2009 Tour Narrative
In Brief: The weather may have tried its best to scupper this, our seventh tour to Spain, but it takes more than snow and freezing temperatures to stop us! Those were the conditions we met on our first afternoon’s birding; maybe the temperature wasn’t quite that low, but the snow was certainly real. In spite of the weather, our Spain tour seems to get better every year—not least because our expert local guide keeps arranging for such nice hotels and great food. With the benefit of local knowledge, not only did we see nearly all our targets, but the views were always exceptional. Santi’s knowledge of other wildlife and of this fascinating country in general meant that our questions were always answered and our needs very well seen to.
In Detail: That first afternoon’s wintry weather was a fitting backdrop to our first target bird, Citril Finch, and to some very smart Common Crossbills. Even before that we’d had some surprises, not least a flyby Little Bustard near the airport and distant views of a perched Spanish Imperial Eagle. Other highlights that first day were Eurasian Stone-curlew, Hoopoe, Spotless Starling, and Cirl Bunting.
The next morning we were prepared for the cold, and we were prepared for the search for “el diablo,” Dupont’s Lark. We heard them, we searched, we heard even more, we looked even harder— and finally we all had great looks in the scope at this much-wanted species. We’ve heard this species every year on the tour, but they are always very difficult to see. Our search was long, but with a supporting cast including Calandra and Short-toed Larks, Western Black-eared Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush, Spectacled Warbler, Tawny Pipit, Griffon and Black Vultures, Red-legged Partridge, Little Owl, Southern Gray and Woodchat Shrikes, there was no time for boredom.
The quality of the birding remained consistently superb as we headed towards Extremadura. Next up were some Great Bustards, so close that we could see their whiskers blowing in the wind. Nearby we saw three Black-shouldered Kites, our first European Bee-eaters, an Eagle Owl chick, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Montagu’s Harriers, and Lesser Kestrels.
The steppes around Cáceres were also excellent, as was Monfragüe, and our two full days there provided us with more Spanish Imperial Eagles, Bonelli’s Eagle, two more Eagle Owls, another pair of Black-shouldered Kites, Black Storks, Water Rail, Rollers, Black Wheatear, both sandgrouse, displaying Little Bustards, more Great Bustards, Great Spotted Cuckoos, Rock Buntings, Blue Rock Thrush, and fields full of singing Calandra Larks and Corn Buntings.
The area of the Coto Doñana, Bonanaza, and Huelva came up trumps with Red-knobbed Coot, displaying and mating White-headed Ducks, flocks of Greater Flamingos, Eurasian Spoonbills, Purple Herons, Glossy Ibis at colonies, five Little Bitterns together, Collared Pratincoles, mainland Spain’s only breeding pair of Osprey, a brief Red-necked Nightjar, very showy Azure-winged Magpies, Rufous Bushchat, Crested Tit, and Golden Oriole. Fancy gulls included Audouin’s, Little, Mediterranean, and Slender-billed, while among the notable warblers were Western Olivaceous, Dartford, Subalpine, dozens of Great Reed, and “reeling” Savi’s. Our early morning picnic breakfast in the center of the park will surely remain one of the birding highlights of my year.
Finally, as we reached the end of our trip, we enjoyed an afternoon of raptor migration, watching as tens of Booted and Short-toed Snake Eagles arrived from Africa among 150+ Black Kites. We also saw our first Honey Buzzards, bringing our trip’s tally to 22 raptor species. Nearby we had great looks at Iberian Chiffchaffs, Western Bonelli’s Warblers, and Iberian Green Woodpecker, and a Nightingale finally sat out in the open for us.
- James Lidster
Updated: May 2009