For many birdwatchers it’s the particular steppe birds, such because the bustards and sandgrouse, which can be Extremadura’s particular lure. However it’s the robust supporting solid that makes this Spanish vacation spot so thrilling, as I used to be reminded after I visited this particular space earlier this 12 months. My three companions and I arrived in late March to discover a remarkably inexperienced panorama, for Extremadura, like a lot of Spain, had loved a moist month till the day we arrived. I say loved advisedly, for Spain is a dry nation, and good rains in late winter and early spring are important for replenishing the aquifers and the reservoirs.
Alpine Swift above the Rio Tajo
Spring arrives early in Extremadura, and we arrived to search out Swallows and Home Martins again in good numbers, together with the engaging Pink-rumped Swallows, the latter a hen that could be a rarity in Britain. In Monfragüe Nationwide Park we watched an astonishing congregation of Home Martins, nesting below the bridge that spans the Rio Tajo. Stopping to see them, we additionally loved watching Alpine Swifts, together with Crag Martins. The latter are chunky members of the swallow household, and the one one that’s resident all 12 months in Europe. This web site can also be a famous for White-rumped Swifts, however they’re late migrants, and we have been some weeks too early to see them.
Crag Martins are the one resident member of the swallow household in Europe
Nonetheless, there have been many migrants that have been already again in good numbers. Nice Noticed Cuckoos return to their breeding grounds in February. We have been a bit unfortunate to solely see two, for it is a frequent hen within the space. We did higher with Frequent Cuckoos, listening to them day-after-day. We have been not sure as as to whether we might see Rollers, although a particular effort has been made in Extremadura to encourage this good-looking hen, with nest bins on many roadside telegraph poles. We did ultimately see two, a lot to our delight, for this is without doubt one of the most vibrant of European breeding birds. Most arrive again later in April.
A road-side Curler
Much more vibrant than the Curler is the European Bee-eater, and day-after-day we have been entertained by flocks of those birds transferring north. It’s all the time the far-carrying flight calls of those birds that alerts you to their presence, and also you normally hear them earlier than you see them. Frustratingly, you typically simply hear them, and the birds themselves handle to slide previous unseen.
Migrant Bee-eaters
Hoopoes are partial migrants, and Spain helps a sizeable wintering inhabitants. I’ve no thought what number of winter in Extremadura, however we encountered them generally, their evocative onomatopoeic music one of many background sounds to our birdwatching in every single place we went.
Hoopoe in a panorama
Extremadura is legendary for the hundreds of Frequent Cranes that winter right here, feasting on the acorns within the dehesas, the fantastic grasslands dotted with holm and cork oaks. The good flocks go away in early March, and we failed to search out even a straggler. Nonetheless, strolling within the dehesa is all the time a delight, and right here you could find birds like Woodlarks and Thekla’s Larks, Azure-winged Magpies, Nuthatches and Brief-toed Treecreepers. Right here we additionally discovered Rock Sparrows, birds extra typical of rocky habitats, however a attribute resident of the oak dehesas. They’d be straightforward to miss if it wasn’t for his or her distinctive nasal calls.
Rock Sparrows are unobtrusive residents of the dehesa
Within the steppe the Southern Gray Shrike is kind of frequent, however within the dehesa you discover the smaller and extra vibrant Woodchat Shrike. We discovered these eye-catching small shrikes to be remarkably frequent, typically seeing a number of pairs in the midst of a brief stroll. Not like the resident Gray Shrike, they’re migrants, however they return to their nesting grounds early. In distinction, we got here throughout only a few warblers, as we have been too early for them.
Woodchat shrikes return early from Africa
Extremadura has quite a lot of massive reservoirs, many which aren’t nice for birds. There are exceptions, although, such because the reservoir at Alcollarin, south of Trujillo. With its gently sloping shores it gives engaging habitat for each wildfowl and waders, and right here we noticed a superb number of wildfowl. Most quite a few of the geese have been Shoveler, however there have been additionally just a few pairs of Wigeon and Pintail, in addition to massive flock of Egyptian Geese. The latter is a brand new colonist in Spain, with the primary recorded nests in Extremadura as latest as 2012. Situations should go well with them, because the inhabitants is increasing quick. As a result of the water was excessive, waders have been few, however we did see just a few Greenshanks, in addition to a number of Spoonbills.
A Purple Heron on the Almaraz Reservoir
Extremadura’s most efficient reservoir for birds is to be discovered subsequent to the nuclear energy station at Almaraz, as the nice and cozy water outflow from the ability station makes the reservoir engaging to all kinds of species. Right here we heard and noticed Savi’s Warblers within the reed beds, their attribute reeling music revealing their presence. They shared the reeds with a wide range of different species – we significantly take pleasure in a colony of purple herons that have been nesting there. Little Bitterns proved extra elusive, and solely a single hen, a male, was glimpsed.
The snow-covered Sierra Gredos, considered from our base at Candeleda
After six days in Extremadura we drove a brief distance north to Castilla y León, to the city of Candeleda, and the sting of the Sierra Gredos. That is one in every of Spain’s main mountain ranges: it reaches a excessive level of two,592m (8,500ft). Candeleda made a superb base, and right here we discovered a wealthy number of birds, from Nightingales to Lesser Noticed Woodpeckers. Nonetheless, our most satisfying discover was a Black-winged Kite, a hen that we had missed in Extremadura. These beautiful small birds of prey are all the time a deal with to see, as they’re so totally different to each different raptor we now have in Europe.
Europe’s prettiest raptor? A Black-winged Kite
Spanish Ibex are simply seen within the Sierra Gredos
It was nonetheless very wintery within the Gredos, with the snow line right down to effectively beneath 6,000ft, ruling out any probability of discovering Bluethroats, one of many specialities of those mountains. We did take pleasure in seeing Spanish Ibex, a good-looking wild goat that the Gredos is legendary for. The Ibex are used to seeing guests, so are straightforward to strategy. Our goal hen right here was the Citril Finch, a European endemic that’s restricted to the Alps, the Pyrenees and quite a lot of mountain ranges in Spain. A few years earlier than I had stayed within the Parador de Gredos, and watched Citril Finches in its grounds, so that is the place we went to search for them.
Our morning search was pleasurable however unproductive. There have been loads of birds to see, starting from Crossbills to Brief-toed Treecreepers and even a superb cock Redstart, however of our quarry not an indication. We gave up, however got here again within the afternoon for one more strive. The morning’s sunshine had given approach to cloud, and there was a chill within the air. Once more, our efforts proved unsuccessful, however simply as we have been about to desert the hunt I noticed two distant birds that seemed probably candidates. Calling my companions again, all of us then loved superb if tantalisingly transient views of those sensible finches. I dashed again to the automotive to retrieve my digital camera: I solely managed a single clear shot (beneath). It will not be the very best {photograph} from my journey to Spain, however it’s a superb memento.
In 9 days in Spain we recorded 137 species, a passable complete for the time of the 12 months. They have been all self-found, as regardless of our greatest efforts to make use of a neighborhood information, we failed to take action. Nonetheless, there’s a sure satisfaction to find your personal birds, even when you miss just a few. We got here residence very happy with what we noticed.
