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A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Spain, 6-13 February,

Olivier FONTAINE, Vincent RICHARD

Itinerary :

~1st day: Tarragona>Torredembarra (train)
~2nd day : Aiguamolls (car)
~3rd day : Aiguamolls (car)
~4th day : Tarragona>Sevilla (train)
~5th day : Sevilla>El Rocio (car)
~6th day : El Rocio>Donana>Caceres>Torrejon El Rubio (car)
~7th day : Torrejon El Rubio (car)
~8th day : Torrejon El Rubio>Madrid (car)
~9th day : Madrid>Barcelona (train)

Spain, that I never visited before, did surprise me in a good way. People are very welcoming and we quickly get used to their rhythm, quite different from our. There are still some numerous wild spaces, preserved from the excessive human presence, unlike in France. It has been a wonderful trip in a way that the weather was nice and consequently, the birds were sympathetic. Also, I was astonished to see some migrant species already set, at such dates. Moreover, the quantity and diversity of birds, especially in Donana, are amazing, It's a fantastic site that absolutely needs to be seen. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to check all the area.  Here are the species observed in taxonomic order :

Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
One bird in the sea close to the Aiguamolls.

Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)  
Same site.

Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Several individuals at Aiguamolls, Espera, Talavan et Donana.

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Nearly common on all wetlands and lakes.

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Very common too.

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis)
Present in farming area and humid places.

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
A dozen at Donana.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Regularly seen.

Great Egret (Egretta alba)
2 exemplars at Donana.

 Sunrise in Donana (V. Richard)

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Very common.

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Hard not to see it.

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
A nice unexpected flock at Donana.

White Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
About 50 birds feeding at El Rocio (Donana)

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
This pretty bird is easy to get at Donana.

Glossy Ibis flock (V. Richard)

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
Very numerous in the same site.

Grey Lag Goose (Anser anser)
Nice concentration in Donana.

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Small quantities in the Aiguamolls, Espera et Donana.

Common Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Very common.

Gadwall (Anas strepera) Gadwall
One individual at Torredembarra, some others in Donana and Espera.

Pintail Duck (Anas acuta)
Present at Espera and Donana.

Common shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Same occurence as the Gadwall.

Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Observed in the Aiguamolls, Donana and Espera.

Common Teal (Anas crecca)
Common in most of the sites.

Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) Common Pochard
Present at Espera, Donana and Talavan.

Red-creasted Pochard (Netta rufina)
Common in Donana and Espera.

Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca)
Nice surprise at Embalse de Talavan.

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Only one bird at the Aiguamolls.

White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
Splendid observation of several at  Espera

Landscape, close to d'Espera (V. Richard)

Black-shouldered Kite(Elanus  caeruleus)
One specimen at Embalse de Talavan.

Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
3 exemplars in Donana.

Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)
Everywhere at monfragüe.

Vautours fauves endormis (V. Richard)

Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
1 bird seen at Monfragüe and 2 others on the way to Madrid.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
One flying over the Guadalquivir.

Spanish imperia Eagle (Aquila adalberti)
Observed at dusk on an electric pole (10 kms before Torrejon) and the next day in the morning. (2 birds each time)

Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus)
One individual on the Guadalquivir.

Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus)
One identified such as, in Monfragüe (far in the sky).

Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Present at Espera, Donana and in the Aiguamolls.

Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
 Birds, apparently migrating, in Donana

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common.

European Sparrowhawk (accipiter nisus)
One sighting in the Aiguamolls.

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Very common.

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)
A few birds in Donana, in old buildings.

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)
Great density at Espera. Also seen end heard in Monfragüe.

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
A female, not very shy, in the Aiguamolls..

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Very common in swamps and wetlands.

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Numerous birds on similar sites.

Crested Coot (Fulica cristata)
A few at Espera.

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio)
Observed in the Aiguamolls but mostly in Donana.

Common Crane (Grus grus)
A small flock in Donana and some dozens in Estramadura.

Great Bustard (Otis tarda)
About 30 birds of various ages in a field, close to Caceres.

Great Bustards (V. Richard)

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Only one contact, in the Aiguamolls.

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Numerous sightings in Donana.

Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
At least one bird heard at Espera.

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)
Some footprints on the beach at Tarragonna.

Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Widespread in Donana.

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Several hundreds in the Aiguamolls and other groups in Donana.

Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Some flocks in the Aiguamolls.

Little Stint (Calidris minuta)
A few birds in the Aiguamolls.

Wood Sanpiper (Tringa glareola)
A few in Donana.

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Common in the wetlands.

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
Several birds in Donana and in the Aiguamolls.

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
A few birds in Donana.

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
One individual on the same site.

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Some birds in Donana too.

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Some  dozens in Donana.

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Small number in Donana.

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Three birds in Espera

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
A lot in Donana.

Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephala)
Observed at Torredembarra and Donana.

Yellow-legged Herring Gull (Larus cachinnans)
Common on the coast and in Donana.

Lesser Black-headed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Present in Donana.

Razorbill (Alca torda)
A bird iff the coast, in the Aiguamolls.

Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Common.

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Not so regular as in France but still present.

Eurasian Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
A single bird at Talavan !

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
A early morning observation before sunrise in Donana.

Little Owl (Athene noctua)
A exemplar between Caceres and Torrejon El Rubio.

Monfragüe National Park(V. Richard)

Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
A bird in the Aiguamolls and an other one at Espera.

European Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Two contacts, one in the Aiguamolls and one at Talavan.

Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) 
A very beautiful sighting in front of the Aiguamolls  visitor center.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocops major)
An individual at Monfragüe.

Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
One heard in the Aiguamolls.

Crested Lark (Galerida cristata)
Very common species.

Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Frequent in the cultivated lands.

Wood Lark (Lululla arborea)
A group in Donana, flying over the pine-forest.

Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) 
Numerous close to Espera.

Crag Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)
Present at Torredembarra and in Estremadura.

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Daily observed.

House Martin (Delichon urbica)
Idem.

Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Common.

Water Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
A few birds in the Aiguamolls.

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Very common.

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
Some individuals in Espera and Donana.

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Regularly seen.

Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Only one contact in the Aiguamolls.

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
A bird at Torredembarra and come others in Estremadura.

Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
2 sightings in Estremadura.

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
A bird close to Monfragüe .

Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
A single one in the Aiguamolls.

Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Common.

Stonechat (Saxicola torquata)
Common in the bocages.

Cetti's warbler (Cettia cetti)
Heard in Espera and Donana.

El Rocio, Donana  National Park (V. Richard)

Fan-tailed Warbler (Cisticola juncidis)
Present in Tarragonna and Donana.

Dartford Warblor (Sylvia undata)
One at Torredembarra.

Sardinian Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala)
Some birds in Estremadura.

Blackcap (Syvia atricapilla)
Numerous at Espera.

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Widespread.

Great Tit (Parus major)
Common.

Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
Idem.

Crested Tit (Parus cristatus)
2 birds in a pine forest, close to the Aiguamolls.

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
A group in the same site.

Southern Great Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis)
Regularly seen in the bocages.

Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
Sparse sightings.

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Very common.

Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Some birds in oaks at Monfragüe.

Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Only one contact, close to Caceres.

Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyana)
A well-observed group in a pine forest, in Donana and some others in Monfragüe.

Common Raven (Corvus corax)
Common in Estremadura.

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Very common.

Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
An impressive flock on the metallic bridge of Monfragüe.

Eurasian Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Some birds essentially in Estremadura.

European Serin (Serinus serinus)
Common.

European Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Idem.

European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Idem.

European Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
Several sightings.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
A small flock in Estremadura.

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
Present at Torredembarra and in Donana.

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)
Very common in Espera region.

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia)
A bird at Monfragüe close to the vultures cliff.

TOTAL : 129 species

Olivier FONTAINE
E
mirates Center for Wildlife Propagation
BP 47
Province de Boulemane  -  33250 MISSOUR
ROYAUME DU MAROC
Tel. : +212 (0)55 585 752 - Fax : +212 (0)55 585 206
GSM : +212 (0)71938901
OFontaine@ecwp.net.ma  Olivier62136@caramail.com

 

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