Ellen and I chose Spain as our major vacation destination this year. We planned to meet Elma and Graham Leisk from Scotland and Christine (Titou) and Jean Champion from near Paris for a week each in Extremadura, an oak-splotched plateau rich in raptors, and the Coto Donana, one of Europe’s premier wetlands. The four-five days before and after we spent on our own. Unabashedley our primary goal was seeing birds, lots and lots of them! Ellen was also wanted to photograph scenery and birds. We were also anxious to view the countryside of Spain and its natural and man-altered habitats, with insight provided in Natural Vegetation of Mediterranean Europe: an ecological history (A.T. Grove and O. Rackham. Yale. 2001) and Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates. (P. R. Dallman. Oxford. 1998.)
EBRO
EBRO DELTA (4/28). We started our journey to Spain from Yakima very early on the 27th in the early morning, first to Seattle, then to New York, thence through the night on to Barcelona. Our approach into Barcelona gave us nice views of the snow-covered Pyrenee Mountains shortly before landing. Passing by these mountains, we observed the dramatic rain shadow effect caused by this range. The north-facing slope in France was bathed in a sea of clouds, a region perhaps influenced by the “Icelandic Low.” South of the crest, the Pyrenees in Spain were virtually cloudless. Traveling by car the next day, we observed the marked effect of this rain shadow on the vegetation in the region. South is Mediterranean vegetation, to the north, that more typical of northern Europe.
An hour after landing we were on our way south to the delta of the Ebro River, with encouragement from the French representative at the Hertz Rental Car Agency. Numerous stops for tolls marked our two-hour drive south along the freeway, our only day with tolls. It seemed we were repeatedly coming to a halt at toll plazas to pay one to five Euros before resuming a breakneck speed, only to come to a halt at yet another plaza. Resorts or towns marked most of the landscape along the way, especially the area lying seaward of the freeway. Above this highway, rugged hills and mountains, mantled in Mediterranean scrub or pines, tempted us to visit. We kept on south, however. After a couple hours, we exited the freeway and entered more tranquil countryside at the Ebro Delta. This is a big delta, much of it given over to farming (rice is an especially big crop). There are areas of wetlands with reed beds; L’Encanyissada was the most extensive we met.
Leaving the freeway, we met our first old (we imagined medieval) Spanish towns where the very narrow streets are set in a labyrinthine pattern and sometimes not well marked. However, we learned that if we followed our nose, we’d usually come out of the maze in the right direction.
Cruising the dike-ringed fields and pools, we found a pretty good selection of birds, including Purple and Squacco Herons, Greater Flamingo, the exquisite Red-crested Pochard, and Zitting Cisticola, most distinctive because of its bounding flight while singing (“zit…zit…zit…”), a new species for us. Too, we saw three species of migrant waders here and nowhere else in Spain: Little Stint, Whimbrel, and Wood Sandpiper.
We struck misfortune while birding out on the spit en route to Punta de la Banya. Here, we got stuck in sand, though on a track obviously driven by plenty of other vehicles. Ellen and a passing Brit tried valiantly for an hour to raise our car and create a plank or driftwood path to extricate the vehicle, to no avail. By and by we called the number on the car’s windshield that provided Hertz roadside assistance. The Hertz agents outlined a comprehensive vehicle check that would be needed, which would be an added charge. The tow truck operator rather easily pulled us from the sand and, with my prompting, notated the work ticket with “Funciona Normal,” our proof no damage to the vehicle was done if the issue arose later. Whew!
Now rudely introduced to our vehicle’s main limitations (extremely low clearance, perhaps 3.5 inches), which was to be a concern throughout our trip, we went into Sant Carles de la Rapita to pressure wash off all the sand, have dinner, then went on to get some much needed sleep.
We decided to look for Tapas, Spain’s hors d’ourves. These are to be had at a bar with outside dining and good beer. Though some of the Spanish words we recognized, it worked well to point to something that others were eating. The only problem was that there were none with vegetables. We began worrying that we might not find vegetables for the next three weeks.
PYRENEES
SIERRA DE GUARO: PRE PYRENEES (4/29). We fled west from the coast on a very busy (the first day of the three-day May Day weekend) freeway towards the Pre-Pyrenees, the southern outliers of these mountains. Needing a break from driving, we pulled off the highway into some attractive “high” Maquis, likely looking habitat for birds. Here we found our first European Griffon Vultures as well as the only Ortolon Bunting of the whole trip. Subalpine Warbler posed very nicely here, too.
The Sierra de Guaro range is rugged and high in itself, a huge limestone block, and beckoned us on as we approached Huesca. Northeast a short distance from Huesca lies Loporzano, where we visited the Casa Boletas. This is a very old village with no new construction and a very modest exterior. It was clean and quiet and the inn had a beautifully renovated, “homey” looking interior. Here we hoped to get accommodation and perhaps engage Josele Saiz, the owner, as a guide for birding. His wife, Esther Diago was at home. Their “Casa Rurale” was booked with a tour, with Josele was off in Extremadura guiding birders. She phoned about helping us locate accommodation, but all nearby were booked. We were left to our own for accommodation. Finding the first hotel in the outskirts of Huesca, we booked a room for the night. In spite of a wedding party, noise turned out not to be a problem.
We read up on nearby sites and chose to explore the closest, really just a few minutes drive. This was a path leading to the chapel San Martin de Onsera in the Sierra de Guara. The habitat here is called Low Maquis or Garrigue, which reminded me of southern California’s chaparral zone, with scrubby oaks, thickets of Cistus (a number of aromatic shrub species in the family Cistaceae, characteristic of Spain), and lots of spring wildflowers. Here we had the first encounter with other aromatic plants of the Mint Family such as Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and Rosemary (Rosemarinus officianalis); both look much like what we plant in our gardens in North America. The aromas as we hiked through this landscape were, simply put, intoxicating!
Beautiful, rugged limestone cliffs loomed nearby. Though we did not reach the chapel, we really enjoyed the hike into the precipitous gulch. We encountered a number of hiking parties, including a couple from Pau in France, at the northern base of the Pyrenees. They spoke of “a different world but three hours away,” in reference to the wet, temperate woodland landscape (in reality typical of northern Europe) north of the Pyrenees contrasting starkly with the drier, rain shadow world south of that mountain crest. Their home in cloudy southern France was but three hours away by car. That sounded to me a lot like the contrast in climate from wet Seattle east across the Cascade Mountains to semi-arid Yakima in the Pacific Northwest of North America.
Interesting birds we encountered on this walk included Subalpine and Dartford Warblers, both species of the thick scrub, and Rock Thrush, a species of rocky sites. Overhead were lots of Griffon Vultures, and a variety of other raptors such as Black and Red Kites, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Eagle, and Common Buzzard. After our hike, we took a short drive to the north over a minor ridge to Santa Cilia, a known spot for Lammergeier. It took only a few minutes of scanning the mountaintops for us to be rewarded with distant views of our first two Lammergeiers! On the drive out of the mountains we had the first of many encounters with a “mystery bird”. It was very common with a loud, varied, semi-melodic song, but try as we might, we couldn’t see it.
SOMPORT TO VALLE DE HECHO (4/30). We departed early for a drive to the French border at Somport. We turned around at the unmanned border crossing at the pass and embarked on a day hike up above the ski resort, actually a fair-sized town, now mostly shut down due to the season. We ascended to the surrounding slopes to search for birds of the alpine. Highest on our list was Snowfinch; this would be our only possible locale for this species, which appears to be similar to North American rosy finches in its choice of habitat. These birds seemed to have departed for the highest snow-splotched crags. Though we spent four hours clambering about the rocky-edged snowbanks, none could be found. We did find Alpine Accentor, numerous Alpine and a few Red-billed Choughs, Rock Thrush, and the only Water Pipits and Citril Finch of our trip. Conifer patches held both Goldcrest and Firecrest, and loads of Serin, besides the ubiquitous Chaffinch, a species we would encounter in most treed habitats on our trip.
Despite the absence of Snowfinch, we thoroughly enjoyed our trek into the meadowland, boulder and scree here. We took time to admire the rugged limestone peaks of the high Pyrenees, too. As always, we seem to be most at home in mountain landscapes. The weather was beautiful, too, which didn’t hurt.
It was now late afternoon and we headed north into the Pyrenees, no longer naively thinking locating accommodation would be a breeze, though hopeful. We cruised through Jaca, crammed with traffic and into the Valle de Hecho. Every place was full, though all offered rooms starting Monday night. We made reservations for the next night at the nicest “hotel rural” we saw, went exploring in the valley, but were forced to retreat to the city for the night. Though Jaca was a zoo that morning, we decided to give it another try for accommodation. This proved easy, even though it was still the holiday weekend. We arrived late, but just in time for dinner, which begins at 9 pm (“Spanish time”). With advice from the receptionist for dinner, we took a short walk into the old town center and blundered into a small vegetarian restaurant. We didn’t know it at the time, but this delightful place was to be our VERY best dining experience in our three-week journey in Spain! Not that we’re vegetarian, but this dinner was truly sumptuous.
SAN JUAN DE LA PENA AND VALLE DE HECHO (5/01). We spent a full morning at the Monasterio de San Juan de la Pena near Jaca. We drove up to greet first light at the old monastery, set right in the cliffs. We were the only car here and thus had the place to ourselves. Neat! Not only an interesting cultural experience, but birds were abundant here, too, including the only Bullfinches we saw in Spain, attracted to the buds of a deciduous tree (beech?). We drove uphill a short distance and arrived at dawn up on this broad plateau, mantled in a forest of pines. We spent the first couple hours birding the fields and pinewoods around the upper, newer monastery, noting Great Spotted Woodpecker, Red Crossbill, and Nuthatch. In the brushy patches in the field, we noted a non-singing warbler that we ascribed to be a migrant Chiffchaff.
Later in the morning, we chose to stretch our legs and hiked up a gravel track to an escarpment. The view from here was marvelous. Much of the snow-splotched Pyrenee Mountain crest was spread out before us. Below and in the distance were forests of oak, pine, and beech. Birdwise, the there were Griffon Vultures sailing below and at eye level, most impressive. The tall brushy habitat by the track was loaded with Firecrest, the only place on our trip where this was so. I wondered if some or many of these birds were migrants. We were also quickly getting refamiliarized with calls and songs of Chafffinch, which was to prove ubiquitous throughout our trip. Smart Subalpine Warblers were also easy to find in this landscape. We found lots of Crested Tits, handsome creatures, indeed, in the pines.
On our way down, we met scores of Spanish weekenders swarming around the upper and hundreds at the lower monastery. Cars were parked along a whole kilometer of the narrow road. It was obvious this was a destination!
Later in the afternoon we drove up into the Valle de Hecho. As it was the last day of the three-day weekend, people were everywhere, though there was a general feeling of exodus as folks headed back home. Just above Hecho is a constriction in the valley, the Boca de Infierno (Mouth of Hell), an incredible gorge incised (by rushing water and chemically) through the resistant limestone. We searched the cliffs here for the elusive Wallcreeper without any luck. No matter, just watching turquoise waters roar through the gorge was a thrill.
En route to the end of the road, we spied on a gorgeous White-throated Dipper bringing food to its nest in an overhang of a boulder by the rushing stream. From the end of the road, we struck out on foot up the wide track, meeting many parties of hikers heading down. (500’). Our most notable sighting through these lush alpine pastures was our only party (for the trip list!) of Yellowhammers, a “north European” species that extends south to the Pyrenees. More exciting were six species of raptors, including three Lammergeiers, many Griffon Vultures, Black Kite, both Golden and Short-toed Eagles, and Kestrel. We noted a colony of Marmots in the meadows, perhaps a draw for all these raptors. Though the mark of humankind is clear in this valley, as I suspect to be the case throughout much of Europe, Ellen and I really really enjoyed our time here. The weather was great, the views of the limestone cliffs and mountaintops grand, and the abundance of raptors really exciting. One curious aspect of the vegetation in this valley, seemingly above treeline, was the presence of scattered trunks of huge old beech trees, indicating forest cover here was greater in the past.
During the early evening, we ventured uphill to the Refugio de Garbardito. Though it was still crowded with families of Spaniards strolling down the track, we pressed on up to the first major cliff, where we hoped to spot Wallcreeper. At the cliff, we peered intently at its innumerable crevices for some time, noting only Red-billed Choughs, Crag Martins, and, our (seemingly) constant companions, the lordly Griffon Vultures.
That night we stayed at the Hotel Uson, a very nice small hotel in a beautiful setting in the Valle de Hecho above the town of Hecho. This was full of Spanish families on their holidays. It was fun to see young and old alike enjoying a holiday in a natural setting. I’ve since noted it is a place birding groups go, as it is centrally located to fine birding and hiking.
The town of Hecho, like almost all we saw in the Pyrenees, was in an obvious state of decline. All the guidebooks, too, talk of “depopulation” in the Pyrenees and the Spanish countryside generally, as young people flee to the cities.
VALLE DE HECHO (5/02). We took a pre-breakfast birdwalk up the road towards the Refugio de Garbardito. Several Song Thrushes (another species noted only here on our trip), piles of Chaffinches, and yet more flutings from the “mystery” bird from the thickets were our main finds on this walk.
After breakfast we drove on up to the Refugio de Garbardito for another crack at Wallcreeper; today we had more information (gathered from some English birders we met) that suggested we needed to hike farther on, past the first view of the cliff. In the empty carpark, we had distant scope views of a Black Woodpecker perched atop a snag in the dense woodland on the far slope. Along the trail, in a clearing, I heard a song, somewhat like a Wren, coming from a thicket in the meadow. Thinking no Wren would occupy this sort of habitat, we set to work on seeing this beast. It turned out to be our only Dunnock for our Spain list, another “north European” bird that extends south to the Pyrenees.
Once at the cliffs (“below the dead pines”), Ellen quickly spotted a Wallcreeper only a short ways up the rockwall. After a bit we saw it flutter its way south to an overhang, carrying either nesting material or food. Through the scope, we peered at this spot for 30 minutes and saw both Wallcreepers of the pair enter and leave this hidden crevice a number of times. The male sang its peculiar, penetrating whistle a few times, too. Also zooming about the cliffs here were Alpine Swifts, Red-billed Choughs, and, of course, Griffons. On our way down, we took time to admire the Valle de Hecho from a switchback with an expansive view on the road up to Boca de Infierno. Most notable was its perfect U-shape, a textbook example of glacial erosion. This was one pretty valley!
Reluctantly, we departed the Valle de Hecho and headed south out towards Zaragoza and the Belchite Plains, where we would seek species of the steppe. We stepped out of the car at mid-day in this landscape near Fuentes de Ebro, at a Roden, a village with inviting ruins. In the heat of the afternoon, larks seemed to be the only birds about. We focused on a “crested” bird. With the aid of recordings, we played the song of both Crested and Thekla Larks. I felt our bird sang the more musical and inflective notes as in Thekla, so we felt confident our subject was indeed a Thekla Lark, one of several new species of this clan we would find.
Before dusk, we checked out the whereabouts of both the La Lomanza and El Planeron Reserves on the Belchite Plains so we wouldn’t lose any time finding these sites in the pre-dawn. The La Lomanza Reserve looked, to my eye, much the better of the two, showing a larger area of native steppe vegetation. Here the land was dry with microbiotic crust between clumps of native grasses and plants, some with flowers that grew in small mounds. One of these was thyme that gave off wonderful aromas when stepped on. El Planeron appeared much more fragmented by cereal crops. So, knowing we could only be at one site at dawn, the critical time for finding the mega-star bird here, the Dupont’s Lark, we hedged our bets on this site.
We found lodging at the “truckers” Hotel Elena in Quinto on the N-232 and dined, along with the truckers, having a very meaty meal, enlivened only by the now-standard bottle of “Tinto Vino.” We were definitely off the tourist route, allowing us to experience a bit of Spainsh life.
ZARAGOZA STEPPES
BELCHITE TO MONFRAGUE (5/03). We were at the La Lomanza Reserve carpark well before dawn, so put our seats down to get more sleep. As soon as I opened my window, we heard the melancholy song of Dupont’s Lark coming from the black sky, or was it? The bird’s song may well have been coming from the night air, but it just as easily could have been from the ground. Certainly, it was the most atypical song from a lark we had ever heard. As it became light, we set off hiking into the reserve. Larks were singing everywhere, from the sky, from the tops of shrubs, and from hidden in the steppe. Indeed, I could hear nothing but larks, a unique experience for me. I dubbed this the “Kingdom of the Larks.” But, which ones? We knew we were hearing the Dupont’s Lark. As for many birders, obtaining a view of this beast proved impossible for us. At one point, we seemed to be astride the territories of two singing males and we were squarely between them as they sang. Though we focused intently on the steppe, we could see no hint of a bird. These birds, for us, lived up to their reputation as being a difficult species to observe. The Calandra Lark, however, proved quite easy. This is a BIG lark, obvious in flight by its white-edged secondaries and by its really dry, rattling call and a song with enough of its distinctive call note jumbled in to make it readily recognizable. We also had lots of Thekla Larks again. I cannot say for certain that we had Crested Lark. The other two species we identified here were Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, both by sight. I confess the calls and songs of these two proved difficult for me to separate, though I think I was getting on to the call of Short-toed, perhaps its song, too. I rather think getting to know all the larks in Spain would require another trip.
Our highlight here was bumping into a French birder. Though communication between us was a challenge, it certainly was a pleasure hearing some of his birding stories and then meeting his wife and very young children out in strollers on the windy steppes of Spain. I rather doubt that scene of a family out on a rough track in the early morning, miles from TV, would ever occur in North America!
Larks and more larks: that was the storyline here. I have never been in a terrestrial landscape so dominated by one group of birds. We were to encounter this elsewhere on our journey in Spain, most notably at Cabo de Gata at the end of our trip and to a lesser extent in Extremadura and Donana.
By midday, we began the long drive to Parc Natural de Monfrague in Extremadura, heading straight to, then around Madrid. Traffic proved very slow on account of four accidents ahead of us that created monstrous backups. We found it easy to believe why Spain has Europe’s second highest (after Greece) accident rate: aggressive speed and driving. Oh, plus we made a wrong exit on one of the four ring roads. By and by, we escaped the hectic traffic and were on our way southwest to open countryside and Extremadura.
Extremadura is apparently a harsh landscape, cold and windy in winter, with a spring that brings a pretty wildflower display, and agreeable temperatures, and hot and dry in summer. We could only attest to the summer heat. It is a mosaic of oak savanna (called dehesa here, most of which looks like it has been managed over the centuries), alternating with areas of steppe (“plains”), dissected in a number of areas by gorges, many with reservoirs. Always at the horizon are rugged sierras that lend yet more variety to the scene. Small towns lie here and there, seemingly in a state of depopulation, along with a couple larger cities (Caceres and Trujillo). Overall, the countryside reminded me a lot of southern and central California.
Our hotel for the next week was Hospederia de Monfrague two kilometers north of Torrejon el Rubio. Occupancy here was very low, indeed, some days we seemed to be the only ones there. Here we met Jean and Titou Champion from near Paris, and Elma and Graham Leisk from Stirling, Scotland, whom with we’d spent time with on prior trips to Europe. We didn’t spend much time birding the hotel grounds, but in passing noted an abundance of Azure-winged Magpies. These are small magpies but seem to have the same aggressive behavior as their larger cousins. Twice we watched an Azure-winged capture a sparrow and consume it. At night we heard Scops and Long-eared Owl here, too.
PARC NATURAL DE MONFRAGUE
MONFRAGUE (5/04). Light rain greeted us this morning, the only stormy day of our entire trip. Fortunately, this lasted only an hour or so. We had a big surprise at breakfast when Dick Forsman (author of Raptors of Europe: a guide to field identification ) and his wife, Inke greeted us in the restaurant. By coincidence, Dick was one of the leaders on the trip to Finland on which we originally met Elma and Graham, prompting the usual “it’s a small world!”). He gave us very good information on the location of both Spanish Imperial Eagle and Eagle Owl. Following his advice we headed to the Mirador de la Higuerilla first thing. The obligatory first stop was at the overlook of Pena Falcon, one of the premier raptor viewing sites in all of Europe. Birders and scopes lined the road; we had plenty of company here, as at the next viewpoint. Lots of Griffon and a few Black Vultures were loafing about this high cliff, along with a few Egyptian Vultures and Black Kites. We had our first studies of Black Stork here, too. A nest of Rock Bunting just a meter or two from the road gave Ellen great photo opportunity.
Moving on to the Mirador de la Higuerila, it took us only moments to find the Spanish Imperial Eagle at its nest. We could see one downy chick in the nest in an oak tree off to one side of the cliff. We were rewarded with splendid views of the adults, a smallish “Golden” Eagle, though with a slighter build (as in Eastern Imperial Eagle), shorter tail, and, of course, distinctive plumage pattern. Most distinctive to me was its gull-like call, very different from a Golden Eagle, though both are Aquilas. On the cliff were Eagle Owl chicks. Here, too, were stunning views of a Black Stork nest across the river (actually a reservoir). It was here that our “mystery” song which we heard everywhere in the Pyrenees was confirmed as none other than Nightingale! Along with Corn Bunting, these proved to be among Spain’s most conspicuous songs we heard in our travels.
Though hot later in the day, we trudged up the 137 steps to the Sanctuario y Castillo de Monfrague. The expansive view here, muted by heat waves, was a great vantage for raptors, swifts, and swallows. Elma and Ellen spotted White-rumped Swift from the tower. Graham and Andy, only a short distance below, missed these here.
TRUJILLO AND BELEN PLAINS (5/05). Our first site after breakfast was the bridge over the Arroyo de la Vid. Here, old nests of Red-rumped Swallow were providing homes for at least one pair of White-rumped Swifts, according to Dick. By and by, several White-rumps did zoom by, and we had reasonable views of this newcomer to the region.
Elma, Graham, Ellen and I headed to Trujillo, first stopping at a supermarket for lunch fixings. We then made our way to the Trujillo Bullring, which was great for Lesser Kestrels; we noted at least 15 here. The nearby fishponds had lots of Common Swifts, along with a few Pallids, surprisingly, the only of this species we CLEARLY saw on our trip.
Then we headed out to the Belen Plains. Larks, Calandra, Thekla, and Crested, were abundant, as were raptors such as Griffon Vultures and Common Buzzards. Graceful White Storks foraged out in these grasslands, commuting to their conspicuous rooftop nests in the nearby towns. We blundered in bustards in one of these fields with loads of storks. Here we heard the “raspberry” (farting) call of Little Bustard. After a careful search of the tall grassland, we spied on this striking beast’s head. Off in another quadrant of the field we had distant scope views of Great Bustards, though heat haze was a problem.
Making our way back to the hotel, we stopped on the bridge over the Alomonte River. An Italian birder kept up an animated jabber in broken English, Italian, and Latin the whole time we were there. Elma still managed to hear a migrant Sedge Warbler singing from a tiny patch of Phragmites. Little Ringed Plover flew round and round in display flight; Common Sandpipers bobbed by the creek, and a small party of European Bee-eaters perched nicely on wires. A dozen Pond Terrapins basking on rocks by the green, still waters, pleased us too.
By now it was clear both Graham and I were suffering allergies. Evidently, the steppes were in their prime pollinating window as both of us were plagued by hay fever. The main effect on me was to wear me down.
TRUJILLO PLAINS (5/06). Ellen and I departed in the dark the next morning, omitting breakfast (which, because “Spanish time” did not begin until 8 am) to look for sandgrouse, this being the best time time of day to spot these elusive birds. We positioned ourselves near a vigorous swath of steppe (from a junction 6 km north of Trujillo on the EX-208, then west 18 km). At the first hint of dawn, Montagu’s Harriers began chattering, then Little Bustards began farting.” Surveying the grasslands, we picked out several bustards displaying in plain view, really nice! How we wished Jean and Titou were here for their photos! Soon, as it became lighter, the bustards disappeared into the tall grass, though still farting. Now, the harriers appeared, at least seven in this one spot. We even saw a few performing their display flights, quite acrobatic. A bit later, we had a glimpse of two Black-bellied Sandgrouse rocket, pigeon-like, across our view. Some time later, we witnessed a far-off flight of 20-30 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, readily identifiable in flight. However, these birds were definitely “BVD’s” (Better View Desired).
In the farm country around Monroy, we enjoyed viewing and photographing a pine grove dotted with White Stork nests. The brushy field edges nearby was great for Sardinian Warbler, a new species for Ellen and I. We kept an eye out, unsuccessfully, for White-tailed Kite.
TRUJILLO AND CACERES PLAINS. (5/07). We departed well before dawn, with Jean and Titou, to again look for sandgrouse. Dawn in the steppe northwest of Trujillo was fantastic once again for displaying Montagu’s Harriers. However, Little Bustards failed to show, as before; perhaps they were nearing the end of their courtship.
The unkempt farms nearby were good for Great Spotted Cuckoo. This is one handsome cuckoo!
TO WESTERN GREDOS (5/08). Hay fever was wearing me out; this was excuse enough to suggest a day in the mountains. Peering at the map, I noticed that north of Jarandilla in the western Sierra de Gredos, there appeared an intriguing destination “Refugio de Na Sa de las Nieves” high (1,700 metres) on the flanks of Covacha (2,399 mertres). Ellen, as usual, navigated us to this area with precision. Leaving the Monfrague area, we drove first through Oak dehesa. Here we got our first close-up views of Cork Oaks in various stages of bark regeneration. En route, on the Westside road, we stopped at an impressive stand of Pyrenean Oak and had pretty fair views of Western Bonelli’s Warbler. Higher, just west of the village of Guijo de Santa Barbara, on a lark, we chose to follow the cobble path over the rushing, boulder-lined mountain stream (Grey Wagtail) up past tiny stone terraced farm plots, over another bridge across a creek in a beautiful gorge. Shortly, we met a stand of moist woodland on a north slope. Here were “North European” birds such as Robin, Blackbird, and Blackcap, and a drumming woodpecker, probably a Great Spotted. A few hundred metres farther up the track, we rounded the slope to drier east and south-facing aspects into another stand of mature Pyrenean Oak. Here we had memorable views of Western Bonelli’s Warbler, including “all field marks” for Ellen. Short-toed Treecreeper also afforded us great views here, too. An old gentleman at a tiny farm at the “end of the track” didn’t seem to mind us poking around his woods but did want a picture. As we were quite certain he didn’t have a computer to send him a jpg, though he might have been chattering on about a cousin whom might have had this ability, we left him without understanding his jabberings.
On our return in early evening, we found the only Black-winged Kite of our journey, a beautiful bird we saw hover over wet grassy fields, then disappear from view.
SIERRA DE LOS VILLAUERCAS (5/09). I really welcomed relief from my allergies in the Gredos, so we sought another mountain venue. I searched the site guide (Where to Watch birds in Southern and Western Spain. E. Garcia and A. Paterson. Helm. 1994) and chose the Sierra de los Villuercas west of Guadalupe.
This range is a series of craggy ridges, very rugged and precipitous, alternating with narrow valleys. The slopes were mantled in a cover of various oaks and cistus on steep slopes, or, on more gentle terrain, olive and almond groves. Our route took us up past Cabanas del Castillo where we viewed the castle ruins, then up past the small mountain villages of Roturas and Navezuelas. This last village impressed us, as it was very attractively “done-up” with flowers growing from pots on balconies and even tiny cracks in the sidewalk. Wending our way uphill, we made frequent stops to a pass, Collado del Mazo (990 metres) and down to Guadalupe. From here we ascended by car along the narrow road towards Villuercas, and parked. We walked the final 400 metres to the summit of the highest peak in the range at 1,600 metres.
Interesting birds we saw in the lower elevation brush and cliff habitats included a nice selection of raptors (Egyptian, Griffon, and Black Vultures, and Short-toed, Golden, Booted and Bonelli’s Eagles), Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater and Hoopoe, and lots of warblers such as Melodious (new for us), Subalpine, and Sardinian. On EX-102 south of Guadalupe, we were lucky to find a Peregrine site and watched in awe as one of the pair (probably a male as it seemed so small) dive bombed a Griffon Vulture that invaded the falcon’s territory. It was quite a sight to watch the huge vulture fend off this irritant. As the falcon stooped, the vulture banked in slow motion to threaten with its outstretched feet, with no more vigor than a horse in a pasture brushing aside pesky flies.
Our hike up to the summit took us up above woodland, past mountainsides enlivened with red and white heather, then precipitous, rocky terrain to the summit, we noted Black Redstart, Stonechat, Dartford Warbler, Red-billed Chough, and Rock Bunting. The view from the top extended north to the snowy high Gredos crisply outlined in the clear skies, thence south and west into the hazy steppe country we were escaping. It was warm and calm up there, a beautiful spot, indeed. The report at dinner that night was that it was indeed hot, a stifling 350 C down on the plains.
COTO DONANA
DONANA (5/10 through 5/17). Leaving Monfrague early we made a last search for good views of sandgrouse and bustards in the plains near Trujillo, though with no better success than on prior days. Then, it was time to head south to Donana.
Midway to break up the trip, stopped at Parc Natural de Cornalvo, a pretty landscape of dehesa, grasslands, and riparian woodland. It was very hot here, so we didn’t stay long. The marshy area in the reserve was full of Cattle and Little Egrets, and our first Spoonbill of the trip. While trying to roust a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, reputed to occur here, the neighborhood Scops Owl began calling at midday! We didn’t have any such luck with the woodpecker.
Arriving in El Rocio in the Coto Donana, our first surprise was the unpaved streets. This place is dubbed “Spain’s Wild West.” The streets are all sandy, surprisingly soft in places, especially in our low-slung rental. Part of the ambience is horses right in town. Our restaurant even had an outside bar set at the exact height to sip one’s drink without dismounting. The town was centered around Flamenco and the annual pilgrimage this village hosts that draws people from all over Spain. Lonely Planet Spain tells us:
The Romeria del Rocio (Pilgrimage to El Rocio) is a vast cult festivity that pulls people from all over Spain. It all revolves around the tiny image of Nuestra Senora del Rocio or La Blanca Paloma (White Dove), which was found, so the story goes, back in the 13th century, in a tree in the Donana marshes by a hunter from Almonte. Carrying it home, the hunter stopped for a rest and the statue miraculously made its way back to the tree. Before long, a chapel was built by where the tree stood (now El Rocio) and pilgrims were making for it. By the 17th century, hermandades (brothwerhoods) from nearby towns had begun the tradition of making an annual pilgrimage to El Rocio at Pentecost…
Solemn is the last word you’d apply to this quintessentially Andalucian event. The ‘pilgrims’ dress in bright Andalucian costumes and sing, dance, drink and romance their way to El Rocio. The total number of people in the village on this special weekend can reach a million or more.
The weekend comes to an ecstatic climax in the early hours of the Monday. Members of the hermandad of Almonte, which claims the Virgin for its own, barge into the church and bear her out on a float. Violent struggles ensue as others battle with the Almonte lads for the honour of carrying La Blanca Paloma. The crush and chaos is immense but somehow survives and the Virgin is carried round to each of the brotherhood buildings, finally returned to the Ermita in the afternoon.
When we found the Hotel Toruna, we discovered we had been given the “best room in the house” (#221). Our corner room boasted two balconies with views looking out to both the south and east to the “El Madre de las Marismas.” We thoroughly enjoyed scoping lots of great birds in this superb wetland from our hotel window, including many Greater Flamingos, swarms of Spoonbills, Grey Herons, Little Egrets, a colony of Whiskered Terns, Red crested Pochard, Pochard, Gadwalls, noisy Black-winged Stilts, Black Kite, Great Reed, and Cetti’s Warblers, and House Martins. Sharing the marshes was a herd of feral horses, reminding Ellen of a scene at Chincoteague (Virginia, USA).
For the next week we explored the area. Since we came in three cars, we often went out in different directions for the day, with Titou and Jean focusing on photography. The weather theme for the week was hot, unseasonably so, we were told. Often, we sought shady birding spots or returned to the hotel for a Spanish style siesta. We met back for dinner each night at the restaurant. On the way in, we always seemed to walk by locals watching bullfights on TV. This was the closest we felt we needed to come to this Spanish entertainment. Dinners were usually a choice of two entrees, but on Andy’s birthday we figured out how to order paella. I’m not sure exactly what all the ingredients were, but it was very good.
One morning we all took a tour of Donana by 4-wheel drive bus (with balloon tires; these would have been useful for us in the Ebro!). On this trip we could get to areas of the park that are otherwise restricted. This tour gave us a very good overview of the Donana landscape and transect across the marismas habitats. I first read of and saw this cross section illustrated in John Gooders’ classic site guide of Europe (J. Gooders. 1978. Where to Watch Birds in Britain and Europe. Taplinger).
The bus driver turned out to also be an excellent naturalist and bird guide. We began at the main park visitor center in Acebuche and drove the perimeter of very touristy Matalascanas to the beach. As it was low tide, those Spaniards “lucky” enough to get one of the permits, were out in the ocean, almost waist deep, using a device that looked like hard work to gather cockles. We “followed” Gooders’ transect by first visiting the beach with its medieval stone towers “(to guard the shore against Barbary pirates”). Here we saw Peregrines, as Gooders advertises. He mentions only Kentish Plover on the beach, but, as this was still migration, we saw also Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Red Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, and Turnstone (Ruddy). We also encountered several flocks of roosting Auduoin’s and Yellow-legged Gulls, and terns (Common, Little, Whiskered and Black).
Landward from the beach we met a series of impressive, high dunes. The first were strictly sand, mobile and spreading inland. Farther inland, others were partially stabilized with stone pine and the odd juniper. Some of these showed dramatic evidence of advancement of the dunes. There were few birds on our stop in this habitat: a few Black Kites sailing on updrafts and Thekla Larks larking overhead.
Inland from the shifting dunes, we traversed a “parkland” of stunted cork oaks, gorse thickets, and a growth of tree heath. Unfortunately, we did not stop in this zone, but it is reputed to have a high diversity of interesting birds, including Spanish Imperial and Short-toed Eagles, Stone Curlew, Sardinian and Dartford Warblers, Cuckoo, Golden Oriole, and Woodchat Shrike. We did sample this habitat on the nature trails at Acebuche, though. On our tour in this habitat, we stopped at thatched huts, typical habitation for Donana residents of yesteryear. We searched for birds at our stop here as a few metres down in elevation brought us to a lagoon. Here we spied a Curlew.
Back in the bus, we carried on, making a slight dip in elevation. The woodland abruptly met a narrow band of grasslands bordering the seasonally wet marismas. There were lots of wild Boar with their young at the edge of the marismas. We did make a stop here to view the ecotone between these communities. Before a cloud of mosquitoes sent all of us scurrying back to the bus, we studied the sea of cracked mud, here and there with a growth of glasswort (Salicornia) stretching off into the haze. As it was an unusually dry year, we were able to drive across the Marismas, much earlier in the season than normal.
We could see a lagoon far (seemingly) off in the heat waves, sprinkled with water birds such as Greater Flamingo. These lagoons stretch in a chain across the Coto Donana. The Madre de las Marismas, of which we had a grandstand view of from our balcony in El Rocio, are one of these bird-filled lagoons.
We made several visits to Acebuche, the main visitor center for Parque National Donana. There, we walked the network of trails. All had hides (bird blinds to Americans) to unobtrusively view the birds in the marshes and lagoons. On account of the dry year, not all held water. In these wetlands, the common birds included Little Grebe, Little Egret, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Coot, Moorhen, Little Ringed Plover, and Whiskered Tern. Back from the lagoons we found a narrow fringe of riparian woodland (Nightingale and Golden Oriole), then an open pine forest, finally a zone of scrub composed of smallish oaks, various Cistus, and junipers. Dartford Warbler was common in this shrubby habitat. The car park was excellent for close views of Azure-winged Magpie, here, behaving like a good jay anywhere, begging for scraps!
After several days canvassing the various habitats in the park, though encountering lots of birds, we noticed several species missing from our list: Water Rail and Little Bittern, so we began to focus on these two. Despite our best efforts, we never did get on to these two, though we did hear Little Bittern. We did finally have excellent views of our “Mystery Bird,” the Nightingale, from a hide. Other common songbirds; Great Reed and Savi’s Warblers posed nicely. Cetti’s Warbler sang its staccato song, but remained mostly hidden. A Dartford Warbler put on a display for the camera. We were beginning to find this was a widespread and common species in Spain.
Closer to the hotel, the La Rociana marshes and “Palace” of Acebron was another area we visited several times. The palace grounds boasted a pleasing variety of trails through a mosaic of habitats: a sandy track through pine woods, a boardwalk through wet, broadleaved riparian woodland, and overlooks by a small, reed-edged lake. Memorable birds here included “scads” of Short-toed Treecreepers and Crested Tits in the pine woods, Melodious Warblers at the edge of the riparian gallery vegetation, and a Tawny Owl called maniacally from the oaks.
After dark we drove this road finding Red-necked Nightjar on the road, with its red eyeshine reflecting the headlights.
Although a long drive of about 70 kilometres, Titou and Jean recommended the JAV Visitor Centre situated in the middle of Donana as a very worthwhile trip. As it was purported to be rough, and not trusting our rental car, we all went as a caravan. Along the dike road we missed a view of Little Bittern, seen by Graham and Elma, we did manage to hear one grunt. From the extensive reed beds along the canal banks, Great Reed Warblers were singing up their “reeling, ratchety racket, a really raucous (my construction here) beast!
Out in the salt scrub, men were out for the morning gathering snails from weedy growth in the fields. I inquired with one gentleman the effort required to harvest a full small pail, “mas o menos tres horas (more or less three hours).” I don’t think we ever sampled these, but meticulous effort by these folks indicated snails must be very good eating, indeed.
Spectacled Warbler was a species that was proving to be “difficult.” We spent a good amount of time searching the Salicornia and scrub habitat on the salt flats for this bird with no success. Other birders we encountered smiled as though they knew this might be hard. They all had a suggestion of somewhere else (like Spain’s southeast) to find it more easily.
By the time we got to the JAV Centre, it was blazing hot. Here there are shallow saline ponds which were peppered with birds. The marshes and reeds had lots of ducks and wading birds, including the prize – White headed Duck; a stifftail similar to North America’s Ruddy Duck. There was a heronry with trees full of Spoonbill and Glossy Ibis. One salt pan had hundreds of waders including many of the “far north“ guild: Ringed Plovers, Curlew Sandpipers, and Dunlin, besides the raucous local breeders such as Avocet and Black-winged Stilt.
By mid-afternoon, we sought refuge from the blazing heat in our air-conditioned car and headed to Dehesa de Abajo. At the lake there, which we visited again on another day, we found both of the rare specialties reported there: Marbled Duck and Red-knobbed Coot. These coots are very rare in Spain, were sporting wide, numbered collars, apparently to help reduce accidental shooting by locals, as coots are hunted in this part of the world. Acting on a tip from another birder, we made a long detour home and found a Rufous Bush Robin, though he showed himself only briefly.
On 15 May, we went west past Huelva with Elma and Graham to the Marismas de Odiel, a featured birding site. The area has Salicornia flats and salt works, lots of late migrant waders (those species going the farthest north such as Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, and Turnstone), and lots of gulls (Auduoin’s, Yellow-legged, and Lesser Black-backed) and terns (Gull-billed and Little). Here we found Peregrine Falcon, our own “wild” Spanish Imperial Eagle, and Marsh Harrier. From the end of the jetty, we did a little seawatching, noting nothing save a few gulls.
On the return trip we stopped to see the replicas of Columbus’ ships near Huelva. From these tiny ships, he embarked on his first voyage of discovery more than 500 years ago. On our return, we sought Spectacled Warbler in the scrub atop the coastal cliffs adjacent to the Parador Matalascanas. We saw only Sardinian Warbler in the scrub. Offshore, Ellen alerted me to a very dark, barrel-chested seabird heading north. A scope view revealed a Great Skua!
We poked about a wetland nearby, tucked away adjacent to plastic greenhouses with row after row of ripe strawberries. We had our first Purple Swamphens here, a gaudy creature, indeed. More interesting to me were hundreds of young women walking, in twos and threes, along the highway. As it was Friday afternoon, I wondered if they were headed to Mazagon for a fiesta, or, were these ladies of the night? My questions were answered by a birder we bumped into who related these women, all drop-dead gorgeous (to a guy), worked the vast croplands in southern Spain. At this time, they were picking strawberries. He said most were from eastern European countries such as Bulgaria, Roumania, Ukraine, and Poland.
TARIFA, RONDA AND THE GRAZELEMAS
TARIFA AND RONDA (5/17). We left El Rocio about 5 am, rudely awakening the El hotel’s night watchman. We timed our departure to miss most of Seville’s morning rush hour. South from that city, we started noticing wind. By Tarifa, at Spain’s southern tip, there was a howling gale out of the east, according to the travel guides, the norm here. Giant wind farms dotted the hillsides and ridges, new projects described as “grotesque” in one birding guide. We tried to walk north along the beach to a flock of roosting gulls and (maybe) terns, which proved impossible due to the wind, so we retreated to a sheltered alcove with a view of the ocean. The notable bird here was Cory’s Shearwater; here a loose flock showed off their superb flying abilities, hugging the inshore. I took this as a hint the fierce offshore winds were creating a feeding opportunity in shallow water. Here, also we began noticing raptors, seeming to materialize out of the haze from Africa, then more and more appeared. Migrating Honey Buzzards! Moving a short distance inland, we encountered many more Honey Buzzards, perhaps 50 in all. I was surprised so many raptors were migrating after mid-May.
We detoured a bit to Gibraltar. Luckily the border traffic queue was short. A brief seawatch at Europa Point yielded but a few Yellow-legged Gulls. Scads of Common Swifts were slicing the sky around “The Rock.” In contrast to Tarifa, we could find no raptors. Surprisingly, the winds were nearly calm here. As in Tarifa, though, the sky was very hazy; any view of Africa, but 20 kilometers away, was impossible. This disappointed Ellen, as she wanted “to see Africa.” I began to wonder what weather phenomenon conspires to make this part of Spain so windy and what the haze was all about.
We soon tired of the hustle at Gibraltar and fled towards Ronda. Along the way, in beautiful, but very barren mountains, we encountered English birders who were enjoying three species of Wheatear: Northern, Black-eared, and Black. We sought the Tawny Pipits they found here without any luck. Ronda proved very busy, too. It was notable, too, that here we finally met Americans, our first for Spain. We slipped into full tourist mode here, staying and dining by the New Bridge. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner by the edge of the 100 metre deep chasm. Lesser Kestrel, Common and Alpine Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush, and Red-billed Chough were interesting “dinner” birds. After dinner, we walked to the edge of the floodlit chasm. The reason for the haze hanging about for the past several days became obvious looking at the beam cast by the light. The sky was full of dust. We heard it was dust from the Sahara Desert and this was a “Levant,” or east wind.
The following morning, poking around New Bridge, we added Grey Wagtail and a heard Common Pheasant (from the farmfields below).
RONDA TO GRAZELEMA (5/18). Arriving in Grazelema, a well-known “Pueblo Blanco,” we quickly found a hotel on the outskirts of town, unpacked and headed out to explore. Our first stop was at the high pass, the Puerto de las Palomas (1,357 metres). From here, we passed through a gate and climbed to the minor peak a 30-minute walk up the track. Griffon Vultures drifted in the thermals, while Dartford and Sardinian Warblers sang from the scrub. Nearing the summit, with Ellen out-of view taking photos, I chanced upon two cows on the slopes. Or, were they? Eyeing them more closely, one was a truly impressive bull. Having read of the dangers these beasts pose, I quietly retreated, but where was Ellen so I could warn her? I waited for her for several nervous minutes. After getting flower shots, she had ascended to the summit out-of-view and was heading straight for the bull! I hollered to alert her and she crept away, skirting widely this behemouth.
Heading north over the pass, we made a stop at a hairpin turn to study the dwarfish conifers that appeared, from a distance, like Norway Spruce. From the upright cones, however, we knew this was the relict Spanish Fir, famous in this region. Feeling the spiky, short needles, many characters of the tree were like spruce. The cone, however, betrayed this as a true fir (Abies). Apparently, the highest north-facing slopes of the Sierra here have an extensive grove of this rare tree.
Farther downhill, we took the trail towards Garganta Verde. Once out on the trail, the oppressive heat sapped our energy, so we retreated at the point the trail descends into the gorge. Even Ellen found it taxing to hike in this heat. Birds were quiet, anyways, though Melodious Warblers were singing, despite the heat (300 C). I think we roused a Sardinian Warbler or two plus Griffon Vultures soaring.
The bonus here was a Hobby lazily sailing over and showing its distinctive “dragonfly catching“ behavior. While circling in the thermals, we watched it briefly interrupt its graceful soaring with a spastic change of gear, apparently snatching a large insect. Through the scope we could see it flip its talons to its mouth, thus eating on the wing. It was our first occasion to observe this method of hunting by the Hobby.
In late afternoon we headed west of Grazelema a few kilometers to the Puerto de Boyar viewpoint, where I hoped to see raptors, especially Bonelli’s Eagle, a good study of which, still had eluded us. Griffon Vultures were everpresent, then Peregrines dashed by over the ridge, then a Booted Eagle. Then a mass of raptors appeared from the south, Honey Buzzards? No… these were Black Kites, 65 strong, along with two Black Storks, all drifting north. Now this was exciting! A few minutes later, a medium-sized, square-tailed dark eagle flapped into view and drifted north, which we took for a Bonelli’s Eagle, I suppose an immature. Still, we didn’t really “clinch” the identification.
While watching the raptors, a cool north wind abruptly began. The temperature quickly dropped and became more comfortable. I hoped it would clear the haze and an end to the heat.
We had dinner at a restaurant in Grazelema. At the outdoor tables set in the narrow street, Common Swifts strafed us and chattered through this “canyon habitat”, typical of an old European village.
I suppose we’re gluttons for punishment, but we headed out after dinner to try for Nightjar. We headed back up to Puerto de las Palomas, stopping occasionally to listen, but had no luck with Nightjar, but we did hear Scops Owl. Over the pass we did the same on the north side. Still no Nightjar, but at the carpark for the trail to Garganta Verde, we heard several Tawny Owls hooting and wailing maniacally from the gorge below.
GRAZELEMA (5/19). The morning dawned almost crystal clear, bringing into sharp focus the beautiful mountain scenery of the Grazelema. What a change from the prior couple days! Because we had been up until 1 am the prior evening, we didn’t make it out for a pre-breakfast birdwalk. Our first site was a 2-kilometre walk up the wide path beginning on the western outskirts of Grazelema up to the Puerto de Boyar. We met lots of walkers on this path; evidently it was on the walking tours usual routes. Wren was more common here than anywhere else we went in Spain, evidence this species wedded to wet climates knew this was in Spain’s wettest region. Robin, Nightingale, and Blackbird were common, too, as were Blackcaps and Melodious Warblers. Fly-over Greenfinches put us to test as to whether we had acquired some proficiency to discern vocalizations during our time in Spain. The dominant trees along the way were pines. We noted a few Spanish Firs and a close look at another tree revealed it to be a larch (Larix). I had not read of larch in southern Spain (or northern regions for that matter), so was pleasantly surprised to meet it here.
We carried on west by car on the “birding trail” to Benanamahoma, another “Pueblo Blanco.” We repeatedly observed a pair of Short-toed Eagles about this village. One disappeared into a large oak up above town, perhaps its nesting tree. Though midday, the weather was inviting to start another hike. Heading east out of the village, we met a gate and took the trail heading towards Puerto de Pinar. Initially, we climbed steeply through rough pasture before rounding a bend into oak woodland on the north slopes of the Sierra del Pinar. Here we heard Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff, and a thrush-like warble, singing persistently at mid-day. My pre-trip study of warbler vocalizations paid off handsomely when I remembered the song of Garden Warbler was described as “beautiful.” Well, this was certainly a beautiful song. So, on a lark, I played the song of Garden Warbler. Well, it was pretty obvious this was THE bird, as it came rocketing in to a branch not three metres above me! We then got a brief study; it was indeed a Garden Warbler, our first for Spain.
We took dinner in “plein air” in the plaza in Grazelema, very nice once again. I fancied taking up a lifestyle of dining outside in the evening, accompanied by wine, good food, and chattering swifts.
CABO DE GATA, ALHAMBRA, AND FINALE
CABO DE GATA (5/20). Spain’s southeast tip is Europe’s driest region and classed as semi-desert. We found it a stark and rugged landscape. Agaves and tall “bunchgrasses” seemed to make up the desert vegetation. Blighting the countryside over broad expanses are shabby plastic hothouses, major producers of Europe’s winter vegetables.
We first found accommodation in the main hotel in Cabo de Gata before setting off on the narrow and steep road to the lighthouse at the tip. Beyond this the road was blocked after several kilometers. From here we walked the “Vela Blanca” Trail, which hugs the steep coastal slopes winding north to the village of San Jose. We admired the colorful cliffs and studied the vegetation on the slopes, dotted with many Dwarf Fan Palms (Chamaerops humilis). Though we had first met this plant in Donana; there it was a minor component of the flora. Here it was abundant, perhaps the dominant “shrub.” We found tall bunchgrasses abundant, too. From our perch out on a headland, we watched Yellow-legged Gulls sail in the winds, coastal stratus whip through gaps in the skyline and carefully studied Kestrels argue with Jackdaws over air space by their nesting cliffs above the azure-coloured Mediterranean Sea. We even peered down on nude bathers; this looked like extreme behavior to me given the intensity of the sun here! Despite an hours worth of seawatching, we saw nothing besides a few gulls and one Shearwater, probably Cory’s.
Along the trail while studying Rock Buntings and Black Wheatears, both common here, a German couple happened along. We shared, through our scope, up close views of a Rock Bunting perched atop a cliff. Though not birders, they accurately described the many Black Wheatears we had been seeing and we shared with them the very pretty plate in the Collins Bird Guide ( Mullarney, K. et al. 1999. Collins). We had a nice talk about their travels in the area, too.
We also birded the Reserva de Salinas de Cabo de Gata, a large area of salt pans and lagoons. Flamingoes were a plenty, as were Gull-billed, Little, and Common Terns. We observed migrant waders, including five Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpiper, and Dunlin. A couple Ruddy Shelducks were new to our Spanish list.
5/21. CABO DE GATA. We made Trumpeter Finch our goal this morning and headed from Cabo de Gata north into the rugged foothills. Passing through Cuevas de los Medinas at 5:30 am, at first light, we glimpsed the end of an “all-nighter,” with young folk slow dancing among heaps of beer bottles. From there we took several walks up dry, narrow-walled “ramblas” (arroyos to North Americans, wadis in North Africa) along these washes were many colorful Oleanders ( Nerium oleander), a shrub familiar to me from my youth in southern California, Nevada, and Arizona, where it is a popular ornamental. These chasms were reputed to be habitat for Trumpeter Finch. As close as we came to this gaudy beast was unmistakable mimicry of Trumpeter Finch from Crested Larks. Our walk turned up larks and more larks, and yet more larks. At Cuevas de los Ubedas, on a hillside covered in prickly pear cactus clumps, we were treated with primo views of Rufous Bush Robin.
Our last stop along the coast was at Rambla de Morales and Lagoon, a marsh-fringed lagoon on the northern outskirts of Cabo de Gata. We walked the last bit to avoid having to get the car towed again. The highlight here was a dozen male White-headed Duck, a truly stunning creature. We had our last views of other beautiful marsh birds here, including Greater Flamingoes. Taking a last look at the sea, we spotted two immature Shag flying by, and then plopping into the sea. We made a last ditch effort to find Trumpeter Finches in the grasslands near the Almoderas visitor center and later at Desierto de Tabernas, but again had no luck. There was one last area of sand and scrub thickets that looked like what we were told should have Spectacled Warblers. After a lot more effort, encouragement and calls, one popped up on the top of the bushes, and gave us a brief but rewarding view.
Then it was off to Granada, arriving in late afternoon. We found accommodation and set off for an evening drive to the Sierra Nevadas, a compact mountain range that rises directly up from the city. Though a tiny mountain block compared to the Pyrenees, it boasts Spain’s highest peak. Ours was a quick visit to the end of the road above Sierra Nevada, a “village.” As in the Pyrenees, it was mostly shut down due to the season. We added Sparrowhawk, our final “trip list bird,” noting it dash across the road in front of us.
We observed that this range has a low treeline, in some places composed of a pine, but in others by a deciduous tree.
ALHAMBRA AND SIERRA DE CAMAROLA FINALE (5/22). We devoted this morning to touring the Alhambra, Spain’s lasting monument to its long era under Muslim rule. We found this a memorable visit, even as we endured a queue to get tickets and the crowds (I imagined I heard half of the world’s spoken languages).
There were even birds here! Since we arrived early in the morning, the scads of Common Swifts nesting in cracks in the buildings were swirling about the gardens. We found warblers, too in the lush gardens including Blackcap and Garden.
Heading west and south to Malaga for our flight home, we made our final “natural” stop in the Sierra de Camarola, just a short drive off the freeway. This site, “recommended” by Garcia and Paterson, is another of the many, many small mountain ranges that dot Spain. Once beyond the busy little town of Villanueva del Rosario, we made our way up to the little “ermita” on the hillside. From there, we enjoyed a beautiful walk for several hours up the gravel track into a rocky amphitheatre. The setting was beautiful, with crags and cliffs of white limestone forming the distant view; nearer were scattered oaks and pines set amongst pastures with wildflowers. From the woodland, we heard song from Cuckoos, Woodlarks, warblers (Subalpine, Sardinian, and Blackcap), Serin, and Cirl Buntings. In the rocky bowl, we admired Black Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush. Overhead, swirling about the crags, were Red-billed Choughs. Raptors? Not a one. Oh well, close study of a Bonelli’s Eagle will require another visit.
Getting back to the car for the short drive to Malaga, we took a final look around. Our final image of wild Spain was a stony pasture resounding with the pleasing tinkle from the many goats and sheep tended by a crusty, elderly sheepherder and his dogs. A great finale spot!
With over 210 species of birds for our trip list, we headed into Malaga for our flight out the next morning. We found this last drive in Spain to be our most harrowing, encountering heavy traffic and the most aggressive driving we found in our three weeks of touring the country. Despite this rude finale, we have very pleasant memories of wild Spain, its birdlife, and natural history.
*-life bird
+-new to our European list
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe +
Cory’s Shearwater
Great Cormorant
Shag
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Little Bittern
Night Heron
Squacco Heron
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Black Stork
White Stork
Spoombill
Glossy Ibis
Greater Flamingo
Greylag Goose
Shelduck
Gadwall
Marbled Duck*
Mallard
Pintail
Garganey
Shoveler
Red-crested Pochard
Pochard
White-headed Duck *
Black-shouldered Kite +
Black Kite
Red Kite
Lammergeier +
Egyptian Vulture *
Griffon Vulture *
Black Vulture *
Short-toed Eagle
Marsh Harrier
Montagu’s Harrier
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Honey Buzzard
Spanish Imperial Eagle *
Golden Eagle +
Booted Eagle *
Bonelli’s Eagle *
Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel
Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Red-legged Partridge
Quail
Common Pheasant
Moorhen
Purple Swamphen *
Coot
Crested Coot *
Little Bustard *
Great Bustard
Oystercatcher
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone Curlew
Collared Pratincole
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Grey Plover
Lapwing
Red Knot
Sanderling
Little Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Whimbrel
Curlew
Common Redshank
Greenshank
Bar-tailed Godwit
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Turnstone
Great Skua
Black-headed Gull
Slender-billed Gull
Lesser-Black-backed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Audouin’s Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Little Tern
Whiskered Tern
Black Tern
Bl.-bellied Sandgrouse *
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse *
Rock Pigeon
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Turtle Dove
Great Spotted Cuckoo *
Cuckoo
Tawny Owl
Eagle Owl
Long-eared Owl
Little Owl
Scops Owl
Red-necked Nightjar *
Common Swift
Pallid Swift
Alpine Swift
White-rumped Swift *
Common Kingfisher +
European Bee-eater
Roller
Hoopoe
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
Calandra Lark *
Short-toed Lark
Lesser Short-toed Lark *
Crested Lark
Thekla Lark *
Woodlark
Dupont’s Lark *
Sand Martin
Crag Martin
Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
House Martin
Water Pipit
Yellow Wagtail
White Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Dipper
Wren
Robin
Nightingale
Rufous Bush Robin *
Black Redstart
Whinchat
Stonechat
Wheatear
Black-eared Wheatear
Black Wheatear *
Blue Rock Thrush
Rock Thrush
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Zitting Cisticola *
Cetti’s Warbler
Savi’s Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
Melodius Warbler *
Olivaceous Warbler *
Dartford Warbler *
Spectacled Warbler *
Subalpine Warbler
Sardinian Warbler *
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Orphean Warbler *
Western Bonelli’s Warbler *
Chiffchaff
Iberian Chiffchaff *
Willow Warbler
Goldcrest
Firecrest
Spotted Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Crested Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Wallcreeper +
Golden Oriole
Southern Grey Shrike *
Woodchat Shrike
Jay
Azure-winged Magpie *
Magpie
Alpine Chough
Red-billed Chough
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Raven
Spotless Starling *
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Rock Sparrow
Chaffinch
Serin
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Citril Finch *
Linnet
Common Crossbill
Eurasian Bullfinch
Ortolan Bunting
Cirl Bunting
Rock Bunting
Yellowhammer
Corn Bunting