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SPAIN 2003 – the Grand Tour

 

“Sunbirds very first Grand Tour of Spain certainly was extensive, not only did we travel the length of the country but we also spent a day in France, saw Morocco and came pretty close to Portugal. With the area of ground covered (just over 3660km) it was no surprise that we birded in all of the main Spanish habitats and achieved a very respectable trip list of 203 species. From the marismas of the Coto Donana to the rocky outcrops of Monfrague; the desert like plains of Zaragoza to the snowy heights of the Pyrenees.

 

With these changing habitats came a variety of bird species. The gorges in and around Ronda produced Black Wheatears and Red billed Choughs, Donana was full of flamingos, herons and egrets as well as the hoped for Marbled Ducks and Glossy Ibis.  Even a few days of bad weather couldn’t stop us seeing the specialities of the region, few will forget seeing Crested Coot and White headed Duck in a twenty minute break in the showers and just three days later doing the same with Spanish Imperial and Bonellis’ Eagle, Black Vulture and Eagle Owl in Monfrague.

 

Raptors were a key feature of the tour and although our time at Tarifa waiting for migrants was hampered by the rain this did not stop us amassing a trip total of twenty species of raptor. These included Lesser Kestrels screaming around our heads and even a pair of Short toed Eagles calling and displaying to each other.

 

Other undoubted highlights included our first look at Little Bustard when a male appeared in the same scope view as a male Great Bustard, then the flock of Little Bustards that flew across in front of us before vanishing into the long grass to be followed minutes later by a mixed flock of Pin tailed and Black bellied Sandgrouse.

 

Having had distant views of a single Black shouldered Kite it was even more pleasing to return two days later and see a pair sat on the same branch together! Dupont’s Larks teased us near Belchite and retained their mythical status as one of the hardest birds to see in Spain.

 

Our first day in the Pyrenees produced what was for all of us a very special ten minutes. While some of us were still getting out of the mini buses there, overhead was our first Lammergeier, to be followed seconds later by another. Within 5 minutes we had seen four but best of all was the adult that landed on a rocky crag opposite the bus. Fully satiated with this we carried on to the small quarry and within seconds were watching a stunning male Wallcreeper. It would seem hard to beat this experience in the Pyrenees but views of Alpine Chough, Black Woodpecker and stunning scenery came close.

 

Non avian highlights were also plentiful and ranged from the spectacular gorge at Ronda, the superb picnic lunches, having lunch in the sandy square at El Rocio and expecting to see a cowboy or two, the wild flowers and cork oak woodlands across the country, good food and plenty of wine, good company (shame about the singing!) and some of the best scenery that Europe can offer.”  by James Lidster

 

Bird List:

 

Column 1   = number of days recorded

Column 2   = greatest daily count

H                 = heard only

 

 

Little Grebe  

4

6

 

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Great Crested Grebe  

2

3

 

Podiceps cristatus

Black-necked Grebe  

1

9

 

Podiceps nigricollis

Balearic Shearwater  

1

2

 

Puffinus mauretanicus

Gannet  

2

100

 

Morus bassanus

Grey Heron  

7

40

 

Ardea cinerea

Purple Heron  

2

50

 

Ardea purpurea

Little Bittern  

2

4

 

Ixobrychus minutus

Night Heron  

3

13

 

Nycticorax nycticorax

Squacco Heron  

3

2

 

Ardeola ralloides

Cattle Egret  

8

200

 

Bubulcus ibis

Little Egret  

7

150

 

Egretta garzetta

Great Egret

1

1

 

Egretta alba

Black Stork  

3

2

 

Ciconia nigra

White Stork  

10

130

 

Ciconia ciconia

Spoonbill  

3

30

 

Platalea leucorodia

Greater Flamingo  

3

300

 

Phoenicopterus ruber

Greylag Goose  

3

5

 

Anser anser

Shelduck  

2

2

 

Tadorna tadorna

Gadwall  

3

10

 

Anas strepera

Marbled Duck  

1

4

 

Marmaronetta angustirostris

Mallard  

6

60

 

Anas platyrhynchos

Shoveler  

3

20

 

Anas clypeata

Red-crested Pochard  

3

50

 

Netta rufina

Pochard  

3

15

 

Aythya ferina

White-headed Duck  

1

40

 

Oxyura leucocephala

Black-shouldered Kite  

3

2

 

Elanus caeruleus

Black Kite  

11

60

 

Milvus migrans

Red Kite  

7

10

 

Milvus milvus

Lammergeier  

4

9

 

Gypaetus barbatus

Egyptian Vulture  

5

5

 

Neophron percnopterus

Griffon Vulture  

13

200

 

Gyps fulvus

Black Vulture  

1

17

 

Aegypius monachus

Short-toed Eagle  

7

20

 

Circaetus gallicus

Marsh Harrier  

2

12

 

Circus aeruginosus

Montagu's Harrier  

5

20

 

Circus pygargus

Sparrowhawk   

5

2

 

Accipiter nisus

Common Buzzard  

13

6

 

Buteo buteo

Spanish Imperial Eagle  

1

1

 

Aquila adalberti

Booted Eagle  

9

20

 

ieraaetus pennatus

Bonelli's Eagle  

1

1

 

Hieraaetus fasciatus

Osprey  

1

2

 

Pandion haliaetus

Lesser Kestrel  

5

20

 

Falco naumanni

Common Kestrel  

10

10

 

Falco tinnunculus

Hobby  

1

1

 

Falco subbuteo

Peregrine  

6

2

 

Falco peregrinus

Red-legged Partridge  

8

12

 

Alectoris rufa

Quail  

3

1

 

Coturnix coturnix

Common Pheasant

1

1

 

Phasianus colchicus

Water Rail  

1

2

 

Rallus aquaticus

Moorhen  

6

20

 

Gallinula chloropus

Purple Gallinule  

2

7

 

Porphyrio porphyrio

Coot  

3

100

 

Fulica atra

Crested Coot  

2

3

 

Fulica cristata

Little Bustard  

1

40

 

Tetrax tetrax

Great Bustard  

1

17

 

Otis tarda

Black-winged Stilt 

6

70

 

Himantopus himantopus

Avocet  

3

200

 

Recurvirostra avosetta

Stone-curlew  

2

3

 

Burhinus oedicnemus

Collared Pratincole  

3

100

 

Glareola pratincola

Ringed Plover  

1

1

 

Charadrius hiaticula

Kentish Plover  

1

8

 

Charadrius alexandrinus

Grey Plover  

1

2

 

Pluvialis squatarola

Sanderling  

2

30

 

Calidris alba

Little Stint  

1

1

 

alidris minuta

Dunlin  

3

20

 

Calidris alpina

Ruff  

2

50

 

Philomachus pugnax

Common Snipe  

1

1

 

Gallinago gallinago

Glossy Ibis  

1

20

 

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-tailed Godwit  

1

6

 

Limosa limosa

Whimbrel  

3

100

 

Numenius phaeopus

Spotted Redshank  

2

2

 

Tringa erythropus

Common Redshank  

3

12

 

Tringa totanus

Greenshank  

3

1

 

Tringa nebularia

Green Sandpiper  

1

1

 

Tringa ochropus

Wood Sandpiper  

1

1

 

Tringa glareola

Common Sandpiper  

2

3

 

Actitis hypoleucos

Purple Sandpiper

1

2

 

Claidris maritima

Turnstone  

1

10

 

Arenaria interpres

Pomarine Skua

1

1

 

Stercorarius pomarinus

Arctic Skua  

1

2

 

Stercorarius parasiticus

Black-headed Gull  

1

25

 

Larus ridibundus

Slender Billed Gull  

1

8

 

Larus genei

Lesser Black-backed Gull  

5

1

 

Larus fuscus

Great Black-backed Gull  

1

3

 

Larus marinus

Yellow-legged Gull  

5

200

 

Larus cachinnans michahellis

Audouin’s Gull  

2

80

 

Larus audouinii

Gull-Billed Tern  

2

5

 

Gelochelidon nilotica

Sandwich Tern  

3

70

 

Sterna sandvicensis

Common Tern  

1

1

 

Sterna hirundo

Little Tern  

1

15

 

Sterna albifrons

Whiskered Tern  

3

250

 

Chlidonias hybrida

Black Tern  

3

4

 

Chlidonias niger

Razorbill  

1

3

 

Alca torda

Black-bellied Sandgrouse  

1

12

 

Pterocles orientalis

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse  

1

50

 

Pterocles alchata

Rock Dove  

14

40

 

Columba livia

Woodpigeon  

10

6

 

Columba palumbus

Collared Dove  

13

4

 

Streptopelia decaocto

Turtle Dove  

2

1

 

Streptopelia turtur

Great Spotted Cuckoo  

1

1

 

Clamator glandarius

Cuckoo  

10

2

H

Cuculus canorus

Scops Owl  

3

2

 

Otus scops

Eagle Owl  

1

2

 

Bubo bubo

Little Owl  

1

1

 

Athene noctua

European Nightjar

1

1

H

Caprimulgus europaeus

Red-necked Nightjar  

1

1

H

Caprimulgus ruficollis

Common Swift  

13

200

 

Apus apus

Pallid Swift  

3

30

 

Apus pallidus

Alpine Swift  

3

25

 

Apus melba

Common Kingfisher  

1

1

 

Alcedo atthis

European Bee-eater  

10

31

 

Merops apiaster

Roller  

1

2

 

Coracias garrulus

Hoopoe  

9

20

 

Upupa epops

Green Woodpecker  

1

2

 

Picus viridis sharpei

Great Spotted Woodpecker  

1

1

 

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker  

1

1

 

Dryocopus martius

Calandra Lark  

5

80

 

Melanocorypha calandra

Short-Toed Lark  

4

50

 

Calandrella brachydactyla

Lesser Short-toed Lark  

2

100

 

Calandrella rufescens

Crested Lark  

11

50

 

Galerida cristata

Thekla Lark 

2

6

 

 Galerida theklae

Woodlark  

3

4

 

Lullula arborea

Skylark  

1

2

 

Alauda arvensis

Dupont's Lark

1

2

H

Chersophilus duponti

Sand Martin  

3

20

 

Riparia riparia

Crag Martin  

10

40

 

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Swallow  

14

150

 

Hirundo rustica

Red-rumped Swallow  

9

20

 

Hirundo daurica

House Martin  

13

150

 

Delichon urbica

Tawny Pipit  

1

1

 

Anthus campestris

Water Pipit  

1

6

 

Anthus spinoletta

"Yellow" Wagtail  

2

20

iberiae

Motacilla flava

White Wagtail  

9

6

 

Motacilla alba

Grey Wagtail  

4

4

 

Motacilla cinerea

Dunnock  

1

1

H

Prunella modularis

Dipper  

1

2

 

Cinclus cinclus

Wren  

11

5

 

Troglodytes troglodytes

Robin  

4

16

 

Erithacus rubecula

Nightingale  

11

20

 

Luscinia megarhynchos

Black Redstart  

3

10

 

Phoenicurus ochruros

Whinchat  

1

1

 

Saxicola rubetra

Stonechat  

8

20

 

Saxicola torquata

Wheatear  

3

4

 

Oenanthe oenanthe

Black-eared Wheatear  

3

4

 

Oenanthe hispanica

Black Wheatear  

1

2

 

Oenanthe leucura

Blue Rock Thrush  

4

3

 

Monticola solitarius

Blackbird  

14

12

 

Turdus merula

Song Thrush  

5

10

 

Turdus philomelos

Mistle Thrush  

4

6

 

Turdus viscivorus

Zitting Cisticola  

10

20

 

Cisticola juncidis

Cetti's Warbler   

7

8

 

Cettia cetti

Savi's Warbler  

2

2

H

Locustella luscinioides

Reed Warbler  

3

4

 

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Great Reed Warbler  

3

15

 

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Melodious Warbler  

5

2

 

Hippolais polyglotta

Dartford Warbler  

2

3

 

Sylvia undata

Spectacled Warbler  

1

2

 

Sylvia conspicillata

Subalpine Warbler  

3

3

 

Sylvia cantillans

Sardinian Warbler  

9

20

 

Sylvia melanocephala

Garden Warbler  

1

1

 

Sylvia borin

Blackcap  

8

12

 

Sylvia atricapilla

Western Bonelli's Warbler  

2

4

 

Phylloscopus bonelli

Chiffchaff  

3

4

 

Phylloscopus collybita

Iberian Chiffchaff  

2

3

 

Phylloscopus ibericus

Firecrest  

5

15

 

Regulus ignicapillus

Spotted Flycatcher  

1

1

 

Muscicapa striata

Long-tailed Tit  

3

6

 

Aegithalos caudatus

Crested Tit  

2

8

 

Parus cristatus

Marsh Tit

2

6

 

Parus palustris

Coal Tit  

4

20

 

Parus ater

Blue Tit  

13

6

 

Parus caeruleus

Great Tit  

12

6

 

Parus major

Nuthatch  

2

7

 

Sitta europaea

Common Treecreeper  

1

1

 

Certhia familiaris

Short-toed Treecreeper  

9

10

 

Certhia brachydactyla

Wallcreeper  

1

1

 

Tichodroma muraria

Golden Oriole  

1

2

 

Oriolus oriolus

Great Grey Shrike  

3

20

 

Lanius excubitor

Woodchat Shrike  

9

20

 

Lanius senator

Jay  

3

3

 

Garrulus glandarius

Azure-winged Magpie  

7

40

 

Cyanopica cyana

Magpie  

11

10

 

Pica pica

Alpine Chough  

1

7

 

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Red-billed Chough  

1

180

 

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Jackdaw  

9

50

 

Corvus monedula

Carrion Crow  

7

6

 

Corvus corone

Raven  

6

8

 

Corvus corax

Spotless Starling  

13

60

 

Sturnus unicolor

House Sparrow  

14

150

 

Passer domesticus

Spanish Sparrow  

3

20

 

Passer hispaniolensis

Tree Sparrow  

3

6

 

Passer montanus

Rock Sparrow  

4

40

 

Petronia petronia

Chaffinch  

12

15

 

Fringilla coelebs

Serin  

14

20

 

Serinus serinus

Greenfinch  

12

20

 

Carduelis chloris

Goldfinch  

12

20

 

Carduelis carduelis

Linnet  

8

8

 

Carduelis cannabina

Eurasian Bullfinch

3

8

 

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Cirl Bunting  

2

6

 

Emberiza cirlus

Rock Bunting  

3

5

 

Emberiza cia

Yellowhammer  

2

6

 

Emberiza citrinella

Corn Bunting  

11

500

 

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