Spain,
April 1999

White-headed Duck

Seven (4 males) at Laguna Dulce

Greylag Goose

About 20 in the Coto Doñana

Common Shelduck

Six at the Lucio del Cangrejo, Coto Doñana

Red-crested Pochard

Four at Laguna Dulce and about 20 in the Coto Doñana

Common Pochard

Common at Laguna Dulce (c.60) and in the Coto Doñana (c.40)

Northern Shoveler

About 60 in the Coto Doñana and 20 at Laguna Dulce

Gadwall

Common on most wetlands, especially in the Coto Doñana

Mallard

Common and widespread; seen daily

Common Quail

Heard at La Serena and in the Coto Doñana

Red-legged Partridge

Seen on five days, with a maximum of 6 at La Serena

Greater Flamingo

At least 500 in the Coto Doñana, and 40 at Laguna Dulce

Little Grebe

Seen on most suitable water, with a maximum of 14 at Laguna Dulce

Great Crested Grebe

Three at Laguna Dulce

Black-necked Grebe

Six at Laguna Dulce

Great Bustard

At least 40 at La Serena, including displaying males

Little Bustard

Five seen well at La Serena

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Two seen well at the Belen steppe

Common Cuckoo

Heard on four days, and one seen at Monfragüe

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

Twenty seen in flight at La Serena

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Four seen in flight at La Serena

Eurasian Collared Dove

Common in towns and villages

Common Wood Pigeon

Seen daily in small numbers

Rock Dove

Common in rocky areas (e.g. Monfragüe, Teba)

Common Moorhen

Common on most wetlands

Eurasian Coot

Abundant at Laguna Dulce and in the Coto Doñana

Purple Gallinule

At least 10 seen well in the Coto Doñana

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Three at La Serena and two in the Coto Doñana

Pied Avocet

At least 40 in the Coto Doñana

Black-winged Stilt

Common and widespread on wetlands; max. 100+ in the Coto Doñana

European Golden Plover

About 30 in the Coto Doñana

Little Ringed Plover

Four in the Coto Doñana

Northern Lapwing

Ten in the Coto Doñana

Kentish Plover

At least 20 in the Coto Doñana

Black-tailed Godwit

About 100 in the Coto Doñana

Common Sandpiper

Two in the Coto Doñana

Green Sandpiper

One at the Embalse de Arrocampo

Wood Sandpiper

Ten in the Coto Doñana

Common Redshank

Six in the Coto Doñana

Common Greenshank

Two in the Coto Doñana

Ruff

At least 50 in the Coto Doñana

Dunlin

About 20 in the Coto Doñana

Collared Pratincole

At least 100 in the Coto Doñana

Gull-billed Tern

At least 30 in the Coto Doñana

Whiskered Tern

At least 50 in the Coto Doñana

Black Tern

Two at the Jose Antonio Valverde centre, Coto Doñana

Yellow-legged Gull

Seen on five days in small numbers

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Common in the Coto Doñana (c.100)

Black Stork

One at the Tietar cliffs, Monfragüe National Park

White Stork

Common and widespread; seen daily, with many occupied nests on buildings and pylons

Great Cormorant

Twenty at the Embalse de Arrocampo

Glossy Ibis

At least 50 in the Coto Doñana, mostly around the Jose Antonio Valverde centre

Eurasian Spoonbill

About 30 at the Jose Antonio Valverde centre, Coto Doñana

Little Bittern

A male seen flying across the reedbeds at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana, and another heard there

Little Egret

Seen on five days, mostly in the Coto Doñana (max. 20)

Black-crowned Night Heron

Four at the heronry at Acebron palace, Coto Doñana, and one at La Rocinas

Great Egret

One at the Lucio del Cangrejo, Coto Doñana

Western Cattle Egret

Very common and widespread; seen daily, often in large numbers

Purple Heron

Four in the Coto Doñana and one at the Embalse de Arrocampo

Grey Heron

Seen on six days, with a maximum of 10 in the Coto Doñana

Western Barn Owl

One seen hunting at dusk near El Roío

Little Owl

Seven noted on four days

Black-shouldered Kite

One at the roadside near El Roío

Egyptian Vulture

Two at the Castillo de Monfragüe and two at the Tietar cliffs

Cinereous Vulture

At least 20 in Monfragüe National Park

Griffon Vulture

Common at Monfragüe National Park (100+) and seen daily in suitable habitat

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Ten noted on five days, mostly in the Coto Doñana

Booted Eagle

Seen daily; about 25 in total

Spanish Imperial Eagle

A pair seen at the nest in the Coto Doñana, and a sub-adult at Monfragüe

Montagu's Harrier

A total of 14 noted, including 8 at La Serena

Western Marsh Harrier

At least 15 in the Coto Doñana

Red Kite

Six noted on four days

Black Kite

Abundant and widespread; seen daily (max. 100+)

Common Buzzard

Seen daily in small numbers

Common Hoopoe

Common and widespread; seen daily

European Roller

Two at the Belen steppe

European Bee-eater

Common and widespread; seen daily (max. 50+)

Great Spotted Woodpecker

One heard drumming in Monfragüe National Park, and two seen there the next day, and one drumming at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana

Lesser Kestrel

Common in Trujillo (20+) and seen at several other sites

Common Kestrel

Seen on six days in small numbers

Peregrine Falcon

One at the Castillo de Monfragüe

Iberian Grey Shrike

Seventeen noted in all, mostly as singles per day, but 10 were seen at La Serena

Woodchat Shrike

Seen every day bar one, but very scarce in lowland and southern Andalucia. In contrast, very common around Monfragüe National Park, with at least ten seen daily

Red-billed Chough

About 50 at Teba Gorge and castle, and upwards of 100 at Ronda Gorge

Iberian Magpie

Seen daily from just north of Cordoba to the Coto Doñana. Often common, and frequently quite tame

Eurasian Jay

A total of 22 seen in Monfragüe National Park, including the remarkable sight of a loose flock of 13 birds moving across a wooded valley together about an hour after dawn

Eurasian Magpie

Noted every day but one, but generally in single figures

Western Jackdaw

Seen every day but one - often very common

Northern Raven

Thirteen noted on six days

Carrion Crow

Two at the roadside south of Trujillo, and 2 near Zafra

Eurasian Blue Tit

Seen less frequently, but in similar numbers to the previous species

Great Tit

Seen daily, but rarely in double figures

Woodlark

Two at La Serena, and a total of 7 in Monfragüe National Park

Eurasian Skylark

Noted on three days only, but doubtless others overlooked

Thekla's Lark

Notably scarcer than the previous species, but still positively identified on five dates - doubtless others were seen but recorded as Galerida sp. Most seen in sites such as Monfragüe National Park and the Belen steppe

Crested Lark

Very common in all areas - seen daily

Greater Short-toed Lark

Two in La Serena, and perhaps over 100 in the dry fields near the Cerrado Garrigo Centre, Coto Doñana

Calandra Lark

Common and very conspicuous at three sites - La Serena, Belen steppe and surrounding areas and the dry areas of the Coto Doñana. Also a few seen in other agricultural areas

Mediterranean Short-toed Lark

At least 5 seen well in the same area as the previous species in the Coto Doñana

Zitting Cisticola

Eleven singing males noted at a variety of dampish sites

Melodious Warbler

One singing (seen briefly) at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana, and another seen well on the wire fence by the Cerrado Garrigo Centre, also Coto Doñana

Sedge Warbler

Two heard at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana

Common Reed Warbler

One at Laguna Dulce, and a further six or so in the Coto Doñana

Great Reed Warbler

Three heard (only one seen) in the Coto Doñana, and another heard at Laguna Dulce

Savi's Warbler

Up to a dozen heard in the Coto Doñana, and 3 seen, including a splendid male singing from an exposed reed stem at only a few yards range at La Rocinas

Common Grasshopper Warbler

One heard reeling at Acebuche visitors' centre, Coto Doñana

Sand Martin

Only seen on two occasions - 20 at the Cerrado Garrigo Centre, Coto Doñana, and 10 at Laguna Dulce two days later

Eurasian Crag Martin

Noted every day but two, and most common, as expected, in rocky or hilly areas, notably Teba Gorge and Monfragüe National Park, where 50+ seen on one date

Barn Swallow

Common and widespread - seen daily

Western House Martin

Common and widespread - seen daily

European Red-rumped Swallow

Seen on six days, with large numbers around Monfragüe National Park and Trujillo. Sadly, one flock's habit of settling on the road means there is one fewer Red-rumped Swallow in Spain this spring....

Long-tailed Tit

Thirteen noted on four dates

Cetti's Warbler

About 30 heard singing throughout (but most common in the Coto Doñana) - good views only had at Teba Gorge, where the suitable habitat was limited to about three square metres of reed and scrub

Willow Warbler

Seven noted on five days

Chiffchaff sp.

One seen (but not heard) at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana

Eurasian Blackcap

Eleven noted on five days

Common Whitethroat

A male by the roadside near Utrera completed the Sylvia grand slam

Spectacled Warbler

Three, two of them singing males, were located in very dry scrub near the Cerrado Garrigo Centre, Coto Doñana

Dartford Warbler

Two singing males were seen - one in Monfragüe National Park, and the other at Acebuche visitors' centre, Coto Doñana

Sardinian Warbler

Frequently heard and often seen - only missed on three days. Particularly common around Monfragüe National Park

Western Subalpine Warbler

A total of fifteen seen at Monfragüe National Park, mostly singing males. The birds seem very partial to Cistus scrub covered hillsides

Eurasian Nuthatch

One in roadside trees near Cordoba

Short-toed Treecreeper

Singles noted by the Tajo river, Monfragüe National Park, and singing at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana

Eurasian Wren

Only seven noted, and probably some repetition involved. Present at Teba Gorge and La Rocinas, Coto Doñana

Spotless Starling

Ubiquitous

Mistle Thrush

Three seen and another heard, all in the vicinity of Trujillo and Monfragüe National Park

Common Blackbird

Up to five noted every day

European Robin

Only heard once, two singing at Monfragüe National Park

Common Nightingale

Heard daily, generally in low numbers early on (10 after five days), but then very commonly heard and seen in the Coto Doñana (max. 30+ in a day)

European Pied Flycatcher

A male near the Cerrado Garrigo Centre, Coto Doñana, and another at Torre la Higuera campsite, near Matalascanas

Black Redstart

An interesting singing male at Teba castle appeared to be a first summer bird, being largely dusky grey without any white wing panel. In addition, 3 further singing males seen

Common Redstart

A male was seen at a roadside stop near Cordoba

Blue Rock Thrush

Noted quite frequently - 12 records noted, all but two of males, usually singing. Most frequent at Teba Gorge and in Monfragüe National Park

Whinchat

Two at La Serena and one at Belen steppe

European Stonechat

Seen daily - a common and widespread roadside bird. Several pairs were seen feeding well gown fledged young

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Four in La Serena, five males and a female near Espera, and a male near Teba

Northern Wheatear

Eleven noted on four dates

Black Wheatear

Six at Teba castle, one near the bridge at Monfragüe National Park, and one near the Bonelli's Eagle site near Teba

Rock Sparrow

About 8 at Teba castle, and four more at Ronda Gorge

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

At least three noted at La Rocinas, Coto Doñana

Spanish Sparrow

About 50 at La Serena, and similar numbers at Belen steppe

House Sparrow

Very abundant indeed

Grey Wagtail

At least 2 at Teba Gorge, 1 at Tietar Cliffs, Monfragüe National Park, and 1 at Ronda Gorge

Western Yellow Wagtail

Common in the Coto Doñana (c.60 seen), and a very few elsewhere in the south. All those positively identified were of the subspecies iberiae

White Wagtail

A total of seven noted on four days, mostly around Trujillo and Monfragüe National Park

Meadow Pipit

Three at La Serena and 3 more at Belen steppe

Eurasian Chaffinch

Noted on seven days, and where it occurred, common

Hawfinch

Two in almond trees at Ronda Gorge

European Greenfinch

About 20 noted on six days

Common Linnet

Noted most days in single figures

European Goldfinch

Very common and widespread - many large flocks seen

European Serin

Seen daily - very common and conspicuous

Corn Bunting

One of the delights of this trip was the sheer abundance of Corn Buntings, which seemed to be singing whenever and wherever the car was stopped. Almost incredibly common, especially at La Serena and Belen steppe

Rock Bunting

About 9 seen in Monfragüe National Park, and a further pair at Ronda Gorge

Ortolan Bunting

Two males at Laguna Espera