TRIP REPORT SPAIN SIERRA DE GREDOS & EXTREMADURA 18 APRIL TO 25 APRIL 2018 GLYN & CHRIS SELLORS ROLLER, SANTA MARTA
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TRIPREPORT
SPAINSIERRADEGREDOS&EXTREMADURA
18APRILTO25APRIL2018
GLYN&CHRISSELLORS
ROLLER,SANTAMARTA
FACTS&FIGURES
EASYJETFLIGHTSFROMLUTONTOMADRID-£135EACHCARPARKINGATLUTONAIRPORT-£60ACCOMMODATION–2NIGHTSATTHEPARADORSIERRADEGREDOS1NIGHTATTHESANTAMARTAHOTELINTRUJILLO4NIGHTSATTHEPARADORDETRUJILLO(EXCELLENTFOOD)SPENDINGMONEY–APPROX.£400CARHIRE–VOLKSWAGENPASSAT-£350INCLUDINGINSURANCEDIESEL–APPROX.£100MILEAGE1080MILESTOTALCOST–APPROX.£2000
ITINERARY
WESPENTOURFIRSTTWODAYSBIRDINGAROUNDSIERRADEGREDOS.THESCENERYISSPECTACULAR&THEREWASSTILLQUITEALOTOFSNOWASWEWALKEDFROMTHECARPARK–THEFOOTPATHWASIMPASSIBLEAFTERACOUPLEOFKILOMETRES,SOWEMADEOURWAYBACKDOWNTOTHECARPARK.ROCKBUNTINGSWEREVERYCONFIDING–ASLOBLACKREDSTARTS,BLUEROCKTHRUSHES,CRAGMARTINS,WATERPIPITS,GRIFFONVULTURES&AHERDOFSPANISHIBEXESWALKEDACROSSTHESNOW.ITHINKWEWERETOOEARLYFORBLUETHROATS&ROCKTHRUSHES-&WEONLYSAWONEORTOLANBUNTING(THATWASATTHEPARADORDEGREDOS).LOWERDOWNATTHEBOTTOMOFTHEVALLEYWECHECKEDTHEPINEWOODSETC.–SHORT-TOEDTREECREEPERS,FIRECRESTS,CRESTEDTITS&BONELLI’SWARBLERSWERESINGING.INTHEOPENMEADOWSWESAWCIRLBUNTINGS,SPANISHWAGTAIL,WOODLARKS,SERINS&BLACKKITESETC.
FROMSIERRADEGREDOSWEDROVETOTRUJILLOINEXTREMADURAVIAMONFRAGUE.ATMONFRAGUEISTOPPEDATASMALLCLEARINGWHEREIHADSEENORPHEAN,SUBALPINE&SARDININIANWARBLERSIN2015,&SUREENOUGHALLTHREEWARBLERSWERESINGING&EVENTUALLYSHOWEDWELL.ITWASLATEAFTERNOON,SOWEMADEOURWAYTOTRUJILLO–ALOVELYMEDIEVALTOWNINEXTREMADURA,THISWASOURBASEFORTHENEXT5NIGHTS.WESTAYEDHEREIN2015–IDECIDEDTOBOOKADIFFERENTHOTEL–THESANTAMARTA(ITWASASUPERBHOTEL,BUTTHECARPARKINGWASANIGHTMARE–WECOULDN’TUSETHEPLAZACARPARKBECAUSEOFACHEESEFESTIVALTHEFOLLOWINGWEEK.THENEXTMORNINGWECHECKEDOUT&BOOKEDFOURNIGHTSATTHEPARADORDETRUJILLO–MUCHEASIERCARPARKING(INFACT,IPAIDEIGHTEUORSPERDAYTOUSETHEPARADOR’SPRIVATECARPARK)TRUJILLO’SOLDBULLRINGHASABREEDINGCOLONYOFLESSERKESTRELS–IN2015ISAWC.20BIRDS,BUTIONLYSAWC.6BIRDSONTHISVISIT.FORTUNATELYWEVISITEDANOTHERBREEDINGCOLONYATANOLDCHURCHFURTHERSOUTHNEARVEGASALTAS–ATLEAST20LESSERKESTRELSSHOWEDWELL&THEYAREONEOFTHEHIGHLIGHTSOFATRIPTOEXTREMADURA.WEMADETWOTRIPSTOTHEVEGASALTASAREA–CRACKINGVIEWSOF20GREATBUSTARDSOFFTHEEX355ROADFROMCAMPOLUGAR–ALSOCALANDRALARKS,HOOPOES,LITTLEBUSTARDCALLING,CRESTEDLARKS–ANOTHERCOLONYOFLESSERKESTRELSWEREBREEDINGINANOLDBARNNEARSIERRABRAVARESERVOIR.SOMENICEVIEWSOFMONTAGU’SHARRIERS(INCLUDINGADARKPHASEMALE)ATASMALLNATURERESERVENEARMADRIGALEJOAPURPLEHERONFLEWOUTOFTHEREEDBED–ALSO3GREATWARBLERSWERESINGING.ASWEDROVEPASTTHENATURERESERVESIXCOLLAREDPRATINCOLESFLEWUPFROMTHEARABLEFIELDS.BACKATMONFRAGUEBLACKSTORKSWEREBREEDINGATPENAFALCON–LARGENUMBERSOFGRIFFONVULTURES&AFEWEGYPTIANVULTURESTOO.BLACKREDSTARTS,BLUEROCKTHRUSHES,ROCKBUNTINGS&SERINSWERESINGING.ITRIEDTHESMALLCLEARINGAGAINJUSTUPTHEROADFROMPENAFALCON–SARDINIAN&SUBALPINEWARBLERSSHOWEDWELLAGAIN,BUTTHEORPHEANWARBLERWASVERYELUSIVE.IN2015IVISITEDTHEBELENPLAINSJUSTOUTSIDETRUJILLO–UNFORUNATELYTHEYHAVEBUILTANEWROAD&ITWASNOTVERYPRODUCTIVE–WHATASHAME.
ONMYLASTTRIPIN2015IWANTEDTOPHOTOGRAPHGREATSPOTTEDCUCKOO(WEDIDN’TEVENSEEAONE)THISTIMEIDIDSEEATLEASTTWO–UNFORTUNATELYTHEYNEVERCAMECLOSEENOUGHTOPHOTOGRAPH–NEXTTIME,THEN–LOVELYBIRDSTHOUGH.THEMONROYROADTOSANTAMARTAJUSTOUTSIDETRUJILLOISONEOFTHEBESTBIRDINGPLACESINEXTREMADURA.THEREWERETWOLARGECOLONIESOFSPANISHSPARROWS–VERYSKITTISH–ICOULDN’TGETNEARTHEM,EVENUSINGTHECARASAHIDE.LOTSOFCALANDRALARKS,SEVERALLITTLEBUSTARDSWEREDISPLAYING&MAKINGTHEIRFARTING-LIKECALLS.ONLYONEGREATBUSTARD,BUTWEHADSEEN20NEARVEGASALTAS.BLACKKITES,GRIFFONVULTURES,THREEBLACKVULTURE,HOOPOES,BEE–EATERS,SOUTHERNGREY&WOODCHATSHRIKES.THISISANEXCELLENTPLACETOSEEMONTAGU’SHARRIERS–THESESUPERBIRDSSHOWREALLYWELLNEARTHESANTAMARTATJUNCTION.JUSTOUTSIDESANTAMARTATHELOCALSHAVEERECTEDLOTSOFNESTBOXESFORLESSERKESTRELS&ROLLERS–PROBABLYTHEBESTPLACETOGUARANTEESEEINGROLLERS.IDOLIKETHISPARTOFSPAIN&I’MSUREITWON’TBETOOLONGBEFOREWEREVISIT.
SYSTEMATICLIST
MUTESWANGREYLAGGOOSEMALLARDGADWALLSHOVELERRED-LEGGEDPARTRIDGEPHEASANTLITTLEGREBE
GREATCRESTEDGREBECORMORANTCATTLEEGRET–AFLOCKOFC.75VEGASALTASAREALITTLEEGRETGREYHERONPURPLEHERON–1ATASMALLNATURERESERVENEARMADRIGALEJOWHITESTORK–VERYCOMMONBLACKSTORK–SEVERALPAIRSBREEDINGATPENAFALCON,MONFRAGUEGRIFFONVULTURE–COMMONBLACKVULTURE–3NEARSANTAMARTA&AFEWOTHERSEGYPTIANVULTURE–2ATMONFRAGUEGOLDENEAGLE–1SATONAROCKMONROYTOSANTAMARTAROADSHORT-TOEDEAGLE–2BOOTEDEAGLEREDKITEBLACKKITE–VERYCOMMONMARSHHARRIERMONTAGU’SHARRIER–C.20COMMONBUZZARDSPARROWHAWKKESTRELLESSERKESTREL–TRUJILLOBULLRING-PARADORDETRUJILLO(OVERTHEPARADOR)–SANTAMARTAAREA–SIERRABRAVARESERVOIR&ACEDERACHURCHTOWERMOORHENCOOT
GREATBUSTARD–20SHOWINGWELLEX.355ROADFROMCAMPOLUGAR&1NEARMONROYLITTLEBUSTARD–4MONROYTOSANTAMARTAROAD–2EX.355ROADFROMCAMPOLUGARBLACK-WINGEDSTILTSTONECURLEW–BREEDINGPAIREX.355ROADFROMCAMPOLUGARCOLLAREDPRATINCOLE–6NEARMADRIGALEJOLITTLERINGEDPLOVERCOMMONSANDPIPERGREENSHANKREDSHANKBLACK-BELLIEDSANDGROUSE–FLYING-MONROYTOSANTAMARTAROADPIN-TAILEDSANDGROUSE–FLYING–MONROYTOSANTAMARTAROADROCKDOVESTOCKDOVEWOODPIGEONCOLLAREDDOVECUCKOOGREATSPOTTEDCUCKOO–2NEARTHEMONROYTOSANTAMARTAROADTJUNCTIONJUSTOUTSIDETRUJILLOSCOPSOWL–1CALLINGSWIFTHOOPOE–FAIRLYCOMMONBEE-EATERROLLER–C.10BREEDINGINNESTBOXESNEARSANTAMARTAGREATSPOTTEDWOODPECKER–SIERRADEGREDOS
CRESTEDLARK–COMMONTHEKLALARK–FAIRLYCOMMON–USUALLYATHIGHERALTITUDETHANCRESTEDLARKSWOODLARK–FAIRLYCOMMON–IMANAGEDTOTAKESOMENICEIMAGESOFTHESELOVELYLARKSSHORT-TOEDLARKCALANDRALARK–VERYCOMMON,BUTDIFFICULTTOPHOTOGRAPHCRAGMARTIN–FAIRLYCOMMONSWALLOWRED-RUMPEDSWALLOWHOUSEMARTINWATERPIPIT–AFEWATSIERRADEGREDOSSPANISHWAGTAILGREYWAGTAILDIPPER–SIERRADEGREDOSDUNNOCK–VERYCOMMON–SIERRADEGREDOSROBINNIGHTINGALEBLACKREDSTART–FAIRLYCOMMONWHEATEARWHINCHATSTONECHATBLACKBIRDBLUEROCKTHRUSHBLACKCAP
WHITETHROATORPHEANWARBLER–SEVERAL–ONESHOWEDWELLATMONFRAGUESARDINIANWARBLER–COMMONSUBALPINEWARBLER–ONLYAFEW,STUNNINGCETTI’SWARBLERREEDWARBLERGREATREEDWARBLER–3ATASMALLNATURERESERVENEARMADRIGALEJOCHIIFFCHAFFBONELLI’SWARBLER–ONESHOWEDWELLATPARADORDEGREDOS–SEVERALSINGINGFIRECREST–SIERRADEGREDOSWRENPIEDFLYCATCHERGREATTITBLUETITCOALTITCRESTEDTIT–THESELOVELYBIRDSAREQUITECOMMONATSIERRADEGREDOSLONG-TAILEDTITNUTHATCHSHORT-TOEDTREECREEPER–COMMONSOUTHERNGREYSHRIKEWOODCHATSHRIKEAZURE-WINGEDMAGPIE–FAIRLYCOMMON–DIFFICULTTOPHOTOGRAPHMAGPIE
JAYJACKDAWRAVENSPOTLESSSTARLINGGOLDENORIOLE–ONLYHEARDSINGINGHOUSESPARROWSPANISHSPARROW–2LARGEBREEDINGCOLONIESONTHEMONROYTOSANTAMARTAROAD–VERYSKITTISHROCKSPARROW–2SHOWEDWELLATTHEPARADORDEGREDOSCHAFFINCHLINNETGOLDFINCHGREENFINCHCITRILFINCH–C.6ATTHEPARADORDEGREDOS–ONEOFTHEHIGHLIGHTSSERIN–COMMONCROSSBILLORTOLANBUNTING–1ATTHEPARADORDEGREDOS–ITHINKWEWERETOOEARLY–MOSTORTOLANSARRIVEINLATEAPRILCIRLBUNTINGCORNBUNTING–ONEOFTHECOMMONESTBIRDSINEXTREMADURAROCKBUNTING–COMMONATSIERRADEGREDOS,BUTCRACKINGBIRDS&VERYCONFIDING
CRESTEDTIT
MALECITRILFINCH
MALEROCKBUNTING
YOUNGSPANISHIBEXES
SPANISHWAGTAIL&GREENLIZARD
ALOVELYMALEBLACKREDSTART
FEMALEBLACKREDSTART
FEMALECITRILFINCH
ACRACKINGMALECITRILFINCH
CRAGMARTIN
GRIFFONVULTURE
MALEORPHEANWARBLER
BLACKKITE
SPOTLESSSTARLING
CORNBUNTING
ROLLER
ANIMPRESSIVECALANDRALARK
THEKLALARK
MALEMONTAGU’SHARRIER
DISPLAYINGMALELITTLEBUSTARD
MALELESSERKESTREL
MALELESSERKESTREL
FEMALELESSERKESTREL
MALELESSERKESTREL
HOOPOE
AGREASYSPOTLESSSTARLING
GRIFFONVULTURE&CHICK
CRAGMARTINCOLLECTINGMUD
MALESUBALPINEWARBLER
MALESARDINIANWARBLER
MALESERIN
BLACKSTORK
BLACKKITE
MALE&FEMALELITTLEBUSTARDS
WHITESTORK
MALESPANISHSPARROW
GRIFFONVULTURE
THEKLALARK
APRISTINEWOODLARK
SINGINGCORNBUNTING
MALEMONTAGU’SHARRIER
MALEMONTAGU’SHARRIER
MALEMONTAGU’SHARRIER
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