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Birdingextremadura.com SPRING BIRDS AND CULTURE TOUR FOR ELING AND CHESTER 23rd May 2010 – 28th May 2010 (return to Madrid 29th May) |
Itinerary 23rd May: Midday pick-up from Madrid. Birding at Arrocampo with late afternoon arrival at Casa Rural El Recuerdo 24th May: Plains and wooded valleys around Santa Marta de Magasca. Afternoon visit to Trujillo. 25th May: Morning visit to Monfragüe National Park. Afternoon to Cáceres. 26th May: Plains south of Zorita and rice fields near Madrigalejo. 27th May: Villafranca de los Barros, Alange and Mérida 28th May: Belén Plains, heathland at Jaraicejo and Monfragüe National Park. 29th May: Early morning departure for Madrid. 23rd May 2010 Eling and Chester were met in their hotel in downtown Madrid, having enjoyed the Champions League football match between Inter Milan and Bayern München the previous evening. We found our way out of the city and were soon on the A5 motorway to Extremadura. We reached the village of Saucedilla for a late lunch, in the shade of the visitors’ centre for the birding trails at the reservoir of Arrocampo. Close by we checked the reed beds and were rewarded by good views of a male Little Bittern (two others were seen later during the visit). Several Purple Heron were present whilst Great Reed, Reed, Cetti’s and Savi’s Warblers sang. At another stop nearby, a Purple Swamphen was watched as it preened beside the water and above us a fine Red Kite soared together with a Black Kite, giving us an excellent comparison. We continued onwards to our final destination, Casa Rural El Recuerdo, just south of the town of Trujillo. It had been a warm afternoon, but the cool interior of the old house, thanks to the thick stone walls, provided a refreshing change. 24th May 2010 It was a fine, sunny day and we headed west from Trujillo towards Cáceres, leaving the motorway to explore the extensive plains around Santa Marta de Magasca. At our first stop, we found a rather distant group of eight Great Bustard, whilst closer to us were several Montagu’s Harriers, quartering the fields, as well as performing some aerial displays. We drove slowly along a minor road, getting good views of Corn Buntings, Short-toed, Calandra and Crested Larks, many with their bills full of green caterpillars. Rollers were also present on the roadside wires, and perched on the nest boxes that had been rested for their use. We also found a male Black-eared Wheatear and two Little Owls. At one stage we stopped to walk and reached a field where thanks to the sheep grazing, the vegetation was quite low. Here a total of about ten Black-bellied Sandgrouse were seen. Some on the ground, but better views were obtained of birds in flight. At one stage a Pin-tailed Sandgrouse circled around us, flying low and fast close-by. As we returned to the car, a Short-toed Eagle soared overhead. We paused briefly in the Tamuja valley where we had excellent views of a Common Cuckoo, calling from a wire, at one stage perched close to a Bee-eater. A Thekla Lark was also seen on the roadside there. In the village of Santa Marta de Magasca we stopped for coffee in the bar on the main square and watched House Martins feeding young in nests situated under low eaves. Heading through the plains to the north, we were rewarded with superb open landscapes as well as a glory of late spring flowers, showing very well this year because of the rather wetter and cooler spring than usual. We came across two Stone Curlews and nearby its display calls helped us to locate a male Little Bustard, whose head and necked were clearly visible above the tall grass. Another Great Bustard was seen as well as Montagu’s Harriers. Following lunch, we took a walk beside a lavender-lined track, getting three sightings of an immature Spanish Imperial Eagle, two Black Storks and another Little Bustard. As we returned towards Trujillo, flocks of Spanish Sparrows lined-up on the fences beside cereal fields. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the wonderful medieval town of Trujillo. We started in the impressive main square, walking past the palace built by the Francisco Pizarro’s brother, then the palace built by Orellana, in which Cervantes lived for a period. Hordes of swifts (Common and Pallid) chased each other in screaming packs, whilst White Storks looked on from their nests on the towers. Continuing along the ramparts, we then entered the narrow streets and little squares dominated by churches and palaces situated below the Moorish castle. The views from the castle were panoramic. From there we descended back to the main square for coffee, before then heading to the Bull Ring to watch and photograph the Lesser Kestrels returning to their nests carrying grasshoppers and beetles caught on their hunting forays to the plains. 25th May 2010 It was an overcast morning as we headed north towards the Monfragüe National Park. A Roller was seen perched on wires just north of Trujillo. We drove through extensive dehesa landscapes, grazing woodland that stretched to the horizon. Our first stop in the park was opposite the iconic rock face of Peña Falcón. On an adjacent crag a Black (=Cinereous) Vulture was perched at the top, whilst a Griffon Vulture was close to the base. An island opposite had a Black Stork’s nest close the river Tajo. An adult stood in attendance over two white chicks with large yellow bills. The cloudy skies meant that many of the vultures were reluctant to be airborne and they sat perched on the cliff, some close their nests which had almost fully-grown nestlings. A Peregrine passed overhead at one point and a pair of Egyptian Vultures was often in view. After a stop for coffee, we then visited a rock face in the north of the park, the Portilla del Tiétar. Just as we arrived a Raven flew overhead calling, and as we remarked this could be a sign of an eagle appearing…sure enough seconds later an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle glided overhead. It disappeared behind the rock face, but reappeared shortly afterwards to perch on the skyline: a magnificent view. There it stayed for the entire duration of our stay. A pair of White-rumped Swifts was offered superb views as they wheeled in front of the rock face. We met a couple of park rangers were undertaking a census and who told us that on that rock face alone, there were 38 Griffon Vulture nests! We stopped for lunch under the shade of elm trees and nettle-leaf trees, watching the Azure-winged Magpies and Crested Tit, whilst European Turtle Doves were present in a nearby belt of pines. As we retraced out steps, we had brief views of a Rock Sparrow perched on the bridge over the Tajo river, and a party of Alpine Swifts were also present there. A short stop at Peña Falcón was perfectly timed to see an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle pass over the top of the cliff. We then drove to the provincial capital Cáceres for a walk around the medieval centre. The churches and palaces are enclosed within the fortified walls built by the Moors. The architecture was superb: we stopped to admire the façade of the Archbishop’s palace and some early medieval houses influence by Moorish architecture. Pallid and Common Swifts, Lesser Kestrels and White Storks provided the ornithological interest. After coffee in the main square, we made a final stop at the reservoir of Guadiloba to watch Collared Pratincoles, Little Terns and Little Ringed Plovers on a small island. Black-winged Stilts also had chicks, whilst small flocks of White Storks searched the grasslands for grasshoppers.
26th May 2010 Today the warm and sunny weather returned and we headed south to the plains near Zorita and then to the rice-growing areas around the town of Madrigalejo. First stop on the plains was to watch a Little Owl perched atop a pile of stones, not much further on we came across a group of about 12 male Great Bustards, feeding in a grass field. The light was excellent and we enjoyed good views of their rich and intricately marked plumage. A couple of male Little Bustards were also found in the area, whilst the usual medley of larks, including Short-toed and Calandra were present. Further along we came across a further four Great Bustards, watching them on the ground and in flight. Another Little Owl was also seen on a ruined building. On the rice fields near Palazuelo, we stopped to check a patch of reeds near the village, finding a Little Bittern, Great Reed Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler and Nightingale. Crossing the rice fields, we came across a group of 8 Northern Lapwing, unexpected at this time of year, as well as six Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Excellent views were obtained of two Collared Pratincoles and Roller, whilst we also found Little Ringed Plover, Gull-billed Tern and Bee-eater. Golden Orioles were present beside the River Ruercas, as well as Red Avadavats and Common Waxbill. At lunch, overlooking a small tank of water, a Melodious Warbler was singing. We completed the visit beside the Sierra Brava reservoir where two male and a female Black-eared Wheatear were present, as well as small groups of Lesser Kestrel. 27th May 2010 The destination today was the Roman city of Mérida (south-west of Trujillo) and its surrounds. We visited first the expanse of vineyards and olive groves near the town of Villafranca de los Barros. As soon as we stopped, we heard two Rufous Bush Robins singing and soon we had located first one and then the second, along a small stream running between the vineyards. The birds sang from exposed perches such as the tops of vines, reeds and rushes. Occasionally they gave short song flights as well. Also present in the area was a Spectacled Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear and a male Montagu’s Harrier. From there we visited Alange, walking beside the reservoir below the rock face. Alpine Swifts were breeding on the dam, whilst on the cliff face and surrounds we found Black Wheatear and Long-tailed Tit. We then travelled onto Mérida where Eling and Chester visited the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre. This was followed by lunch in one of the street cafes nearby. We then walked though the city, stopping to see the Roman Forum and Temple before reaching the magnificent Roman bridge. As well as being of huge historic interest (it is the longest Roman bridge still standing in the world), it is a great spot for birding. We had good views of Little Bittern, Purple Heron, Great Reed Warbler, Pallid, Common and Alpine Swifts, but pride of place must go the two juvenile Penduline Tits found by Eling, which were feeding in a tree close the start of the bridge. That evening, after dinner, we took and evening walk hoping to see of hear Red-necked Nightjar. Unfortunately, it was quite windy, but we did see two Scops Owls close to the lane. 28th May 2010 The final full day of the tour started with a visit to the Belén Plains near Trujillo. This was a good opportunity of getting more photos of birds like Corn Buntings and Crested Larks, but best of all were three Great Spotted Cuckoos. We had close and prolonged views of what were obviously a pair (they were courtship feeding) and an intruding bird, which was sometimes chased away. At one time all three were together in the same field of view! At the same spot, we also saw two Stone Curlews as well as a Great Bustard. The larks and Corn Buntings were out in strength, as were Bee-eaters and White Storks. It was a superb morning. After coffee, we visited the heath land and cork oak woodland near Jaraicejo, where we watched Thekla Larks, Dartford Warblers, Short-toed Treecreepers and Nuthatches. Nightingales sang beside us whilst we had lunch in the shade beside the Arroyo de la Vid. We completed the day with a return to Monfragüe, enjoying good views again of all three species of vulture, a pair of Red-billed Choughs and a wonderful view of a Rock Bunting struggling with a large moth. 29th May 2010 An early departure to take Eling and Chester back to the airport for their travel home. Species list Achieving a big “list” was not the objective of the tour, which aimed to give good opportunities for photography, visits to the main historic towns and a relaxing pace. Here are the species seen, which included many specialities of the area.
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CASA RURAL EL RECUERDO Apartado de Correos 28 Phone: +34 927319349
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Martin Kelsey |
