RFI Spain: Duponts, Iberian Chiffchaff etc

[jurek]

In the 2-5. October I will have a few days free in Spain, starting in Madrid. I plan to rent a car and find some species which so far eluded me, sightseeing Spanish towns in between. So some questions:

Dupont's Lark - where exactly to find them in Belchite? How likely they are to be seen at this time of the year?

Iberian Chiffchaff - any site at this time of the year?

Trumpeter Finch - I failed to find them previously at Cabo de Gaa in lighthouse area. Any detailed and recent tips?

Western Olivaceous Warbler, White-rumped Swift - I suppose it is too late for them?

Any long-staying rarities?

cheers,

Jurek

[Steve G]

Western Olivaceous is likely to have gone. Can't help with Dupont's & Ibe Chiff will be hard if not singing.
White-rumped Swift comes late & goes late. They are possible along the Monfrague ridge (near the Castillo) in Extremadura but especially around Tarifa where the largest number breed (as perhaps may Little Swift now). I'm sure I've been told that they linger into november.
Often Red-necked Nightjars linger well into October (I've seen a bird on the track to El Acebron (Donana) in October)-it was a bit of a surprise!

[James Eaton]

Hi Jurek,

I found Lomazas Steppe Reserve easy to find from Zaragoza. It is found along the mian road between Mediana and Belchite, alongside KM post 18. The car park is on the east side of the road, quite obvious as they have a display board there too. I was there in mid May, the birds were found with a little difficulty just after dawn. At dawn several were heard along the track that runs east from the car park, but it wasn't until 30 minutes after dawn that I then found 3 birds, all perched on the smallest pieces of scrub, only c10cm off the ground. Just keep scanning the bushes and scrub until you find one perched. They tended then to just sit there for long periods of time. Hard to find once the heat set in though, and in the evening, only 1 brief view. Though this was back in 2001, I don't think the habitat surrounding the car park have changed.

Can't help you with the other species unfortunately.

Best of luck,

James

[Steve Babbs]

In the 2-5. October I will have a few days free in Spain, starting in Madrid. I plan to rent a car and find some species which so far eluded me, sightseeing Spanish towns in between. So some questions:

Dupont's Lark - where exactly to find them in Belchite? How likely they are to be seen at this time of the year?

Iberian Chiffchaff - any site at this time of the year?

Trumpeter Finch - I failed to find them previously at Cabo de Gaa in lighthouse area. Any detailed and recent tips?

Western Olivaceous Warbler, White-rumped Swift - I suppose it is too late for them?

Any long-staying rarities?

cheers,

Jurek

Jurek

I've seen Dupont's at Belchite - i can't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure I just followed the directions in where to watch birds in north and east spain turning left on the way between Belchite and Quinto around 15km form belchite.

The conventinal wisdom is that you can only see this species at first light, I got stunning views of one and glimpsed another at mid day in august in an hour's search. So it's worth a look at other times.

Cheers

Steve

[Tim Allwood]

If you can stand to sleep out Jurek, you will hear the Dupont's singing during the night. I spent hours isteneing to them in Morocco some years back. Not so easy to see in the morning though. A favoured technique a few years back was sprinting into the clumps and then quickly scanning ahead. They can be elusive as they dart between tufts

and yes, prob too late for Olivaceus and defo too late for WR Swift - Zahara de Los Atunes has them and the Castillo at Monfrague but not now i'm afraid

Good Luck
Tim

[jurek]

If you can stand to sleep out Jurek, you will hear the Dupont's singing during the night.

I listened to them near Sepulveda this way. Beautiful full moon and terribly cold ;). Couldn't see them at first light, though.

And Trumpeter Finch and Iberian Chiffchaff, anyone?

[Jules Sykes]

In late Summer/Autumn Trumpeter's disappear from the Alicante region to who knows where, I suspect some coastal site yet to be found this far north. This would mirror what happens in Almeria where the birds breed in the hills and disperse to Cabo de Gata for the Winter, which I suspect is still your best bet at this time.

I have just been to Tarifa and looked for WR & Little Swift at Bolonia beach and Sierra de la Plata without success, although generally they do hang on until late September/October. Didn't go to Zahara which Tim quite rightly suggests so cannot comment on the status there. There was however 3/4 Ruppell's Vultures in the area, which were not difficult to locate at the raptor watchpoints or elsewhere, we had one at the Ojen Valley. I am going to Belchite this weekend so will report my findings next week sometime if you like?. Finally just before you go check out the Rare Birds in Spain website for any vagrants that have been found in the vacinity of Madrid or elsewhere.
Hope this helps and good luck.

[jurek]

Thanks you all for info so far!

There was however 3/4 Ruppell's Vultures in the area, which were not difficult to locate at the raptor watchpoints or elsewhere, we had one at the Ojen Valley.
I know Ojen valley, but which exactly raptor watchpoints?

I am going to Belchite this weekend so will report my findings next week sometime if you like?.
Yes please!
Jurek

[Jules Sykes]

I know Ojen valley, but which exactly raptor watchpoints?

Jurek

There are several raptor watchpoints along the main N-340 highway of which I know 2, Algarrobo & Cazalla.

Algarrobo is at Km 99.1 (not far out of Algeciras) on right going up the hill, look for a sharp turn off to a dirt track after a bend with a wall on the left hand side. Follow track to parking area and walk up slight hill to watchpoint. I have seen Ruppells Vultures 2 years running from this place and heaps of other stuff.

Cazalla is at Km 87 and on the same side as the previous place. This looks over the Straits and you can see birds struggling to get over giving fantastic views. I have never seen anything mega but I believe it has had some big birds including Ruppell's this year.

The others (Trafico, Cabrito, Santuario, etc) can be found in John Butler's Birdwatching on Spain's Southern Coast, a very good and informative book, which is well worth the money.
The watchpoints are manned by volunteers counting raptors until October, but might not be there if and when you go in October.

[Edward]

Czesc Jurek

I saw Dupont's Lark superbly well at two sites at Belchite in May. Although it is probalt best to see them very early (we arrived at sunrise) we didn't see them until 0845, when we had scope filling views of two singing on the tops of bushes. My experience is very similar to James Eaton's above. The first sighting was at the reserve La Lomaza which is off the main road heading north out of Belchite. We saw then very close to car park, a path leads north out of the car park and then turns east. After 100 metres there are some mounds of earth which allow you to see well over the grassland to the south. We saw the birds from here.

The second sighting was in the middle of a very hot day at the El Planeron reserve east of Belchite. We stopped at what we thought was suitable habitat and we immediately saw two running just by the car (the picture of Dupont's in Collins, running away looking back over its shoulder was identical to views we had!). Eventually we found four in that area and we could follow them chasing each other on the ground in our scopes at our leisure.

Like you, Jurek, I have heard them at Sepulveda but didn't see them here, Belchite was MUCH easier in my experience.

Jules, enjoy Belchite, it's grimmer than Heckmondwike on a wet Sunday morning.

E

[Jules Sykes]

Hi
Just back from Pyrenees and Belchite area where we saw a single Dupont's at El Planeron reserve. On the Belchite to Quinto road take the second El Planeron sign and drive for about 1.5 Km to a small notice board on your right (after the left hand side one). A track leads off to the right with various watchpoints numbered and we saw one at no.3. Luckily though it called a few times so we were able to pinpoint where it was coming from. This is a great place as we also saw 100+ Pin-tailed & 30+ Black bellied Sandgrouse, 500+ LST Larks, 100+ Calandras, and plenty of other stuff. We also went to Las Lomazas but was fairly disappointing possibly due to cold high winds early in the morning. However as we were leaving we did have a Hen Harrier and 2 Hobbys, whi8ch was great.

[johnmoonie]

Jules,
Just like the AA route finder I'm used to. However the Spanish signposts give me nightmares so I hope you don't want me to do any navigating (or driving) in October !!
Sounds like my sort of road and area though.
John.

[jurek]

Hi
Just back from Pyrenees and Belchite area where we saw a single Dupont's at El Planeron reserve.

Thanks a lot!

BTW, do you know where I can get Dotterels is S Spain at this time of the year?