Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Iberian Wolf in N/W Spain
March 24th - 28th :- During these dates I was in the Zamora Province of Castilla y Leon searching for the rare & elusive Iberian Wolf. The short break was with the excellent company of Chris Drew, Sandra Strachan & Lorraine Barker staying at the wonderful CTR Veniata in the heart of the Sierra de Culebra. The trip was a personal bitter/sweet experience with us not managing to see an Iberian Wolf (but found plenty of signs), yet had some magical bird & mammal experiences, which nearly compensated for the missed 'Lobos'. Some of the highlights were a sub-adult Golden Eagle keeping 50+ Ravens at bay while it fed on a donkey carcass, Black Vultures amongst the Griffons, finding Iberian Chiffchaffs (for the first time there), 250+ Great Bustards, Hen Harriers displaying, Great Spotted Cuckoos getting it on, Montagu's Harrier down to 15m, fighting Red Deer, a Green Lizard and an Adder - superbly found by Sandra & Lorraine. The Sierra de Culebra is a great place to visit, be it for wolf or just to 'chill out', with great walks, great scenery, great wildlife and great accommodation.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
A Local Half Day
Sunday 22nd March :- Having just got back from Southern Morocco I was commissioned by Katy Phipps to take her and her husband Ralph for a half day's birdwatching as a birthday present for Ralph. We met at Pego Marsh where the 'now drained' paddy fields held lots of Audouin's Gulls, Little & Cattle Egrets. The only substantial water was along the eastern tracks so we drove around to the viewing platform and boardwalk, where we found a pair of Little Ringed Plovers along the track. Leaving the vehicle we immediately got good views of a Zitting Cisticola sat on a reed as well as a lovely male 'Spanish' Yellow Wagtail. We walked along the boardwalk flushing a Grey Heron then at the platform we enjoyed a purple patch of finding a couple of Purple Herons, Red Crested Pochard, Marsh Harriers, Moustached & Savi's Warblers. Hirundines and swifts were moving north on this lovely sunny day with a full compliment of Alpine & Pallid Swifts, Barn Swallows, Crag, Sand & House Martins. Next we continued along the track but it was fairly quite flushing a Green Sandpiper from the side of the road, plus Water & Meadow Pipits, Hoopoe, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Serin and Spotless Starlings. We then left this area and visited the river on the north of the reserve where we had a walk looking specifically for Kingfisher. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs snag from the shrubs and trees then the peep of a Kingfisher signalled our first blue gem as it flashed through. We stood by a reedy pool and waited listening to the acrocephalus warblers deep within the reeds. Another Kingfisher appeared followed by a second and we managed to get some good flight views but only briefly sat on reeds unfortunately. A surprise happened next as a male Little Bittern flew across the pool but sadly landed out of sight and couldn't be found. We wandered back to the car seeing a Common Buzzard plus Hoopoe, Stonechats, Blackbirds, White Wagtails and another Little Bittern - excellent. The final place we visited was to walk up the hill to the pumping station, which gives fantastic views out over the whole area. It was pleasant but didn't add too much bird-wise with only Sardinian Warbler, Black Redstart and Robin being added, although on the way down we did find a cracking male Sub-alpine Warbler, which was probably new in. It was now getting quite hot so we left the coast for the cooler mountains of the Val de Gallinera. Our target was the pair of Golden Eagles that frequent this terrain but without success, which was a little surprising due to the time of year. We stopped at several places en-route to the head of the valley seeing Red billed Chough, Kestrels, Chaffinches and Crested Larks. Ralph & Katy had very kindly invited me to a 'menu del dia' so we stopped at the Venta de Margarida and sat outside in the warm sunshine. During lunch we saw a few birds including a Sparrowhawk, a few Ravens and heard a Wryneck, but couldn't find it. After lunch we made our final visit of the day at the Barranco de Encantado where we stood at the bridge enjoying several Rock Sparrows, Grey & White Wagtails, Wren, Crag Martins, Sardinian Warblers, Cirl & Corn Buntings. So mid-afternoon we returned to Pego where I said my farewlls to the couple and continued home to Oliva.
Southern Morocco
In early March I was lucky enough to lead a group to Southern Morocco starting and finishing in Marrakesh. The holiday lasted 12 days from the mountains of the High Atlas to the plains of Boulmaine du Dades and then the dunes of Erfoud and Merzouga for 3 nights. Finally we travelled back west to the Atlantic town of Agadir (with nights en-route) for our last 2 nights. It was a fantastic trip and many thanks must go to Mohamed our excellent Berber who kept us entertained of his wonderful stories of the mountains where he lives. During our trip we managed to find 190 species of bird including some mouth-watering specialities such as Northern Bald Ibis, Black Stork, Marbled & Ferruginous Duck, Black Shouldered Kite, Golden, Bonelli's Eagles, Long legged Buzzard, Lanner Falcon, Barbary Partridge, Cream Coloured Courser, Audouin's Gull, Caspian Tern, Spotted, Crowned & Black bellied Sandgrouse, Laughing Dove, Pharoah Eagle Owl, Egyptian Nightjar, Little Swift, Levaillant's Woodpecker, Bar tailed, Desert, Hoopoe, Thick billed, Temminck's and Shore Larks, Plain Martin, Moroccan Wagtail, Common Bulbul, Western Olivaceous, African Desert, Spectacled Warblers, Iberian Chiffchaff, Moussier's Redstart, Black eared, White Crowned, Black, Desert, Red rumped & Mourning Wheatears, Fulvous Babbler, Black crowned Tchagra, Desert Sparrow, Yellow billed Chough, Trumpeter Finch and House Bunting. All of these plus some amazing scenery and other wildlife, please feel free to read the full trip report in due course.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Egypt - Red Sea Specialities
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This last week I have been guiding a few friends (Eric Alblas, Keith & Lynn Youngs) around the Egytian Red Sea coastline, a trip I have done several times now and always produced a surprise or two. The first half of the week is spent in the up-market coastal resort of El Gouna, with the last 3 nights at the excellent and tranquil Red Sea Diving Centre at Wadi Lahami about 120 Kms north of the Disputed Area, which borders Egypt and Sudan. This is very much a quality more than quantity holiday concentrating on the key species of Lappet faced Vulture, Goliath & Striated Herons, Greater Sandplover, Sooty & White eyed Gulls, Crested Tern, Crowned Sandgrouse, Nile Valley Sunbird and Pharoah Eagle Owl, all of which we managed to see. However we also found 2 potential Egyptian rarities with a cracking male Red tailed (Kurdish) Wheatear and a 1st winter Grey Hypocolius (pictured here) plus Egyptian Nightjar, Lesser Crested Tern, adult summer Pallas's Gull and a Dorcas Gazelle (great spot Lynn). We all had a great time and a full trip report will posted on the website in the near future. If anyone is interested in joining me on one of these weeks (possibly in September) please feel free to contact me.
Big Bird Race Day
On Sunday 22nd February, myself, Robert & Kathy Dowsett embarked on an all day birdwatch as part of a competition by the Costa Blanca Bird Club. Below is an account of our day by Kathy and thank her for this and also many thanks to Bob for some mammoth driving. Hopefully next year we will do slightly better.
We were delighted to find that day we had agreed for our bird race was forecast to be fine and dry. Although we had visited several sites in the area with the Costa Blanca Bird Club we live some distance away and were therefore relying on Jules’ local knowledge to help us out.
We started out at first light, glad that this early in the year it did not mean getting up at a ridiculous hour. Leaving the B&B in Oliva we could already hear a variety of bird calls, including Great Tit, but nothing to keep us from heading off towards the beach recording our first sighting, a Blackbird, on the way. The beach proved to be disappointingly quiet but we did add Yellow-legged & Black-headed Gull to the list. We then wandered round an area being developed, hearing birds all around but seeing little. Perseverance resulted in House Sparrow (but not the elusive Tree Sparrow) and Feral Pigeon WOW! Things were moving slowly at this point but a decision to return to the beach gave us Spotless Starling calling from the top of a crane followed by Balearic Shearwater, Northern Gannet and a solitary Sanderling. Trying for the Tree Sparrow again we saw a flock of Chaffinches and two Mallards fly over and then a Chiffchaff, Robin, Black Redstart, Serin, Sardinian Warbler, Collared Dove and a Stonechat. European Starlings were now much in evidence. Our third visit to the beach at 8.20am proved very productive with Kentish Plover, Sandwich Tern and a White Wagtail feeding at an inlet. These held our attention long enough that Jules spotted a spectacular Great Skua winging its way across the water before we moved off, and driving back through Oliva we added Cormorant to the list.
Pego Marsh was our next destination and as we entered we were lucky to see a perched Common Buzzard close by. Plenty to see here including flocks of Crag Martins with a few Swallows and House Martins mixed among them. Moustached Warblers called from several spots, Robert and Jules saw managed to see one whilst I was always looking the wrong way! We saw a Grey Wagtail and heard Cetti’s Warbler. There were flying views of a Green Sandpiper with Robert and Jules both seeing a Moorhen (would I?). As we headed for another area of Pego Marsh we saw a Hoopoe fly across and then found Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Snipe and Grey Heron. Then we spotted Marsh Harrier closely followed by Booted Eagle. As we were returning to the road I noticed a Squacco Heron obligingly searching for food in a ditch at the side of the track. There were numerous Reed Buntings and Jules made us aware of the call of the Penduline Tit which we were then fortunate to have good views of – this was a lifer for us! Continuing on we saw a Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw and a Great Tit and a small number of feeding Goldfinches followed by Bluethroat and Water Pipit. Alerted by its call we found a Zitting Cisticola and then scanned a field full of Audouin’s Gulls which also contained a Lesser Black-Backed Gull and further along we identified Lapwing and a flock of Cattle Egrets.
We were a bit peckish by now and headed for Vall de Gallinera where we ate a picnic lunch as we watched a pair of Golden Eagles circling over the peaks. What more could you want? On the road through Vall de Gallinera we stopped at a roadside café in the hope of seeing Chough. We were out of luck for these but a pair of Blackcaps flitted around and we added Kestrel and Southern Grey Shrike to the list before driving to Alcoy. Jules spotted a Sparrowhawk as we drove along and even Robert managed to see it, as well as a Magpie, even whilst concentrating on the road. On reaching Alcoy we parked in a garage where we had good views of a number of Griffon Vultures.
Time was getting short and having made a wrong turn it was decided to abandon a trip to the forest and try for the Trumpeter Finch at Monnegre instead. The target species in this area must have been having a siesta but we did see Dartford Warbler, Linnet, Thekla Lark, Mistle Thrush and Little Owl. We had planned to go to the Clot de Galvany but as the gates to the hides were closed and the area was heaving with people we continued on to Santa Pola picking up a Carrion Crow on the way. The beach was our first stop and Jules immediately saw a Whimbrel, followed by a Turnstone before heading to the Santa Pola Salinas. Close to the Saltworks Nature Reserve we found plenty of waders and identified Redshank, Little Stint, Dunlin with Mediterranean & Slender-billed Gulls. We parked near the old tower and watched Greater Flamingo, Shelduck, a feeding Osprey and Avocet, being lucky to see a single Spoonbill fly over. We moved further on and found Black-winged Stilts, Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank and two Stone Curlews in flight. It was 4.15pm and we decided we were running too late to visit Crevillente in the hope of Bonelli’s Eagle so it was El Honda next.
The Spotted Eagle was not to be found but we watched Booted Eagle and Buzzard before seeing Little Grebe. Driving on we saw a Pheasant and a had a great view of a Hen Harrier as it flew along side the car. We drove up to the gate opposite the visitor’s centre and walked far enough along to see the water. The sun was somewhat low but we observed Teal, Shoveler, Pochard and Red-Crested Pochard, Common Sandpiper and huge numbers of Coot. Robert finally saw a Greenfinch, having missed several earlier, and I added Moorhen to the list of birds we had all seen. What a relief! Walking back to the car we watched a flock of Lesser Short-Toed & Crested Lark on the adjacent fields. It was time to set off for the hills around Elche for a final effort to reach one hundred. We parked at the best spot for seeing the Eagle Owl and watched and waited as the light and our hopes began to fade. We managed to see Red-legged Partridge which we had heard previously and a Black Wheatear perched on the wires above the hill. We scoured the hill in vain and with a sense of anti- climax walked back to the car. Jules, determined not to give up until the last, turned for a final check, discovering the Eagle Owl perched high up on the fence at the top of the hill. It was the end of a very enjoyable if tiring day. The final tally of 98 was only two short of our target – Robert will just have to drive faster next time!
CBBC Bird Race Day
We were delighted to find that day we had agreed for our bird race was forecast to be fine and dry. Although we had visited several sites in the area with the Costa Blanca Bird Club we live some distance away and were therefore relying on Jules’ local knowledge to help us out.
We started out at first light, glad that this early in the year it did not mean getting up at a ridiculous hour. Leaving the B&B in Oliva we could already hear a variety of bird calls, including Great Tit, but nothing to keep us from heading off towards the beach recording our first sighting, a Blackbird, on the way. The beach proved to be disappointingly quiet but we did add Yellow-legged & Black-headed Gull to the list. We then wandered round an area being developed, hearing birds all around but seeing little. Perseverance resulted in House Sparrow (but not the elusive Tree Sparrow) and Feral Pigeon WOW! Things were moving slowly at this point but a decision to return to the beach gave us Spotless Starling calling from the top of a crane followed by Balearic Shearwater, Northern Gannet and a solitary Sanderling. Trying for the Tree Sparrow again we saw a flock of Chaffinches and two Mallards fly over and then a Chiffchaff, Robin, Black Redstart, Serin, Sardinian Warbler, Collared Dove and a Stonechat. European Starlings were now much in evidence. Our third visit to the beach at 8.20am proved very productive with Kentish Plover, Sandwich Tern and a White Wagtail feeding at an inlet. These held our attention long enough that Jules spotted a spectacular Great Skua winging its way across the water before we moved off, and driving back through Oliva we added Cormorant to the list.
Pego Marsh was our next destination and as we entered we were lucky to see a perched Common Buzzard close by. Plenty to see here including flocks of Crag Martins with a few Swallows and House Martins mixed among them. Moustached Warblers called from several spots, Robert and Jules saw managed to see one whilst I was always looking the wrong way! We saw a Grey Wagtail and heard Cetti’s Warbler. There were flying views of a Green Sandpiper with Robert and Jules both seeing a Moorhen (would I?). As we headed for another area of Pego Marsh we saw a Hoopoe fly across and then found Little Egret, Little Ringed Plover, Snipe and Grey Heron. Then we spotted Marsh Harrier closely followed by Booted Eagle. As we were returning to the road I noticed a Squacco Heron obligingly searching for food in a ditch at the side of the track. There were numerous Reed Buntings and Jules made us aware of the call of the Penduline Tit which we were then fortunate to have good views of – this was a lifer for us! Continuing on we saw a Meadow Pipit, Jackdaw and a Great Tit and a small number of feeding Goldfinches followed by Bluethroat and Water Pipit. Alerted by its call we found a Zitting Cisticola and then scanned a field full of Audouin’s Gulls which also contained a Lesser Black-Backed Gull and further along we identified Lapwing and a flock of Cattle Egrets.
We were a bit peckish by now and headed for Vall de Gallinera where we ate a picnic lunch as we watched a pair of Golden Eagles circling over the peaks. What more could you want? On the road through Vall de Gallinera we stopped at a roadside café in the hope of seeing Chough. We were out of luck for these but a pair of Blackcaps flitted around and we added Kestrel and Southern Grey Shrike to the list before driving to Alcoy. Jules spotted a Sparrowhawk as we drove along and even Robert managed to see it, as well as a Magpie, even whilst concentrating on the road. On reaching Alcoy we parked in a garage where we had good views of a number of Griffon Vultures.
Time was getting short and having made a wrong turn it was decided to abandon a trip to the forest and try for the Trumpeter Finch at Monnegre instead. The target species in this area must have been having a siesta but we did see Dartford Warbler, Linnet, Thekla Lark, Mistle Thrush and Little Owl. We had planned to go to the Clot de Galvany but as the gates to the hides were closed and the area was heaving with people we continued on to Santa Pola picking up a Carrion Crow on the way. The beach was our first stop and Jules immediately saw a Whimbrel, followed by a Turnstone before heading to the Santa Pola Salinas. Close to the Saltworks Nature Reserve we found plenty of waders and identified Redshank, Little Stint, Dunlin with Mediterranean & Slender-billed Gulls. We parked near the old tower and watched Greater Flamingo, Shelduck, a feeding Osprey and Avocet, being lucky to see a single Spoonbill fly over. We moved further on and found Black-winged Stilts, Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank and two Stone Curlews in flight. It was 4.15pm and we decided we were running too late to visit Crevillente in the hope of Bonelli’s Eagle so it was El Honda next.
The Spotted Eagle was not to be found but we watched Booted Eagle and Buzzard before seeing Little Grebe. Driving on we saw a Pheasant and a had a great view of a Hen Harrier as it flew along side the car. We drove up to the gate opposite the visitor’s centre and walked far enough along to see the water. The sun was somewhat low but we observed Teal, Shoveler, Pochard and Red-Crested Pochard, Common Sandpiper and huge numbers of Coot. Robert finally saw a Greenfinch, having missed several earlier, and I added Moorhen to the list of birds we had all seen. What a relief! Walking back to the car we watched a flock of Lesser Short-Toed & Crested Lark on the adjacent fields. It was time to set off for the hills around Elche for a final effort to reach one hundred. We parked at the best spot for seeing the Eagle Owl and watched and waited as the light and our hopes began to fade. We managed to see Red-legged Partridge which we had heard previously and a Black Wheatear perched on the wires above the hill. We scoured the hill in vain and with a sense of anti- climax walked back to the car. Jules, determined not to give up until the last, turned for a final check, discovering the Eagle Owl perched high up on the fence at the top of the hill. It was the end of a very enjoyable if tiring day. The final tally of 98 was only two short of our target – Robert will just have to drive faster next time!
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