In Monfragüe N.P. you can find the Imperial at the look-out point 'Portilla de Tiétar', the Black Vulture can be seen at all the observatories. Black-shouldered Kite has better chance to be seen in the Arrocampo region.
For the steppe-birds offers the road between Santa Marta de Magasca and the A58 direction Cáceres good opportunities. Indeed the Dave Gosney guide gives very clear indications! good luck, Henk
The first time I went there I stopped at a bend in the CV57 road 2.8km north of the junction with the A58. This was at the end of February 2008 when we stayed in Merida for three nights. I'd already seen most of the species I was looking for that day on other trips, but still needed Great Bustard, the target bird, which would be a lifer. I'd planned to spend the day at the 'Trujillo Triangle' looking for the steppe species and go on to Monfrague the next day.
As I got out of the car, a Great Spotted Cuckoo was scolding from a bush a few metres away. I got my binoculars out and started scanning. It didn't take long, only seconds in fact. As I scanned from left to right a Great Bustard flew into my view. I followed it right and then it landed amongst a group of about 50 others that were gathered on a low hillside a couple of fields away. As I admired them a flock of about 80 Little Bustards flew over them, coming towards me. They landed between me and the great bustards and immediately vanished into the vegetation. Before I'd got over this my wife said 'What's that flying towards us?' and I had to look away. A single black-bellied sandgrouse flew from the north-east and crossed over our heads about 50 feet up. We'd only been there 5 or 10 minutes and the great spotted cuckoo was still calling. Back in the car I drove slowly towards Santa Marta and after a few kilometres I was passing a bare field on the right when I spotted some golden plover. Further investigation gave us about 50 pin-tailed sandgrouse mixed in with them.
I drove on a bit more, stunned, and then I realised that we'd already seen everything that I was hoping for that day. I looked at my watch. It was still only 10.30, so we went on to Monfrague to do the next day's trip a day early. By tea-time we had Eagle Owl on the nest at Tietar, Black Vulture, Spanish Imperial Eagle, recently arrived Black Storks and Egyptian Vultures as well as all the other stuff that would be expected. Lesser Kestrels were flying around the rooftops in Trujillo on the way back.
There was the added bonus of thousands of Common Cranes making their way back north overhead at the start of their return migration and Azure winged Magpies all over.
A Magical day. One of my best birding days ever. I was back there in 2013 and I'm planning another week in Trijillo this spring, all being well.
