Donana in August (1 Viewer)

Is there much to see in the Donana in August?

Not the most ideal time to go as it can get damn hot. By August passerines have stopped singing and this, plus the heat, means that they can be hard to find. Meanwhile drier conditions can mean wildfowl are distant and heat haze can be difficult. Then again there will still be lots to see and southward migration will have started - so you'll see flamingos, BoPs, waders, gulls, terns, azure-winged magpie, etc. It's an iconic site so if you're down in southern Spain it's well worth a visit, but, as always, I'd suggest spending some time on the Cadiz side of the Guadalquivir if you have time. You can see most - if not all of the Coto's specialities here and you have better access to the mountains, it's better for raptor passage, better for some 'specialities' and has much more attractive scenery & villages. Send me a PM and I'll send my notes on the area.

I'll be out in Cadiz province for much of August and would be happy to meet up with you if possible. Apart from anything else we can drown our sorrows together given the doleful prospect of First Division football next season & Pompey in Europe (please not, but it ain't looking good today),

John

Tom, as John says summer is not the best time for the Doñana, marshes have dried out completely and temperatures can be pretty high. Luckily you can still get a good number of species in the rice fields north of the park, around Isla Mayor and on the other side of the Guadalquivir River. A bit tricky to drive in its complicate net of tracks though.

Jose A.

august myth

Hi Tom

For my mind its a myth that summer is a bad time to bird so I would give you an unequivocal 'yes'.

I can't speak for the Doñana specifically, as I don't know it that well, but the whole of Spain is great any time of year. Of course there are other times of year that are 'better' but that depends on what you want and what you expect.

August can bring its own specialities (such as passing Dotterel where I am) and the abundance and obliging juveniles can make many species easier to find. Ever seen a Magpie feeding a Great Spotted Cuckoo chick? Many failed breeding waders come through in full summer regalia and late august makes many usually difficult warblers like Spectacled easy as they and their cousins gather in berry bushes before the flight to their winter quarters.

By way of example, last august we saw 203 species on tours in total with 173 in one particular full week's birding holiday. These included Lammergier, Little Bustard, Moustached Warbler, Black Wheatear, etc. in Catalonia and the Doñana its the surrounding area will offer its own excellent species I´m sure. The key is to visit as many different habitat types as possible.

In short I think its a matter of mindset and attitude and all apparent obstacles such as the heat can be overcome with a bit of planning and positive thinking I suppose. If you don´t possess these qualitities your self (!) then may be think about hiring a guide out there, who should possess them in abundance if he or she is any good. From emails I've exchanged with John in the past I would suggest he could be just the man for the job.

Good luck and let us all know how it turns out. All the best

I don't think either Jose or myself were saying August is a "bad time" as such, but merely that you have to recall that certain factors at that time can complicate things and that other times of the year are rather easier as a result.

Personally, I certainly find the additional heat - particularly in the open habitats you get on the Coto - very debilitating for much of the day; once you've had sunstroke a couple of times you really don't want it again! Naturally, by birding early & late you can to some degree avoid the problem as can heading for the hills (when available) in the middle of the day, but it is a complication. I'm sure Tom can, & will, have a great time in the area in August, but, everything else being equal, it wouldn't be my optimum choice for that area, John

myths and method

John

No, sorry, I was responding to Tom's post directly, assuming it was made due to the presumption that there wouldn't be much about, and not to anything you or Jose said.

On the contrary you seem to have made a few suggestions re avoiding the extremes of the heat for instance. Catalonia is so small in relative terms that flicking between its quite astounding range of habitats to avoid pockets of poor birding weather is not too problematic. If it's hot in the steppes you can quite easily find a patch of woodland or even head up to the Pyrenees or to the coast.

Anyway, I don't think anyone would argue that there'll be enough in the Doñana to keep anyone happy, even in august!

Cheers

I think we actually agree Stephen! I'm sorry if I came over a bit 'sharp'! Probably a mixture of it being the last day of term, impatience to get back to Spain (off to Alcala de los Gazules tomorrow - yippeee!) and, most of all, the fact that Southampton FC have slipped into the relegation zone and League One is a real prospect next year. 'Teamsaint' and I will need to have a very good August in Spain not to slip into despondency! John

Thanks for the replies guys. I think the plan will be to take the ferry to Santander and drive down to the Donana via Monfrague. Spend a few days in Monfrague, a few days in the Donana and then a few days on the beach.