31 March 2009 - Spain Birding: March 2009 Summary
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"I was very pleased and impressed with Catalan Bird Tours. I saw 153 species in three days, some fantastic birds, including a number of lifers. I’d definitely like to revisit.
By the time you've booked accommodation, hired a car (4x4 was a must), bought breakfast and lunch, paid for fuel and the numerous road tolls I doubt you would save much money over the quoted cost. When you then factor in the time it would take to find the places by car, even before you start looking for birds, it really starts to look good value and money well spent. I shudder to think how long you could drive around the Steppes without seeing the target species if you didn’t know the exact fields to scan for them.
Stephen Christopher was an excellent guide, knowledgeable about the birds and where best to find them."
Martin Cracknell, UK.
LLOBREGAT DELTA
Tonsilitis, courtesy of my son's nursery school, choked any chance of getting out early in the month and by the time I got to Cal Tet, Llobregat on the 13th Black-winged Stilt, Garganey and (about a month after the first House Martin and Barn Swallow) Sand Martin had already arrived. Two birds of dubious origin, a Barnacle Goose (again on 25th) and a Bar-headed Goose, were still present, whilst a single Water Pipit (photo of another from the Ebro Delta below) had yet to depart for its breeding grounds in the Pyrenees and a fantastic flyover Great Bittern created a personal latest winter record by three days after a previous 'best' in 2006.
GARRAF MASSIF
Other local 'noteworthies' included a 100 plus gathering of full summer-plumage Mediterranean Gulls on Vilanova beach and, on the 14th, of the winter visitors, I was left with just two garden Siskin, a couple of Blackcap and a Robin. A few adult Northern Gannet added a splash to the coastline until the 25th and, during a family lunch on the 22nd, I finally saw my first Short-toed Eagle as it floated past the window of the local restaurant. Singing Cirl Bunting throughout the Garraf indicated an end to the spectacular wintering flocks of passerines.
EBRO DELTA
Anything I missed out on during the first half of the month however was more than matched on the 17th by the welcome return of Riet Vell's seemingly very own Little Crake showing extremely well as usual on the Ebro Delta. We entered the hide expectantly and to my joy caught one of my favourite birds on the far side even before I could sit down. We ate our way through lunch, Glossy Ibis, a beautiful male Common Redstart, several frisky Purple Swamphen (photo) and Spanish Yellow Wagtail whilst awaiting its repeated forays out into the open.
A single Willow Warbler, several more Hoopoe and Squacco Heron than usual and two dozen species of wader including Little Ringed Plover, Temminck's Stint and lots of Curlew provided other migrant highlights to add to great views of resident Water Rail, fishing Caspian Tern (below) and the presumed Little Egret x Western Reef Heron on the Trubacador.
Of the wintering birds yet to depart perhaps a pink-flushed Water Pipit by the car was the pick but a small flock of female Red-breasted Mergansers, good numbers of Robin and Black-necked Grebe (still there in summer plumage on 23rd along with Northern Pintail and two pairs of late-ish Wigeon), a few of the regular overwintering Whiskered Tern and a handful of Bluethroat were also noteworthy.
A remarkable and stunning RED-spotted Bluethroat passed through on the 23rd (most, including those overwintering, are the white-spotted variety) and seemed to be set for bird of the day until a cheeky Spotted Crake crept out into the scope to upstage even its Little Crake cousin, which was still showing very well. Today finally saw Purple Heron, with several close encounters, enter my year list.
No crakes on a (very) quick visit on 31st though but a Hen Harrier showed well at Riet Vell whilst we were waiting (to follow a light-phase Booted Eagle en route) and I had a year first sighting of Curlew Sandpiper on El Golero.
PYRENEES
A thrilling and sudden party of around sixty Alpine Swift swarming around the car on the motorway en route from the Pyrenees were the only sign of summer migrants on the 18th but the day did confirm the return of Water Pipit and singing Dunnock after spending the winter at lower altitudes. The month's still generous covering of snow wasn't quite enough, it seems, to keep the flock of Snowfinch that has been entertaining us over the last couple of months but it was enough to prevent us penetrating the forest tracks for the best sites for Citril Finch so we were left with only sightings of Siskin, Bullfinch (both on 25th) and a regular party of Hawfinch flying betwixt and between the tree tops of Baga.
However, just as we were debating the absence of raptors given the gloriously sunny day, we looked up to see five Griffon Vultures just over our heads with a spanking orange adult Lammergeier at their centre. After watching it float away we had the fortune to witness a second an hour or so later soaring over the cliff-horizon of the Greixer Valley. Also worth a mention are the endless chorus of Short-toed Treecreepers singing from nearly every tree, a very confiding Dipper, Alpine Chough chirping like passerines as always and at a brief but glorious Black Woodpecker.
THE STEPPES
Out in the The Steppes on the 24th we found a world on the cusp of the breeding season with at least three territories of summer-plumage male Little Bustards near Lleida but only a flock of nineteen birds still clothed for the winter in Los Monegros (photo below), although I admit it didn't occur to me to check to see if they were all females until it was too late.
After a winter of over 120 local wintering birds, this pair of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (two above) around Lleida were the only obvious evidence of the species, implying the onset of nuptials, whilst their Black-bellied Sandgrouse cousins seemed seasonally inspired with much activity and numerous small flocks viing for our attentions out in Los Monegros. Great Spotted Cuckoo (top photo), Stone-curlew, Black Kite and Lesser Kestrel all appeared to be well-established too but a gandful of Red Kite, a winter roamer to these lowlands, and only a single Short-toed Eagle hovering over Cogul showed that the boundary between the seasons was still in flux.
The highlight for me though, after last year's apparent turmoil caused by changes to European farming rules dispensing with subsidies for 'set-aside' land, was a single calling bird giving an early indication that Common Quail might just be back after last year's TOTAL ABSENCE!
Many thanks to Martin Cracknell for his excellent photos (Fan-tailed Warbler from the Ebro Delta below).
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About Me
I now spend my life birding in Spain, taking every opportunity to head out on my own even when not working as a professional bird guide.
Most of the birding trip reports and photos will be from my local patch, The Garraf Massif and Llobregat Delta around Barcelona, but I also visit The Ebro Delta, The Steppes of Lleida, Los Monegros, The Pyrenees, Cap de Creus and Aiguamolls de L'Emporda.
Please e-mail me if you would like to be placed on the mailing list for this blog and I'd be happy to help with information if you're planning a bit of Spain birding your self.
If you're looking for birding holidays, short breaks and day tours in Catalonia, for families and serious birders, details can be found at www.catalanbirdtours.com.
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