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What's on in Doñana (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jose A. Sanchez
- Start date
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2010 MAY 12th
The European Far West
I am sorry for not having kept you properly updated in the last weeks, but work in high season takes all my time and energies.
As expected we're having a beautiful spring in Doñana after the abundant winter rains. It came later than usual and we can see that clear now especially in regard to insects and reptiles that are not yet as abundant as normally this time of year. Only now is increasing the number of butterflies, dragonflies and snakes in the field. The good news is that so far the marsh has been virtually free of mosquitoes, but today I had to use protection against the first ones, the low night temperatures held them at bay. Nothing in any case that can not be fixed with a little protection.
The Mother of the Marshes at El Rocío look great, flamingos, spoonbills, herons, glossy ibis, whiskered, red terns and ducks are frequent visitors. In the pine forests of Coto del Rey the meadows are green and the flowers open. The nightingale's song is the dominant, but every single species can be heard singing around. Black Kites don't go unnoticed wither, of course, nor the Bootee Eagles. Lynx can be seen often, almost everyday it is spotted by the people in one the vehicles doing the north route.
The works to improve the tracks before the coming Annual Festival of El Rocío are well advanced. Many thousand people eagerly await the arrival of the big party every year to spend a few days of excess and fun in El Rocío. They say that this small town built around the famous chapel looks like a village of the American Western movies, those who live here agree, it is similar in all respects to one of those villages filled with gunmen where law is absent, the only thing that seems missing is that riders carry a gun in his belt. But if there is something that attracts each year at such a high number of people is simply the absolute liberty given to do what they want, and those who live here suffer it every day.
Photo 1
The case is that a few of us are also looking forward to the arrival of the pilgrimage but for entirely different reasons, the first is for the access to the park to be fix at last and the second to take a short vacation away from here while others flock to the dusty streets of El Rocío. The ford that was built to overcome the ravages of winter has been improved to make it a pretty decent road. The work of improving access to the Jose Antonio Valverde Visitors Centre is well advanced and it has clearly improved the quality of the service we provide to the visitors to the Park.
Back to what interests us most, I will tell you that the first thing that calls our attention after entering the Hinojos Marshes from the north is the large number of egrets, herons, spoonbills and flamingos that spread throughout the marsh extension. Today in particular we have found a huge concentration of many thousand flamingos. It has to be given a special mention at a melanic Grey Heron and a Western Reef Egret that have seen in the last days. There are also many flocks of small waders that are still passing through Doñana. The most abundant species are Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and the only breeder to Doñana of the group, the Kentish Plover. Putting knowledge and patience can also be found among them the rare Tenmick's Stint.
Photo 2
Collared Pratincoles, Black Winged Stilts and Avocets are also very abundant and can be observed at close range sitting on their nests. Crested, Calandra and Short-toed Larks fill the marsh with their melodic songs, while Yellow Wagtails sing their simple calls. At Caño Guadiamar, Great Reed Warblers are the ones that, devoid of any modesty, direct the soundtrack, with the invaluable help of Purple Gallinule, Coots, Moorhens, Little Grebes, Little Bitterns and Savi's Warblers, whose shyness is evident making really difficult to spot them. Great Crested Pochards, Common Pochards, Mallards, Grebes, and Terns sail or fly over the waters covered largely by the reeds.
Looking carefully through the vegetation you may enjoy the rides of the Great Crested Grebe chicks on the backs of their parents; or the Little Grebes sat on their small nests anchored to a branch of a tamarisk, at the slightest warning of imminent danger they cover their eggs with bits of nesting materials with a flashing movement to conceal them from potential predators; or perhaps the Coots feeding their funny red head chicks with small portions of algae taken from the bottom of the marsh. With a little luck will even observe through the windows of the Jose A. Valverde Visitor Centre the tireless work of building the nest of a Great Reed Warbler.
There is certainly no shortage of spectacular scenes there. The colony continues a ceaseless activity of chick feeding, nest construction, fights for the space, talks of love and high-pitched arguments of heated competitors. Here, in the remote western Europe, we are fortunate to have this wonder of nature for the enjoyment of its visitors. Without a doubt this is the place you should not miss if you decide to visit Doñana.
Before I conclude I wanted to share with you the small moment of happiness that is for any lover of birds the first observation of a species. It was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper that suddenly appear the other day in the field of view of my binoculars as I examined a group of waders. The unusual always stand out quickly for those who have trained eyes; to find out exactly what it is may not be so easy. We found on the 7th and the 8th an individual of this species feeding relentlessly among the short grass near an area full of small waders. Its long yellow legs and cinnamon front lit my alarms. Confirmed the second day with some American clients, this is probably one of the few observations, if not the first, for these species in Donana. Doñana surprises you ...
The descending water level reveals the effects of last winter floods: Photo 3
The leftovers of a hungry: Photo 4
The European Far West
I am sorry for not having kept you properly updated in the last weeks, but work in high season takes all my time and energies.
As expected we're having a beautiful spring in Doñana after the abundant winter rains. It came later than usual and we can see that clear now especially in regard to insects and reptiles that are not yet as abundant as normally this time of year. Only now is increasing the number of butterflies, dragonflies and snakes in the field. The good news is that so far the marsh has been virtually free of mosquitoes, but today I had to use protection against the first ones, the low night temperatures held them at bay. Nothing in any case that can not be fixed with a little protection.
The Mother of the Marshes at El Rocío look great, flamingos, spoonbills, herons, glossy ibis, whiskered, red terns and ducks are frequent visitors. In the pine forests of Coto del Rey the meadows are green and the flowers open. The nightingale's song is the dominant, but every single species can be heard singing around. Black Kites don't go unnoticed wither, of course, nor the Bootee Eagles. Lynx can be seen often, almost everyday it is spotted by the people in one the vehicles doing the north route.
The works to improve the tracks before the coming Annual Festival of El Rocío are well advanced. Many thousand people eagerly await the arrival of the big party every year to spend a few days of excess and fun in El Rocío. They say that this small town built around the famous chapel looks like a village of the American Western movies, those who live here agree, it is similar in all respects to one of those villages filled with gunmen where law is absent, the only thing that seems missing is that riders carry a gun in his belt. But if there is something that attracts each year at such a high number of people is simply the absolute liberty given to do what they want, and those who live here suffer it every day.
Photo 1
The case is that a few of us are also looking forward to the arrival of the pilgrimage but for entirely different reasons, the first is for the access to the park to be fix at last and the second to take a short vacation away from here while others flock to the dusty streets of El Rocío. The ford that was built to overcome the ravages of winter has been improved to make it a pretty decent road. The work of improving access to the Jose Antonio Valverde Visitors Centre is well advanced and it has clearly improved the quality of the service we provide to the visitors to the Park.
Back to what interests us most, I will tell you that the first thing that calls our attention after entering the Hinojos Marshes from the north is the large number of egrets, herons, spoonbills and flamingos that spread throughout the marsh extension. Today in particular we have found a huge concentration of many thousand flamingos. It has to be given a special mention at a melanic Grey Heron and a Western Reef Egret that have seen in the last days. There are also many flocks of small waders that are still passing through Doñana. The most abundant species are Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and the only breeder to Doñana of the group, the Kentish Plover. Putting knowledge and patience can also be found among them the rare Tenmick's Stint.
Photo 2
Collared Pratincoles, Black Winged Stilts and Avocets are also very abundant and can be observed at close range sitting on their nests. Crested, Calandra and Short-toed Larks fill the marsh with their melodic songs, while Yellow Wagtails sing their simple calls. At Caño Guadiamar, Great Reed Warblers are the ones that, devoid of any modesty, direct the soundtrack, with the invaluable help of Purple Gallinule, Coots, Moorhens, Little Grebes, Little Bitterns and Savi's Warblers, whose shyness is evident making really difficult to spot them. Great Crested Pochards, Common Pochards, Mallards, Grebes, and Terns sail or fly over the waters covered largely by the reeds.
Looking carefully through the vegetation you may enjoy the rides of the Great Crested Grebe chicks on the backs of their parents; or the Little Grebes sat on their small nests anchored to a branch of a tamarisk, at the slightest warning of imminent danger they cover their eggs with bits of nesting materials with a flashing movement to conceal them from potential predators; or perhaps the Coots feeding their funny red head chicks with small portions of algae taken from the bottom of the marsh. With a little luck will even observe through the windows of the Jose A. Valverde Visitor Centre the tireless work of building the nest of a Great Reed Warbler.
There is certainly no shortage of spectacular scenes there. The colony continues a ceaseless activity of chick feeding, nest construction, fights for the space, talks of love and high-pitched arguments of heated competitors. Here, in the remote western Europe, we are fortunate to have this wonder of nature for the enjoyment of its visitors. Without a doubt this is the place you should not miss if you decide to visit Doñana.
Before I conclude I wanted to share with you the small moment of happiness that is for any lover of birds the first observation of a species. It was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper that suddenly appear the other day in the field of view of my binoculars as I examined a group of waders. The unusual always stand out quickly for those who have trained eyes; to find out exactly what it is may not be so easy. We found on the 7th and the 8th an individual of this species feeding relentlessly among the short grass near an area full of small waders. Its long yellow legs and cinnamon front lit my alarms. Confirmed the second day with some American clients, this is probably one of the few observations, if not the first, for these species in Donana. Doñana surprises you ...
The descending water level reveals the effects of last winter floods: Photo 3
The leftovers of a hungry: Photo 4
Attachments
John Cantelo
Well-known member
Congratulations on finding the Buff-breasted Sandpiper - a most charming wader. The Coto sounds particularly good this year, so I can't wait for me to return to 'the other side of the river' and explore the Sanlucar area at the end of the month,
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2010 SEPTEMBER 13th
Migration comes through
Hello again from Doñana. It is still dry and hot in the Park; well, not as hot as August with the usual 35 - 40ºC but with temperatures around 30º now at midday which is not bad. It will still take a few weeks for the rain to come so the marshes are showing a summer deserty looking and there is only some water left along the Caño Guadiamar. Reed Deer is in its rut season and males can be seen accompanying females now.
Small migrants are passing through now; species like Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Wheatear, Melodious Warbler, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Whinchat can be seen flying through the marshes and moving low among the tamarisks. Larger birds like Montagu's Harrier, Short-toed Eagle and Ospreys are also moving through Doñana on their way to Africa. Black Kites and difficult to spot now while Booted Eagle is not so difficult yet, there are still a number of them around. In contrary, the number of Red Kites is increasing.
At Caño Guadiamar there is a good number of Spoonbills, White Storks, Little Egrets, Grey and Purple Herons, Squacco Herons, Night Herons and Glossy Ibis. The number of waders is also increasing there with Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt among the most common species.
The number of waders and herons in the rice fields is also going up quickly and the Dehesa de Abajo reservoir still holds a good number of Flamingos and ducks.
Migration comes through
Hello again from Doñana. It is still dry and hot in the Park; well, not as hot as August with the usual 35 - 40ºC but with temperatures around 30º now at midday which is not bad. It will still take a few weeks for the rain to come so the marshes are showing a summer deserty looking and there is only some water left along the Caño Guadiamar. Reed Deer is in its rut season and males can be seen accompanying females now.
Small migrants are passing through now; species like Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Wheatear, Melodious Warbler, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Whinchat can be seen flying through the marshes and moving low among the tamarisks. Larger birds like Montagu's Harrier, Short-toed Eagle and Ospreys are also moving through Doñana on their way to Africa. Black Kites and difficult to spot now while Booted Eagle is not so difficult yet, there are still a number of them around. In contrary, the number of Red Kites is increasing.
At Caño Guadiamar there is a good number of Spoonbills, White Storks, Little Egrets, Grey and Purple Herons, Squacco Herons, Night Herons and Glossy Ibis. The number of waders is also increasing there with Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt among the most common species.
The number of waders and herons in the rice fields is also going up quickly and the Dehesa de Abajo reservoir still holds a good number of Flamingos and ducks.
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
Well, rain should be back some time in October, so the later you came in the month the better to have more chances to get the marshes starting to get flooded again. I would also recommend you to have a look in the rice plantations around Isla Mayor, a difficult area to get your way through though due to the complicated net of tracks.
We will have by then a good number if wintering species like cranes, geese, ducks and many waders but you will find most of them in the rice fields rather than in the Park itself.
Good luck!
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2010 SEPTEMBER 21st
The number of wintering Common Buzzards, Common Kestrels and Red Kites is increasing quickly. And so does the number of passing Wheatears, Whitethroats, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers and Whinchats. There is some water again in the marshes next to El Rocio thanks to the heavy showers last week. Stilts and other waders are coming back. In Caño Guadiamar there are still plenty of Spoonbills, Herons, Godwits and other small waders. Short-toed Eagles and Ospreys keep on passing in small numbers. We saw there today the first Bluethroat and the first Tenmick's Stint of the season.
In the rice fields around Isla Mayor there are still small numbers of Squacco and Purple Herons and the number of Black Storks is increasing day by day. We found a small group of Short-toed Larks that haven't gone south yet. At Dehesa de Abajo there are large numbers of White Storks, Glossy Ibis, Avocets, Shoveler and Mallard. We saw only a few Common Teal and Red-crested Pochard and also a pair of Marbled Duck. Also found a couple of Crested Coots there.
The number of wintering Common Buzzards, Common Kestrels and Red Kites is increasing quickly. And so does the number of passing Wheatears, Whitethroats, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers and Whinchats. There is some water again in the marshes next to El Rocio thanks to the heavy showers last week. Stilts and other waders are coming back. In Caño Guadiamar there are still plenty of Spoonbills, Herons, Godwits and other small waders. Short-toed Eagles and Ospreys keep on passing in small numbers. We saw there today the first Bluethroat and the first Tenmick's Stint of the season.
In the rice fields around Isla Mayor there are still small numbers of Squacco and Purple Herons and the number of Black Storks is increasing day by day. We found a small group of Short-toed Larks that haven't gone south yet. At Dehesa de Abajo there are large numbers of White Storks, Glossy Ibis, Avocets, Shoveler and Mallard. We saw only a few Common Teal and Red-crested Pochard and also a pair of Marbled Duck. Also found a couple of Crested Coots there.
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2010 OCTOBER 7th
Autumn rain
It has already started to rain in Doñana after the long dry season and the first flocks of ducks are arriving now. Today I thought I saw the first flock of geese in the distance; they were too far away to be sure, but I think I identified the distinctive heavy beating of wings of these great travellers.
These first autumn storms are not enough to change significantly the dry state of the marshes, but the level of water at the Mother of the Marshes is increasing and so does the number of birds. In the cork oak forest of Matasgordas we hardly hear the Reed Deer rutting any more, although there are still some males accompanying their harems of females. We can see them easily in mixed groups through the low layer of mist that remains spreading under the tree canopies until the sun comes out to disintegrate it. The still small acorns attract them in order of recovering the energy lost during the long, hard summer and the gruelling breeding tasks. It is impressive to see them lift their heavy bodies on their hind legs to reach barely the lowest fruits, young individuals have no choice but to wait until they fall to the ground to start enjoying them.
In the marshes everything is more or less the same, plenty of Wheatears still passing through; most passerines pass quite unnoticed during the autumn migration, but this one in particular is felt easily. Throughout the month of September, thousands of them use the fences along the Hinojos Marshes as perches where to hunt the insects on which they feed from. Other small birds like Willow and Garden Warblers, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers are also passing.
At Caño Guadiamar there are still many Black-tailed Godwits, Ruffs, Avocets, Stilts, Ringed Plovers, Dunlins, Snipes, Common Teals, Shovelers and Spoonbills. Bluethroat is now back and moving through the reeds picking little insects from the muddy grounds. Willow Warblers, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler and Garden Warblers can also be seen in among the reeds.
During our stops at the bridge over the Caño to see all these species it's not rare, if you keep your ears open, to catch a glimpse of smalls groups of Pintail Sandgrouse flying at low altitude over your heads, making their usual short calls. They drop over the shallow waters near the shore and with a quick and trained exercise take land over de surface and take off again after a second with their bellies full of water. Then they back again toward the dry marshes where their thirsty chickens wait. Or if you are lucky like we were today you may see the impressive Spanish Imperial Eagle cycling high in the sky, gaining altitude with the help of the thermal.
At the rice fields around Isla Mayor harvesting has just started. Thousand of Storks, Herons, Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Gulls and waders concentrate on the just harvested fields to take advantage of the tones of crayfish, fish and frogs now easily available. Is this a part of Doñana that you should not miss if you visit it at this time of the year; we always included in our full day tours, specially desinged for people specially interested on birdwatching.
We now are expecting more rain coming soon to fill the marshes and have the right conditions to welcome the big flocks of Cranes, Geese, ducks and waders that there must but just about to arrive.
Autumn rain
It has already started to rain in Doñana after the long dry season and the first flocks of ducks are arriving now. Today I thought I saw the first flock of geese in the distance; they were too far away to be sure, but I think I identified the distinctive heavy beating of wings of these great travellers.
These first autumn storms are not enough to change significantly the dry state of the marshes, but the level of water at the Mother of the Marshes is increasing and so does the number of birds. In the cork oak forest of Matasgordas we hardly hear the Reed Deer rutting any more, although there are still some males accompanying their harems of females. We can see them easily in mixed groups through the low layer of mist that remains spreading under the tree canopies until the sun comes out to disintegrate it. The still small acorns attract them in order of recovering the energy lost during the long, hard summer and the gruelling breeding tasks. It is impressive to see them lift their heavy bodies on their hind legs to reach barely the lowest fruits, young individuals have no choice but to wait until they fall to the ground to start enjoying them.
In the marshes everything is more or less the same, plenty of Wheatears still passing through; most passerines pass quite unnoticed during the autumn migration, but this one in particular is felt easily. Throughout the month of September, thousands of them use the fences along the Hinojos Marshes as perches where to hunt the insects on which they feed from. Other small birds like Willow and Garden Warblers, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers are also passing.
At Caño Guadiamar there are still many Black-tailed Godwits, Ruffs, Avocets, Stilts, Ringed Plovers, Dunlins, Snipes, Common Teals, Shovelers and Spoonbills. Bluethroat is now back and moving through the reeds picking little insects from the muddy grounds. Willow Warblers, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler and Garden Warblers can also be seen in among the reeds.
During our stops at the bridge over the Caño to see all these species it's not rare, if you keep your ears open, to catch a glimpse of smalls groups of Pintail Sandgrouse flying at low altitude over your heads, making their usual short calls. They drop over the shallow waters near the shore and with a quick and trained exercise take land over de surface and take off again after a second with their bellies full of water. Then they back again toward the dry marshes where their thirsty chickens wait. Or if you are lucky like we were today you may see the impressive Spanish Imperial Eagle cycling high in the sky, gaining altitude with the help of the thermal.
At the rice fields around Isla Mayor harvesting has just started. Thousand of Storks, Herons, Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Gulls and waders concentrate on the just harvested fields to take advantage of the tones of crayfish, fish and frogs now easily available. Is this a part of Doñana that you should not miss if you visit it at this time of the year; we always included in our full day tours, specially desinged for people specially interested on birdwatching.
We now are expecting more rain coming soon to fill the marshes and have the right conditions to welcome the big flocks of Cranes, Geese, ducks and waders that there must but just about to arrive.
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2010 November 9th
The Game of Nature
The old tell that until not long ago Geese barely had to go away from the secure marshes inside the Park, they used to find in them everything they needed from September when the begun to arrive. But things have changed, now they have to make a short trip to the rice fields every day to come back and rust in the marshes. And partially this is because we have less rain nowadays. Rain season is coming late this year and the the scarce rain we have had so far has been only enough to fill the marshes next to El Rocío; there we found a couple of Crested Coot among several hundreds of Common ones. Cold weather hasn't arrived yet to many winter birds are still hanging around some where along the way. There are only about 1,500 geese in Doñana at the moment.
These changes are not for the good from the geese's point of view but they bring us some advantages; now we can enjoy every morning one of the biggest attractions of Doñana in Autumn: skein after skein, a thousand geese fly over us at Cancela de la Escupidera, at the entrance of the Hinojos Marshes. At low altitude they over fly us letting us hear their powerful calls.
These masters of flying without engine unfold all its abilities before us, what a control of the air, what a power; we can feel the energy they emit, a strong army composed by thousands of experienced soldiers whose joint force would be able to move mountains and to deviate the course of a river. Those are the sensations they produce in us.
Before arriving at the marsh we have already enjoyed another exciting demonstration of force; stopped at the Raya Real, next to the cork forests of Matasgordas, we are delighted with the manoeuvres of two male Fallow Deer that fight for the right to perpetuate their genes through their harem of females. They clash their antlers with controlled energy , with precision. We see in their faces no gesture of annoyance, fear or hate, simply they carry out their well trained exercises with a very concrete objective, without apparent strains; it is just a new demonstration of Nature's Game.
Among Mastic Trees, Blackberry bushes and Tamarisks, with a much more shy behaviour but with clear evidences for trained eyes and hears, the just arrived Chiffchaffs, Robins and Blackcaps have taken command of the forest. Their songs join with those of Sardinian Warblers, Chaffinches, Great and Blue Tits and Short-toed Treecreepers. Timid Black Redstarts also abound already, as well as White Wagtails and Meadow Pipits in the marshes, where the last Wheatears are still passing through. Large flocks of Goldfinches and Serins explore the dry marshes in search of thistles full of seeds while huge flocks of hundreds of Calandra and Skylars feed in the cereal fields next to the Park. Large concentrations of Corn Buntings and smaller groups of Meadow Pipits join them for lunch. In the distance we look at small groups of Cranes flying towards the rice fields.
Many Red Kites, Common Buzzards, Common Kestrels and some Lesser, many Marsh and some Hen Harriers and a few Peregrine and Merlin, each one take possession of its own corner in the vast skies and long fences across the marshes. With a bit of luck we can even find that of the Spanish Imperial Eagle like we did today. There is no need for them to do any demonstration of force to radiate it at first sight. We enjoyed the sight of a second year juvenile perched on a pylon next to the Caño Guadiamar. For Matthew, my client today, it was his first time and he did not miss any detail through my telescope. We saw it in the distance from the bridge over the caño after having enjoyed for a few long seconds at a Water Rail and a Bluethroat in the reed beds. After a coffee break at Jose A. Valverde we headed for Huerta Tejada where we found several dozens Stone Curlew at their usual winter field.
In the rice fields around Isla Mayor we came across huge flocks of Gulls, including several Slender-billed, Egrets and Herons every where and some large flocks of Glossy Ibis. We also found large flocks of Lapwings, Ruff, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts and small numbers of Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Common Redshanks and other small waders including Kentish Plover. But the most impressive concentrations for me were at Dehesa de Abajo where many thousands Shoveler spread all over the lagoon. We also found Pintail, Mallard, Gadwall, Common Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Little Grebe and Great-crested Grebe. At the far side of the water we saw large groups of Avocet and Stilts again.
As usually great opportunities for good birding these days.
The Game of Nature
The old tell that until not long ago Geese barely had to go away from the secure marshes inside the Park, they used to find in them everything they needed from September when the begun to arrive. But things have changed, now they have to make a short trip to the rice fields every day to come back and rust in the marshes. And partially this is because we have less rain nowadays. Rain season is coming late this year and the the scarce rain we have had so far has been only enough to fill the marshes next to El Rocío; there we found a couple of Crested Coot among several hundreds of Common ones. Cold weather hasn't arrived yet to many winter birds are still hanging around some where along the way. There are only about 1,500 geese in Doñana at the moment.
These changes are not for the good from the geese's point of view but they bring us some advantages; now we can enjoy every morning one of the biggest attractions of Doñana in Autumn: skein after skein, a thousand geese fly over us at Cancela de la Escupidera, at the entrance of the Hinojos Marshes. At low altitude they over fly us letting us hear their powerful calls.
These masters of flying without engine unfold all its abilities before us, what a control of the air, what a power; we can feel the energy they emit, a strong army composed by thousands of experienced soldiers whose joint force would be able to move mountains and to deviate the course of a river. Those are the sensations they produce in us.
Before arriving at the marsh we have already enjoyed another exciting demonstration of force; stopped at the Raya Real, next to the cork forests of Matasgordas, we are delighted with the manoeuvres of two male Fallow Deer that fight for the right to perpetuate their genes through their harem of females. They clash their antlers with controlled energy , with precision. We see in their faces no gesture of annoyance, fear or hate, simply they carry out their well trained exercises with a very concrete objective, without apparent strains; it is just a new demonstration of Nature's Game.
Among Mastic Trees, Blackberry bushes and Tamarisks, with a much more shy behaviour but with clear evidences for trained eyes and hears, the just arrived Chiffchaffs, Robins and Blackcaps have taken command of the forest. Their songs join with those of Sardinian Warblers, Chaffinches, Great and Blue Tits and Short-toed Treecreepers. Timid Black Redstarts also abound already, as well as White Wagtails and Meadow Pipits in the marshes, where the last Wheatears are still passing through. Large flocks of Goldfinches and Serins explore the dry marshes in search of thistles full of seeds while huge flocks of hundreds of Calandra and Skylars feed in the cereal fields next to the Park. Large concentrations of Corn Buntings and smaller groups of Meadow Pipits join them for lunch. In the distance we look at small groups of Cranes flying towards the rice fields.
Many Red Kites, Common Buzzards, Common Kestrels and some Lesser, many Marsh and some Hen Harriers and a few Peregrine and Merlin, each one take possession of its own corner in the vast skies and long fences across the marshes. With a bit of luck we can even find that of the Spanish Imperial Eagle like we did today. There is no need for them to do any demonstration of force to radiate it at first sight. We enjoyed the sight of a second year juvenile perched on a pylon next to the Caño Guadiamar. For Matthew, my client today, it was his first time and he did not miss any detail through my telescope. We saw it in the distance from the bridge over the caño after having enjoyed for a few long seconds at a Water Rail and a Bluethroat in the reed beds. After a coffee break at Jose A. Valverde we headed for Huerta Tejada where we found several dozens Stone Curlew at their usual winter field.
In the rice fields around Isla Mayor we came across huge flocks of Gulls, including several Slender-billed, Egrets and Herons every where and some large flocks of Glossy Ibis. We also found large flocks of Lapwings, Ruff, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts and small numbers of Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Common Redshanks and other small waders including Kentish Plover. But the most impressive concentrations for me were at Dehesa de Abajo where many thousands Shoveler spread all over the lagoon. We also found Pintail, Mallard, Gadwall, Common Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Little Grebe and Great-crested Grebe. At the far side of the water we saw large groups of Avocet and Stilts again.
As usually great opportunities for good birding these days.
Attachments
mcapper
Registered User
As the Matthew referred to above, I can only echo Jose's words.
This is the second time I've used Jose (the first back in March - see above) and I've had two superb days. I wouldn't have seen half the stuff (especially in the time available) had I not been with Jose and Donana has quite frankly blown me away both times.
Each visit had different spectacles - this time, the Imperial Eagle blew me away but the sight and sounds of the goose and crane commute between the marshes and the rice fields will stick in the memory.
Many thanks again Jose, I'll be back....!
Matthew
This is the second time I've used Jose (the first back in March - see above) and I've had two superb days. I wouldn't have seen half the stuff (especially in the time available) had I not been with Jose and Donana has quite frankly blown me away both times.
Each visit had different spectacles - this time, the Imperial Eagle blew me away but the sight and sounds of the goose and crane commute between the marshes and the rice fields will stick in the memory.
Many thanks again Jose, I'll be back....!
Matthew
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2010 December 7th
Smart tides and happy little birds
Rain never please everyone, wise saying. It rained hard last few days, very hard, with disparate consequences. Some people's holidays have been spoiled, some other's houses flooded, the streets in El Rocío and other Andalusian towns have become rivers and access to the Park have been threatened again.
But not everything has been bad: hunters have killed fewer geese these days, cranes and geese have been able to feed quietly on the newly sprouted grain fields, and beaches have been widened in some parts at the expense of some holiday houses built where they should not be,
Photo 1
and above all, the marshes, this rain has been specially good for the marshes, now it looks very different from just a couple of days ago.
Photo 2
In the flooded plains today we could finally see huge flocks of ducks and geese flying over and filling the sky. Golden Plovers groups spread at last over the few areas that are kept free of flooding. Also a large number of Black-headed Gulls taking advantage of the small invertebrates displaced by water, many Lapwings and White Wagtail pecking between the newly flooded areas. A late Wheatear trying to keep balance on a pole in a struggle with the strong wind, large groups of Goldfinch and Serin doing the same on the thistles and the Kestrels playing with the gusts of wind. Thousand of Stripeless Tree Frogs seem to be also very active these days, filling the marshes edges with their songs.
Other waders are also beginning to return to the park now that conditions are becoming much more appropriate for them. Today we saw the first small flocks of Black-tailed Godwits, Ringed Plovers and other small inhabitants of shallow waters. A flock of about 50 Black-winged Stilts represented for us one of their aerial choreography in the Caño Guadiamar. In the lagoons surrounding the Jose A. Valverde Visitor Center we found again the Crested Coot which have been seen there lately.
Back in El Rocio, taking advantage of a sunny interval, we enjoy the sight of a good number of Flamingos and Spoonbills wading through the waters of the Mother of the Marshes. We also found again a pair of Crested Coots mixed with several hundred of their common cousins. In the distance we found several Shelducks and a good variety of other ducks.
In summary, the tides intelligent and persistent rain these days to keep us all entertained and happy birds.
Smart tides and happy little birds
Rain never please everyone, wise saying. It rained hard last few days, very hard, with disparate consequences. Some people's holidays have been spoiled, some other's houses flooded, the streets in El Rocío and other Andalusian towns have become rivers and access to the Park have been threatened again.
But not everything has been bad: hunters have killed fewer geese these days, cranes and geese have been able to feed quietly on the newly sprouted grain fields, and beaches have been widened in some parts at the expense of some holiday houses built where they should not be,
Photo 1
and above all, the marshes, this rain has been specially good for the marshes, now it looks very different from just a couple of days ago.
Photo 2
In the flooded plains today we could finally see huge flocks of ducks and geese flying over and filling the sky. Golden Plovers groups spread at last over the few areas that are kept free of flooding. Also a large number of Black-headed Gulls taking advantage of the small invertebrates displaced by water, many Lapwings and White Wagtail pecking between the newly flooded areas. A late Wheatear trying to keep balance on a pole in a struggle with the strong wind, large groups of Goldfinch and Serin doing the same on the thistles and the Kestrels playing with the gusts of wind. Thousand of Stripeless Tree Frogs seem to be also very active these days, filling the marshes edges with their songs.
Other waders are also beginning to return to the park now that conditions are becoming much more appropriate for them. Today we saw the first small flocks of Black-tailed Godwits, Ringed Plovers and other small inhabitants of shallow waters. A flock of about 50 Black-winged Stilts represented for us one of their aerial choreography in the Caño Guadiamar. In the lagoons surrounding the Jose A. Valverde Visitor Center we found again the Crested Coot which have been seen there lately.
Back in El Rocio, taking advantage of a sunny interval, we enjoy the sight of a good number of Flamingos and Spoonbills wading through the waters of the Mother of the Marshes. We also found again a pair of Crested Coots mixed with several hundred of their common cousins. In the distance we found several Shelducks and a good variety of other ducks.
In summary, the tides intelligent and persistent rain these days to keep us all entertained and happy birds.
Attachments
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2011 MARCH 22nd
2011 January 22nd
A ghost army
Spring announces its near arrival to Doñana, or perhaps we should say that it is already here; day by day green is taken the rest of the chromatic scale, especially in the pine woods, where the bright green grass covers it all, except in areas where trees have been allowed to grow too close each other, preventing needed light to reach the grounds. However, these dark areas become places for other forest inhabitants at this time of year, mushrooms, a large army ghost. A huge mosaic of wet and cool soils, with more or less light or small differences in acidity and salinity, where most of vital stories of the great forest take place, gets invaded at this time of year by a horde whose silent conquest is performed without pause while the conditions are favorable.
There are no disputes or apparent struggles, each platoon of the great army does its job in the plot assigned and when they are done plant their banners in the form of wonderful mushrooms of all shapes and colors imaginable. Viscous Boletus, pink Russula, appealing Lactarius, funny Lycoperdon, elegant Geastrum, blue Lepista, delicate Omphalina, cheeky Coprinus, provocative Amanitas, strange looking Clathrus, colorful Fuligo, all have their role and place in our forests and are there to be enjoyed by those who don’t forget to look down from time to time.
They are not exactly looking forward to the arrival of spring, but others are anxious because their proximity. The first swallows already fly over our wetlands as every year at this time, in the forests Chiffchaffs’ songs become increasingly apparent, others like Wren, Chaffinch, Great and Blue Tits help them to compose the soundtrack of the forest. Coots in the marshes are no longer in large groups, but begin to break up into small groups and couples that are put to work to choose their little corners and defend it from competitors. The humor of the Little Grebe also begins to to improve day by day, their contagious laughter is heard frequently now . The soundtrack here in the extent of the marsh is different, here Cetti’s Warblers, Common Moorhens, Crested and Calandra Larks work together to build it; Lapwings, Greylag Geese, Shovelers and Pintails collaborate too, they also feel that strange sensation which must make for them the arrival of spring. But if there is someone in these winter warm sunny days that intends to conduct this motley choir is the Purple Gallinule, this amateur baritone is back in the marsh and seem to try and turn this refined classical melody into a piece of free jazz with their cries out of tune. The saltmarsh bulrush is only now beginning to stand out of the water so that species such as the Purple Gallinule and the Crested Coot are now easier to observe.
Royal spectator of the eagerness of each one of them the Imperial Eagle watch with interest from the top of one of the electric poles that are distributed evenly along the Caño Guadiamar. For the non usual visitors certainly they will not mean anything but a nuisance in the plain uniform landscape, but for many common inhabitants of the marsh, power lines and poles crossing become invaluable perches. The large number of Kestrels wintering in Doñana would not be here if not for them, and the abundant Red Kites, Ravens, Buzzards and Starlings are also deeply grateful. The juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle we found today peering from their perch on the pole was without doubt one of best surprises of the day, but the biggest surprise for me was certainly the unexpected Short-toed Eagle flying over the pine trees around the House of Cañada Mayor . On rare occasions, individuals of this species remain in Doñana for the winter so their sightings are usually very rare in this time of year.
But there is another regular visitor to the winters of Doñana that is coming late this year, this is the Great Spotted Cuckoo, a species whose first individuals often return from African lands in early January or even late December, well ahead of even the earliest swallows , but this year has not been seen around the edges of the northern marshes. Unaware of these absences and presences off calendar, huge flocks of Geese, Shoveler, Pintail and the especially abundant this year Shelduck seize the Hinojos Marshes. In the distance we also see large flocks of Glossy Ibis, Godwits and Lapwings flying over the marshes. The Golden Plovers, more timid, remain well camouflaged in the muddy higher areas, accompanied by a myriad from small Pipits, Wagtails and Larks.
The edges of the road are constantly animated by small flocks of Goldfinch, Serin, Greenfinch and Linnet that come to feed on the seeds from thistles and in the meadows near the woods where the first spring narcissus bloom already and the lower leaves from stork’s bills and other species cover the sand, small groups of deer and deer graze peacefully.
With just a little bit of luck so you can come across such a sunny day as this your visit to Doñana this winter will become a beautiful life experience full of the small stories that all its inhabitants will tell you.
2011 January 22nd
A ghost army
Spring announces its near arrival to Doñana, or perhaps we should say that it is already here; day by day green is taken the rest of the chromatic scale, especially in the pine woods, where the bright green grass covers it all, except in areas where trees have been allowed to grow too close each other, preventing needed light to reach the grounds. However, these dark areas become places for other forest inhabitants at this time of year, mushrooms, a large army ghost. A huge mosaic of wet and cool soils, with more or less light or small differences in acidity and salinity, where most of vital stories of the great forest take place, gets invaded at this time of year by a horde whose silent conquest is performed without pause while the conditions are favorable.
There are no disputes or apparent struggles, each platoon of the great army does its job in the plot assigned and when they are done plant their banners in the form of wonderful mushrooms of all shapes and colors imaginable. Viscous Boletus, pink Russula, appealing Lactarius, funny Lycoperdon, elegant Geastrum, blue Lepista, delicate Omphalina, cheeky Coprinus, provocative Amanitas, strange looking Clathrus, colorful Fuligo, all have their role and place in our forests and are there to be enjoyed by those who don’t forget to look down from time to time.
They are not exactly looking forward to the arrival of spring, but others are anxious because their proximity. The first swallows already fly over our wetlands as every year at this time, in the forests Chiffchaffs’ songs become increasingly apparent, others like Wren, Chaffinch, Great and Blue Tits help them to compose the soundtrack of the forest. Coots in the marshes are no longer in large groups, but begin to break up into small groups and couples that are put to work to choose their little corners and defend it from competitors. The humor of the Little Grebe also begins to to improve day by day, their contagious laughter is heard frequently now . The soundtrack here in the extent of the marsh is different, here Cetti’s Warblers, Common Moorhens, Crested and Calandra Larks work together to build it; Lapwings, Greylag Geese, Shovelers and Pintails collaborate too, they also feel that strange sensation which must make for them the arrival of spring. But if there is someone in these winter warm sunny days that intends to conduct this motley choir is the Purple Gallinule, this amateur baritone is back in the marsh and seem to try and turn this refined classical melody into a piece of free jazz with their cries out of tune. The saltmarsh bulrush is only now beginning to stand out of the water so that species such as the Purple Gallinule and the Crested Coot are now easier to observe.
Royal spectator of the eagerness of each one of them the Imperial Eagle watch with interest from the top of one of the electric poles that are distributed evenly along the Caño Guadiamar. For the non usual visitors certainly they will not mean anything but a nuisance in the plain uniform landscape, but for many common inhabitants of the marsh, power lines and poles crossing become invaluable perches. The large number of Kestrels wintering in Doñana would not be here if not for them, and the abundant Red Kites, Ravens, Buzzards and Starlings are also deeply grateful. The juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle we found today peering from their perch on the pole was without doubt one of best surprises of the day, but the biggest surprise for me was certainly the unexpected Short-toed Eagle flying over the pine trees around the House of Cañada Mayor . On rare occasions, individuals of this species remain in Doñana for the winter so their sightings are usually very rare in this time of year.
But there is another regular visitor to the winters of Doñana that is coming late this year, this is the Great Spotted Cuckoo, a species whose first individuals often return from African lands in early January or even late December, well ahead of even the earliest swallows , but this year has not been seen around the edges of the northern marshes. Unaware of these absences and presences off calendar, huge flocks of Geese, Shoveler, Pintail and the especially abundant this year Shelduck seize the Hinojos Marshes. In the distance we also see large flocks of Glossy Ibis, Godwits and Lapwings flying over the marshes. The Golden Plovers, more timid, remain well camouflaged in the muddy higher areas, accompanied by a myriad from small Pipits, Wagtails and Larks.
The edges of the road are constantly animated by small flocks of Goldfinch, Serin, Greenfinch and Linnet that come to feed on the seeds from thistles and in the meadows near the woods where the first spring narcissus bloom already and the lower leaves from stork’s bills and other species cover the sand, small groups of deer and deer graze peacefully.
With just a little bit of luck so you can come across such a sunny day as this your visit to Doñana this winter will become a beautiful life experience full of the small stories that all its inhabitants will tell you.
Attachments
Last edited:
wolfbirder
Well-known member
Beautifully written update Jose!
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2011 FEBRUARY 28th
Green and blue, pink and yellow
Spring is here, no doubt, we have only to look at our fields and our skies and see how the green takes over our lawns and as the blue of our skies every day is more ornate with the increasing number of individuals of species such as Black Kites, Booted Eagles, House Martins and Swallows.
Paper-white Narcissus hide among mastic and olive trees; wild geraniums, white and yellow daisies, yellow rockroses, blue borages, wild mustards, asphodels, all participate to varying degrees in decorating our fields. Pinks, yellows, purples and whites begin to take shape against the green background that lines our sand.
Reed and Fallow Deer lose their old antlers and immediately start forming new ones. Females of foxes and other mammals show their swollen bellies ready to give birth, while House Martins, Swallows and Coots are already working in the development or restoration of their nests. Needless to say that some storks are already hatching their eggs and male Great Spotted Cuckoos are already being chased by magpies in order to remove them from their nests while their partners do their work in them.
The first Black Kites and Booted Eagles over fly our forests, they are here to stay, while the first Short-toed Eagles on passage hover over the meadows in search of their favourite food, snakes, which have started to awaken from hibernation. On the other hand, Red Kites and Buzzards begin to decrease their numbers, only some will stay to face stiff competition with their newly arrived relatives. Lesser Kestrel also begin to return to their breeding colonies in our towns and cities, filling the sky with their claims and pirouettes.
The marsh begins to get cover with Salt Bulrushes while huge flocks of many thousand House Martins and Swallows feed over it. Other small flocks of waders, Godwits and Golden Plovers share the space in the vastness of the plain swamp. Flamingo pink lines and large flocks of Shoveler and Pintail also find their place in the horizontal landscape of the Hinojos marshes.
The still abundant White Wagtails welcome their yellow close relatives, the Yellow Wagtail, whose first units are now back from African lands wearing their best plumages. The Lesser Short-toed Larks do the same with her cousins the Greater Short-toed Lark, with which they will share the dry areas of the marsh until the summer. Although is the Calandra Lark, the queen of Larks the one that governs in the dry islands, their twittering stand above the rest of the songs in our early spring here in the marsh.
Further east, in the Caño Guadiamar, the first Squacco Herons are easy to see now. Gallinules, coots, moorhens and grebes calls divert our attention from the delicate song of the Sedge Warblers, which are hidden in our tamarisk and reeds. The scarce Crested Coots display their impressive horns pointing to the sky as if to get rid of their heads. The elusive Bittern can be seen with some luck along the Caño, along with the first Purple Heron detected already this year. Surely both are spotted without difficulty by the first Ospreys that have already begun their migration and its passage through Doñana.
A bit further east, around the Lucio del Lobo, the latest Cranes and Geese share the shallow flooded areas with groups of Fallow Deer and flocks of Glossy Ibis, which have already started their approach to the breeding colony at Jose A.Valverde Visitors Center .
Also worth a visit the Dehesa de Abajo, where male White Storks are holding nest on a first come and try to attract females to them. The displays may last for long time, unless it is a couple from last year that find each other after the winter. Though storks form monogamous pairs for the duration of the breeding season, they do not migrate or over-winter together. If the same pair reforms in successive years it is largely due to their strong attachment to their nest site.
Down on the lake, besides large groups of avocets and stilts, it should be noted a large flock of several thousand flamingos that perform their courtship together producing one of the greatest natural performances that Doñana can offer its visitors.
I am sure you will find attractions enough to encourage you to visit Doñana this spring.
Green and blue, pink and yellow
Spring is here, no doubt, we have only to look at our fields and our skies and see how the green takes over our lawns and as the blue of our skies every day is more ornate with the increasing number of individuals of species such as Black Kites, Booted Eagles, House Martins and Swallows.
Paper-white Narcissus hide among mastic and olive trees; wild geraniums, white and yellow daisies, yellow rockroses, blue borages, wild mustards, asphodels, all participate to varying degrees in decorating our fields. Pinks, yellows, purples and whites begin to take shape against the green background that lines our sand.
Reed and Fallow Deer lose their old antlers and immediately start forming new ones. Females of foxes and other mammals show their swollen bellies ready to give birth, while House Martins, Swallows and Coots are already working in the development or restoration of their nests. Needless to say that some storks are already hatching their eggs and male Great Spotted Cuckoos are already being chased by magpies in order to remove them from their nests while their partners do their work in them.
The first Black Kites and Booted Eagles over fly our forests, they are here to stay, while the first Short-toed Eagles on passage hover over the meadows in search of their favourite food, snakes, which have started to awaken from hibernation. On the other hand, Red Kites and Buzzards begin to decrease their numbers, only some will stay to face stiff competition with their newly arrived relatives. Lesser Kestrel also begin to return to their breeding colonies in our towns and cities, filling the sky with their claims and pirouettes.
The marsh begins to get cover with Salt Bulrushes while huge flocks of many thousand House Martins and Swallows feed over it. Other small flocks of waders, Godwits and Golden Plovers share the space in the vastness of the plain swamp. Flamingo pink lines and large flocks of Shoveler and Pintail also find their place in the horizontal landscape of the Hinojos marshes.
The still abundant White Wagtails welcome their yellow close relatives, the Yellow Wagtail, whose first units are now back from African lands wearing their best plumages. The Lesser Short-toed Larks do the same with her cousins the Greater Short-toed Lark, with which they will share the dry areas of the marsh until the summer. Although is the Calandra Lark, the queen of Larks the one that governs in the dry islands, their twittering stand above the rest of the songs in our early spring here in the marsh.
Further east, in the Caño Guadiamar, the first Squacco Herons are easy to see now. Gallinules, coots, moorhens and grebes calls divert our attention from the delicate song of the Sedge Warblers, which are hidden in our tamarisk and reeds. The scarce Crested Coots display their impressive horns pointing to the sky as if to get rid of their heads. The elusive Bittern can be seen with some luck along the Caño, along with the first Purple Heron detected already this year. Surely both are spotted without difficulty by the first Ospreys that have already begun their migration and its passage through Doñana.
A bit further east, around the Lucio del Lobo, the latest Cranes and Geese share the shallow flooded areas with groups of Fallow Deer and flocks of Glossy Ibis, which have already started their approach to the breeding colony at Jose A.Valverde Visitors Center .
Also worth a visit the Dehesa de Abajo, where male White Storks are holding nest on a first come and try to attract females to them. The displays may last for long time, unless it is a couple from last year that find each other after the winter. Though storks form monogamous pairs for the duration of the breeding season, they do not migrate or over-winter together. If the same pair reforms in successive years it is largely due to their strong attachment to their nest site.
Down on the lake, besides large groups of avocets and stilts, it should be noted a large flock of several thousand flamingos that perform their courtship together producing one of the greatest natural performances that Doñana can offer its visitors.
I am sure you will find attractions enough to encourage you to visit Doñana this spring.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Doñana, wonderful Doñana - irresistible! Nicely written Jose - I particularly like Calandra Lark - Queen of the larks - I agree totally.
Thanks for the interesting information about White Stork's monogamy - I didn't know.
Best wishes
Simon
Thanks for the interesting information about White Stork's monogamy - I didn't know.
Best wishes
Simon
Jose A. Sanchez
Registered Member
2011 APRIL 27th
In memory of Joanna Francis
In memory of Joanna Francis
It was about 10 years ago, back in the spring of 2001, when I had the fortune to meet this great person. It wasn't her first time in Doñana, the exuberant nature of these latitudes had already caught her. Being an enthusiastic nature lover, always willing to increase their knowledge on any subject, always grateful for a new experience, always happy with any small surprise that our excursions in Doñana offered us. From large events like the stunning bird breeding colonies to small events such as the construction of an ant lion trap, from the mighty stag to the most delicate flower, from the highest tree tops to the lowest strata at the eyes of a lizard level, no corner of wilderness felt outside her interest.
I enjoyed our outings to Doñana as much as her. After a good number of years of experience as a guide in the Park and thousands of people who I had tried to convey my enthusiasm for this wonderful corner of Europe, I must say that few of them showed such a fervent adherence to Doñana. Nothing motivates more a nature guide than seeing the enjoyment of the person that shares with you the day , so I'll always be grateful to Joanna for all those great moments we spent together in Doñana.
Knowing that it might be the last time, she visited us in late January, she had never seen the Cranes and Geese in their winter quarters, and not being particularly good in waders, wanted to improve their identification skills at the time of the year that was a better challenge. The light of Doñana in winter also captivated her, the clarity of the landscape and the vastness of the marsh flooded after the heavy Autumn rain. But another light, her light, extinguished for ever last week. All who knew her will miss her.
I would have loved to show her Doñana again this spring. Winter rain have also been abundant this year so the marshes look great and the expectations are the best in a number of years. Meadows, constantly overflown by Bee-eaters, stay green with abundant flowers and butterflies; in the forest you can easily identify and locate every species by their song, and diversity in the marshes is the highest of the year. The great Imperial Eagle, the querulous Black Kite, the powerful Short-toed Eagle, the great hunter the Booted Eagle, the elegant Montagu's Harrier, the skilled Kestrels and the tender Little Owls, all would have been willing to show their skills again before Joanna's eyes.
Joanna would undoubtedly also enjoyed the small Kentish Plovers, hatchings their eggs now in a small slit of dried mud on the edges of marsh ponds, and the rare Tenmick's Stint passing in small numbers now mixed with large groups of other small waders on their way back to the north, and the exotic look of Collared Pratincoles, the loud chatting of the Black Winged Stilts, the displays of fun-toed Lark, the flights of the Lapwings chasing the Black Kites away from their nests, the curious silhouette of the Crested Coot hiding in reeds away from our sight, Glossy Ibis formations returning to the breeding colony, large flocks of Flamingos flying off and showing the flashes of red fire that decorate their wings and under which we name them, Griffon Vultures gaining height by cycling in a thermal and Purple Swamp-hen, Joanna would have thoroughly enjoyed our extravagant blue cocks which are already feeding their chickens this spring hidden among the aquatic vegetation.
She would have enjoyed so much to help me again in the search of, what she perfectly knew it was my favourite bird, the Pintail Sandgrouse. Difficult task each time you try, but that just makes it more interesting and rewarding. The three pairs that we saw today were just taking a dust bath in an open corner of dry clay only about 50 meters away from our car, their twisting to make it reach every corner of their bodies caught my attention and made my work easier.
If she had been able to come back to Doñana, the attractive song of the Calandra Lark and the delicate melody of the Melodious Warbler had caught her attention as much as they caught mine today, and she had loved to see again the small Spectacled Warblers and those little brown birds that all birders want to see when they come to Doñana, the Lesser Short-toed Larks. On arrival at the bridge over Caño Guadiamar she had asked me to find for her again a Savi's Warbler, to see it singing from the top of a reed its monotonous tune that resembles more that of a cricket than anything else, his mouth staying open, as if waiting for the small insects that feeds on to fell inside by themselves attracted by it; that is one of those little things that she used to enjoy with gratitude.
Needless to say that her pleasure levels had risen high above when reaching once more Jose A. Valverde breeding colony. There the activity is hectic again, like every spring, 15 to 20,000 Purple Herons, Squacco Herons, Night Herons, Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Glossy Ibis, among others, are struggling to complete their nests and begin to hatch their eggs. The attractive Red-crested Pochards nesting under the tamarisks and, with a little luck, you can also see the elusive Little Bittern flying over the lagoon to hide again among the reeds
It took us a whole day last winter to find a species that she always missed on her visits to Doñana, and we had to go as far as Sanlúcar de Barrameda to get it, the scarce Marbled Teal, now we have some back in the marshes.
A good friend is gone, and will not return to her beloved Doñana, at least in flesh and blood, though I'm sure the Doñana's marshes and forests have been somehow infused with her vital energy. From here I send you my most sincere gratitude wherever you are.
I enjoyed our outings to Doñana as much as her. After a good number of years of experience as a guide in the Park and thousands of people who I had tried to convey my enthusiasm for this wonderful corner of Europe, I must say that few of them showed such a fervent adherence to Doñana. Nothing motivates more a nature guide than seeing the enjoyment of the person that shares with you the day , so I'll always be grateful to Joanna for all those great moments we spent together in Doñana.
Knowing that it might be the last time, she visited us in late January, she had never seen the Cranes and Geese in their winter quarters, and not being particularly good in waders, wanted to improve their identification skills at the time of the year that was a better challenge. The light of Doñana in winter also captivated her, the clarity of the landscape and the vastness of the marsh flooded after the heavy Autumn rain. But another light, her light, extinguished for ever last week. All who knew her will miss her.
I would have loved to show her Doñana again this spring. Winter rain have also been abundant this year so the marshes look great and the expectations are the best in a number of years. Meadows, constantly overflown by Bee-eaters, stay green with abundant flowers and butterflies; in the forest you can easily identify and locate every species by their song, and diversity in the marshes is the highest of the year. The great Imperial Eagle, the querulous Black Kite, the powerful Short-toed Eagle, the great hunter the Booted Eagle, the elegant Montagu's Harrier, the skilled Kestrels and the tender Little Owls, all would have been willing to show their skills again before Joanna's eyes.
Joanna would undoubtedly also enjoyed the small Kentish Plovers, hatchings their eggs now in a small slit of dried mud on the edges of marsh ponds, and the rare Tenmick's Stint passing in small numbers now mixed with large groups of other small waders on their way back to the north, and the exotic look of Collared Pratincoles, the loud chatting of the Black Winged Stilts, the displays of fun-toed Lark, the flights of the Lapwings chasing the Black Kites away from their nests, the curious silhouette of the Crested Coot hiding in reeds away from our sight, Glossy Ibis formations returning to the breeding colony, large flocks of Flamingos flying off and showing the flashes of red fire that decorate their wings and under which we name them, Griffon Vultures gaining height by cycling in a thermal and Purple Swamp-hen, Joanna would have thoroughly enjoyed our extravagant blue cocks which are already feeding their chickens this spring hidden among the aquatic vegetation.
She would have enjoyed so much to help me again in the search of, what she perfectly knew it was my favourite bird, the Pintail Sandgrouse. Difficult task each time you try, but that just makes it more interesting and rewarding. The three pairs that we saw today were just taking a dust bath in an open corner of dry clay only about 50 meters away from our car, their twisting to make it reach every corner of their bodies caught my attention and made my work easier.
If she had been able to come back to Doñana, the attractive song of the Calandra Lark and the delicate melody of the Melodious Warbler had caught her attention as much as they caught mine today, and she had loved to see again the small Spectacled Warblers and those little brown birds that all birders want to see when they come to Doñana, the Lesser Short-toed Larks. On arrival at the bridge over Caño Guadiamar she had asked me to find for her again a Savi's Warbler, to see it singing from the top of a reed its monotonous tune that resembles more that of a cricket than anything else, his mouth staying open, as if waiting for the small insects that feeds on to fell inside by themselves attracted by it; that is one of those little things that she used to enjoy with gratitude.
Needless to say that her pleasure levels had risen high above when reaching once more Jose A. Valverde breeding colony. There the activity is hectic again, like every spring, 15 to 20,000 Purple Herons, Squacco Herons, Night Herons, Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Glossy Ibis, among others, are struggling to complete their nests and begin to hatch their eggs. The attractive Red-crested Pochards nesting under the tamarisks and, with a little luck, you can also see the elusive Little Bittern flying over the lagoon to hide again among the reeds
It took us a whole day last winter to find a species that she always missed on her visits to Doñana, and we had to go as far as Sanlúcar de Barrameda to get it, the scarce Marbled Teal, now we have some back in the marshes.
A good friend is gone, and will not return to her beloved Doñana, at least in flesh and blood, though I'm sure the Doñana's marshes and forests have been somehow infused with her vital energy. From here I send you my most sincere gratitude wherever you are.
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