Spain, April 2003

Friday 11th April

The (predictably) delayed flight arrived in Madrid at about 1400, and we were soon off and away in our silver Fiesta. Well, the Madrid M25 held us up for about an hour - though driving in near stationary traffic is actually quite a good way to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road... Finally, we got clear of the city, and were whizzing along the N-V to the west. En route, we picked up our first Spotless Starlings and Cattle Egrets, plus a few Crested Larks and a Marsh Harrier. We stopped for half an hour at Oropesa - a lovely little hilltop town overlooking the Sierra dos Gredos. The Lesser Kestrel colony on and around the Parador was in full swing - lots of displaying and calling birds, accompanied by a White Stork. Also here were our first Serins, a Crag Martin and a few Barn Swallows.Onwards to Trujillo - via a few Black Kites, a Griffon Vulture and what looked from a moving car like a Cinereous Vulture - and while we shopped for provisions, the heavens opened! We avoided actually getting wet, and arrived in a still damp but wonderfully familiar Plaza Mayor - more Lesser Kestrels and White Storks, plus Common Swifts for company. The Plaza has been cleared of parked cars - mildly inconvenient, but it now looks still more wonderful - apart from the crane on the far side! I predict some serious Photoshop work to do...

Saturday 12th April

We got up for our one and only really early start of the trip - 5.30am! Given that Spain is an hour ahead even of the UK, this was early indeed. It was pitch dark, and chucking it down. We ummed and ahhed for about a minute, then decided to go for it! Things got worse - our 'usual' road north from Trujillo was closed off for improvements, meaning the addition of at least 20km to the run! And still it rained... We eventually negotiated the twisty roads of Monfragüe NP in the dark (and wet), and reached Tietar cliffs just as the sky was brightening - and we were not more than five minutes too soon. A silhouette flying above some roosting Griffons was 'it' - the much hoped for Eagle-Owl! Like a huge, thick-winged Short-eared Owl, and truly massive, it circled about a few times, then landed up in full view, in poor but improving light (lighter rain now!). Brief, but excellent views - the early start justified!

Being honest, we have to report that it was a genuinely miserable morning weather-wise, but there were several avian highlights. Top of the list has to be a stunning adult Bonelli's Eagle over the cliffs, and then perched on the very highest point for well over an hour - waiting for the rain to stop, like us! Around the car, we had Rock Bunting, a pair of Blue Rock Thrushes, singing Nightingale and Cetti's Warbler, plus Jays, a fly-by Black Stork and various hirundines, including Red-rumped Swallow and Crag Martin. Further on, at a site we had previously visited for Black-winged Kite, the (still heavier) rain put us off any attempt at rare raptors, but we did connect with our first Iberian Magpies (a party of 17), several Common Cuckoos, Red Kite and Stonechat. Back in the NP, the Mirador de Bascula was miserable - no raptors at all, although a singing male Western Subalpine Warbler and further Common Cuckoos showed well. We hardly even bothered with the 'classic' Monfragüe sites of the dam, bridge and Penafalcon, although we did have good views of Crested Tit and Short-toed Treecreeper at the first, Crag Martin at the second, and Black Stork on the traditional nest at the third.

By now, we were very, very fed up (spoilt!), and headed off into the dehesa west of Torrejon el Rubio for a picnic. We were acting on some 2002 gen, and I was secretly a bit hopeful, though not utterly confident. On arrival at the prescribed spot, all I could find were five Griffon Vultures looking miserable on a pylon. Lunch cheered us up a bit, and the skies brightened as the rain stopped - a walk was called for! Just half an hour in the open, unfenced dehesa produced lots of goodies - another flyover Black Stork, several Woodchat Shrikes, Hoopoes and Woodlarks, plus two Cirl Buntings, many Iberian Magpies, upwards of ten Rock Sparrows, and then, atop a huge nest on a pylon just over the second hill, the big one - Spanish Imperial Eagle! Distant but excellent views were had of the sitting bird, the vast, untidy nest amusingly full of nesting Spotless Starlings and Spanish Sparrows. A cracker indeed.

The mood on the drive back to the road was much lighter: we saw a couple of very dark grey / vinous Iberian Grey Shrikes, and some Corn Buntings. The drive home, again via unexpectedly small roads, turned up yet another Black Stork (aren't they supposed to be rare?), rather more Red and Black Kites out and about than earlier, and a lovely party of five Bee-eaters, photographed on roadside fences, swiftly followed by a dozen more over the road. Certainly enough to brighten up a dull afternoon!

After a short break and freshen up at the hotel, we headed out onto the ever-fantastic Belen steppe, just south-east of town. As always, it produced - in a big way! We saw 29 Great and 7 Little Bustards, many of them displaying males, 5 Stone-curlews, Little Owl, Whinchat, 2 Hoopoes, 2 Iberian Grey Shrikes, 7 Montagu's Harriers, including a distant but utterly fantastic melanistic bird, numerous Calandra Larks, single Black and Egyptian Vultures, Red and Black Kites. Super stuff - and as always, wild, ancient and exciting.

Returned home exhausted!

Sunday 13th April

A later start, largely clear skies, and we were back on the Belen steppe just as the sun rose. Despite a chilly wind, we again saw a virtually complete range of species, although there were far fewer bustards in evidence. The Cinereous Vulture had obviously spent the night stuck on the steppe after yesterday's rain, but it eventually lifted off and circled away. Rather more Woodchat Shrikes about, and several Calandra Larks much closer to the road, too. New birds were 2 Great Spotted Cuckoos being chased about by Magpies, a Green Sandpiper, Northern Wheatear, about three Little Egrets, and more prosaically a Cormorant (!), a Greenfinch, a Sand Martin and a few Coots. Best of all, the black Montagu's Harrier showed up again, much closer this morning, and seemed to follow us about as we cruised about the steppe. A really beautiful, once in a lifetime bird (?) - and already a strong contender for Bird of the Trip!

We also conspired to bump into Tomek Kulakowski and his partner, with whom I'd corresponded by email - I had a sneaking suspicion that in the vastness of birders' Spain, we'd manage to cross paths! The coolest part was that we mutually recognised each other based on the briefest of descriptions ('we're a birding couple' - 'me too, only we're not married yet')!

After a superb al fresco lunch, the drive home capped off a good morning when we found a Black-winged Kite quartering the fields very near to the village of Belen. Highly unexpected and very welcome! Another new raptor was a pale-phase Booted Eagle soaring over Trujillo on our return.

After a non-birding couple of hours in town, dodging light showers, we headed off west of town onto the steppe and dehesa around Santa Marta de Magasca. The weather soon grew poor, then simply grim, but we battled on, and did see some genuine goodies - Roller topped the bill (very early - not usually in until late April or early May), plus a marginally sub-adult Golden Eagle, about a dozen Montagu's Harriers, a pair of Western Black-eared Wheatears, a few Stone-curlews, three Great and 3 Little Bustards, a handful of Crag Martins and many Calandra and other larks.

Monday 14th April

We awoke again to rain - so rolled over and stuffed it for an hour or two - this was meant to be a holiday, after all! After a late breakfast, and with the skies apparently clearing up, we set off for Monfragüe at about 10am. Penafalcon, as usual, was fantastic. Scores of Griffons, several Black and Egyptian Vultures, a couple of Booted and a Short-toed Eagle, two Peregrines of the local brownish cast variety (brookei), Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart, many Crag Martins, and two Black Storks attending the nest. Very interesting to watch and photograph one of the storks apparently showing a white uppertail, apart from the central tail feathers! Ever more bizarre...

Next, it was up to Villareal de San Carlos, and our 'traditional' and excellent walk on the green trail. This loop is quite hilly and absolutely beautiful, the slopes much greener than last time, and full of fragrant flowers. We really took our time, and had a brilliant walk - much needed after too much car-based birding! Bird highlights were a Cinereous Vulture on the nest from the Cerro Gimio lookout, plus at least another 10 birds flying around, an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle, a pair of Bonelli's Eagles, another Short-toed Snake Eagle, several Western Subalpine and (at last) a couple of Sardinian Warblers, Cirl Bunting, Nightingale showing in the open, the first Robin of the trip, and best of all, right at the very end as we came within sight of the village at the end, a singing male Western Orphean Warbler in stunted oaks by the trail! A perfect way to end a superb walk.

After a quick pit stop at the café, the heavens opened, with a huge but brief hailstorm with thunder and lightning! Luckily, we could just enjoy it from the car...but had we been half an hour later on our walk....

We drove on up to the Mirador de Bascula, and had a very enjoyable hour with some Spanish families, and Belgian and Norwegian birding crews. We found the Cinereous Vulture nest OK, but relied on others' eyes to find the Spanish Imperial Eagle nest on the furthest ridge. We were trying to convince ourselves that there really was a juvenile in the huge pile of sticks, when we both simultaneously picked up an adult flying in with a prey item, which it proceeded to dismember, presumably for an unseen youngster in the nest. The distance was pretty huge, but the light was excellent, with no heat haze, so we could see full plumage detail on the bird. Brilliant! With Woodlarks singing and Cinereous Vultures almost constantly in view overhead, this made for an excellent finish to the day.

Well, not quite the finish! I gave our Norwegian friends the gen for the Western Orphean Warbler, and when we drove back south, we passed their car at the wrong spot! So I hiked quickly up the hill, and thankfully found them - although they had independently relocated the bird singing about 200m from where it had been earlier. So all was well that ended well...

A final stop at dusk at Arroyo de la Vid did produce the hoped for Scops Owls (2 duetting), but sadly they were quite distant and on the wrong side of the river to try and hunt down - another 'heard only' record for Julia! One day... (note it took only a year - see Lesbos report!)

Tuesday 15th April

Dubious weather at dawn today, but at least not actually raining! We headed off into the steppe to the west of town, towards Santa Marta de Magasca once again. It really did threaten to pour, but miraculously, we saw just a few drops as Trujillo got a soaking just a mile or two up the road! At our first stop, a Scops Owl continued to tease by singing in virtually broad daylight... Still more frustrating was the distant whinny of Black-bellied Sandgrouse - but no sightings were had! More positively (and visibly), numerous Little Bustards were displaying in the fields, and a Great Bustard flew over. But the stars of the show today were undoubtedly Montagu's Harriers - at least 15, mostly males, displaying and hunting over the fields and steppe, often landing just a few metres away. Outstanding. Add in a Marsh Harrier, a Greater Short-toed Lark (probably a migrant?), three Great Spotted Cuckoos (including an adult apparently copulating with a first-summer bird), two each of Western Black-eared and Northern Wheatears, calling Stone-curlew and the usual larks, and ever bluer skies, and it was a great way to end the Extremaduran leg of the trip.

After a late breakfast and check out in Trujillo, we headed fast south on the N-V - great, fast new roads as far south as Zafra, then a bit slower but still OK. A lunch stop in the Sierra Morena produced a singing Western Subalpine Warbler, Red-rumped Swallow and many Serins. Grim stormy weather in Seville, but clearer again by the time we reached the Coto Doñana - journey time four hours, including two quite generous stops - 3 hours 20 minutes on the road? Once checked in at the Aldea camping and ensconced in our little cabin (shades of Swedish stugbys), we had a breather, then headed just down the road to El Rocio. What immediately struck us was how much water there was - no big surprise given all the rain and the green state of the dehesa further north, really.

A big surprise by the 'seafront' was a male Western Subalpine Warbler (only a migrant here), but more expected were numerous Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Greater Flamingoes, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, and several Common Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Spoonbills, Little Egrets, Shelduck, and Collared Pratincoles overhead. Really impressive were the numbers of marsh terns - about a dozen Blacks and at least 150 Whiskered! Fantastic stuff. 35 Bee-eaters cruised over, a Squacco Heron flew past, and extra waders appeared in the shape of Greenshank, Ruff, Common Sandpiper and a distant Grey Plover.

I dutifully started checking a herd of about 30 Coots - crisis! A Red-knobbed Coot within a minute of looking! And in the same herd, another, neck-ringed bird - number 013. Great views in wonderful light, showing the bluish, thicker and drooping bill, the lack of a black feather intrusion onto the shield, and the shrivelled redcurrants on the top of the shield too! Fantastic stuff.

Tired out and happy, we headed for home and a bottle of wine - saving a few specials for tomorrow morning, we hope!

Wednesday 16th April

After a rather cold night, we woke to clear skies (at last!). Half an hour in the lovely morning light photographing Whiskered and Black Terns was the perfect start, and we then drove the short distance to La Rocina. As ever, it produced lots of birds (though rather fewer herons than previously - are they more spread out due to the wetter conditions?). Highly photogenic Nightingales and Savi's Warblers stole the show, but we also had brief views of Cetti's Warblers, found a singing Iberian Chiffchaff, and heard (but could not see) a singing Melodious Warbler. Purple Swamphens crashed about in the sedges, and there were Red-crested Pochards, Little Grebes, many Whiskered Terns and a few Little Egrets and Spoonbills on the marsh. The dry area turned up Sardinian and Dartford Warblers, and Black Kites and Booted Eagles were overhead. The Tree Sparrow colony in the pines seems to be thriving now that nestboxes have been provided.

After a leisurely lunch, and a quick refill of both food reserves and petrol, we headed off with no little trepidation towards the Jose Antonio Valverde / Cerrado Garrido centre - with trepidation because, last time we were here, the journey was complex, time consuming, uncomfortable and relatively bird free, apart from the Centre itself. But we had high hopes, since this was obviously a much wetter year. Things got off to a great start with a very pale and ragged Short-toed Snake Eagle right over the car, but the first half of the journey suggested we were right - we got lost in Villamanrique, the roads were still diabolical, and there weren't many birds to look at in the intensively farmed fields.

But, eventually, we started seeing Calandra and both Greater and Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, (Spanish) Yellow Wagtails (iberiae), two superb Spoonbills in a ploughed field, a large gathering of Collared Pratincoles and several Bee-eaters. When Marsh Harriers started to show up, we knew water was nearby, and sure enough, we turned a corner and found a huge flooded sedge marisma! Hooray!

Quickly we were seeing Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Gull-billed Tern, Purple Swamphen and various ducks including Northern Pintail - a Little Ringed Plover even flew over. As we approached the Centre, the number of birds increased, and it was clear that egret and heron breeding activity was in full swing - a large mixed colony of Squacco, Purple and Night Herons, mixed in with many Glossy Ibises, Cattle Egrets and a few Little Egrets commanded all attention just feet from the road. But the excitement level was rising when we were given recent gen by some British birders that Marbled Duck had been seen here. Immediately on going into the Centre, we checked with the woman on the front desk, and she confirmed that yes, four had been frequenting the lagoons right outside the plate glass windows! Excited, we went over, only for one of the British guys to tell me that he'd just had them, and they'd flown off! Disaster! So much for getting good gen first... we spent an agonising 10 minutes (not unlike the half hour when Julia had seen a White's Thrush and Simon hadn't...), and at last the three birds flew back in again, giving good flight views before landing off to the left. Relieved, we hurried off to the observation blinds, and had excellent views of them (in the end four birds). At last! Add in a male Little Bittern (we saw at least two more a bit later), and the first of at least four Great Reed Warblers, and we were guaranteed happy!

We enjoyed the heronry in a thoroughly relaxed frame of mind, watched the Greater Flamingoes flying to roost, and picked up a few list padders, such as Lapwing, Black-headed Gull and Little Tern. As the light failed, we headed off home - by a slightly less circuitous route!

Thursday 17th April

We awoke to dense fog, and so made it a gentle start today. La Rocina was eerily beautiful, and this time we had it completely to ourselves as the sun burned off the mist. Whiskered Terns hawked the marsh like opalescent sprites, Little Grebes fed their young in the sedge beds, and a wholly silly-looking Purple Swamphen munched on roots, all accompanied by the fantastic cacophony of Cetti's and Savi's Warblers, and Nightingales. This is what relaxing enjoyment of birds should be like! We even added a new species (Tree Pipit) before heading off to the Acebuche centre further south.

As before at Acebuche, the numbers of birds here were low - but we did score with a very brief snatch of song from, and an even briefer sighting of, a male Golden Oriole. Frustratingly, only UTVs for Julia (also see the Lesbos report!). At least we got to try our hand at photographing Iberian Magpies - they were nest-building in the nearest tree to the car-park! A Peregrine even showed up briefly. All in all, a leisurely morning.

And the afternoon wasn't that active either! A quick recce along the Coto del Rey track produced few birds in the heat (Nightingales, calling Quail, flyover Booted Eagle and Griffon Vulture), and we spent the last hour or two of the day at El Rocio bridge once more - the water levels had risen considerably, and there were fewer birds than before. But still, the two Red-knobbed Coots remained, and the usual selection of species frequented the marisma.

The 'traditional' Red-necked Nightjar dip was re-enacted at nightfall - still too early? Compensation came in the form of five Night Herons, calling Stone-curlew, and distant Tawny and Eagle Owls hooting in the night.

Friday 18th April

Today was our 'leave it to the expert' day - we had hired John Butler to show us around some of the harder to find corners of the northern Doñana marshes. He picked us up just after nine, and we joined three other UK birders for our day out and about. The first stop was at a small reservoir - not a lot there apart from some Tree Sparrows, but round the back, we quickly located two Black-winged Kites, a breeding pair who had succeeded in raising the first chick in Doñana for nine years. We watched one hunting, and then returning with a Corn Bunting, and proceeding to pluck it, still alive! Nearby, two singing Melodious Warblers showed off from the tops of small trees.

Next it was out onto the open marshes, where we stopped by a flooded and very weedy field, out of which Little Egrets and Spoonbills occasionally emerged. This, we were assured, was a key site! And sure enough, on cue, a Marsh Harrier flushed about 25 egrets, including one dark slaty blue bird with a white chin - Western Reef Heron! An outrageous European rarity. Great Reed Warblers in the ditches and many Gull-billed Terns provided further entertainment.

Onwards to some more flooded fields, these ones muddy and insecty enough to hold many migrant waders. The star bird was probably a single Temminck's Stint, but there were also a Wood Sandpiper, about 20 Curlew Sandpipers, many coming into summer plumage, several Kentish Plovers, Dunlin, Ruff and Grey Plovers, at least 20 Common Sandpipers, and numerous Little Stints. A really good mixed bag!

Lunch was the next item, and we were well fed at Dehesa de Abajo, a flower-covered sandy place right beside a large, shallow lagoon. Right by the road here, we had the (failed) breeding pair of Red-knobbed Coots, these two both neck-ringed birds - one apparently captive bred, but the other a wild bred and marked bird. Also on the lagoon were two Black-necked Grebes in all their finery, a similarly superb Ruff, numerous Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Flamingoes and Whiskered Terns. Bee-eaters and Black Kites were constantly in the air overhead. A fantastic and peaceful spot to recharge for the afternoon.

So, onwards! Out onto the marshes once more, and an attempt at another gross Euro-rare, a Yellow-billed Stork that had been present for some months. Sadly, we could find no sign of it - and there are a lot of marshes out there! But a massive flock of over 200 Gull-billed Terns was no small compensation. The tracks had plenty of Crested, Greater and Mediterranean Short-toed Larks, and a few Calandra Larks were out over the fields - many Spanish Wagtails were along the roadside, and a single Blue-headed Wagtail provided some variety. Near the Cerrado Garrido centre, we found another (unringed) Red-knobbed Coot, and the same marshland birds as two days ago (apart from Little Bittern!). Two of the Marbled Ducks were much closer to the blinds this time - better photos, we hope! John told us that Señor José Valverde, after whom the Centre is named (sometimes!), the man who effectively saved the Coto Doñana in the 1960s, had sadly died just three days earlier. I think everyone present said a silent 'thank you'.

A hugely impressive flock of perhaps 200 Black-winged Stilts got up, and we soon saw why - a Peregrine was harrying one unfortunate bird that had been left behind - it couldn't decide whether to try and 'fly for it', or duck down in the water with a splash every time the predator made a pass. It ended up as stalemate, and eventually the Peregrine gave up and went off elsewhere! During the drama, an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle cruised by, then drifted off towards the Coto del Rey. Also, a 'dusky' Spotted Redshank cranked the trip list up by another one! Shortly afterwards, a very worn ringtail harrier appeared by the road. On structure alone this was not the expected Montagu's - it was a very late Hen Harrier. Four Turtle Doves were also new, and a female Western Black-eared Wheatear shared a tree with three Northern Wheatears.

We tried once more (in vain) for the Yellow-billed Stork, but received some compensation in the form of a Great Egret in the sedge beds. Finally, a large group of Collared Pratincoles grounded in some sandy fields caped off a very full and satisfying day. We had learned a lot about the seasonal rhythms of the Doñana, and about some of the pressures and hopes for the future which attend to it. It was very well worth making use of John's services!

Saturday 19th April

Today was almost completely written off to travelling. We drove over 500km from El Rocio to Arenas de San Pedro in the Sierra de Gredos, halfway between Trujillo and Madrid.

After the usual roadside birds all the way, the rain set in again, and it was chucking it down by the time we checked into a hotel in Arenas. We managed to salvage a couple of hours car-based birding in the evening, and as I write this, the clouds do appear to be lifting, so there is hope for the morning!

All was not doom - a drive into the hills NW of town produced four trip ticks : Carrion Crow, Sparrowhawk, Firecrest, and best of all, a singing Dipper (apparently black-bellied, but the light was poor). Also Coal Tit, a silent Chiffchaff sp., and a few Robins and other passerines saved the day from being a total washout!

Sunday 20th April

As we had hoped, the skies looked a bit brighter when we got up and left the hotel at 0730 - and 12 Cormorants unexpectedly flew over. We headed north over the Puerto de Pico pass in dense cloud however! Oh dear... But conditions were much better on the northern flank of the Sierra - cloud base at about 2500m, just cloaking the tops of the snowy peaks. We stopped first at the Parador de Gredos - no Citril Finches, but a couple of Crossbills were a surprise. Breakfast was taken at the Puente del Duque, just along the Plataforma road, and we scored heavily with a Western Bonelli's Warbler right by the car park, along with two Crested Tits and more Crossbills.

Fuelled up, we headed for the top of the road, and worked the path uphill while conditions allowed - there had been plenty of snow overnight, and the path was treacherously slippery with ice - we really weren't in the right kit to attempt the cirque! The Rock Buntings in the car park were ridiculously tame, and also seen there were two male Black Redstarts, several Water Pipits, and numerous Dunnocks, trying their best to look like Alpine Accentors, but failing! A mournful fluting song from the cliffs above was undoubtedly a Monticola species, but we could not see it, unfortunately. Skylarks and a Kestrel were in flight over the snowy wastes, and several Barn Swallows migrated through. Perhaps best of all, a herd of about 10 Spanish Ibexes adorned the skyline.

The snow started to fall again, so we retreated a little downhill, and checked some of the broomy areas at the roadside - success! A singing male Bluethroat showed brilliantly, along with several Northern Wheatears and yet more Water Pipits. Further back downhill, we picked up various species we'd seen little of so far - Mistle Thrush, Carrion Crow and Coal Tit. A pair of Booted Eagles displayed while we ate lunch, and a further walk from the Puente del Duque was very productive - another Western Bonelli's Warbler, a cracking first-summer male Pied Flycatcher of the iberiae form (showing an extremely pied appearance apart from brown-cast primaries, with masses of white in the wing and a large primary patch, a huge white spot over the bill, and even a greyish lower back / upper rump - all more like a Collared Flycatcher, really!), and two last trip ticks - Goldcrest and Nuthatch! We had largely dodged the bad weather today, and as the clouds descended, we called it a day, and headed off back to Madrid.

The journey was not bird free - four more Iberian Grey Shrikes, several Buzzards and Iberian Magpies, and even a last Griffon Vulture. Birded out, we returned the hire car, and checked in to an airport hotel, where the final reckoning recorded us as having seen or heard 183 species. Abiding memories: Marbled Duck, Montagu's Harriers, Bluethroat in the hills - let's hope we forget the wet weather!