30 November 2008 - Spain Birding: November 2008 Summary
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A male Hen Harrier floated across our eye-line whilst watching a flock of about 80 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse feeding nearby. As it passed it put up a mixed flock of passerines including Corn Bunting, Crested Lark, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, White Wagtail, Linnet and House Sparrows.
This trip to THE STEPPES OF LLEIDA on the 21st had started slowly in thickish fog, with barely more than a lone Little Bustard flushed in front of the car, a perched Merlin ignoring passerine-snacks galore and a flock of about fifty Red-billed Chough. But the sighting of these Pin-tailed Sandgrouse signaled a change in fortunes.
With each careful step that Mark Hiley, the photographer, took the sandgrouse followed suit and collectively waddled away. Not wanting to flush them he returned to the cover of the car after a few paces and we marvelled at their plumage through scope and bins.
Even when a Peregrine flew over and landed in the next field they barely stirred, only raising their heads and, for a few moments, froze. After they returned to business-as-usual we set about scanning for Little Bustard and a fortuitous Common Kestrel landing on a post gave away two heads poking up over the vegetation.
When they flew, which they did for reasons unknown, a magnificent twenty-four shot up into the air and circled over our heads, rather unusually taking some time before they landed back where they started and eventually began to spread out in a line to feed on the field boundary.
This in turn caused the Peregrine to take flight and, as it inadvertently passed directly over the Sandgrouse, they too were spooked, this time taking the opposite flightpath but again circling overhead before disappearing into the distance.
After finishing up lunch, we made a late decision to move onto LOS MONEGROS and, with barely an hour left of daylight, caught up with a flock of 10 Black-bellied Sandgrouse with a lone, evidently smaller Pin-tailed Sandgrouse keeping them company.
We spent some time distinguishing Thekla Lark, shown below in two photos with the distinct breast streaks and smaller bill that distinguishing it from the similar Crested Lark...
Amongst the trip's other highlights were several Little Owl, Red Kite swooping over the car, and Southern Grey Shrike keeping watch seemingly throughout the day. A Hoopoe, always welcome, and a cheerful Dartford Warbler also put in appearances but my favourite was a single Fieldfare looking forlorn beside a fruitless orchard.
A fantastic and much-welcomed outing, after having to take a couple of weeks off through illness, on what turned out to be a bright, fresh November day.
Elsewhere, a last-day dash up to the Emporda was the pick, despite missing out on the seemingly resident Sociable Lapwing after searching through flocks of hundreds and hundreds of Northern Lapwing and Golden Plover near Pals.
Peppered between them were almost as many passerines including several Water Pipit amongst the Meadow Pipit, a handful of Cirl Bunting amongst the Reed Bunting and blankets of Tree Sparrow and Chaffinch.
Winter of course is typified by flocking and it provides opportunitities both for us to watch and study species behaving differently and for raptors to glean the benefits by way of day-long snacking. Common Buzzard were on every post it seemed and one was observed, mid-field and grounded, feasting on what looked like a Common Starling. A post-top Common Kestrel was also seen eating a small passerine, a handful of Marsh Harrier were ever-present and a male Sparrowhawk alternated between resting on a ploughed soil-sod nearby and swooping up to help me spot the Sociable Plover in spooked flight with the fields other occupants.
More flocks, of Eurasian Curlew (pictured below), Monk Parakeet (above) and gulls galore were much appreciated once I arrived at the Aiguamolls reserve for a quick look at the beach.
Two flocks of around a dozen Balearic Shearwater each flapped past the beach as I stepped onto the sand but I couldn't get my camera out quick enough but at least the flocks kept on coming, if never again so close, for the next hour. Between time I enjoyed the 6 adult diving Northern Gannet offshore, fly by Sanderling, Sandwich Tern and Grey Plover - all seeming to take offence at my presence - and a lone Red-throated Diver playing hide and seek in the bob and swell of the Mediterranean waves.
My surprise of the day however was reserved for a single and particlarly late-leaving Pallid Swift weaving between a pair of Crag Martin at the water treatment works near the main reserve.
P.S. The 29th saw the return of Siskin, albeit briefly, to the garden feeders.
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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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