Southern Spain info (1 Viewer)

[HH75]

Hi all,
A group of friends and I will be heading for southern Spain on Sunday 1st May (flying into Malaga). We then plan on gradually working our way west across country towards El Rocio/Donana, birding as we go, before heading back later in the week.
While we have plenty of gen on which sites are worth checking, I would appreciate some more detailed information on where to look for more localised species such as Bonelli's, Spanish Imperial and Golden Eagles, Black-shouldered Kite (if possible within general area), Rufous Bush Chat, Western Olivaceous Warbler (if either are likely to be back by early May?), Eagle Owl, Red-necked Nightjar, bustards, sandgrouse and any others that are not found commonly throughout suitable habitat (like Serin, Sardinian Warbler etc).
Of course, if anyone has such potentially sensitive information, it would be best to send it as a PM or via e-mail to hhussey3 AT yahoo.com
Any assistance received would be greatly appreciated.
Harry

 

[Steve G]

Hi Harry,
Donana is probably your only chance for Span Imp. Eagle though I gather its not done too well there over the last few years. The best chance is to drive to the Jose Antonio Valverde Centre (JAV) & carry on past this heading straight on along the dirt track road till you reach a large closed gate -the entrance to Donana (parque Nacional) which will be closed denying access. Park here & scan westwards towards the Stone Pines in the distance-this is probably the best area for SIE. A friend of mine was in the Donana area last month & had good close views from near here. Last April I saw Pin-tailed Sandgrouse & Collared Pratincole from this track as well as numerous herons & the usual suspects. Don't forget to have a coffee at the JAV centre where the large windows overlook a mixed heronry containing brilliant views of breeding Purple, Squacco & Night herons along with Little & Cattle Egrets, Little Bittern, Glossy Ibis, singing Savi's & Great Reed Warblers & possibly Little Crake (my friend saw a dispalying male there last month). Last April (2004) Lucio del Lobo (on route to JAV) held Crested Coot, Marbled Duck, Gull-billed, Black & Whiskered Terns. Don't forget to visit the Dehesa de Abajo & adjacent Canada de Rianzuela -a great site for Booted Eagle, Hoopoes, G-s Cuckoo, Bee-eaters, stilts/terns, Black-necked Grebes & a large natural White Stork colony. I also gather a few pairs of Black-shouldered Kites are around in the Corredor verde area of the nearby Cano del Guadiamar this year.
Finally try to get to La Rocina on an early morning visit as it's great for singing Melodious, Sardinian, Reed, Cetti's, & Subalpine (we also had Savi's here) Warblers, Nightingale, etc whilst a drive up the tarmac road there at dusk should almost guarantee Red-Necked Nightjar in early May.
I suspect you will struggle with Olivaceous warbler & Bush Chat which will barely have arrived in early May. The best area for them is the agricultural land to the north-east of Seville along the upper Guadalquivir valley but to be honest your time would be better spent taking a quick drive up the N630 to Badajov province (c3 hours drive from Seville) heading to La Serena for Bustards & Sandgrouse; if you get this far its only another 90 mins to Monfrague (SIE, Bonelli's & Golden Eagle, Black, Egyptian, Griffon Vulture, Eagle Owl, Black-Shouldered & Red Kite, Rollers, Black Stork, whilst Bustards & both sandgrouse are almost guaranteed on the Caceres & Belen plains). Others can give better advice on Malaga sites for White-headed Duck, Crested Coot, Bonelli's & Golden Eagle,etc.
Hope it all goes well,
Steve

 

[Edward woodwood]

watcha H.

drop me a line with any gaps you still have and i'l see what i can do from my notes...

my last Spanish trip was 98 but i'm sure most sites are pretty much the same still. Have good sites for Bonelli's Eagle and WHD

Tim

 

[BarbatusOne]

Bonelli's will be at Teba Gorge. Stand there and wait long enough-you'll see them.

 

[Edward woodwood]

yep

that was my Bonelli's site!
plenty of vultures there too
Teba village is nice with some very steep streets - worth a stop for a beer

Laguna del Rincon for WHD H. Had 12 there.

Tim

 

[Edward]

Whatever you do, Harry, don't miss out on Brazo del Este, which Paterson & Garcia say in their Where to Watch... book is better than Donana proper, and after my single visit there in April 2003 I couldn't disagree. It was heaving with birds and was the only place I saw Marbled Duck (8). Purple Swamp-hen was abundant (30 in the same scope view) and Collared Pratincole was very common here. I only saw White-headed Duck at Laguna de Medina but have heard that they aren't there this year. Send a PM to John Butler, he'll have all the up to date info on the area.

E

 

[Nick-on]

Laguna de Medina has a few White-headed Duck (6 last friday 22 april) but, according to one of the wardens, only 1 Red-knobbed Coot and that's a female! still worth a visit though, Red-crested Pochard, collared Pratincole, Marsh Terns etc..

Nick

 

[James Lowther]

Laguna de Tarelo near Algaida had dozens of WHD in february (not sure about may).

 

[Steve G]

Edward,
Brazo del Este apparently had a very dry winter. A friend who visited the Donana area in late March found it to be very disappointing........ in stark contrast to my previous experience there!!!

 

[BarbatusOne]

Whatever you do, Harry, don't miss out on Brazo del Este, which Paterson & Garcia say in their Where to Watch... book is better than Donana proper, and after my single visit there in April 2003 I couldn't disagree. It was heaving with birds and was the only place I saw Marbled Duck (8). Purple Swamp-hen was abundant (30 in the same scope view) and Collared Pratincole was very common here. I only saw White-headed Duck at Laguna de Medina but have heard that they aren't there this year. Send a PM to John Butler, he'll have all the up to date info on the area.

E

Marbeled Teal were there a month ago too. (Brazo Del Este). If you're arriving in Malaga, you can go to the mouth of Rio Guadalhorce 5 minutes from the airport to try for White-headed Duck. They were there a week ago and had been for over a month. Judging from their behavior they may breed, though Tim's site is known for being good for them too, and they were also at Laguna de Medina in early April, though less easy to see here than at Guadalhorce.

 

[HH75]

Hi all,
Many thanks for all the gen. I haven't gotten around to writing a trip report as yet, but will try to do so before too long. We had about 175 species between the seven of us, with 36 being lifers for me. I can confirm two things:
1)Edward, Brazo del Este was heaving with birds, including 2 Marbled Duck, loads of swamp-hens/Collared Pratincoles etc
2)Tim, Teba Gorge is good for Bonelli's Eagle (though we had 2 elsewhere earlier in the trip) and vultures, and Teba village IS a great place to stop for a beer...will send you a pic of us at ease there!
Harry

 

[Dicki]

Dear Harry, read your mail about the bonelli's spot at Teba. I plan visiting the region next month. Could you help me with an exact description of the teba gorge/ bonelli's sight?
Thanks a lot, Dicki

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Saw Bonelli's eagle in February between San Pedro de Alcantara and Benahavis (turn off the N340 just west of Marbella). Also saw them here last year.

A Bonelli's flew low overhead south of the new wind farm on the Zahara de los Atunes road on the same trip. (Opposite La Janda)

The Sierra Crestellina between Casares and Gaucin is also a spot for them, I last saw them there last September (2 birds)