Los Pinos!

Chris, Tony and myself arrived at Madrid airport late morning 0n 25/02/2020 and made or way to the Firefly hire car desk. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our car was brand new delivery mileage only Kia Stonic. Exiting the airport onto the excellent Spanish motorway system we headed south to our first stop the La Guardia, Lillo, El Romeral triangle, Where an hour half later we were watching the first 11 Great Bustards of the trip, albeit rather distant as most were, but great scope views.

Great Bustards

At another pull in we were scanning the fields and could hear a very quiet but odd call above the stiff breeze, I thought it was coming from some bushes further down the road, then Chris said look up there! waves of 1,000s very high Common Cranes were heading our way, then spiralling above us then drifting north. An amazing never to be forgotten sight and sound when they were overhead.

 Common Cranes

 Common Cranes

At the same site we also saw the first of the many Calandra Larks, Crested Larks, Corn Buntings, Serins, Hoopoes, Iberian Grey Shrikes also a a single Redwing. Time was flying by and we still had another 150+ Kilometers to drive to Los Pinos our home for next 4 days.

 Calandra Lark

Crested Lark

Corn Bunting

Our hire car outside our house at Los Pinos, we declined use of the swimming pool

The house and the food in the restaurant at Los Pinos was superb. The tall bear tree in the back ground over the windscreen was an early morning gathering point for Hawfinches and Spotless Starlings.

Hawfinches and Spotless Starlings before sunrise

 Spotless Starlings in the first glow of sunrise

 Hawfinch after sunrise, most left before sunrise

Early morning each day during our stay at Los Pinos we took a stroll around the nearby lanes, it was a delight to hear cacophony bird song and birds all around. We saw the first of 100s of Azure Winged Magpies, Sardinian Warblers, Serins, Short-toed Treecreepers, Crested Tits, Hoopoes, Iberian Green Woodpeckers(mainly heard) etc. After these delights we went back for breakfast.

 The Nuthatches were very vocal

 Serins were numerous

 Iberian Green Woodpecker( I found it very difficult to get any kind of image of these)

Short-toed Treecreeper

We spent a couple hours after breakfast at the Mirador del Peregrino view point which looks out over a spectacular vista of valleys and hills towards Santuario Virgen de La Cabeza.

 Looking from the view point to the Santuario Virgen de La Cabeza.

Chis and Tony scanning for raptors from the Mirador del Peregrino view point. Although the weather looks lovely the mornings were very chilly.

From this view point we saw several Spanish Imperial Eagles, 2 Golden Eagles, 2 Bonelli's Eagles, Common Buzzards, Kestrels, Sparrowhawks, Goshawks and many Griffon and Black Vultures, also Choughs, Ravens many Azure Winged Magpies, Serins, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps etc.

We also spent some time around the track to La Lancha which has several view points specially built for Lynx watchers but are also good for viewing all the raptors mentioned above.

Chris and Tony in one of the specially built Lynx watch points, later that day we saw 2 Lynx stroll down into this hide and down the hillside. From the track Mistle Thrushes, Chaffinches, Spanish and House Sparrows were common as were the Vultures, Cirl Bunting, Wood Lark, Red-rumped Swallow were seen and Great Spotted Cuckoo's were mainly heard than seen. 

 Spanish Imperial Eagles at La lancha track

Sardinian Warblers were numerous

Blue Rock Thrush

Numerous Black Redstarts

Numerous Azure-winged Magpies

Dartford Warbler

Many Hoopoe's 

Little Owl by the track

 Crag Martins were numerous around the dam as were House Martins and Swallows

Mouflon at the dam

Friday 06/03/2020

O7.30-08.30 with CP & AJG

Red-breasted Merganser: 1E

Red-throated Diver: 15E      44W

Red-necked Grebe: 1E

Great-crested Grebe: 6E     5W      7 o/s

Fulmar: 1E 1W

Gannet: 13E  18W

Cormorant: present n/c

Oystercatcher: 2E

Mediterranean Gull: 1 o/s

Guillemot: 1E

Auk sp: 14E  9W

Harbour Porpoise: 2+

 1 of at least 3 Chiffchaffs in the lighthouse Garden this morning

A wander around The Point this morning of note were 3 Chiffchaffs in the Lighthouse garden and 2 more near the Brittania. 10+ Skylarks were seen along with a few displaying and singing Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats, a Peregrine, 2 Ravens and what appeared to be a young Brown Hare. The 2nd calendar year Glaucous Gull was loafing on the sea opposite the fishing boats with several 100s of Gulls. A Woodlark was flushed from the side of the road near the Fish shack.

The regular Little Owl was in the Elder at Lydd Camp.

14.50-15.50 from the fishing boats with LH, PH and AJG:
Common Scoter: 5E
Red-throated diver: 27E    13W      4 o/s
Great-crested Grebe: 184 o/s
Gannet: 7W      4E
Cormorant: present n/c
Curlew: 5 came across from France then W
Guillemot: 1E  4W
Auk sp: 18W   
Gey Seal: 1

Very poor image of a Barn Owl flying over Scotney main lake late this afternoon

On a late afternoon stroll along the cycle path at Scotney the only surprise was a Barn Owl being harassed by a couple of Herring Gulls as it flew across the lake, there were still a few Wigeon present but no Lapwing or Golden Plover. The Sward is waterlogged after yesterdays deluge but looks good for waders.

27/02/2020 Iberian Lynx!

Arriving at Madrid Airport on 25/02/2020 with Chris and Tony we picked up our hire car, then drove roughly south towards our accommodation at Los Pinos near Andujar. We made some birding stops on the way which I will cover in another post. This was primarily an 8 day birding trip spending 4 days around the Sierra de Andujar, and another 4 around Extremadura. We had no plans to spend any time looking for Lynx, although we knew they were in the area.

Iberian Lynx looking very sorry for itself

On our second full day at Los Pinos we went out at dawn for a birding walk around the lanes, seeing many birds that I will detail in another post. As we arrived at particularly birdy spot, an animal seemed to burst up the bank on to the lane (though my view was partially obscured by Tony who was in front of me), then limped and dragged itself across the lane and sat on the verge looking at the 3 of us, all this taking place just a few feet from us. To be honest I had no idea how big a Lynx was, I quickly realised this was not just an injured moggy that we could just pick up and help.
Chris ran back to the hotel to get help leaving myself and Tony to keep track of the Lynx. Chris has no Spanish and the staff spoke no English, but apparently with a mixture of him gesticulating, tapping his leg, limping and using a young member of staffs phone for Google translate they got the message. In a few minutes the manager arrived but the Lynx had gone down the side of the lane and disappeared into a clump of bramble, I showed him the images of the Lynx on the back of the camera, on seeing them he was on his phone for help, in just a few minutes some National Park Rangers arrived quickly followed by the Guardia Civil, followed quickly by more officials to catch and help the Lynx. We thought it best to continue with our walk and leave the Lynx to the experts.
In the evening we were told that the Lynx had been sedated by a blow dart and taken into care with a good chance of a full recovery. The Spanish authorities response was brilliant. I cannot imagine that sort of response happening in UK, I doubt any police would be despatched, if they did turn up it would be sorry nothing to do with us, then maybe a few hours later an RSPCA inspector would turn up and probably put a bullet into it.
I do have images showing the extent of the break in the Lynx rear leg, but don't feel it necessary to post them.

 A mother and cub Lynx stroll up the road 

We had been birding by the dam on the Jandula river and were slowly driving back to the hotel just before dusk at around 18.45, as we approached the area where people spend all day staring into the valley to try and see Lynx, we came round a bend and there were 2 superb Lynx strolling up the road directly in front of us. I took some panicked images of them through the windscreen, then slipped out of the car to get more images, the mother gave us a cursory glance as she and her cub disappeared down into the scrub on the hillside by way of one of the watchers hides, which had been used by watchers all day. It was all over in a few seconds but an absolutely magical experience for us that will stay with me forever, also a much nicer way to see a Lynx rather than as a road casualty. 

Weekend 22/23/02/2020

Fulmar passing the Bouy Saturday morning

Saturday 07.40-08.40 from the sea watch hide in more rain and gales:
Brent Goose: 5E
Common Scoter: 3W
Fulmar: 14W
Gannet: 45W  2E
Cormorants: present n/c
Oystercatcher: 1W
Kittiwake: 1W
1,000s of Gulls moving West and feeding along the shore line, mainly Herring & Common.

 Great Black-backed Gull making light of the force wind and huge waves

 Argentatus Herring Gull doing its best to stand in the gale

A Fulmar making flying look easy

 A message late morning from David Walker that the 2nd Calendar year Iceland Gull was roosting near the fishing boats, gave me the excuse leave my suit case packing and to venture out into the gales and rain. When I pulled up at The Point the bird was still roosting, but partially hidden among the other Gulls present. After a little wait other Gulls moved so that I could see it properly, after another wait it took to the air and flew to the sea. We moved off to the other end of the beach look for it, then I got a call from Graham P that it was back beside the road where we had been parked.

 2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

  2nd calendar year Iceland Gull

Late this afternoon I made my way to a reed bed on Walland Marsh to count the Harriers coming in to roost. I did not hold out much hope of seeing much after such appalling weather this weekend, I was right as only 1 adult male Marsh Harrier came in, Water rails were squealing and a Green Sandpiper flew over calling.