Tag: Spain

Urban birding in Benidorm (and Calpe)

Another week, another adventure, this time to the tourist hotspot and renowned centre of debauchery that is Benidorm. A location I first visited on a family getaway two years ago that, much to my surprise, I found to be a rather fantastic spot for some urban wildlife watching. Well, fast forward a couple of years and this past week, once again, I found myself pacing the cities sunny outskirts, hectic streets and forgotten areas in search of some of the party destinations less conspicuous inhabitants. Between festival activities, that is – this was not a birding holiday per say.

Staying in the Belroy Hotel, my first encounter came on our first day when, at dusk, the characteristic call of wagtails was heard from our balcony. Scanning the adjacent rooftops, it soon became apparent that the opposing hotel was favoured by the local White Wagtails as a roost site; with upwards of 100 birds arriving in loose flocks during the proceeding hour. A spectacle which, much to my delight, repeated each and every night during our stay.

Early morning watches from the comfort of the balcony saw the wagtails long gone – the monochrome ones rising far earlier that I – though that same rooftop later yielded Spotless Staring, Black Redstart and my first Blue Rock Thrush of the trip – a rather pristine male. Not to mention the many Crag Martins elegantly traversing the skies at eye-level with my makeshift viewpoint, accompanied on occasion by the odd Pallid Swift.

Venturing out into the streets before the inevitable rise of my fellow Britons proved worthwhile; the roadside palms and plain trees chiming with the merry twittering of Serin and Goldfinch and, of course, the familiar chirrup of the cities many House Sparrows. It was the larger gardens and scant parks that yielded the greatest reward, however, with one particular visit to a nearby skatepark producing 13 Sardinian Warbler (the first of many seen throughout the trip), Long-tailed Tit, Firecrest and, best of all, Crested Tit. The experience here amplified by a hovering Kestrel and a handful of Little Egrets passing overhead at first light.

Perhaps the best birding of the trip was had amid the more luxurious villas located along the cities boundary with Serra Gelada National Park to the west. Here, the cherry on top of an outing on the second day came in the form of a stunning, and very confiding, male Black Wheatear; though a surprise Short-eared Owl came a close second. Indeed, I had no idea this species could be seen here, and seeing one quartering above Mediterranean coastal shrubbery was a far cry from the windswept moors of Northern England or the Scottish Highlands. Similarly, a covey of five Red-legged Partridge here was also nice to see – a familiar species in the UK, yes, but one I had not yet seen in their natural environment.

Red-Legged Partridge – Benidorm

The fringes of Serra Gelada were the focus of much of my birding exploits during the week: with two more Black Wheatear seen during my last visit, alongside a trip-tick Dartford Warbler, two Raven and a further four Blue Rock Thrush. Not to mention countless more Black Redstart, Sardinian Warbler, Crag Marten and Firecrest and a few more familiar additions to the weeks tally: Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Linnet and Robin. A flyover large raptor here, far too distant to properly scrutinise, providing a tantalising hint of things to come upon a brief outing on the bus to nearby Calpe.

Having heard much of Calpe before our trip, it was only fitting that myself and Matt set some time aside for a proper outing before we were forced to head home. We did this on the third day; arriving at the inner-city Salt Lake early in the morning and immediately finding ourselves greeted by 47 Greater Flamingos feeding contently by the roadside. A first for me, having never before seen this species in the wild, and a queer sight to behold, in truth. Flamingos with a backdrop of high-rise accommodation and passing traffic, not something I had thought to see anytime soon. Also here, a number of Shelduck, Cattle Egret and Moorhen provided new additions to the growing trip list and a passing birder was kind enough to draw our attention to an overhead Booted Eagle – another lifer. What a bird!

Greater Flamingo – Calpe

The real highlight of our stay at Calpe, however, came in the form of a lone gull sitting alone towards the Northern shore – far removed from the squabbling hoards of Yellow-legged and Black-headed Gulls amassed in the interior of the lake. Drawing closer, the identity of the pristine-looking bird soon became clear: Auduoin’s Gull – perhaps my most hoped for target of the trip and, by all accounts, a splendid bird to behold. The gull was enjoyed until our busy schedule forced us to depart for a whistle-stop tour of the Pobla de Ifac, where another male Blue Rock Thrush was the highlight of a decent cast of more familiar species. Including the ONLY Great Tit seen throughout the entire trip.

Audouin’s Gull – Calpe

Back in Benidorm, our final ventures of the week saw us add Iberian Green Woodpecker to the trip-list; while a single Crested Lark was unearthed on a local building site. Taking a much more touristy trip to Benidorm Island, it was similarly great to immerse ourselves in the resident Yellow-legged Gull colony; while the short boat voyage to our destination provided sightings of Shag, Greater Cormorant and Sandwich Tern.

A brief mention should be given to Benidorms non-avian inhabitants that also amused throughout the week. With butterfly sightings including Swallowtail, Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Wall, Long-tailed Blue and Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, there was plenty to look at on this front. A notable bonus coming in the form of my first ever Silver-striped Hawkmoth (pictured below) found hiding in the shade cast by a local supermarket.

Silver-striped Hawkmoth – Benidorm

Lang’s Short-tailed Blue – Benidorm

Greater Flamingos against an urban skyline

Trip Report: Extremadura (Parte II)

It’s been a while since my fabulous trip to Extremadura courtesy of the great people at the Spanish Tourist Board. Only now did I realise that I left off half way through my exploits. Well, here it goes, a breif(ish) summary of part two.

When I concluded the last post I had just finished a a trip to the wonderful Extremadura bird fair. Well, following a great day here we set off for another location in Monfragüe National Park, this time with the intent of catching up with a true Iberian icon – the Spanish Imperial Eagle. Arriving at the Portilla del Tiétar things, at first, did not appear overly promising, the hoped for eagles nowhere in sight. This was of little consequence however with more than enough species on show to keep us entertained, among these a superb Blue Rock Thursh, a number of Griffon Vultures and, of course, heaps of Serin. As the time ticked by, the likelihood of catching up with the imposing raptors diminished though mere moments before we boarded the bus to depart an excited yell heralded the arrival of our target species. A stonking male Spanish Imperial Eagle which performed admirably for a good quarter of an hour, much to our delight. Said bird can be seen in the not so good image below. From here, and hoping to prolong our avian-centric high, another trip to the Salto del Gitano where Black Stork, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Vulture and Sardinian Warbler brought the day to a close with a welcome touch of glamour.

 

 

The next day found us venturing into another habitat entirely, the vast plains of Santa Marta de Magasca – an area unlike anywhere I have had the pleasure to visit previously, vast expanses of grassland rife with wildflowers making for a truly splendid day. Each and every stop here produced something new and exciting; Calandra Lark belting out song all day long and both Red and Black Kite proving more than abundant. The first highlight here came in the form of nice scope views of a flock of Great Bustard – their hulking frames easily picked out when scanning the surrounding hillsides. Next, not one but two fantastic Short-Toed Eagle followed by a flock of 20-30 Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse. The latter one of my personal “most sought after species” of the trip. Proceeding this, a pair of Black-Bellied Sandgrouse were expertly picked out by Godfried our guide, great views obtained as they foraged not overly far from the track. Next came Zitting Cristcola, hoards of Corn Bunting and three wonderful Lesser Kestrel which flaunted themselves for a good while by the roadside. Much daintier and arguably, more appealing than their larger cousins.

Before heading off to the picturesque surroundings of Merida, a finally stop on the plains yielded another surprise. A Great Spotted Cuckoo which lifted from the grass before me as I unceremoniously tried to find a secluded spot to relieve myself. Definitely a new addition to my “birding while peeing” list!  Also here a smart pair of Spanish Sparrow fed nearby – another new bird for the trip and a Hoopoe was noted. These, alongside yet more Zitting Cristcola, Calandra Lark, Raven, Lesser Kestrel and another Short-Toed Eagle made the final pittstop a thoroughly enjoyable one. Onward to Merida..

Rendezvousing with the second group on the historic (and quite frankly, beautiful) roman bridge in Merida we now set about birding in a new, wetland setting. Though I missed Penduline Tit here the river held more than enough to mitigate my losses. First came an Osprey, passing directly overhead – no doubt on route back from its wintering quarters in Africa. Next, Purple Swamphen, two of which showed well beneath the bridge in the company of some much more familiar critters; Moorhen, Little Egret, Muscovy Duck and their like. Pottering further along the bridge, a Glossy Ibis was picked up feeding in the shallows perhaps a quarter of a mile up stream. This, of course, warranted further investigation thus off we went, aiming to get just a little closer to the bird.

Walking along the bank towards the Ibis, another Purple Swamphen proved enjoyable as did the addition of Great Crested Grebe to the proceedings though the real surprise came when a Little Bittern lifted out of the reeds a mere meter or so from where we stood on the bank. Wow – of course this was another “lifer” but what really stuck me was the sheer beauty of the bird itself. Definitely one of my all time favorites and perhaps the highlight of the whole trip, made even better by the constant singing of Cetti’s Warblers and good views of the Glossy Ibis – when we finally got there.

White Stork

Following a day of urban birding in Zafra where Lesser Kestrel, Pallid Swift, Black Redstart and Blue Rock Thursh delighted – our next major outing found us heading for Alange. Our first stop here leaving me wrought with excitement; catching up with yet another sought after target – Eagle Owl. The bird in question showing reasonable well as it watched us from an outcrop not far from the town. Nearby, a colony of Alpine Swifts proved equally as delightful while Little Bittern, Bonelli’s Eagle and Black Wheatear comprised the other highlights. Later that day a brief stop at Alcollarín Reservoir yielded a drake  Ferruginous Duck in the company of a good number of more common duck species alongside White Stork, Cattle Egret, Sardinian Warbler, Great White Egret and a pair of Egyptian Geese – they really are everywhere!

Concluding the trip in style, our journey back to Madrid was broken up somewhat with a fantastic stop at the Arrocampo Reservoir – perhaps the most productive hour of the whole trip! Here things started off well, Hoopoe, Iberian Grey Shrike, Crested Lark and Wheatear cropping up immediately after vacating the bus. Things soon got better however as we made our way to the wetlands and were straight away greeted by a rather nice Bluethroat. Not a male but a new bird for this novice nonetheless. Four Snipe were also seen here, as was a Black-Winged Stilt and more interesting, a Black-Winged Kite patrolling the distant margin. From here we set out for the hide, catching only the briefest glimpse of a likely Spotted Crake on route and enjoying the frantic squeals of innumerable Water Rail. The hide was marvelous, Spoonbill and Great White Egret noted upon arrival and after a short wait, a pair of Purple Heron – both of which landed only a few meters away. Heading back, a pair of Garganey showed well alongside yet another Little Bittern and two more Purple Swamphen. Not a bad stop eh?

So, that’s that. A relatively brief summary of the fantastic second half of our Extremadura venture. All in all the trip was sublime; great birds, wonderful company and outstanding food, what more can a boy want? I would advise anyone to visit. Those wishing to do so can contact the Spanish Tourist Office for more details using the link below. Thank you all involved in organizing what was, in truth, the greatest birding trip I’ve had the pleasure to embark on to date.

Wish to visit Extremadura? Contact the Spanish Tourist Office and visitspain.info

Trip Report: Extremadura (Parte 1)

So, I’m back and what an amazing few days! Before I get to the all important birding, I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with the recent FIO2016 press-trip to Extremadura. The whole ordeal was nothing short of eye-opening and I am incredibly grateful to Vanesa Palacios and Yarida Chaparro for hosting, what was in truth, a truly outstanding trip. Likewise our guides, Marc Galvez (@Onaga_Ambiental) and Godfried Schreur were fantastic, full of intriguing facts and extremely talented – truly I do not think I have ever met anyone so overtly knowledgeable! It really was an real honour to be included on this venture, if a little dumbfounding. Watching wildlife alongside the likes of Sheena Harvey and Matt Merrit, the editors of BBC Wildlife Magazine and Bird Watching Magazine respectively, plus a host of tour operators from as far away as Hong Kong and the USA left me a more than a little starstruck. All in all, I am very grateful for the opportunity and hope to visit Extremadura again in the future (If I do not decide to move their permanently first). Now however, birds..

Pictured: Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Cinereous Vulture – Monfragüe

Where better to start than with Monfragüe National Park, our first port of call and the jewel in the crown of Extremadura. Monfragüe, the only national park in Extremadura far surpassed expectations. Comprising picturesque mountain ranges, large expanses of dehesa bursting with Holm Oak and Cork and, of course, the Tajo river; the park truly is a fantastic location – holding some of the areas most iconic species and more than enough to keep any birder enthralled for hours.

Heading first to the Castle of Monfragüe, a short walk up the wooded slopes provided our first chance for some real Spanish birding. Here the abundant trees teamed with Firecrest, Chaffinch and Serin while Short-Toed Treecreeper was heard and a delightful pair of Red-Billed Chough circled overhead. Heading up towards the castle and stopping occasionally to admire certain botanical elements yet more species became apparent. First, a Jay briefly broke cover before a passing Hawfinch diverted our attention; next came Iberian Green Woodpecker, Crag Martin and Black Redstart followed quickly by my first “lifer” of the trip, a wonderful pair of Rock Bunting feeding by the track. Only after admiring these (and picking up Blackcap and a calling Red-Legged Partridge) did we reach the castle itself where we were able to enjoy magical panoramic views of our surroundings. As if the views were not enough, the site also abounded with Griffon Vultures, more and more lifting from their cliff-top perches as the morning went on. These showed marvelously here, some 150 noted throughout the morning and some giving impeccable views as they flew mere meters overhead. As if it could not get any better, soon a number of Cinereous Vultures joined the fray, riding the thermals overhead alongside a a scattering of Egyptian Vultures. All together, the three species present, provided one of the most memorizing spectacles I have ever had the pleasure to behold. Something only enhanced by a distant Black Stork (too distant to tick), the constant calling of the nearby Chough’s and the addition of Red-Rumped Swallow to our ever growing list. What a way to begin the trip!

Pictured: Black Stork & Griffon Vultures – Salto Del Gitano

Next on the agenda was a visit to another area of the national park, the Salto del Gitano where we were treated to exceptional views of six Black Stork – another lifer for this relative novice! Here Griffon, Black and Egyptian Vultures delighted once more and a distant Sparrowhawk sailed on the horizon. From the viewpoint Marc also drew our attention to a Peregrine nest while the vegetated margins of the reservoir provided a hub of passerine activity. Serin, Goldfinch and Sardinian Warber proved abundant here, as did Crag Martin, while three Red-Rumped Swallow gave good views and both White Wagtail and Great Cormorant were new for the trip. More interesting still was the presence of two more Rock Bunting while a utterly superb Blue Rock Thrush sung from a nearby ledge and a distant Black Wheatear was expertly scoped by our guide. Three more “lifers” in the bag and smiles all around, when I return to Extremadura I will certainly return here for longer and would advise anyone visiting the area to do the same.

Following our success at the Salto del Gitano, our next port of call was the Extremadura Birdwatching Fair which, as expected, proved to be a fantastic affair. Soaking up the atmosphere for quite some time, I found it quite difficult to drag myself away from the tantalising tour marquees but when I did, I opted to set off into the dehesa for a few hours solo birding – something which proved incredibly rewarding, if also a little frustrating – the lack of a guide making identifying larks somewhat difficult. First came nice views of another lifer, a small flock of Azure-Winged Magpie followed promptly by both Cirl Bunting and another cracking Blue Rock Thrush, this time on top of a dilapidated barn. Corn Bunting were everywhere here (as they were in all of Extremdura), their “jangling key” calls a welcome change to the norm while a flock of some c200 House Martin gathered around a small puddle and a pair of Black Redstart skipped around the footpath. The male bird proving particularly obliging. Serin were, of course, rather numerous also though two Siskin came as somewhat of a surprise before being scared off by an Iberian Grey Shrike. Moving on, yet more time was spend scrutinizing the sites lark species, a venture that yielded both Crested Lark and Thekla Lark – both of which were new birds for me.  Heading back to the rendezvous, a Hoopoe briefly crossed my path and an array of more familiar species were added, among these; Greenfinch, Dunnock and a good number of Barn Swallow. These however were soon forgotten as I was commandeered for an interview by a local TV crew and rather awkwardly set about singing the praises of Extremadura in front of a rather large camera. Another first!

On a side note – there is of course, a lot more to Extremadura than just birds and my all too breif solo jaunt at the fair provided an opportunity to scrutinize the sites invertebrates in a little more detail. Of these, it was the plentiful butterflies that proved most interesting with two new species seen including Spanish Festoon and Large Tortoiseshell alongside a healthy array of Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Bath White, Painted Lady and Red Admiral. These, alongside an intriguing Bee-Fly and a pair of Red Deer helped fill the quieter spells of the walk rather nicely. Who knows what I could have unearthed with a little more time. Another incentive to return at a later date? I think so, though, as ever, birds will always take precedence.

Pictured: Thekla Lark, Siskin, Serin and Black Redstart – Monfragüe

Well, that is part one of my Extremadura trip-report over and done with. Believe it or not, all of that listed above took place during the first full day of the trip! I figured it would be best to split these posts up a little bit (if only to include all of my pictures), stay tuned for part two in the next few days.

Wish to visit Extremadura? Contact the Spanish Tourist Office and visit spain.info

Urban Birding in Benidorm

So contrary to expectations, I managed to survive a week in Benidorm! Such places, jam packed with people, loud music and twenty-four hour nightclubs are not usually my first choice of holiday destinations, mainly because they often lack wildlife. This week found me pleasantly surprised however and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spain. Sadly I was unable to venture out of the city during the week though this was of little importance with a great line-up of birds, butterflies and other beasties to enjoy. Urban birding has it’s perks it seems!

Starting out as ever with the feathered things and with 51 species noted amid the glaring lights and constant music I find myself unable to complain! First up the seafront and a few visits here provided a few goodies though I did receive a few odd looks prowling around, bins in toe amid the thousands of sunbathing British Grandmothers. Here Black-Headed Gull and Yellow-Legged Gull were numerous. The latter proving particularly confiding. Two tern species were also picked up though the second, a rather dainty looking bird remains unidentified due to poor views. Drat. Still, the Sandwich Terns here but on a fine show, as did the numerous Shags that fished behind the breakers. Both Little Egret & Grey Heron stalked the rocky areas here and Common Swift and Barn Swallow were picked up hawking above the beach. On a few occasions fishing boats passed by with a escort of rather nimble looking gulls, Auduoin’s perhaps but I will never know. Elsewhere the only other things to be seen along the coast comprised stacks of Feral Pigeons and an all to brief Peregrine which shot through in pursuit of one rather unlucky dove.

Moving on, Benidorm surprised me, showcasing a number of “green areas” within the city itself. Most of my outings during the week focused on these areas and thankfully I was rewarded with a number of great birds. One of the highlights here was a delightful Hoopoe though this was followed closely by Firecrest and Sardinian Warbler, both of which were extremely numerous! The various stands of pine that held the aforementioned crests were also jam-packed with Goldcrest, Great Tit, Chiffchaff and Blackcap though good numbers of Common Crossbill were a tad more interesting. I did manage glimpse an “unknown warbler” here during one of my morning excursions though it quickly disappeared never to be seen again. Based on the overall shape, colour and rather thick bill I feel confident angling towards Melodious Warbler though as ever, when unsure, no ID was made. Black Redstarts were prolific here with over 100 seen during my stay, outnumbered only by Benidorm’s Feral pigeons! I am used to seeing these birds in ones or twos, often while freezing on the Northumberland coastline so these proved particularly enjoyable!

A few jaunts to building sites and various other wasteland sites produced yet more familiar British birds including Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Meadow Pipit, Common Starling, Collared Dove, and Woodpigeon alongside the more noteworthy additions of White Wagtail, Serin and yet more Black Redstarts. Serin was a much sought after lifer for me prior to this trip and these colourful little finches did not disappoint. Notes taken, I now stand ready to unearth one of these in the UK in the future.. I can dream can’t I? Also here a number of Spotless Starling were seen though these proved rather timid.

Benidorm is thankfully surrounded by some rather pleasant mountains and the suburban fringe where city meets sand provided an exciting change of scenery. The undisputed highlight here (and perhaps of the whole holiday) was the numerous Crag Martins zipping too and throw overhead. At least 45 of these birds were seen together at one point and made for quite a show, providing another nice lifer in the process. With them a few more interesting species including some very noisy Dartford Warblers, Raven, Stonechat, Blackbird & Song Thrush. The same area also provided the trips only Long-Tailed Tits on top of more Firecrest, Sardinian Warbler and you guessed it, Black Redstarts. On one early excursion I found the place virtually empty and opted for a quick dip in the sea in a rather secluded cove. Here various tropical fish, sea cucumbers and odd looking crabs made for a memorable encounter and another Peregrine graced me with its presence as I attempted to haul myself out of the sea upon realising a line of German tourists had assembled behind me with cameras! So much for being alone.

Heading back to Allicante airport on Friday, two Iberian Grey Shrikes and a Green Woodpecker provided nice views, the former giving me my final lifer of the trip. Not bad at all though birds were not all to be seen in and around Benidorm..

Butterflies proved a mainstay of my week with the highlight a glorious Scarce Swallowtail  (shown left) which at one point decided to use me as a perch! Clouded Yellows were numerous here, as were both Large & Small White while a few equally familiar species were observed including Wall, Painted Lady & Red Admiral. Aside from the Swallowtail the only other new species comprised a good number of Long-Tailed Blues scattered along the coastline. A real energetic gem of a butterfly and one that proved incredibly hard to photograph! My best attempt is shown below. Butterflies aside lots of interesting (and in some cases rather large) Grasshoppers also proved entertaining and a whopping great spider was revealed to be Araneus angulatus, a rather large and fearsome relative of the Garden Spider and one that is rather scarce in the UK. This one had made a meal of an unfortunate Clouded Yellow.

So as you can see, there is far more to Benidorm than just sex and Sangria! The week proved most enjoyable though now that I am back in the real world I should get back to the arduous process of conservation based job seeking *sigh*

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