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Message: <blockquote data-quote="foresttwitcher" data-source="post: 3562669" data-attributes="member: 97625">Saturday 22nd April:Moving day today so after a quick pack set off early for a fairly long trip southward with a planned stop off at Laguna de Gallocanta on the way. The quiet roads resulted in a nice morning drive with birds of note being Black Kite, Griffon Vulture, Kestrel and a brief strop for a reasonably low Booted Eagle. I arrived at the (still closed) information centre between Bello and Tomos to find the lake to be apparently completely dry; I realised it was seasonal but had expected to see some significant amount of water at what I thought was still early season - I guess it had been a dry winter in the area.I gathered enough information from the sign boards to realise there is a drive-able track loop around the laguna leading to various hides and view-points, so set off anticlockwise. The first thing I noticed on parking by the short walking route to the first hide at the eastern end was the amount of Skylark song. From the raised hide this end of the lagoon indeed proved to be dry and fairly bird-less but a bit of movement prompted me to set up the scope and a scan showed up a small number of Lapwing. Continuing to scan I picked up first one then two very distant and heat-haze affected flying Little Bustard heading to the opposite end of the laguna - one of my main targets so I had hoped for better views but thought there may be a possibility of picking them up when I made my way round to that side of the laguna.I carried on round the track to the sound of the usual larks, with Stonechat, Bee-eater, Hoopoe & Iberian Grey Shrike also seen. From the hide at the end of the boardwalk at the new visitor facility at Gallocanta I could see a small area of water at the northern point and, although distant, it appeared to hold a few Egret & a couple of pairs of Shelduck. There were other smaller things as well and I could see another hide that appeared closer to the water. On resuming the circuit the trees just outside the village held Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Serin, Corn Bunting, plus heard only Turtle Dove, Cuckoo & Golden Oriole. Just beyond, the track crossed a small bridge over a reed filled ditch that hosted a load of House Sparrows that on closer inspection included a couple of Tree Sparrow & at least one nice Rock Sparrow by a near-by partially ruined building.The hide at the end of the laguna was a bit frustrating as it was obviously closer to the remaining bit of water but the views were obscured by reeds. The next hide round, on top of a crag by a church (complete with Spotless Starlings & Lesser Kestrel), did offer views of the water but was again very distant so the few smaller waders remained unidentified; partially due to distance and heat haze but also by the fact that by this time the mount between my scope and tripod had become cross-threaded so was held together by some very inadequate electricians tape! The remaining hide on the south side is another raised one and a scan of the dry laguna did not produce much at all but a quick look at the shore-line farm-land gave mid-distance but slightly hazy scope views of two displaying male Great Bustard each with an attendant female not showing too much interest in their efforts. The continuing route took me a little closer but the lie of the land managed to conceal even birds of this size. The remainder of the route added both Northern & Black-eared Wheatear, Zitting Cisticola, Raven and quite a large number of 'Spanish' Yellow Wagtail.After a quick look at the information centre and a bite to eat I set of south again for a few hours on the road and after a bit of a fight with the only traffic I had really seen so far, on the route past Madrid, I checked in at my base for the next couple of nights at Daimiel. With plenty of daylight still available I dumped my bags and set off the few km to Las Tablas de Daimiel. I parked at the first car park I found and took the short boardwalk to the mill type building by the road bridge: Mallard, Gadwall, Moorhen, Coot, Little & Great Crested Grebe & Greylag Goose (with young) on the water; White Stork nesting in the surrounding trees & bill-clacking; Black-crowned Night Heron & a single Squacco Heron roosting in the scrub by the waters edge; a Sparrowhawk diving through and scaring up the smaller birds in the trees around the buildings.Having realised there was another parking and visitor information area I carried on up the road to what turned out to be a busy spot even late in the day (should have realised it would be as it was a weekend) and took one of the way-marked boardwalk trails over the reed-beds and small islets on the edge of the main water body. Despite the family groups and guided tours the birds did not seem to mind the disturbance and there were numerous Savi's Warblers reeling, some out in the open on the top of reed stalks and one so close to the boardwalk that if I had been so inclined I could have poked it with the tripod. The water between the reed beds full of Common Pochard & Red-crested Pochard. I soon found a great spot for an end of day pic-nic with: Cormorant and Little & Great White Egret roosting on a scrubby island in the lake; a pair of Spoonbill over; a few each of Black Tern & Whiskered Tern over the open water; Nightingale, Cetti's & Reed Warbler singing in the reeds on the shore; Swift, Barn Swallow and House & Sand Martin in a large mixed flock overhead. What a great spot!</blockquote>

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