Bee Eater, La Aldea del Obispo, Extremadura
Welcome back. No apologies for the length of the post.
May 13th
Another belter of a day. Today was a trip along the road to Santa Marta de Magasca. I wanted to try for more Bustards as well as Rollers further round towards Caceres. I joined a group of Dutch birders several times during the day. A fantastic bunch. They helped me see my first Great Bustards of the day between the two main pull overs on the road. Two Stone Curlews shared the field and Calandra Lark was feeding young nearby.
Female Great Bustard
Male Great Bustard with a one track mind.
Calandra Lark landing at it's nest.
White Stork & Booted Eagle also flew over. For a change!
Booted Eagle
(Another) White Stork
I followed the road North through Santa Marta noting Iberian Magpie and Greater Short-toed Lark along the way. I stopped near the bridge over what the locals call "Rio Magasca" but is signed Rio Almonte. A great spot with River Kingfisher, Hoopoe, Crag Martin, Sardinian Warbler and Western Subalpine Warbler, amongst others. The thermals attracted the usual Griffons plus Black Stork, Marsh Harrier and Honey Buzzard. Some huge fish, probably Barbel, were mooching about the shallows.
Views from Rio Magasca -(Top = Downstream)
Barbel in the shallows
Female Marsh Harrier
Crag Martin
I then followed the road North to where it meets the Monroy - Trujillo road. I parked off the verge for a look about and saw my first ever Little Bustard just before it landed in the long grass and disappeared. There is a fair sized Montague's Harrier colony here and I counted 4 males and 3 females. Other birds included Woodchat Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Little Owl and Cinereous Vulture. Reptiles were represented by Spanish Psammodromus. Small Copper, Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and Southern Brown Argus were the butterflies. Chrysocrambus craterella was the only moth. Oil beetles were everywhere.
Woodchat Shrike, male
Montague's Harrier, female
Little Owl
Chrysocrambus craterella
Holly Blue
Mazarine Blue
Southern Brown Argus
Small Copper
Oil Beetle - 6cm long!
Spanish Psammodromus
Next stop was the Caceres plain with another stop at Rio Magasca. Here I had a pair of Short-toed Eagles and...
BIG MISTAKE NUMBER 2 - For some reason, I know not why, I dropped to the floor like a (very) large bag of horse crap. When I eventually got up and stopped cursing everyone and everything I discovered I had damaged my camera lens. More loud swearing. The focus system would not work on auto or manual. I eventually, after 30 minutes of blind tampering, got it working but it was, and still is, very delicate. NOT HAPPY.
Still, "Keep Calm!", off to Caceres where I had excellent views of Rollers and displaying Golden Eagle.
Golden Eagles, Caceres Plain
Rollers, Caceres plain
Time to head for the hotel. Followed the Santa Marta - Trujillo road and found an amazing flock of 20 Great Bustards, an awesome sight. A new bird made it's debut on my life list when 4 Black-bellied Sandgrouse flew past. There were also lots of Iberian Magpies, Southern Grey Shrike and another very nice Short-toed Eagle.
Iberian Magpies
Short-toed Eagle
May 14th
Heading South today towards the agricultural area around Vegas Atlas and Madrigalejo. The trick was to find the flooded fields. First stop was the reed filled Rio Gargálegos. This riparian corridor is an amazing place. I noted 2 Western Olivaceous Warblers, rare in these parts, lots of Great Reed Warblers, Purple Heron and Penduline Tit. A Moustached Warbler was a good find in the reed beds.
Great Reed Warbler
I drove around the dirt tracks at Vegas Atlas but there were few wet areas and no obvious groups of waders. Tawny Pipit was new as was a group of 4 Common Waxbills. Hoopoe, Common Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel and Stone Curlew were also seen. I stopped by the river for lunch and had a group of Red Avadavats. None were in breeding plumage as they nest during the Autumn. Plenty of Great Reed Warblers and a Eurasian Reed Warbler.
Common Buzzard, Vegas Atlas
Red Avadavat
From there I travelled a few miles North, past Madrigalejo, and found a pull over to get my bearings. I noticed a large group of birds about a kilometre distant. I had to investigate.
I found 3 freshly irrigated fields and a shed load of birds. Amongst the throng were Gull-billed Terns, a Whiskered Tern, Collared Pratincole, Ringed Plover, Little Stint and a single Redshank. All this with the local Stilts.
There must have been 40 Collared Pratincole there while another 2 groups of 70+ birds each flew North. Over 200 Pratincoles is quite a sight. I also noted Broad Scarlet and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies nearby.
Gull-billed Terns
Ringed Plover
Black-winged Stilt, female
Western Cattle Egret
Black-headed Gulls, Gull-billed Terns, Stilts and spot the Redshank!
Gull-billed Terns and Collared Pratincoles
Collared Pratincoles
Broad Scarlet
Black-tailed Skimmer
Time to head back to Belen finding Southern Grey Shrike as well as Green-striped White butterflies and the caterpillar of the moth Agrochola pistacinoides (no English name) along the way.
Southern Grey Shrike
Green-striped White
Agrochola pistacinoides
Buenos noches
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