best birds: Extremadura 2012 - Arracampo and Monfrague

Extremadura 2012 - Arracampo and Monfrague

As Stoke City are playing Valencia on Thursday, I thought I'd make a week of it and head out early to see a part of the world that I've not birded in for more than 20 years. I headed out from Liverpool airport and arrived at Alicante and was on the road by 9pm. The drive across to Extremadura was much quicker than I thought it would be (a 'perk' of driving through the night) and I arrived at my first site (Arracampo Reservoir) at 3am. It was -2C outside, so I spent the next 5 hours wrapped up trying to get some sleep - I got none!
Anyway, dawn brought lots of hope as I drove out onto the Arracampo reserve. I parked up and did all my birding on foot. The steady waterlevel at Arracampo means that the water edge keeps its reedbeds and all the birds that go with it. The highlights were Purple Swamphen, Montague's Harrier, 5 Southern Grey Shrikes, 100 Spanish Sparrows, a Black Vulture on the deck plus a very obliging Spotted Crake. It was also interesting to note that even at this early stage of the spring (well, it's still winter really) there was a mixed flock of about 30 Barn Swallow and House Martins feeding over a roadside pool.

Black Vulture

Corn Bunting

White Stork

Stonechat

Spotted Crake

Purple Swamphen

Zitting Cisticola

It was then off to Monfrague NP. I entered the park from the north east and drove west through the park. It was gone midday by the time I arrived and there were lots of raptors up, riding the thermals. The first stop I made was at Portilla del Tietar where an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle was soaring around with lots of Griffon and Black Vultures. It stayed in the area for the whole 30 minutes I was there. I then moved further east to La Higuerilla, where a Griffon Vulture put on a great show for me, flying back and forth at eye level. 200+ Common Cranes drifted over plus a couple of Black Storks put in an appearance. The picnic site just east of the hydro-electric dam was good. Lots of Azure-winged Magpies, Hawfinches and Crag Martins in the area. I moved further west, stopping at most good looking viewing points until I got to my last stop - Salto del Gianto, which overlooks Pena Falcon rock. More Black and Griffon Vultures plus a few adult Egyptian for good measure were seen and passerines were present in the way of Sardinian and Dartford Warblers plus Blue Rock Thrush.