Extremadura March 2020

It's hard to believe that just 3 weeks ago I with Chris and Tony were enjoying the birds, scenery and hospitality of the people of Extremadura, Spain. Such lovely people and beautiful country now ravaged in such a short time by this terrible virus that is Covid-19.
We were based at Trujillo for 4 nights, so within minutes of leaving our hotel we were in the plains.

 Trujillo Bull Ring one of the best and easiest places to see Lesser Kestrels

 Lesser Kestrel Beautiful against the bright blue sky, unfortunately most of the time it was overcast with some drizzle and always windy.

 Lesser Kestrel

 Lesser Kestrel

A purpose built hide over looking Lesser Kestrel nest sites 

 A poor long range image which contains 12 Great Bustards. Most of the Bustards we saw were quite distant but some showed very nicely.

 Great Bustards

 Great Bustard

 Great Bustard

 Great Bustard against a leaden sky

 All the Little Bustards we saw were distant and seemed skittish even at at a distance. Although quite drab on the ground in flight they were very striking.

 Little Bustards

 Little Bustards

Little Bustards

 The Calandra Lark was probably my favourite bird of the Plains, there were huge numbers of them all over and a delight to see and hear. It is probably only on the Steppes of Kazakstan that I have seen more Calandra Larks.

 Calandra Lark a joy to see and hear

  Calandra Lark

  Calandra Lark

 Calandra Lark

 Corn Buntings were abundant

 Crested Larks were also abundant

Many large flocks of Spanish Sparrows were seen

 Stone Curlews flushed by a tractor

 Stone Curlew

We saw saw several Hen Harriers, all were males!

Several Black Winged Stilts were found on small pools along with other waders

 White Stork was another common species seen

 Iberian Grey Shrikes were fairly common

 We only saw a few Common Cranes in Extremadura as most had migrated North, though we did see 1,000s near Madrid migrating.

In the damp areas we found some Red Avadavats, which as soon as the flocks landed in the fields or reeds they vanished. A few Bluethroats and Great Spotted Cuckoo's were seen, as were the ever present Vultures including a fairly early Egyptian Vulture but we were a little early for most of the spring migrants. My thanks to Chris and Tony for making it such an enjoyable holiday, I'm sure I will return another year perhaps in mid to late April.

BWKM0 27/03/2020

 My scope set up for todays BWKMO

 View NE towards the ARC and Water Tower & Boulderwall Fields 

View E-SE towards the reserve visitor centre, lighthouses and power station

The visibility was very poor today with all the tractors running around kicking up clouds of dust.

At the moment my from the garden list stands at 140 in the 9 years I have been here, my BWKM0 list stands at 54 with no new species added today, though I did miss another Red Kite over the ARC while making a cup of coffee. I spent most the day standing scoping from the balcony in the teeth of a very cold NE wind that is blasting across the peninsula, which looks set to do so for at least the next week, nor surprisingly I had a poor return for my efforts. The local Herring Gulls kept me on my toes constantly alarming as a procession of Common Buzzards and Sparrowhawks sailed over. Hopefully soon the wind will abate and a gentle southerly will bring me the sound of Bitterns booming and some Hirundines. If you wish to take part in the BWKM0 then please go to Steve Gales excellent blog North Downs and Beyond 

Wednesday/Thursday 25-26/03/2020

On my now daily plod down to Dengemarsh and back (I'm not complaining because I do get to see birds). At the moment sea watching is off my daily agenda as the estate is closed to visitors, also it definitely too far for me walk, especially carrying the monster telescope.

Brown Hare

Yesterday morning I'd only walked a few yards when Hare bolted in front of me, as I neared Hookers a Bittern was booming, Reed Buntings were abundant and Cetti's Warblers were shouting from seemingly every bush.

Around Dengemarsh several Bearded Tits were calling and showing well. Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards were displaying, at least 3 Great White Egrets were around but there was no sign of any spring migrants apart from a couple of Chiffchaffs. A Red Kite drifted in from the ranges and was seen over Lydd as it continued North. The hay fields were very disappointing as they weren't full of the hoped for Garganey and Spoonbills, i've still not seen any Hirundines. As I walked passed the dung heap there were still several White Wagtails present.

 Bearded Tit

  Bearded Tit

  Bearded Tit

 This Grey Heron flushed fro a ditch beside me

A return to the bone numbing North Easterlies today made a huge difference in the birds seen on exactly the same walk. A few Cetti's Warblers were still singing along with a couple of Chiffchaffs but little else was seen until I reached the dung heap. I was counting the White Wagtails when the call alerted me to the presence of my earliest ever Yellow Wagtail, a superb bright yellow male. While doing my BWKMO watch a Pergrine strafed the Gulls following the a tractor in the field opposite the house.

 My earliest ever Yellow Wagtail at the dung heap

 White Wagtails at the dung heap

Reed Bunting at the dung heap

Cetti's warbler by the dung heap

Tuesday 24/03/2020

Day 1 of the lock down and I'm already going stir crazy, at least I have a small garden and a balcony with a view over Dungeness RSPB reserve, I cannot imagine what it must be like to be stuck in a flat. For Sally its worse as she recently had a Kidney transplant so she is not allowed out for at least 12 weeks! As I am her carer I have to get the shopping for her which is a new experience for me, there's me thinking the fridge stocked itself. 

No surprises from the balcony today 4+ Marsh Harriers including a lovely male displaying high over the fields, only 2 Common Buzzards, 2 Sparrowhawks again 1 displaying high over Lydd Wood, the pair of Ravens heading towards the power station with their crops full, 2 distant Great White Egrets, Grey Herons back and forth to the Heronry, a single Little Egret, at least 2 Cetti's Warblers shouting from the ditches with seeping Reed Buntings, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits singing during their display flights, the usual Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Starlings, Blue and Great Tits, House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Wren, Robin and Blackbird around the feeders, Jackdaws have mastered the feeders, even a single Rook manages to hang on to the feeder spilling most the seed, which the Wood Pigeons, Feral Pigeons, Collared Doves and Magpies rapidly hoovered up.

 White Wagtail at the dung heap

For my exercise walk I crossed the road and cut across the fields which were all being sprayed by the farmer, making my way to Hookers Pit, where several Bearded Tits made themselves heard but remained unseen, Cetti's Warblers seemed positively abundant today, but that may be the warmer weather or the fact that without aircraft noise and very little road noise they could be heard for some distance, Reed Buntings were also everywhere.

On Dengemarsh the usual wildfowl, the highlight being a Black-necked Grebe which kept itself at the far side of the lake. I could only find a single Water Pipit today on the hay fields, where a couple of pairs of Lapwings and some Redshanks were displaying, from Springfield bridge a Bittern boomed half heartedly. I walked back up the road to home passing the dung heap where there was still at least 4 White Wagtails present. A very pleasant couple of hours exercise walk, I only encountered 1 other person on foot and apart from the tractors just a few vehicles as I walked home.

Sunday 22/03/2020

The freezing NE wind continued to blast across the peninsular today, once again making it a very cold day despite the bright sunshine.
07.30-09.30 The patch and fishing boats:
Shoveler: 7E
Common Scoter: 37E   5W
Red-throated Diver: 17E     2W
Great-crested Grebe: 14 o/s
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet: 13E
Cormorant: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1E
Glaucous Gull: 1 regular bird
Carrion Crow: 3 in

Roosting 2nd calendar year Glaucous Gull

 Colour ringed Dunlin at Scotney mid morning. (I haven't located the scheme it belongs to yet)

 A small Ringed Plover still in 1w plumage at Scotney this morning

Alate morning/early afternoon walk around the hay fields was as expected very quiet. 4+ Water Pipits were still present, as were the 2 Curlew and 6+ Redshank, a Great White Egret and a Marsh Harrier flew over but little else of note was seen. 

Great White Egret over the hay fields early afternoon

 White Wagtails at the Dengemarsh dung heap

 At least 32 White Wagtails were present this afternoon feeding around the dung heap, along with 40+ Pied Wagtails and a few each of Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit.

Common Scoter passing the fishing boats this afternoon

14.00-15.30 from the fishing boats with RW:
Brent Goose: 28E
Common Scoter: 16E 1W
Red-throated Diver: 2E   2W
Great-crested Grebe: 18E
Gannet: c20 o/s
Oystercatcher: 1E
Black-tailed Godwit: 1E
Sandwich Tern: 2E

Brent Geese passing the fishing boats this afternoon