Extremadura in spring revisited....

20-21 April - A 2 day visit to Extremadura, linking up with a small group based at Finca Santa Marta (1) near Trujillo. Rather borderline weather, cloudy with a few sunny intervals, very windy on the 20th, nuch less so on 21st, and cold! Once 50 or 60km west of Madrid, Black Kites (17) and White Storks (12,13) became regular along the roadside. Almaraz reservoir (10,11), just off the E5 50km before Trujillo, was excellent as usual, visited both days. Birds seen there included - Black-winged Kite, Short-toed Eagle (18-20), Lesser Kestrel (25,26), Marsh Harrier (24), Spoonbill (31), Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron (27,28), Squacco Heron (29), Great White Egret, Gull-billed Tern, Great Reed Warbler (37), Savi's Warbler (38), Cetti's Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, and Penduline Tit (nest building,36). The advantage of Almaraz is that a causeway crosses the eastern end of the reservoir, and allows good photographic opportunities. The other main area visited was the dehesa from Jaraijeco towards Monfrague NP (2-9), and then the National Park itself including the Castillo. This always gives amazing eye-level views of raptors, this time including 1-2 Egyptian Vultures (23) among the squadrons of Griffons (22), but the highlight was a telescope view across the valley of an incubating adult Spanish Imperial Eagle on its nest. 1-2 Black Storks (14,15) were seen soaring over the adjacent Penafalcon massif on both days, and a male Blue Rock Thrush (32,33) was singing below the Castillo. Crag Martins flew around the cliffs. On the 21st, a visit to the bridge over the River Tajo produced a single Alpine Swift (34) in addition to the large numbers of breeding House Martins. A couple of Black Vultures (21) were seen from the park road. The dehesa itself held a fine range of birds including Booted Eagle (16), another Black Stork at a small roadside pool, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Azure-winged Magpie, Bee-eater, singing Cuckoos and Woodlarks, and small numbers of Red-rumped Swallows (35). Finally a pre-breakfast trip on 21st to the Sierra Brava reservoir gave views of 4 Montagu's Harriers including a melanistic male, several Marsh Harriers, several Hoopoes, a pair of Black-eared Wheatears, Black-winged Stilts on a couple of pools, and numerous Black Kites and White Storks along the roadside. We were too early to see Rollers as they had not yet arrived. Totals of birds seen as follows - Black Kite 142, Short-toed Eagle 7, Booted Eagle 17, Spanish Imperial Eagle 1, Montagu's Harrier 4, Marsh Harrier 7, White Stork 186, Black Stork 3, Red-rumped Swallow 16, Alpine Swift 1, Hoopoe 9. All in all, a very successful couple of days (courtesy of Easyjet) despite indifferent weather. Other photo - Cattle Egret, 30 - photos JM.