This was a birding trip that we organised ourselves. We flew from Bristol to Madrid, then hired a car and drove 160 miles south-west to Trujillo, our base for the week. It was an easy drive that took about two and a half hours. We stayed in the centre of the old town in the Hostal Meson Hueso. Highlight of the trip was, undoubtedly, finding the 5th Pied-billed Grebe for Spain which got the week off to a brilliant start.
Itinerary:
13th May 2010 Flew from Bristol to Madrid, drove to Trujillo. Birded Trujillo environs, Huertas de La Magdelena, Santa Marta de Magasca, , Rio Magasca, Trujillo.
14th May 2010 Parque Nacional de Monfragüe.
15th May 2010 Monroy, Santa Marta de Magasca, Embalse de Gaudliba-Cáceres, Trujillo.
16th May 2010 Campo Lugar, Arroyo Pizarro, Fernado V, Embalse de Sierra Brava, Zorita, Trujillo.
17th May 2010 Parque Nacional de Monfragüe, Embalse de Talavan, Cáceres, Trujillo.
18th May 2010 Belén Plain before breakfast, Trujillo, Monroy, Torrejon el Rubio via Talavan, Trujillo.
19th May 2010 Benquerencia de la Serena (Castillo), Cabeza Del Buey, Cabeza Almagrera, Arroyo del Almorchin, Castuera, Campanario, Trujillo.
20th May 2020 Parque Nacional de Monfragüe camp site, Embalse de Arroyocampo, Trujillo.
21st May 2010 Belén Plain before breakfast then Rio Almonte. Drove to Madrid & flew home to Bristol.
Our list (in date order):
Pied-billed Grebe, Red Kite, Little Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Red-legged partridge, Crag Martin, Red-necked Nightjar, Calandra Lark, Magpie, Stonechat, Black-winged Stilt, Little Egret, White Stork, Black (Cinereous) Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Swift, Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Serin, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Lesser Kestrel, Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler (heard), Melodius Warbler, Crested Lark, Carrion Crow, Black Kite, White Wagtail, Cattle Egret, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Great Bustard 48, Spotted Flycatcher, Spotless Starling, Woodchat Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike, Jackdaw, Raven, Buzzard, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Azure-winged Magpie, Corn Bunting, Blackbird, Bonelli’s Eagle, Blue Rock Thrush, Egyptian Vulture, Chaffinch, Hawfinch, Woodpigeon, Pallid Swift, Black-eared Wheatear, Sardinian Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Black Stork 5, Red-billed Chough, Jay, Black Redstart, Wren, Rock Bunting, Robin, Cuckoo, Short-toed Lark, Montagu’s Harrier, Little Ringed Plover, Little Tern, Collared Pratincole, Corn Bunting, Spanish Sparrow, Little Owl, Roller, Honey Buzzard, Grey Heron, Linnet, Gull-billed Tern 7+, Marsh Harrier, Gadwall, Crake sp. (poss. Little Crake), Kingfisher 3, Zitting Cisticola, Great Reed Warbler, Reed Warbler, Tree Sparrow, Great Crested Grebe, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Golden Eagle, Barn Owl, Alpine Swift c. 40, White-rumped Swift 1, Thekla Lark, Wheatear, Subalpine Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Little Bustard 6+, Quail 6+ singing, Stone Curlew, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Spectacled Warbler, Orphean Warbler, Greensfinch, Wood Lark, Black Wheatear 3, Black-bellied Sandgrouse 9, Dartford Warbler, Robin, Crested Tit, Purple Heron, Savi’s Warbler, Turtle Dove.
Otter sp., Fallow Deer, Red Deer, various lizards & a gecko.
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