31 January 2009 - Spain Birding: January 2009 Summary
Please browse 'archives' under the 'links' heading in the right hand column for date-ordered trip reports and monthly summaries.
"Thank you for a great day's birdwatching. We really enjoyed it and it was, by far, the best day of the trip. And you were an excellent tour leader. Gail and Gwyn, U.K."
Following a winter flock of vagrant clients, my year list for 2009 very quickly held the likes of White-winged Snowfinch, Wallcreeper, Alpine Accentor, Lammergeier, Moustached Warbler, Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Balaeric Shearwater and Common Crane.
And there's possibly even been the surprise of the year already with a Snow Bunting popping its head up over a rock in a sea of snow in the PYRENEES.
For a full report of a spectacular January in the Cadi-Moixero Natural Park see "WINTER IN THE PYRENEES" here.
Another vagrant, so famous it even made the local news, was a long-staying White Pelican that shared its time between the church tower of Torres de Segre and the local Lleida dump after first turning up in the EMPORDA near Girona. The photo at the top of the page is from the 18th.
Nearby, in the STEPPES OF LLEIDA and LOS MONEGROS, winter's theme - flocking of course - was evident from the 4th, with monthly maximums of 47 Great Bustard, 52 Little Bustard (upped by a passing Red Kite), over 120 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse and, bucking the trend a little, only about 20 Black-bellied Sandgrouse. But all were seen, as usual, grounded, close and feeding so there were no complaints about the views.
Booted Eagle, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Little Owl, Southern Grey Shrike, Red-billed Chough, Rock Bunting and a host of larks were all present and correct with particular highlights being a huge flying carpet of Cattle Egret on the 4th and, on the 18th, a rock-top party of four Black Wheatear next to the car, a roaming flock of Fieldfare and a long string of hundreds upon hundreds of Brambling lining the bushes and trees along the Lleida-Zaragoza motorway.
The surprises though seemed to come all at once with overflying Eurasian Spoonbill, Common Crane and, my personal favourite, an unusual overwintering and probably very lonely Common Whitethroat all seen on the 4th.
But if you want winter flocks, it's on the EBRO DELTA where the fields and skies are really full of wings.
Cattle Egret, Little Egret and Black-headed Gull taking advantage of a little help with the digging.
Just part of a large flock of Black-tailed Godwit that periodically swooped up and swarmed through the air like bees, taking all the fringe birds, like these Ruff in the foreground, with them. Over twenty species of wader spend the winter on the Ebro Delta with even an increasing number of Wood Sandpiper and the odd Black-winged Stilt.
Other increasingly common birds that used to be counted as summer visitors only are Purple Heron, Squacco Heron and Whiskered Tern. Booted Eagle and Bluethroat however are strictly winter-only and provide that extra bit of seasonal excitement, with the latter being spread right across the delta and not too difficult to find still sporting its colourful coat.
One place in particular is the Riet Vell reserve where, on the 3rd, one joined our other treats of the day, Water Rail, Moustached Warbler and a small group of Penduline Tit.
Over a dozen Red-breasted Merganser gathered together in Alfacs Bay, accompanied by larger numbers of quick-diving Black-necked Grebe, and back in fields hundreds of Glossy Ibis filled their own particular niche, their unique bill-shape allowing them to take invertebrates that the Grey Heron and other birds couldn't reach.
Of course many of the same species can be seen around the wetlands of Barcelona's LLOBREGAT, with Night Heron, Eurasian Spoonbill and Water Pipit usually affording hide-side views and Common Waxbill bouncing along to provide a noisy bonus.
Twelve species of duck were also seen at close quarters, including Northern Pintail and more bonuses of Velvet Scoter and Eider Duck bobbing along in the River Llobregat. About face and you could even glimpse the now long-staying vagrant Slavonian (Horned) Grebe, which was better seen from the beach-side viewing tower.
Additional moments of note include, on the 2nd, the first sighting of a juvenile Goshawk that visited periodically, the many but always mentionable sightings of Bluethroat, confirmation of over-wintering Stone-curlew, with five present on an adjacent field on the 28th, and two short-stay Wood Sandpiper and quite unusual winter Temminck's Stint in pouring rain on the 31st.
Verification of the continued presence of the Wallcreeper in the GARRAF on the same day was also welcome as it butterflied over from an initial mid-distant sighting to land and creep on the crag in front of us before flying off (nervously for us, that Peregrine is somewhere about) across the sea-cliffs to disappear south.
Northern Gannet, Balaeric Shearwater, Eurasian Shag, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting variously provided while-you-wait entertainment with even the odd Audouin's Gull popping by every now and then and a quick trip inland for Rock Sparrow or Alpine Accentor, most notably on the 2nd, was always an option.
"A most enjoyable day of birding. Going out with a local guide is certainly the way to go."
Heather Bunner, USA
""Thank you so much for showing us so much. So many birds. Great memories of the snowfinch bluethroat, hoopoe, etc etc etc etc...... Another thank you for the footie match. What a treat!!!
How wonderfully relaxed it all was - not having to think about where we were going and just being able to enjoy the scenery and look for the birds was about perfect and then lunch was served."
Dilys and Eric Powell, U.K.
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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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