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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Spain (Another Great Day in the Pyrenees - on holiday) (1 Viewer)

rosbifs

PutAin STOP
Ukraine
A few extended days in Spain.

The plan is to kick off round Aguamolls and then head to 'Los Monegros' again. Bit boring repeating but hey - always got the spanish Little Bustards to find (having missed them twice last year.

To start I must say I'm a little dissappointed with Aguamolls this year. The reeds have been allowed to grow enormously. You can't even see out of one hide - othe rthan looking over the tops of the reeds! I guess the reasoning is to give good cover for winter but it does make life a little difficult. That said I get the impression that not a lot is around.

I have increased the holiday bird count to 129 which isn't too bad considering the amount of birding prior to the family heading to England on Wednesday.

Hoopoe was nice this morning as was a suprise Black Kite and Turtle Dove. All very late. Spanish Green Wood, a very brief Bluethroat, Spoonbill and an Audoins Gull all great to get.

My heart stopped last night as near Vilaut (an offshoot reserve) a Curlew/Whimbrel type bird flushed away into the distance. Not too strange apart from the fact that the back was unmarked - all brown. The problem is I didn't see a lot of the bird - well the back only - and I can't find it! I have been back twice already and searched the surrounding areas. Its obviously going to be the one that got away. I have read, on here for one, that there can be some variations so there you go.

Otherwise I have been sifting through Meadow Pipits trying to find a REd Throat. All to no avail.

Tomorrow I'm off to find the tip and get the bird count up at the beach - hopefully.
 
Curlew type

That was almost certainly a Stone-curlew I think, Rosbifs.

Many of the reserves are under-worked at the moment due to the recession and cut backs I'm afraid.

Had Spotted Crake on the Ebro Delta yesterday by the way and Los Monegros, despite being under threat from the already-started expansion of the irrigation systems, is vibrant, with flocks of both bustards and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse showing very well. Black-bellied Sandgrouse, unfortunately, seem to have been the hardest but you still have a good chance.

All the best, Stephen
 
I looked at that but the wings and the back were the same tone! I'm also on very limited literature. I'll go back again this morning.

Don't tell me about Crakes. I've been toying with the idea of heading to the Ebro because things here but then I wouldn't have enough time to do it justice! There was a Long Billed Dowitcher at Estany d'Ivars, Lleida - is it still there? I might stop off enroute tomorrow.

Now getting excited by Monegros. Brookei has recommended a different 'casa rural' so I'll be nearer the action...
 
Bit of a non-birding day really. Ok I set off with good intentions. I spent a little time at Vilaut - 30 Dunli, 3 Ruff, 19 Spotted Redshank and a few other bits. A Red Kite today with a male Marsh Harrier.

Headed to Delfia. A farmland area. Having to drive through the village felt odd as every man and his dog stopped and stared - a french right hand drive car - bon dia. Anyway the area was full of Skylark Crested Larks and Corn Buntings. But the promise of Harriers went begging. We were told last year that this was the place! Oh well another time.

I headed in the general direction of Cap Creus and found a nice lunch spot next to a harbour. Port St Pere or something similar. Afterwards just pottered around hoping for Blue Rock Thrush. Finally, above Rosas got it and a nice female Redstart - these must be getting late!

Back to camp and a walk along the beach but despite the car saying 23° I dispute the fact and am now sat at the tent contemplating tea - in or out that is the question. It's baked beans if I'm in or anything if I go out. I seem to remember there being an indian restaurant nearby hmmm....

Maybe match of the day tonight.
 
Sunday and the drive to Los Monegros.

I decided to have a look at Estany D'Ivars near Leida. Would have been a good idea to pack the maps or have some notion of finding it. Eventually I did. Like most reserves in Spain Sunday is not the day! That said I was pleasantly suprised. Halped by Penduline Tit in the car park - then distant views of Purple Gallinule - who'd thought they'd be easier here than Aguamolls as they started to appear in a few of the reeds! Then there were 6 Glossy Ibis and three more Pendulines.

I was studying a huge flock of White Stork when a Griffon appeared amongst them. One Stork actually had a go at it and then chased it away - I guess the Griffon might get it's own back one day.

All in all worth the visit although I recommend a map.

On to Los Monegros. Nowhere to stay as the scheduled place had failed to reply, no map, no phone (won't let me call out) what could go wrong. I know I'll go birding first and worry about it later.

Good call as bag 3 BB Sandgrouse and then a flock of 20 PT's. All of the larks aswell (the ones that are here minus the Duponts which I probably will ignore this trip) and a Southern Grey Shrike. No to that problem of the accommodation. Plan B pays off although finding it from here (I'm in Ontinena and I have to now get to Castejon de Monegros in the dark) proves difficult - no map, directions, phone etc.

At least have got Tomato soup for tea...
 
Yes Wolfbirder, a 'Casa Rural' in Castejon de Monegros. Very handy for Los Monegros!

A good day today - on the whole - Headed off - got a tourist map now so know where the towns are - not that I visited any. I set off for Monegrillo and thought the turn off to Tajana looked interesting so off I went. It was full of small fields Crested Larks and some Calandras along a track which looked interesting so off I went again and then another track etc. etc. Got 8 BB Sandgrouse calling and then saw flying away. Dartford Warbler popped up when I was otherwise occupied.

A nice Blue Rock Thrush but I couldn't refind the BB's.

Back on track and Monegrillo. A farmer couldn't help with finding Bustards so I ambled along and round and if I saw a nice track I took it. Found two BB on the deck but at scope distance and all the usual Larks - again. I alos got checked out by the Guardia - passport, am I alone, car details - the works. They were nice enough but didn't know where to find the Bustards either.

By 2pm I thought it was time for lunch. So I offroaded to a truck stop. Lucia's or something similar - you'll know by the juv Golden Eagle flying past. Rechardged I decided to cheat and head to where I had seen them last year. Each year is differnet though and I failed to find them there - Bujaraloz. I could see, in the distance, where I had come from so off I went again. Criss crossing all the way back to Monegrillo without using a 'road' not bad.

Couple of Hen Harriers, Southern Grey, 3 Hoopoes, PT's and BB's better off (PT = 53ish BB = 28) and hundreds of White Wagtails (did see one Grey as well for a bit of colour) better off for the journey.

Oh well, will see what tomorrow brings. I guess much of the same apart from the police and the result I hope!!

Yes Stephen C I was feeling a little inadequate not finding the things...
 
Decided to check out of the 'casa rural' - was a great place in Castejon de Monegros so very close to the action. 25e the night so the same as the camp site at Aguamolls!! Casa Madre is the name - the owner doesn't speak much english but is friendly and still chatted away in Spanish - which I couldn't understand...

http://casarurallamadre.jimdo.com/

Enough of the advertising and onto the last morning.

Well the reason I checked out was I felt rubbish all day on Monday. Maybe it was the dust or just the failure! I headed straight to Bujaraloz and the area that Jos Stratford (thank you Jos) had them last winter - so heading south from Bujaraloz and staying on the main road i.e. not turning off to Sastage and the Salidas I checked a couple of fields after the industrial works. How far do you go? Well less than a mile it turns out as there 3 were on the right of the main road!

Side on they were quite easy to see but one facing was well camoflaged. Despite being the size of a goat and standing in the middle of a bare field. The light was bad so the photos aren't very good either but the birds are magnificent. Bouyed by the success (I had left Castejon at about 10.20 and this was 10.46 according to the pictures) I thought I would try for some more!
 

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Leaving the Bustards I took the first camino rural to the right - in the direction of the Salidas. Two fields on I was suprised to see 60 Dotterel! Again continuing I saw a bigger rarity - some birdwatchers across a field - a 4x4 and a minibus - I though it was Stephen C so I quickly texted him to see if it was him and to say I had the Bustards a couple of miles further back. It wasn't!

It was actually a Spanish birdwatching school/course from Jaca. I told them about the Bustard (which they had 1 where we were earlier) but they were very interested by the Dotterel. I led them to the field - they were better counters than me and we actually had 133 Dotterel! A Peregrine appeared in the next field and after taking them to my Bustards which flew across the main field and plonked themselves opposite us I departed.

Starting in the field where they had their Bustard, one I had checked the day before, I scanned every bush, field and track to La Almoda. Nothing - no Bustards, no Sandgrouse ok so a Merlin, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier and supporting cast but nothing of significance.

I headed home - about 4 hours drive. Finished with Coal TIt and Water Pipit on the Col D'Arbisque and a couple of nice pancakes....

ps couple of earlier pictures with the final Bustard
 

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I though it was Stephen C so I quickly texted him to see if it was him and to say I had the Bustards a couple of miles further back. It wasn't!

Oh that was you. I was a little confused and I'm afraid it didn't click it might be you at all. Thought it was just a birding mate and was leading a tour and forgot about it later sorry.

Well done on your list. So far the Great Bustard numbers are down this year but we'll know better during the Winter peak. Dotterel is quite usual between (late August) September and October (early November, occasionally even into December).

All the best,
 
I saw a 4x4 and a minibus full of scopes and binos and thought of you! Assumed they were looking for Bustards so went to help...

They seemed to have had a good few days with Wallcreeper, the Bustard and other goodies. Will have to learn more spanish before next year mind.
 
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