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
Day 5 Wednesday Christmas Day Extramadura
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.
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!!
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
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!!
