Monday 14 April 2014

Extremadura, Spain. Trip Report. Day 4

Day 4. February 23rd. Sunny with a little cloud.
The final day would start with a look around the hilltop castle in Alburquerque. A Blue Rock Thrush was perched on the castle walls as we arrived. We climbed up on to the walls and could see Crag Martins flying around with House martins. Over the town there were a few  Lesser Kestrels which would be the first ones to arrive for the breeding season, a good number collect here as summer migrants. 

bird, nature, wildlife
White Stork
bird, nature, wildlife
Crag Martin

We would then head for the Gevora River in the vicinity of Alburquerque Birds seen here: Griffon, Egyptian and Black Vultures, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Sardinian Warbler, Hoopoe.

bird, nature, wildlife
Hoopoe
bird, nature, wildlife
Crested Lark
bird, nature, wildlife
Egyptian Vulture
bird, nature, wildlife
Sardinian Warbler
bird, nature, wildlife
Serin
bird, nature, wildlife
Spanish Imperial Eagle

It would then be time for lunch and then our journey back to the airport for flights home.

It was a very intensive four days and with so much to see, my aim of recording the trip with photographs of the birds would be quite a challenge. I hope my shots give an idea of what to expect, if considering a well recommended visit. From a birdwatching point of view it couldn’t be faulted. 124 species in four days is very impressive. Godfried is an excellent tour leader, he knows the area very well and his experience of the birds meant that nothing went unseen. For anyone interested in visiting the area it would be worth contacting him – godfried.schreur@gmail.com

I would like to thank Martin and the Surfbirds team for giving me the opportunity to go on the trip.  It has given me a great insight into the area and I will visit again for a photographic trip.
 
Species List For the Trip

Anser anser Greylag Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca Egyptian Goose
Anas strepera  Gadwall
Anas crecca  Eurasian Teal
 Anas platyrhynchos  Mallard
Anas clypeata  Northern Shoveler
Netta rufina Red-crested Pochard
Aythya ferina  Common Pochard
Alectoris rufa Red-legged Partridge
Tachybaptus ruficollis  Little Grebe 
Podiceps cristatus Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis  Black-necked Grebe
Phalacrocorax carbo Great Cormorant
Ixobrychus minutus  Little Bittern
Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret
Egretta garzetta  Little Egret
Egretta alba  Great Egret
Ardea cinerea Grey Heron
Ciconia nigra  Black Stork
Ciconia ciconia White Stork
Platalea leucorodia  Eurasian Spoonbill
Elanus caeruleus  Black-winged Kite
Milvus migrans  Black Kite
Milvus milvus Red Kite
Neophron percnopterus  Egyptian Vulture
Gyps fulvus  Griffon Vulture
Aegypius monachus  Cinereous Vulture
Circus aeruginosus  Western Marsh Harrier
Circus cyaneus Northern Harrier
Accipiter nisus  Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Buteo buteo  Common Buzzard
Aquila adalberti  Spanish Imperial Eagle
 Aquila chrysaetos  Golden Eagle
Aquila fasciata  Bonelli's Eagle
 Pandion haliaetus  Osprey
Falco naumanni  Lesser Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus  Common Kestrel
 Falco columbarius  Merlin
Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon
Gallinula chloropus  Common Moorhen
Porphyrio porphyrio  Purple Swamphen
Fulica atra  Eurasian Coot
Grus gruS Common Crane
Tetrax tetrax Little Bustard
Otis tarda Great Bustard
Himantopus himantopus  Black-winged Stilt
Burhinus oedicnemus  Eurasian Stone-curlew
Pluvialis apricaria  European Golden Plover
Vanellus vanellus Northern Lapwing
Gallinago gallinago  Common Snipe
Actitis hypoleucos  Common Sandpiper
Tringa ochropus Green Sandpiper
Chroicocephalus ridibundus Black-headed Gull
Larus fuscus  Lesser Black-backed Gull
Pterocles orientalis  Black-bellied Sandgrouse
 Columba oenas Stock Dove
Columba palumbus  Common Wood Pigeon
Streptopelia decaocto  Eurasian Collared Dove
Clamator glandarius Great Spotted Cuckoo
Bubo bubo  Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Athene noctua Little Owl
Apus pallidus  Pallid Swift
Alcedo atthis Common Kingfisher
Upupa epops  Hoopoe
 Dendrocopos major  Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos minor Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Melanocorypha calandra  Calandra Lark
Galerida cristata Crested Lark
Galerida theklae Thekla Lark
 Lullula arborea  Woodlark
Alauda arvensis Eurasian Skylark
 Ptyonoprogne rupestris Eurasian Crag Martin
Hirundo rustica  Barn Swallow
Delichon urbicum  Common House Martin
Anthus pratensis Meadow Pipit
Motacilla cinerea Grey Wagtail
Motacilla alba  White Wagtail
Troglodytes troglodytes Winter Wren
 Prunella modularis Dunnock
Erithacus rubecula European Robin
Phoenicurus ochruros Black Redstart
Saxicola rubicola European Stonechat
Monticola solitarius  Blue Rock Thrush
Turdus merula Common Blackbird
Turdus philomelos  Song Thrush
Turdus iliacus Redwing
Turdus viscivorus Mistle Thrush
Cettia cetti  Cetti's Warbler
Cisticola juncidis  Zitting Cisticola
Sylvia undata  Dartford Warbler
Sylvia melanocephala Sardinian Warbler
Sylvia atricapilla  Eurasian Blackcap
Phylloscopus collybita  Common Chiffchaff
Regulus ignicapilla Common Firecrest
Aegithalos caudatus  Long-tailed Tit
 Lophophanes cristatus  European Crested Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus  Eurasian Blue Tit
Parus major  Great Tit
Sitta europaea  Eurasian Nuthatch
Certhia brachydactyla Short-toed Treecreeper
Remiz pendulinus  Eurasian Penduline Tit
Lanius meridionalis Southern Grey Shrike
Garrulus glandarius Eurasian Jay
Cyanopica cookii  Azure-winged Magpie
 Pica pica Common Magpie
Corvus monedula  Western Jackdaw
Corvus corone  Carrion Crow
Corvus corax  Northern Raven
Sturnus unicolor Spotless Starling
Passer domesticus House Sparrow
Passer hispaniolensis Spanish Sparrow
Passer montanus  Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Petronia petronia  Rock Sparrow
 Estrilda astrild Common Waxbill
Fringilla coelebs  Common Chaffinch
 Serinus serinus  European Serin
Chloris chloris European Greenfinch
Carduelis carduelis  European Goldfinch
Carduelis cannabina Common Linnet
Pyrrhula pyrrhula Eurasian Bullfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes  Hawfinch
Emberiza cirlus Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cia  Rock Bunting
Emberiza calandra  Corn Bunting

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