Donana

[kstennett]

We are thinking of spending a week in the Donana area at the end of April/early May.

Most trip reports I've found seem to be for trips of just 2 or 3 days, people often seem to combine that with time in Extremadura or Tarifa both of which we have visited before.

So are there plenty of accessible birdwatching sites in the area around El Rocio to keep us busy for a week? We could probably book a guide for a day to get to the restricted areas but could not afford to be guided all week.

Can someone recommend a book giving sites in and around Donana?

Thanks,

Kath

[RockyRacoon]

Here is a great website:

http://www.donanabirdtours.com/cgi-bin/web.asp?title=*home


Run by a member of BF, John Butler. Good luck!

[Tony9]

I can thoroughly recommend John Butler's book
'Birdwatching on Spain's Southern Coast' (2nd edition).
Available from the publishers Santana (details are on John's website: www.donanabirdtours.com)

Best Regards
Tony Moverley

[John Butler]

We are thinking of spending a week in the Donana area at the end of April/early May.
Most trip reports I've found seem to be for trips of just 2 or 3 days, people often seem to combine that with time in Extremadura or Tarifa both of which we have visited before.
So are there plenty of accessible birdwatching sites in the area around El Rocio to keep us busy for a week? We could probably book a guide for a day to get to the restricted areas but could not afford to be guided all week.
Can someone recommend a book giving sites in and around Donana?
Thanks, Kath

Hi Kath.

I am a professional bird guide in Doñana and can probably give you more information on this area than anyone else on the Birdforum. Please note (for the cynics) that I am not advertising my services to you as a guide. My tours are completely full from the 21st of March until the 10th of May, so I couldn't fit you in, even if you did want to join a tour.

Doñana, despite what I wrote about in a separate thread today, (see "Official destruction of Doñana" thread) is a wonderful area for birding and there will be plenty to keep you interested for a week.

The sites I would recommend are the official visitors centres at El Acebuche, La Rocina, Palacio de Acebrón and the José Antonio Valverde centre.

There are numerous other excellent sites at the Corredor Verde, the Cañada de Santa Maria, the Vado de Quema, the Cañada de Rianzuela, the Dehesa de Abajo, the Dehesa de Pilas, Los Guayules, Caño de Guadiamar, Lucio del Lobo, the Entremuros and the Isla Mayor, to name just a few that are reasonably close and fairly easily accessible.

Further afield (within one hours drive) there are the Lagunas Primera de Palos, the Marismas del Odiel, Laguna El Portil, Marismas del Río Piedras, La Rabida, Niebla and the Brazo del Este.

Then, of course, you have the El Rocío marshes, the Arroyo de las Cañadas, the Boca del Lobo and the Puente de Canaliega. All in easy walking distance of the town of El Rocío.

Many of these sites are so good at that time of year that you will visit them on more than one occasion. Some of these sites I visit every day on my tours and I never get tired of them.

Some of the better sites are described in detail, with full directions, in my book "Birdwatching on Spain's Southern Coast", although other birding books also cover this area.

To see the full range of sites and birds of the Doñana region, click onto my website at http://www.donanabirdtours.com

If you require more detailed information on sites, accommodation, etc. contact me by e-mail at:- john@donanabirdtours.com

Good birding!

Regards from Doñana.

John.

[kstennett]

Thank you very much for your information John, for some reason I didn't get the usual noticifation of a new post to the thread so didn't see it until today.

In fact we have booked a weeks accomodation and flights now .... and actually we've also bought your book. So your hints will be very useful.

Thanks again,

Kath

[John Cantelo]

What a nice bloke that John Butler is! I can't think of any other professional tour guide who is so generouswith their hard won knowledge and, not less, time. I've a suspicion, which I sincerely hope is true, that his very openess and generosity is rewarded by a greater uptake by birders of his services. I know that it encouraged me to use his services. I too would commend his book (I've got the 1st edition) - other books may be similarly useful re: birds, but I think John's gives the best directions and, to his great credit, the only one which indicates accessibility for disabled, John

[Grousemore]

What a nice bloke that John Butler is! I can't think of any other professional tour guide who is so generouswith their hard won knowledge and, not less, time. I've a suspicion, which I sincerely hope is true, that his very openess and generosity is rewarded by a greater uptake by birders of his services. I know that it encouraged me to use his services. I too would commend his book (I've got the 1st edition) - other books may be similarly useful re: birds, but I think John's gives the best directions and, to his great credit, the only one which indicates accessibility for disabled, John

I enquired about using his services last year, but he was fully booked for the week I was visiting.
However, I met him several times in the field and he could not have been more helpful with advice, directions etc. I would recommend anyone visiting that wonderful area to contact him well in advance.