The Birdbox - birding in Spain: trip reports and photos

31 May 2009 - Spain Birding: May 2009 Update

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“Over the moon. Fantastic. Couldn’t fault it!”

“If you really want quality birding then I have no hesitation in recommending Stephen and Catalan Bird Tours - his dedication and knowledge is second to none. The whole tour was relaxed and very friendly and, important to my self, I was able to get clear identification (so you could see the birds' eyes!) and at the end of the week was able to identify many species through song as well. Thank you for a fantastic week. Hopefully I shall have the opportunity to visit you again.”

Alan Baxter, UK, 23rd – 30th May 2009

The sheer volume of birding tours and the sheer volume of birds that made this May one of the most exhilirating month's birding of my life also makes doing it justice impossible. From mixing it with Marsh Sandpipers on pretty much my only day off on the 1st, to the nights spent with nightjars during the last days of the month, I spent more hours standing agog, gasping and gaping than I could believe possible in the space of a few weeks. Wow. What a month.

["Come What May" - a special report on a relaxed day off hunting Wryneck and Red-throated Pipit and a summary of May's birding trips to the Cap de Creus and Aiguamolls de L'Emporda]

THE STEPPES OF LLEIDA and LOS MONEGROS

Without a doubt this is where most of the Wow! happened with displaying Little Bustard, scrub-top serenading Spectacled Warbler, sky-dancing Lesser Short-toed Lark and a handful of wide-eyed Stone-curlew showing extremely well, along with Black Wheatear, Southern Grey Shrike, Golden Oriole, Black-eared Wheatear, Red-billed Chough and LOTS of Roller, on every single one of the five visits during the month. And we only missed our usual amazing car-side views of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse on one day, the 5th, because of an enforced scheduled late morning start!

Disappointingly, one particular group of 12 evenly-sexed Gangas, as they are called locally, was apparently reduced to four half-way through the month after their fallow field was tilled over by the farmer. Making the locale for Xurras, or Black-bellied Sandgrouse to you and me, second-choice meant late-morning success, with good views of apparent breeding birds, on only three of the five occasions, as it heated up noticeably towards the end of the month.

Rather thrillingly though, after last year's total absence, Common Quail were seen, and often more than once, on every single birding trip, the best of which was a bird flying window-side before turning its head to look at me! It then banked to the right and landed plum-centre of the only gap in the dense scrub (field side) and allowed me to lock-on with binoculars before it sauntered off back into obscurity.

Great Spotted Cuckoo was yet another species that everyone got to see well, with many sat unperturbed by the proximity of the car. Strange how the juveniles gather in small flocks after leaving their adoptive Magpie parents but even stranger when, on the 29th, we observed a flock of four black-capped young mixing it up with two grey-headed adults. At least one of these young also seemed to be associating closely with a pair of nearby Carrion Crow, although we didn't witness any direct contact. This is apparently a less-frequently used host bird for the species but I for one have never come across it in reality.

Equally superb views of nest-building Penduline Tit were rudely interrupted after their dome-shaped pendulum was vandalised and, rather surprisingly and unlike last year, other candidates were not particularly forthcoming. Bonelli's Warblers, amongst others, however were easy to pick-up up until the 19th and we even had a single Western Orphean Warbler pass through noisily (how else?) on the 26th.

It was the raptors however for which, not surprisingly, we reserved our biggest Wows with the successful breeding again of Montagu's Harrier in a particular Lleida patch topping off a wonderful month that included more-than-usual sightings of Egyptian Vulture (thanks to the dump?) and lots of hunting activity and even accommodatingly perched individuals of Lesser Kestrel, Honey-buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Red Kite, Hobby and a first-winter Golden Eagle.

However, the harvest of the wheat crop, usually capitalised on by small regular flocks of Red-footed Falcon as they pass through, was about two weeks later than last year and so a single insect-eating male was the only showing for this year out in Los Monegros, although a family holiday in the UK put paid to any research into the tail-end of their usual window of opportunity. Still, the silver-lining hopefully is a longer refuge for the other steppe birds that breed amongst the growing cereals.

Wow! On the 19th just over the border in Los Monegros, further to the discovery of two day-time singing males on 21st April 2009, I found a third Dupont's Lark close-by as it dropped out of its song flight like a stone and landed in some nearby grass. A patient (!) wait of a few minutes saw it perched up on a rock and singing again out in the open before walking in and out and along the edge of a section of taller grass until doing exactly the same on a similar rock about fifteen metres away. A final song flight later (again witnessed on the 26th) and it was gone. But we did have time to scribble down the position and colour of its leg rings.

“Thank you for the 4 days birding in Catalonia. I enjoyed every minute and admired your expertise in locating so many species and putting me onto them. I greatly appreciated your help and the accommodation had all the facilities one could wish.”

Chris Rutt, Spain (5th – 8th May 2009)

THE EBRO DELTA

From the endless marshes, lagoons and rice fields flooded with shoals and schools of almost all of Europe's wader-species that brought the month to a truly spectacular start, by the 25th many had taken it in turns to pick their own 'last seen date' and had moved on to breed in pastures new. Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew and rather late Whimbrel were some of the last to make up their minds but also of note were good numbers of Oystercatcher hanging around the Trubacador and a personal favourite of summer-plumaged Red Knot (below) poking their noses into some beach-business along the Fangar until the 12th.

Amazingly close views of Temminck's Stint could be seen in front of the hide at Riet Vell until at least this date, shortly after which the waters were allowed in to flood the mud favoured by migrants and prepare the site for the serious business of aiding the region's breeding birds.

Typical stock for the coming months include Little Bittern and seven other herons, Glossy Ibis, Audouin's Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Gull-billed and Caspian Tern, Collared Pratincole and, representing the passerines, singing Short-toed Lark and quite startlingly good and routine views of reeling Savi's Warbler.

Lesser Short-toed Lark and Common Cuckoo also provided regular highlights to go along with one-off notables such as the last Garganey at Riet Vell (7th), a summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebe diving into L'Encanyissada (12th) and a Northern Pintail roosting at the Gola de Mijgorn on the 25th.

My moment of the month here though was a savage and vicious fight between three Common Coot, again at Riet Vell on the 25th, with two dominant males holding a third under water almost to the point of death! And my disappointment? Where were all the White-winged Terns? Unlike last year's deluge, this year, no rain.

THE LLOBREGAT DELTA

A similar pattern and a similar story with this wetland reserve (actually two sites either side of the airport) with a full set of shorebirds gradually being reduced to last appearances of Bar-tailed Godwit (15th), Spotted Redshank (18th), Ruff (21st, no summer-plumaged males this year) and, on the 22nd, Red Knot and Curlew Sandpiper.

Hobby, Gull-billed Tern and others continued to pass through (last seen 28th), with a notable single Roller at Cal Tet on the 8th, and Common Waxbill were seen on a regular basis, especially bouncing along the riverside reeds of the St. Climent.

But, even set against the huge numbers of Audouin's Gulls apparently planning to stick around this summer, without doubt the highlight was a breeding pair of Little Ringed Plover, actually just outside the reserve boundary, with two fluff-ball chicks apparently making it thanks to the aggressive and tireless efforts of their parents fighting and chasing off anything that landed within a stone's throw.

“Excellent 3 days guided birding in Spain with Stephen Christopher (both Sandgrouse spp, Lammergeier, Lesser Kestrel, Audouin's Gull, 6 Lark spp inc Dupont's Lark, Rock Thrush, Citril Finch, etc. etc.)”

I'd had several birding trips around Catalonia but never managed to catch up with the rarer species so it was time to ask for help! Stephen rose to the challenge during 3 excellent days of guided birding. He confidently found all my key targets but I suspect even he was surprised with such superb views of Dupont's Lark! Next time I must have the camera ready...”

Roger Payne, UK (18th – 20th May 2009)

THE PYRENEES

Except for a near rain-spoilt day on the 13th, the Lammergeier, and for the most part a pair of adults, showed up gratefully and thrillingly as-and-according to schedule, from its 10 to 11 a.m. window around the cliffs towering over the local farm, via its lunch-time slot - and closer views - at 1400m a.s.l. and a last-chance majestic soar above the tree line from 3 p.m. onwards.

Reliable too were pink-flushed Water Pipit, Alpine Chough (on one occasion mobbing a Peregrine), Rock Bunting, Dipper (nesting under the bridge), Bonelli's Warbler, Short-toed Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, Firecrest, Alpine Swift, Common Cuckoo and (Rufous-tailed) Rock Thrush, although in the case of the latter the late snow melt is probably the reason for less breeding pairs this year.

The same snow also locked us out of the forest tracks and explains the apparent absence of Citril Finch until we finally found them noisy and much-appreciated in their usual patch from the 13th onward, once the bulk of the snow had melted. Red-backed Shrike wisely waited until the 20th therefore to make an appearance but they wasted no time in catching up on the nuptials.

Common Crossbill were also harder to find, with only a handful of birds obliging on each birding trip, and Black Woodpecker only put in one decent appearance, on the 20th, although again the snow had prevented us probing the better tracks until the second half of the month. This same day also welcomed Garden Warbler, the start of more regular sightings of Golden Eagle and a passage Booted Eagle.

But it was Ring Ouzel that seemed most affected by the unusually late winter, with my first sighting not coming until a single bird threw its head into soft lush grass a few metres from the car in the search for worms on the 27th.

“Thank you very much for hosting and guiding us through so many wonderful habitats! The birds were fantastic and I appreciated you sharing your expertise and knowledge with us. We very much enjoyed Spain, especially the birding trips to the Ebro Delta, Pyrenees and the Steppes.”

“Thank you for your hospitality. We both learned from you and your efforts to show us different birds in different regions of Spain makes us want to return to see more. Thank you for bending to my food needs also. That took extra thought and effort. We both hope your business blossoms and prospers.”

Scott and Joyce Cox, USA (12th – 14th May 2009)

THE GARRAF

Wow. I didn't get chance to get into my local patch until the 8th but what a day. After first seeing an unusual Great Spotted Cuckoo flying across the bonnet and watching the local pair of Peregrines chasing dozens of local Pallid Swifts over the ocean (where a lone Shag was the only disappointing sighting this month), I went out with my friend Blake to check out a potential European Nightjar site.

We'd been told about the site at the end of last season, too late to confirm, but this time the farmer, Ricardo, came with us and pointed to the exact spots where he'd discovered and protected two nests, complete with eggs and sitting birds, last year. Looking around at the sandy soil and spaced-out garrufes trees, I couldn't help but wonder if the nightjars he'd seen were not in fact Enganyapastors, or European Nightjar, as he claimed, but Siboc. And as we walked about, despite taking care to stick to the paths and avoid treading beneath the canopies, up flew confirmation in the form of a single stunning rufous form that flushed and flew low, up and over an adjacent wall and sent ripples through all three of us - I have Red-necked Nightjar near my house! Not wanting to disturb any more birds, we retreated and I wasn't able to visit the site again until early in June (absolutely amazing, see June 2009).

New sites for Red-rumped Swallow, two in fact, also followed during seven other birding trips into the Garraf this month with passing Yellow Wagtail (18th), Woodlark, Sand Martin and Roller, all last seen on the 23rd, and Honey-buzzard, last seen on the 21st toying with a local pair of Bonelli's Eagle, being the highlights. Numbers of passing warblers and other species however were noticably down on last year when higher rainfall brought in record sightings.

Spotted Flycatcher was the last summer breeder to arrive to join the Black-eared Wheatear, Turtle Dove, Bonelli's and Melodious Warbler (top photo), Nightingale and Golden Oriole that had been settled for some time, the latter in my garden. And the pick of the residents included Cirl Bunting, Southern Grey Shrike and Spotless Starling, which seemed to be ever-present for a change.

Sightings of Short-toed Eagle were up, with a perched juvenile enjoyed for several minutes on the 28th, and Audouin's Gulls too, along the coast, mirrored their increase at nearby Llobregat. Common Cuckoo were especially prevalent earlier in the month, with a strange calling adult perched on a low bush by the car on the 13th, but a Wryneck calling on the garden as I put out the riubbish on the 18th somehow managed to avoid being seen as I tracked it to the end of the road before it fell silent and I was left standing in my shorts-only and carrying a smelly bin bag.

But the last Wow is reserved for an impromptu and test- tour on the evening of the 28th. Scheduling night tours poses problems but the approach of the end of the season and enthusiastic clients meant I summoned up enough energy and, in situ at my old Programa Noctua census station by 21.30, a communal and synchronised intake of breath accompanied the sudden appearance of wing-clapping European Nightjars as they floated and flapped, at one point, even around our ears! We were treated to a spectacular show for thirty minutes or more, with one bird churring from an open branch before springing up to hawk for insects, until the light finally faded and their ghostly silhouettes evetually merged perfectly into the dark black of night and we made our way home, thrilled. A thrilling month.

“A day spent with Stephen was a worthwhile and memorable experience. He knows the region like the back of his hand and took us to just the right places to spot dozens of new birds for my life list. He is engaging and personable besides being an expert and knowledgeable guide, which made for a wholly pleasant and successful birding outing.”

Dawn Hooker, USA, 21st May 2009

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.