Felice navidad!! Xmas in Extramadura

Day 1 Saturday Heathrow (Renaissance)

The run up the A3 was pleasant until just after the Ripley Services and the M25 Junction when things slowed. Luckily the inside lane (Heathrow) was slow but moving all the way to J14.

Unfortunately going in via J14 was a nightmare and I got well and truly lost!! In hindsight J15 and the M4 would have been better.

Eventually found the entrance to the hotel, parked up and checked in. A very nice bonus here was a free access to the Executive Lounge with free tea, coffee, cold drinks and snacks and, in the evening, free food and wine - basically as much as you wanted,

A clean comfy room  with a massive television was a nice place to spend the night.

Day 2 Sunday Heathrow to Madrid and on to Casa Rural Las Cantaras

Up early and a taxi to T5, expensive but very nice driver and a smart Mercedes to travel in.

Getting a printed boarding pass and passing  through bag drop and security was painless.

After arriving at the departure gate we were bussed to the aircraft- such a long journey we thought we were flying from Gatwick!!

With a strong tail wind we shaved half an hour off the flight to Madrid.

Again, entry and passage through the airport was painless but a ridiculously long train/tube journey to baggage collection. 

Eventually the group assembled but our half an hour advantage was destroyed when the hire firm only delivered one van. It was probably 50+ minutes waiting in a cold concrete carpark for the second van.

We were soon on our way through a fair bit of Madrid traffic which became much quieter away from the city and stayed light on all main roads for the week. The journey to the hotel was about 250 kilometres.

The sky was sparkling blue and cloudless today and indeed for the whole week other than a thick mist for an hour or so on Boxing Day morning.

A brief comfort stop/lunch at a roadside bar with coffee and a curious frittata sandwich saw our first of many Black Redstarts.

Day 3 Monday Extramadura

Day 4 Tuesday Christmas Eve Extramadura

Today was Monfragüe National Park day. Plenty of Cranes from the van and a few Iberian Magpies flitted across the road èn route.

After arrival we walked up the track to the little fort overlooking the site with Crag Martins being the best birds although very close Griffons were cool and the scenic views extensive. Sadly, small birds were, with the exception of the-now ubiquitous Black Redstarts, very elusive with just glimpses of Hawfinch and heard-only Firecrest and Short-toed Treecreeper.

A Blue Rock Thrush was, I'm sure, on the same rock as my previous visit and the two Rock Buntings which were feeding in the middle of the tarmac were maybe a 100 metres further down the road than last visit!! Sadly, they were flushed into the roadside scrub and so we left for a lunch park-up at the park HQ.

A short walk after lunch produced two obliging Thekla Larks, the only ones of the trip

The rest of the day was mostly more of the same with a few Red Deer and finally a distant and elusive Crested Tit.

Day 5 Wednesday Christmas Day Extramadura

Christmas Day started at the now usual time and saw us touring several garages in search of fuel. Luckily, the third one was open and we were soon on our way to Moheda Alta via the Campo Lugar steppe where we had a couple of Hoopoes and a distant group of distant Great Bustards. Decent extended scope views in the usual cracking light. 

Moheda Alta was quiet although numerous Cranes were quite close under the Holm Oaks and plenty of Iberian Magpies were on view. Dartford Warbler was best-of-the-rest.

Then on to the Palazuelo rice fields with various stops. The first produced Penduline Tits, always hard to pin down and frequently perching on the rear sides of bulrush, their presence given away by the heads being blown away in the breeze. Kingfisher showed well and a few Common Waxbills perched up - sadly we weren't able to catch up with another alien here in Spain - Red Avadavat. A distant Spoonbill for me was first of the trip.

A brief view of an Otter for me and a couple of others in the second bus was a surprise, my first since one at Minsmere way back.

The rice fields held a few waders, mostly LRPs and Black-winged Stilts with a few Green Sandpipers, Wood Sandpipers and Snipe.

An uninspiring location for lunch produced this fine African Mantis; the display board showing the local birdlife had been peppered with birdshot or some such!!

The rest of the day was mostly Cranes, storks, Marsh  Harriers etc

Day 6 Thursday Boxing Day Extramadura 

Below a couple of sunrise shots at Canteras.

Leaving here we quickly drove into heavy fog which threatened the morning's birding. A stop at a supermarket for provisions saw a number of confused Swallows perched up on TV aerials. After some discussion we discounted Plan B and carried on to Saucedilla as intended for some wetland birding, a good choice as the mist quickly burnt off.

 we explored the edge of a large reed-fringed wetland. A Western Swamphen was seen briefly a few times, along with a Water Rail, Little Bittern and another trio of wonderful Penduline Tits. We continued to work our way around the wetland, visiting a series of hides. Along the way, we got excellent views of many Zitting Cisticolas, Stonechat, White Stork and Cattle Egret. At one hide, a stunning Bluethroat was busily feeding out in the open, allowing all of us ample opportunity to appreciate its vibrant colours in the sunshine.

We then checked another area of pools and reeds, where we got exceptional views of a Squacco Heron, plus Kingfisher, White Stork and more Western Swamphens. We then returned to the visitor centre to visit the toilets there. While here, three Black-crowned Night Herons were spotted in some nearby trees, and we got fantastic views of them as they roosted. 

From here we headed North to a lovely picnic area adjacent to a small church in the countryside, and kept our eyes on the skies for raptors. Many Griffon and Cinereous Vultures flew over, and in the nearby scrub Iberian Magpies.

We had time to visit one more hide, overlooking a large pool with emergent dead trees, which was host to a nice  mix of birds including Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-winged Stilt, Ruff, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and Teal, but perhaps best of all was an Otter with its two cubs. We were all able to observe them for some time as they played in the water and climbed up onto dead tree limbs before, eventually, they scampered up the beach and disappeared into the reeds

Back to base earlier than usual as some of us didn't want to walk around Trujillo.

After dumping gear and taking some pain killers I went for a stroll out to and down the road with the hotel dog for company!! Quiet with just Golden Plovers, Crested Larks and a Dartford Warbler; the Little Owl was again perched up on the derelict building.

Tonight's evening meal was taken at Hotel Emilia in Trujillo, a little later than usual and a nice change of venue. (Photos below)

Day 7 Friday Extramadura 

This would be our final day for birdwatching, so we planned to make the most of it. The plan was twofold. First, we travel back to the steppes, then in the afternoon head for woods, hills and freshwater. The day started well indeed at our first stop, where we had dozens of Great Bustards on the ground and in flight, some at close range, allowing brilliant views of this behemoth. Then we found two Little Bustards, on the deck this time and close to a Red Fox, which did not seem to upset them much. We travelled a little further down a gravel road, where we flushed some Golden Plovers and Stone Curlews. We stopped to try and see if we could see where they had landed, but had no joy. We did, however, find a dozen or so more Little Bustards, Calandra Larks, a huge flock of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, and best of all an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle feeding on a dead animal on a distant hillside, with Ravens and Cinereous Vultures waiting on the sidelines. We watched the eagle for some time, before it took off and landed on a nearby water tower.

pped in a wooded valley, along the River Taonuja, where we got several brief views of the many Hawfinches in the area, and our best views yet of a pair of Sardinian Warblers, a species which had remained rather elusive all week. We then drove to the south-east of Trujillo, to the Alcorallin reservoir, seeing some Spanish Pond Turtles in a roadside pool on the way. Once we arrived, we set up at some picnic tables under the shade of the oak trees for lunch. The adjacent water had a few Shovelers, Common Sandpiper and a few Egyptian Geese, and the scrub held some Spanish Sparrows.

After having eaten, we ventured over to the reservoir proper, where we had the incredible sight of several thousand Shovelers feeding on the surface. It was quite the spectacle. Mixed in were Teal, Mallard, and Little, Great Crested and at least four Black-necked Grebes. Around the shoreline, we were able to pick up our only Black Stork of the week, along with Grey Heron, Great and Little Egrets and a few Greenshanks. We also had a very showy Iberian Grey Shrike hanging around us here. One member of the group was lucky enough to spot a Black-winged Kite, but it could not be relocated.

The day was nearly done, but we still had a little time, so we journeyed into an area of nearby steppe for one last chance for some new species. The fields here were packed full of White Storks and Cranes, some Great Bustards were seen in flight, and at our final stop we had a flock of Linnets and a lovely Peregrine perched on top of a pylon. We then returned to our accommodation

Day 8 Saturday Las Cantaras to Madrid to Heathrow

Up earlier than usual for 7am breakfast and away on time still before any dawn light. An unknown mammal zipped across the road in the headlights; no idea, smaller than a fox. 

Brief comfort stop at a garage before arriving at Madrid airport with just cranes, storks etc on the journey.

Passage through check in etc was swift but there WAS a one hour delay due in part to Heathrow's fog but we made up time and were only half an hour late arriving.

A quick departure from the airport and back to the Renaissance on the Hoppa Bus (H5X).

The restaurant was closed due to Xmas staff shortage but a couple of beers (£6.50 each!) and a burger and chips in the bar was a nice end to the day and, as before, all the hotel staff were very pleasant and helpful.

Day 9 Renaissance to home.

An as-much-as-you-can-eat breakfast for £15 was really nice and made more palatable by the free overnight parking; effectively a free brekkie. Easy drive home albeit foggy at times, roads quiet and back soon after 10am with just a single Red Kite overhead.

Highlights:-

Number of Cranes, White Storks, Great Bustards, Calandra Larks and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. Great views of  Bluethroat, Rock Bunting, Thekla Lark, vultures, Booted Eagle and Golden Eagle.

Good leaders.

Good group.

Lowlights:-

No Bonellis nor BWK 

For next time:-

Take scope and tripod, leave camera behind!!

The first frost of winter

Gone pishin'...

A local walk with some warmth still in the sun and virtually no wind found a few insects still on the wing. Several quite fresh Speckled Woods, quite a few Yellow Dung Flies and soldierflies which I assume were Sargus bipunctatus but no late Common Darters nor Red Admirals.

Birdwise a birdtrack list of 34 species in 30 minutes or so saw several species missing- Great Tit, Pied Wagtail and Dunnock - but made up for by the very noisy Water Rail, the first Cettis for a while and, best of all, a Firecrest along 'butterfly alley', my first ever on Portsea Island. Luckily, it came out of thick scrub, enticed by my pishing and gave good views.

Raptors have been a bit thin but a Common Buzzard went west and then came back eastwards but much lower annoying all the gulls and feral doves.

A nice 'first'....

 

This Death's-head Hawkmoth caterpillar was picked up by Ed, brought on over 7 weeks or thereabouts, and then displayed for one day in a container on the TH reception desk - a first for me and, I guess, a few others.

A Pulborough day with 8 raptor species - no eagles but Merlin and a late(ish) Hobby.

At Titchfield a flyover Woodlark and the three Ibises which arrived from the north and conveniently perched up in the dead tree adjacent to the river nicely coloured by strong sunny conditions.

This Green Shieldbug (below) , three Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a roosting Little Egret and ones and two of Chiffchaffs still - all local.

Not rare but a highlight

 

A Tuesday visit to Pulborough, rather than the usual Wednesday, was a good choice with AA mentioning a sat-out Nightjar over the previous two days.  Within minutes she stopped me just before buying a coffee with word that the 'Tuesday crew' had it all scoped-up in the conifers at Fattengates. Mostly still but occasionally gaping, shuffling around and wing and tail stretching before settling back down for another nap. This was present all day until dusk but didn't reappear on Wednesday for PW et al. A quick look through notes showed this to be my first Nightjar in seven years -  where does the time go!! Further checking showed the only other daytime perched up Nightjars were in Bulgaria (2010) and at Obedska Bara (1978), then in Yugoslavia but now in Serbia.

Four Cattle Egrets, four Stonechats and two Reed Buntings feeding amongst a mass of Goldfinches and a perched up Kingfisher were the best of the rest An eagle was apparently hiding in the vegetation of its 'usual tree' but invisible to me and everyone else in the hide without a scope. 

Later, at WWT six Cattle Egrets and increasingly noisy and active youngsters in the hidden nests. Another Kingfisher, a brief flyby, and a Great White Egret constantly striding away from a typically irate Mute Swan.

A brief coffee outing Thursday produced a dashing Hobby chasing a passerine south over Hilliers but it seemed to lose interest and slipped off westwards.

And Friday saw pulses of Swallows heading north into the wind as the rain eased with birds over the house,  more over the harbour and even birds over Warblington whilst stopped at the railroad crossing.

Plenty of these Garden Spiders locally along with a few paired migrant Hawkers, a couple of Green Woodpeckers and the first Jay of the autumn. Last Thursday saw the first returning Brent Geese, a tight group of ten, whilst waiting at the Farlington traffic light.

Middle month tedium

The warmer days have seen plenty of Common Darters, many mating or ovipositing and the odd patch of umbellifer has had a fair few Turnip Sawflies. 

A single Great White Egret high over MSH and then soaring higher still and out to the west was a precursor for the six in the meadow loafing and preening with three Glossy Ibises amongst them - all very Mediterranean!!

The Dunlin below was squelching through the mud alongside three or more Common Sandpipers and a few Redshank; Snipe were up to 15+. Sadly, no better waders here nor any decent migrants. 

The ringers must almost be bankrupt with the cost of ringing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs although the former can me amazingly invisible to us normal birders.

Locally, plenty of Garden Spiders and Nursery Web Spiders plus this Common Damselfly, the tenth species of Odonata of the year at this small spot. Any other species would be 'megas' here.

The last meadow session this year at GWH with Chris and John was certainly well-attended presumably, because as an open day, it was free!! I ducked out half way round to head off for lunch. The Danewort looks good in fruit. Just a few Ivy Bees, Hornets and this Sargus bipunctatus perched up near the pond. A minimum of five, and maybe as many as ten, Ravens were overhead.

What will probably prove to be the last moth trap of the year in increasingly wet conditions  produced the hoped for Lunar Underwing,  a common moth, but only the second here and all others being eight years ago!! This Rusty Dot Pearl adopted the 'Vulcan bomber' pose rather than the the more usual 'Concorde' shape.

This miniscule fly was in the moth trap and barely 3 m.m. long. Despite cooling for a while it set off up the conservatory window making any pictures a challenge!! Apps and FB Diptera expertise came up with Tephritis praecox, a spreading species possibly causing problems for growers of Calendula/Marigold.