Southern Spain and Extremadura 23/6 - 30/6/2000

Juha Niemi

GENERAL INFO

1. Participants

• Juha Niemi, email: juha.niemi@tp.spt.fi
• Markku Santamaa, email: santamaa@cc.spt.fi
• Keijo Wahlroos

2. Travel

• Airplane: Helsinki-Malaga. Departure: Friday, June 23, 18:00. Return: Friday, June 30, 22:45
• Car: Opel Astra diesel with air-conditioning rented by Helle Hollis for 42000 pts, incl. total insurance and unlimited mileage
• Journey: We drove 2.850 km, daily totals are given in the section Itinerary

3. Residence

• Sierra Nevada. We stayed one night at hotel El Querra at few km from Granada toward the peak. Price for a room with three single beds was 5000 pts.
• Monfragüe: We stayed 2 nights at Hotel Carvajal at Torrejón El Rubio. Price for a room with two single beds + a room with one bed was 8000 pts.
• La Serena: We stayed one night at a roadside hotel halfway between Campanarion and Castueran. Price for a room with two single beds + a room with one bed was 9000 pts.
• El Rocio: Unfortenately I can't recall the hotels name but the price was 7500 pts for a room with two single beds + a room with one bed.
• Ronda: We stayed one night at Hotel Hula. Price for a room with two single beds + a room with one bed was 7000 pts.
• La Jimena de Libar: We stayed last night at cambing area near this village. Two bungalows costs 12000 pts.

The temperature was rather high all the time, generally between 33-37°C in daytime and once it reached +40°C. Because of hot wheather we did have decent meal only once at Hotel Carvajal. The food was good. Mainly we enjoyed lemoncakes, sandwiches and coffee and lots of fresh water and coke.

4. Information

Maps

• Michelin 444 Espana centro 1:400000 (880 pts)
• Firestone Andalucia 1:30000 (1450 pts)

Books and trip reports

• Extremadura (14/4 - 23/4/2000), Yves Baptiste
• Where to watch birds in Southern Spain, Garcia E. & A. Paterson
• A birdwatching guide to Extremadura, John Muddeman
• A Birdwatching guide to Southern Spain, Malcolm Palmer

ITINERARY

• 23.6. Malaga -> Sierra Nevada 160 km
• 24.6. Sierra Nevada -> Torrejon El Rubio (Extremadura) 616 km
• 25.6. Extremadura, Monfraque until noon and a roundtrip Trujillo -> Monroy 149 km
• 26.6. Torrejon El Rubio -> Mirador De La Bascula -> Monroy -> Sierra De San Pedro -> Aquilar -> Medina -> La Serena 390 km
• 27.6. La Serena until noon -> El Rocio 595 km
• 28.6. El Rocio -> Coto Donana -> Ronda 340 km
• 29.6. Ronda -> El Chorro -> Ronda -> La Jimena de Libar 220 km
• 30.6. La Jimena de Libar -> Tarifa -> Torremolinos -> Malaga airport 325 km.

BIRDS

1. LITTLE GREBE (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
a few birds observed at some ponds

2. GREAT CRESTED GREBE (Podiceps cristatus)
some breeding couples at ponds such as Laguna del Rincon and Laguna de Zonar near Aquilar

3. BLACK-NECKED GREBE (Podiceps nigricollis)
some breeding couples at ponds such as Laguna del Rincon near Aquilar

4. CORY'S SHEARWATER (Calonectris diomedea)
roughly 30 birds on sea at Tarifa

5. MEDITERRANEAN SHEAWATER (Puffinus (yelkouan) mauretanicus)
roughly 20 birds on sea at Tarifa

6. GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)
one bird flying NW at the Mirador De La Bascula, Monfragüe

7. CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
frequently observed, in small to large numbers

8. LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)
common in Coto Donana

9. GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)
few birds irregularly observed near rivers and ponds, also in Coto Donana

10. PURPLE HERON (Ardea purperea)
2 birds at river in Medina and pretty common in Coto Donana

11. LITTLE BITTERN (Ixobrychus minutus)
2 adult male at river in Medina and a pair in Coto Donana

12. NIGHT HERON (Nycticorax nycticorax)
a few birds at river in Medina and common in Coto Donana

13. SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)
a few birds in Coto Donana

14. BLACK STORK (Ciconia nigra)
few birds observed in Monfragüe

15. WHITE STORK (Ciconia ciconia)
common

16. EURASIAN SPOONBILL (Platalea leucorodia)
common in Coto Donana

17. GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)
several birds observed in Coto Donana

18. GREATER FLAMINGO (Phoenicopterus ruber
common in Coto Donana

19. EGYPTIAN GOOSE (Alopochen aegyptiacus)
6 birds in Coto Donana, escapes from a waterfowlcollection ?

20. GREYLAG GOOSE (Anser anser)
few birds observed in Coto Donana

21. GADWALL (Anas strepera)
a few birds observed in Coto Donana

22. MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos)
pretty common at ponds and rivers

23. TEAL (Anas crecca)
single male observed in Coto Donana

24. SHOVELER (Anas clypeata)
3 males observed in Coto Donana

25. MARBLED DUCK (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
single bird observed in Coto Donana

26. RED-CRESTED POCHARD (Netta rufina)
a few birds observed at Laguna del Rincon and Coto Donana

27. POCHARD (Aythya ferina)
many birds observed in Coto Donana

28. WHITE_HEADED DUCK (Oxyura leucocephala)
3 males and one female at Laguna del Rincon

29. BLACK KITE (Milvus migrans)
very abundant in Extremadura and elsewhere as well

30. RED KITE (Milvus milvus)
a few birds observed mainly in Extremadura

31. EGYPTIAN VULTURE (Neophron percnopterus)
a few birds observed in Extremadura

32. GRIFFON VULTURE (Gyps fulvus)
abundant in Extremadura and a few observed above the sierra's elsewhere as well

33. BLACK VULTURE (Aegypius monachus)
roughly 15-20 birds observed in Extremadura. There were three nests at the Mirador de la Báscula

34. SHORT-TOED EAGLE (Circaetus gallicus)
daily observerd in Extremadura. 10 birds perched along the road in La Serena

35. MARSH HARRIER (Circus aeruginosus)
2 males and female in Coto Donana

36. MONTAGU'S HARRIER (Circus pygargus)
abundant in the steppes

37. EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK (Accipiter nisus)
one hunting bird at the Mirador de la Báscula

38. COMMON BUZZARD (Buteo buteo)
daily observed

39. SPANISH IMPERIAL EAGLE (Aquila adalberti)
2 adult observed at Sierra de San Pedro

40. GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaetos)
a 2nd-calendar bird hunting in La Serena

41. BOOTED EAGLE (Hieraaetus pennatus)
regularly observed, mainly pale form, only two dark individual observed

42. BONELLI'S EAGLE (Hieraaetus fasciatus)
2 adult birds observed at El Chorro

43. OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
one bird observed at the Mirador de la Báscula

44. LESSER KESTREL (Falco naumanni)
roughly 40 birds observed in La Serena

45. COMMON KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus)
abundant

46. RED-LEGGED PARTIDGE (Alectoris rufa)
frequently observed

47. WATER RAIL (Rallus aquaticus)
calling male in Coto Donana

48. MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus)
regular at ponds and in Coto Donana

49. PURPLE SWAMP-HEN (Porphyrio porphyrio)
11 birds observed in Coto Donana including a chick

50. COMMON COOT (Fulica atra)
see Moorhen

51. LITTLE BUSTARD (Tetrax tetrax)
7 birds observed in La Serena including a chick

52. GREAT BUSTARD (Otis tarda)
10 birds (all males) observed in La Serena

53. BLACK-WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus)
abundant in Coto Donana, a few elsewhere

54. AVOCET (Recurvirostra avosetta)
abundant in Coto Donana

55. STONE CURLEW (Oedicnemus burhinus)
several birds observed in La Serena and along the roadside from Trujillo to Monroy

56. COLLARED PRATINCOLE (Glareola pratincola)
several flying birds in La Serena and in Coto Donana

57. LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius dubius)
couples at larger and smaller embalses

58. KENTISH PLOVER (Charadrius alexandrinus
few birds observed in Coto Donana, several birds at beach in Tarifa

59. NORTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus vanellus)
a flock of 6 bird migrating in Coto Donana

60. DUNLIN (Calidris alpina)
2 birds observed at beach in Tarifa

61. SANDERLING (Calidris alba)
3 birds observed at beach in Tarifa

62. BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa)
very abundant in Coto Donana

63. RUFF (Philomachus pugnax)
2 birds observed in Coto Donana

64. REDSHANK (Tringa totanus)
a few birds observed at Lagunas and in Coto Donana

65. SPOTTED REDSHANK (Tringa erythropus)
roughly 10 birds in Coto Donana

66. GREEN SANDPIPER (Tringa ochropus)
irregularly observed at riversides and ponds

67. BLACK-HEADED GULL (Larus ridibundus)
few birds observed at riversides

68. YELLOW-LEGGED GULL (Larus cachinnans michahellis)
roughly 100 birds observed at beach in Terifa

69. AUDOUIN'S GULL (Larus audouinii)
11 birds, adults and 2nd-calendar years, observed at beach in Terifa

70. GULL-BILLED TERN (Gelochelidon nilotica)
a adult bird observed in Coto Donana and 52 birds with a few 1st year at pond between Ronda and El Chorro

71. SANDWICH TERN (Sterna sandvicensis)
a few birds, mainly adults, observed at beach in Tarifa

72. LITTLE TERN (Sterna albifrons)
3 adult birds observed at pond between Ronda and El Chorro and two adults at beach in Tarifa

73. WHISKERED TERN (Chlidonias hybridus)
roughly 170 adult birds in two colonies in Coto Donana

74. BLACK-BELLIED SANDGROUSE (Pterocles orientalis)
a few birds observed in La Serena

75. PIN-TAILED SANDGROUSE (Pterocles alchata)
many birds observed in La Serena

76. ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia)
many birds observed in different sierra's

77. WOOD PIGEON (Columba palumbus)
a few birds observed

78. EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE (Streptopelia decaocto)
calling birds in Medina and in camping area near Tarifa

79. TURTLE DOVE (Streptopelia turtur)
many birds observed

80. GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO (Clamator glandarius)
2 1st year birds in Coto Donana

81. SCOPS OWL (Otus scops)
2 calling males along roadside between Granada and Sierra Nevada, One of them just outside of the hotel El Querra

82. LITTLE OWL (Athene noctua)
many birds observed especially on the roundtrip Trujillo -> Monroy

83. NIGHTJAR (Caprimulgus europaeus)
singing bird just outside of the hotel El Querra

84. COMMON SWIFT (Apus apus)
abundant

85. PALLID SWIFT (Apus pallidus)
up to 5 birds observed at Laguna del Rincon

86. ALPINE SWIFT (Apus melba)
abundant in sierra's and bridges in Monfragüe and El Chorro

87. WHITE-RUMPED SWIFT (Apus caffer)
2-3 birds observed at castillo de Monfragüe

88. COMMON KINGFISHER (Alcedo atthis)
one bird observed at a river in Sierra de San Pedro

89. EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (Merops apiaster)
very common, daily observed

90. EUROPEAN ROLLER (Coracias garrulus)
a few birds observed along roads

91. HOOPOE (Upupa epops)
daily and frequently seen

92. GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos major)
few birds observed

93. CALANDRA LARK (Melanocorypha calandra)
numerous in the plains in La Serena

94. SHORT-TOED LARK (Calandrella brachydactyla)
many birds in the plains in Coto Donana, also juveniles

95. LESSER SHORT_TOED LARK (Calandrella rufescens)
up to 10 birds in the dry plains in Coto Donana, also juveniles

96. CRESTED LARK (Galerida cristata)
very common

97. THEKLA LARK (Galerida theklae)
only 4 birds observed in dry valley in La Serena

98. WOOD LARK (Lullula arborea)
singing male in Sierra Nevada and one bird near El Chorro

99. SKY LARK (Alauda arvensis)
2 birds in Sierra Nevada

100. SAND MARTIN (Riparia riparia)
few birds observed at Laguna del Rincon

101. CRAG MARTIN (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)
frequently and daily observed, abundant in different sierra's

102. BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)
common

103. RED-RUMPED SWALLOW (Hirundo daurica)
pretty common

104. HOUSE MARTIN (Delichon urbica)
very common

105. TAWNY PIPIT (Anthus campestris)
3 singing males in Sierra Nevada

106. BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL (Motacilla flava)
4 birds observed in Coto Donana

107. GREY WAGTAIL (Motacilla cinerea)
a few birds observed at rivers and sierra's

108. WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba)
few birds observed

109. WREN (Troglodytes troglodytes)
a few singing males in different sierra's

110. ALPINE ACCENTOR (Prunella collaris)
one bird eventually found after 6 hours search at altitude of approximately 3000m in Sierra Nevada!

111. RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN (Cercotrichas galactotes)
a pair at Laguna del Rincon

112. EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula)
2 birds in Sierra Nevada

113. RUFOUS NIGHTINGALE (Luscinia megarhynchos)
few birds observed in bushes and a singing male

114. BLACK REDSTART (Phoenicurus ochruros)
abundant in different sierra's

115. STONECHAT (Saxicola torquata)
regularly observed

116. NORTHERN WHEATEAR (Oenanthe oenanthe)
many birds observed in Sierra Nevada

117. BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR (Oenanthe hispanica)
regularly observed

118. BLACK WHEATEAR (Oenanthe leucura)
2 males in sierra's between Ronda and El Chorro

119. BLUE ROCK TRUSH (Monticola solitarius)
abundant in different sierra's and Monfragüe

120. ROCK THRUSH (Monticola saxatilis)
a few singing males observed only in Sierra Nevada

121. BLACKBIRD (Turdus merula)
regularly observed

122. MISTLE TRUSH (Turdus viscivorus)
one bird observed in Monfragüe

123. FAN-TAILED WARBLER (Cisticola juncidis)
common in Coto Donana

124. REED WARBLER (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
common in Coto Donana

125. GREAT REED WARBLER (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
common in every reedbeds

126. MELODIOUS WARBLER (Hippolais polyglotta)
a few birds observed in riverside bushes

127. DARTFORD WARBLER (Sylvia undata)
a few birds observed in Coto Donana

128. SPECTACLED WARBLER (Sylvia conspicillata)
a few birds observed in La Serena including 1st years

129. SUBALPINE WARBLER (Sylvia cantillans)
a few birds observed in Monfragüe and in different sierra's including 1st years

130. SARDINIAN WARBLER (Sylvia melanocephala)
almost daily observed

131. BLACKCAP (Sylvia atricapilla)
a few singing males observed

132. ORPHEAN WARBLER (Sylvia hortensis)
2 birds were observed in Monfragüe

133. BONELLI'S WARBLER (Phylloscopus bonelli)
abundant near Ronda and La Jimena de Libar

134. CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita)
one singing male in Sierra Nevada

135. SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)
a pair with fledglings near La Jimena de Libar

136. LONG-TAILED TIT (Aegithalos caudatus)
daily observed in Monfragüe

137. BLUE TIT (Parus caeruleus)
frequently observed

138. GREAT TIT (Parus major)
frequently observed

139. CRESTED TIT (Parus cristatus)
a few birds between Ronda and El Chorro

140. COAL TIT (Parus ater)
a few birds between Ronda and El Chorro

141. WOOD NUTHATCH (Sitta europaea)
a few birds between Ronda and El Chorro and near La Jimena de Libar

142. SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER (Certhia brachydactyla)
a few birds near La Jimena de Libar and in Coto Donana

143. GOLDEN ORIOLE (Oriolus oriolus)
frequently observed

144. SOUTHERN GREY SHRIKE (Lanius meridionalis)
regularly observed

145. WOODCHAT SHRIKE (Lanius senator)
very numerous

146. EURASIAN JAY (Garrulus glandarius)
irregularly observed

147. AZURE-WINGED MAGPIE (Cyanopica cyana)
abundant especially in Monfragüe, flocks with 1st years

148. MAGPIE (Pica pica)
regularly observed

149. CHOUGH (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)
5 birds observed in Sierra Nevada and a few more in sierra's between Ronda and El Chorro

150. JACKDAW (Corvus monedula)
frequently observed

151. CARRION CROW (Corvus corone)
regularly seen, though mainly in small numbers

152. RAVEN (Corvus corax)
irregularly observed

153. SPOTLESS STARLING (Sturnus unicolor)
abundant

154. HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus)
very common

155. SPANISH SPARROW (Passer hispaniolensis)
common in Extremadura

156. ROCK SPARROW (Petronia petronia)
common in Sierra Nevada, a few observed in different sierra's as well

157. CHAFFINCH (Fringilla coelebs)
irregularly observed

158. SERIN (Serinus serinus)
abundant

159. GREENFINCH (Carduelis chloris)
irregularly observed

160. GOLDFINCH (Carduelis carduelis)
very common

161. LINNET (Carduelis cannabina)
common

162. CROSSBILL (Loxia curvirostra)
calling birds between Ronda and El Chorro

163. HAWFINCH (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
one bird observed in Monfragüe

164. CIRL BUNTING (Emberiza cirlus)
a few birds observed

165. ROCK BUNTING (Emberiza cia)
many birds observed especially in Sierra Nevada

166. CORN BUNTING (Miliaria calandra)
very abundant