongst a group of Eurasian Coots (Focha Común / Fulica atra) with the collar number of 27F. Out to sea I picked up Yellow-legged (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis), Lesser Black-backed (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus) and Black-headed Gulls (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Sandwich Tern (Charrán Patinegro / Sterna sandvicensis), Balearic (Pardela Balear / Puffinus mauretanicus) and Cory's Shearwaters (Pardela Cenicienta / Calonectris diomedea). A small group of Audouin's Gulls (Gaviota de Audouin / Larus audouinii) had landed on the beach so I decided to try and get some shot which is when the conflict between myself and a German tosser started, I was lying down photographing the gulls when he started to throw stones at the birds.

Banded Groundling (Brachythemis impartita).

I asked him to stop and explained that I would plant a rock square between his eye if he did not, a few seconds later a rock missed me by inches which I was not happy about so I stood up and grabbed a rock and started to make my way over to the chap but as I started he lept up grabbed his towel and bag and ran like a scared dog off up the beach.

Yellow-legged Gull (Gaviota Patiamarilla / Larus Michahellis).

After this slight problem I got back to the birding adding Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea) on the pool and on the beach I found 3x Curlew Sandpipers (Correlimos Zarapitin / Calidris ferruginea), 2x Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), 2x Sanderling (Correlimos Tridáctilo / Calidris alba), Kentish Plover (Chorlitejo Patinegro / Charadrius alexandrinus), a Dunlin (Correlimos Común / Calidris alpina) and several Banded Groundling (Brachythemis impartita).

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus).

I then headed back inland following the edge of the main river and soon found the first of quite a few adult and immature Little Ringed Plovers (Chorlitejo Chico / Charadrius dubius), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis), Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), Cetti's Warbler (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Monk Parakeet (Cotorra Argentina / Myiopsitta monachus), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a single Wood Sandpiper (Andarrios Bastardo / Tringa glareola) which disappeared off up stream.

Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta).

At the bridge I turned around and came back down the track to the car, on the way I added a few more new species for the day including Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster), Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus) and Willow Warblers (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus), Serin (Verdecillo / Serinus serinus), Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Carduelis chloris) and Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea). Also along the river I caught up with Blue / Common (Anax imperator) and  Lesser Emperors (Anax parthenope), Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea), Violet Dropwing (Trithemis annulata), African Grass Blue (Zizeeia knysna), Small White (Artogeia rapae) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria). Once I was back at the car I picked Jayne up and we headed off to Malaga.

Travelling back from Madrid.

A long drive back from Madrid airport.

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

Stephanie, Ken and I were up and out early and making the 50 or so Km drive to the Airport where they were off to Morocco for the last leg of their holiday. We made good time even though the traffic was heavy and we were at the airport in plenty of time. 

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

From here I retraced my tracks back to the Cordoba road south, the road we had just travelled to the airport on were now at a stand still. I eventually worked my way out of the city and into the country side, a 100KM or so south of the city I pulled off the motorway for a coffee and whilst I was drinking it and having a nice lump of toast I looked out of the window and saw several Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) on a newly harvested field. 

Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

Once I finished I drove out along several farm tracks amongst the fields and had great views of the Bustards along with several Stone Curlew (Alcaraván Común / Burhinus oedicnemus), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra) and a single Little Bustard (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) amongst a feeding flock of Western Cattle Egrets (Garcilla Bueyera / Bubulcus ibis). After a while I continued on south and made my way home. 

Photographs: 3x Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda).

Monfrague area, Extremadura.

A day of Raptor´s right to the end !!!

Stephanie and Ken at Pena Falcon.

Stephanie, Ken and I headed North from Trujillo towards the Monfrague Natural Park where our first stop was at Pena Falcon, the well known rock face below the Castle of Monfrague. Straight away we were seeing go numbers of Griffon (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), a few Black / Cinereous Vultures (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) along with a single Egyptian (Alimoche Común / Neophron percnopterus) which was sat on the rocks above the road.

Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius).

In the same area we had good views of Peregrine Falcon (Halcón Peregrino / Falco peregrinus), Blue-rock Thrush (Roquero Solitario / Monticola solitarius), Black Redstart (Colirrojo Tizón / Phoenicurus ochruros), Crag Martin (Avión Roquero / Ptyonoprogne rupestris), Barn (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallows (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), heard Wren (Chochin / Troglodytes troglodytes) and watched a fine stag Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) bellowing from the crag just to the right of Pena Falcon.

White-rumped Swift (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer).

Once the sun had got up a bit we made our way up to the parking spot just below the castle and walked the steep steps up to the top and spent some time the watching the distant Vultures, White-rumped Swifts (Vencejo Cafre / Apus caffer) and in tre surrounding trees Short-toed Treecreeper (Agateador Común / Certhia brachydactyla), Cirl Bunting (Escribano Soteno / Emberiza cirlus),Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula).

Griffon Vultures (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).

 We decided to move on and have a look at the furthest watch point along the valley for the main target of the day Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aguila Imperial Ibérica / Aguila adalberti) and let things here warm up and return later.

On our way round to the site we stopped on the roadside where we watched a pair of Golden Orioles (Oropéndola / Oriolus oriolus) chasing each other around some small pine trees and near the dam which the road crosses and watched a pair of Egyptian Vultures, Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus) and a Grey Wagtail (Lavandera Cascadena / Motacilla cinerea) before continuing on and parking near the watch point.

The Castle.

As expected there were lots of Griffon and Black Vultures in the air as well as a good number of Crag Martins and a singleton White-rumped Swift. Up on the roadside amongst the scrub we had several Sardinian (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Subalpine Warblers (Curruca Carrasquena / Sylvia cantillans), Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Sylvia atricapilla), Black Redstart, Rock Bunting (Escribano Montesino / Emberiza cia), Spotless Starling (Estornino Negro / Sturnus unicolor) and a flyover Black Stork (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra) but no Eagles. We headed back along the road to the castle and walked back up to the top again but did not see anything new but got some close views of the Griffon Vultures. 

We then headed to the small visitor centre area on the way back to the watch point where we had some lunch before spending another couple of hours not seeing the Eagles at the watch point. The only new thing added was a couple of flyby Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) and several perched Red-veined Darters (Sympetrum fonscolombii). 

View from the Castle.

We moved on via an icecream stop to embalse de Arrocampo-Almaraz but by this time it was quite warmand we only made a brief stop but heard a couple of Western Swamp-hens (Calamon Común / Porphyrio porphyrio) and saw Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Long Skimmer (Orthetrum trinacria) and Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea). 

We decided to head towards the hotel on the outskirts of Madrid, so we jumped onto the motorway and started the drive. After a while I caught something in the corn of my eye which made me swing off the motorway at the junction we were almost past and on to the service road heading back in the direction we had come from.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

Just a few hundred meters back and a large raptor came up from behind some low trees on the opposite side of the motorway but it turned out to be just a Booted Eagle (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) but I was sure this was not what I had seen so we continued to watch the area and a few seconds later two cracking Spanish Imperial Eagles came into view and showed well for us, a full adult bird and a bird which was probably another adult but with only a very small amount of white in the wings and head.
Both birds climbed and drifted off as did the Booted but I was still slightly confused and guessed that there must have been a third imperial eagle at the spot as the bird I first saw and caused the abrupt exit of the motorway at 110KMPH was clearly an immature bird which we did not see but we were very happy with the two adult birds.

We continued our journey and added three Black-winged Kites (Elanio Común / Elanus caeruleus) to the list on the road side pylons which gave us a raptor count of 20 for the trip.

Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus).

We arrived at the hotel which was right on the side of the motorway and had a very nice evening Menu del dia before a surprising quiet nights sleep.

Plains of Caceres, Extremadura.

The rain in Spain was definitely falling mainly on the plain today as we were washed out by storms for several hours.

The approaching storm.

We set out from the hotel heading west straight into the dark clouds of the arriving storm, on the way we picked up Corn Bunting (Triguero / Emberiza calandra), Calandra Lark (Calandria / Melanocorypha calandra), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus) and Black Kite (Milano Negro / Milvus migrans).

Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) in flight.

We moved out onto the fields north of the motorway between Trujillo and Caceres and started to check the area for birds but just as the storm hit us for the first but not the last time. The lightening flashed around us and the rain was hammering down, the ditches at the sides of the road filled up very quickly and the fields started to flood. Once the rain eased off a bit so we could tell the difference between the road and the ditches we drove out to the furthest point getting some very bad views of what turned out to be Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Ganga Ibérica / Pterocles alchata) we had slightly better views on the way back. 

Great Bustards (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) in flight.

During the drive out we did see hundreds more Corn Buntings and Calandra Larks as well as Crested (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Skylark (Alondra Común / Alauda arvensis), Linnet (Pardillo Común / Carduelis cannabina), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis) and Hoopoe (Abubilla / Upupa epops). Right at the furthest point we picked up a rather soggy and well hacked off looking Golden Eagle (Águila Real / Aquila chrysaetos) which was sat out of the gale on a rock.

Ken getting the Great Bustards in the rain.

We turned around as the storm relented for a short while and started to drive back along the track and almost straight away found our first group of Great Bustard (Avutarda Común / Otis tarda) but they were quite a way off but none the less they were on the list and later we had much better views both on the ground and in flight. Before we reached the main road again we also picked up Iberian Grey Shrike (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis), Little Owl (Mochuelo Europeo / Athene noctua), Jackdaw (Grajilla / Corvus monedula), Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Great Bustards on the deck.

From here we had a drive along the motorway towards Caceres but came off at the next junction and then headed south, then back east to Torremocha where we took a road off North, along here we spent a lot more time amongst oak woodlands than expected but we did pick up a very nice Red Kite (Milano Real / Milvus milvus), lots of Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki) and a couple of Black Storks (Ciguena Negra / Ciconia nigra). Eventually we reached the motorway again and as the weather had improved some what we redrove the original track getting another 23 Great Bustards, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, two Grey Herons, a couple of hunting Lesser Kestrels (Cernicola Primilla / Falco naumanni), an immature or female Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus), Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris) and on a small pool Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus) and both Green (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus) and Common Sandpipers (Andarrios Chico / Actitis hypoleucos).

Montagu's Harrier (Aguilucho Cenizo / Circus pygargus).

It was now getting on towards lunch time so we headed through the Oaks towards Santa Marta de Magasca where we found a bar and had some food before going across country to Monroy and then onwards to Trujillo via more minor roads. During this drive we picked up Booted (Aguila Calzada / Aquila pennatus) and Short-toed Eagles (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus), Griffon and Black / Cinereous Vultures (Buitre Negro / Aegypius monachus) and lots more Iberian Magpies. During the day we saw a few Mammal species including Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), Iberian Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus / capensis), Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Eurasian Badger (El Tejón / Meles meles).

We got back to Trujillo and tried to have a look around the town but due to the fiesta that was on parking was not possible so we went back to the hotel and arranged to venture back out onto the Belen plain again a little later in the evening after a couple of hours rest.

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae) doing what most of the birds did when Ken raised the camera.

We were soon back in the car and out on to the fields to the east of the town again and this visit we located a single Great Bustard and 5 of the much smaller Little Bustards (Sisón Común / Tetrax tetrax) which showed distantly along with another Montagu´s and several Marsh Harriers (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus), 80+ Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata) and Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris). We reached a point when the light had dropped to low for birding so we headed back in to Trujillo and had a meal before going back to the hotel.

Tablas De Daimiel, Castilla–La Mancha and Belen plains near Trujillo, Extremadura.

First birding out side of Andalucía in a long while.

Marbled Duck (Cerceta Pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

We made an early start and drove the three and a bit hours up to Tablas de Daimiel, a large area of wetlands with good board walks and trails which get you out and amongst the birds. On the way we had the briefest of views of a Red-necked Nightjar (Chotacabras Cuellirrojo / Caprimulgus ruficollis) which flashed across the road and a Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) which was sat on a roadside pylon. We arrived at the visitor centre and after sorting out a small orange juice leak we headed out on the yellow trail. 

We started to see birds straight away with Reed (Carricero Común / Acrocephalus scrpaceus), Willow (Mosquitero Musical / Phylloscopus trochillus) and Cetti's Warblers (Ruisenor Bastardo / Cettia cetti) being common throughout the visit in the Tamarisk trees which lined the route in many places, in the air we picked up Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egreeta garzetta), Glossy Ibis (Morito Común / Plegadis falcinellus), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), House Martin (Avión Común / Delichon urbica), Barn Swallow (Golondrina Común / Hirundo rustica), Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Riedora / Larus ridibundus), Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis) and Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta Pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

After a couple of hundred metres we came off the board walk and on to the first of a few raised islands which gave us views out over some open water areas, here we added Gadwall (Anade Friso / Anas strepera), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Ringed Plover (Chorlitejo Grande / Charadrius hiaticula), Common Magpie (Urraca / Pica pica), Night Heron (Marinete Común / Nycticorax nycticorax) and heard the first of many frustratingly elusive Water Rails (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus).
We moved on across a board walk to another island getting a quick view of a Ferruginous Duck (Porrón Pardo / Aythya nyroca) as it can in from behind us and dropped into the reedy pool away to our left. From the next island we had nice views over a large pool in the reeds and picked up three Great White Egrets (Garceta Grande / Egretta alba), two Purple Herons (Garza Imperial / Ardea purpurea), Northern Shoveler (Pato Cuchara / Anas clypeata), Black-winged Stilt (Ciguenela Común / Himantopus himantopus), Sand Martin (Avión Zapador / Riparia riparia) and a fine female Marsh Harrier (Aguilucho Lagunero Occidental / Circus aeruginosus).

Marbled Duck (Cerceta Pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris).

A little further on we turned on to another boardwalk out to a hide, on the way Stephanie pointed out a group of birds sat up on the reeds and when I got the bins on them I was delighted to see a flock of Bearded Tits (Reedling) (Bigotudo / Panurus biarmicus) containing at least 3 superb males and several females / juveniles, a Spanish lifer for me. 
We continued on out to the hide and as Ken had predicted it was not worth while so we retraced our way out to the nearby obsavation point which we equally not worth it as it was so far from every thing. We returned to the board walk and continued on around passing the hide again picking up a migrating Bonelli's (Mosquitero Papialbo / Phylloscopus bonelli) and Melodious Warblers (Zarcero Común / Hippolais polyglotta), a Water Rail which showed well for Stephanie and myself but eludide Ken as he was just a few paces ahead of us, a juvenile Whiskered Tern (Fumarel Cariblanca / Chilidonias hybridus), Red-rumped Swallow (Golondrina Dáurica / Hirudo daurica), Kingfisher (Martin Pescador / Alcedo atthis), Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Parus caeruleus), Green Woodpecker (Pito Real / Picus viridis), Spanish (Yellow) Wagtail (Lavandera Boyera / Motacilla flava iberiae), an immature Western Osprey (Águila Pescardora / Pandion haliaetus) and on the fields on the far side of the pool there was a flock of Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser).

Zitting Cisticola (Buitrón / Cisticola juncidis).

On the last pool along this board walk we had a female Ruff (Combatiente / Philomachus pugnax), Green Sandpiper (Andarrios Grande / Tringa ochropus), Eurasian Coot (Focha Común / Fulica atra), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus) and then find of the day a cracking Marbled Duck (Cerceta Pardilla / Marmaronetta angustirostris) which showed very nicely before swimming off into the vegetation. 
On the way back to the car we saw Pied Flycatcher (Papamoscas Cerrojillo / Ficedula hypoleuca) and Common Redstart (Colirroja Real / Phoenicurus phoenicurus).

Once we reached the car we drove a short way along the road before we turned off on to a track which we stayed on for a few KM picking up Common Stonechat (Tarabilla Común / Saxicola torquata), Whinchat (Tarabilla Nortena / Saxicola rubetra), Northern Wheatear (Collalba Gris / Oenanthe oenanthe), Crested Lark (Cogujada / Galerida cristata), Iberian Grey (Alcaudón Real Meridional / Lanius meridionalis) and Woodchat Shrikes (Alcaudón Común / Lanius senator), Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus), Marsh Harrier and another Western Osprey perched on a pylon.

Once back on the roads we started to make our way over towards Trujillo in Extremadura stopping on the way for lunch on a road side lay-by, here we picked up a nice Nuthatch (Trepador Azul / Sitta europaea), Spotted Flycatcher (Papamoscas Gris / Muscicapa striata), Iberian  Magpie (Rabilargo / Cyanopica cooki), Goldfinch (Jilguero / Carduelis carduelis), Sardinian Warbler (Curruca Cabecinegra / Sylvia melanocephala) and Short-toed Eagle (Culebrera Europeo / Circaetus gallicus).

Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae).

A little later at Sierra de Puerto Pena where we had good views of Griffon Vulture (Bultre Leonado / Gyps fulvus), Long-tailed Tit (Mito / Aegithalos caudatus) and European Bee-eater (Abejaruco Común / Merops apiaster).

We completed the journey and before we went to the hotel we had a look at Belen plains but things were quite quiet, however we did see Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Tawny Pipit (Bisbita campestre / Anthus campestris), Thekla Lark (Cogujada Montesina / Galerida theklae), Raven (Cuervo / Corvus corax), Common Kestrel, Common Stonechat and Spotless Starling.

After this visit we headed for the hotel and collapsed into our rooms after a very long day, the night ended with a view of a fantastic fireworks display over Trujillo castle which both Stephanie and Ken slept through.