19 February 2014

El Rocio & Centro Valverde

On this particular outing we headed off to Huelva, to one of our favorite areas for bird watching. First stop of the day was at El Rocio and upon parking the car we could see that there wasn't that much about. We gathered and prepared our equipment and went to the hides where we saw the following birds:
  • Snipe
  • Black-tailed Godwits
  • Coots
  • Pintail  
  • Teal  
  • Mallard
  • Shoveler
  • Greylag Geese
  • Robin
  • Black Kite
  • Meadow Pip Pit
  • Goldfinch
  • Stonechat
  • White Wagtail
  • Lapwing

Great Tit
 

Black-tailed Godwit


Black-tailed Godwit


Spoonbill


White Stork


Greater Flamingo


Cattle Egret


Hoopoe


Black-tailed Godwit


Black-tailed Godwit

Lapwing


Kestrel
After having spent almost two hours in the area of El Rocio, which is part of Donana National Park, we drove to Centro Valverde. This is also part of the Donana National Park, and it is about a 55km drive from El Rocio to the Centro Valverde.
 
In Centro Valverde, you just have to drive about 20kms down the road until you come to a dirt road track and from here on you can look out for plenty of birds.
 
We stopped off at the Centro to have a coffee and a quick bite to eat, and then continued round and back where we started.
 
Here is the list of what birds we saw, and a few photos:
 

Common Crane

  • Kestrel
  • Common Buzzard
  • Red Kite
  • Griffon Vulture
  • Little Grebe
  • Little Egret
  • Great white Egret
  • Lapwing
  • Shorteared Owl
  • Bluethroat

Great white Egret

  • Redshank
  • Common Sandpiper
  • Green Sandpiper
  • Golden Plover
  • Moorhen 
  • Coot 
  • Purple Gallinule
  • Booted Eagle
  • Black-winged Kite
  • White-headed Duck

Red Kite


Great white Egret

Common Crane


Kestrel


Common Buzzard


Common Buzzard


Common Buzzard


Kestrel

  • Hen Harrier
  • Marsh Harrier
  • Pochard
  • Shoveler
  • Stone Curlew
  • Gerylag Geese
  • Meadow Pipit
As you can see it was a long day out bird watching, but well worth the effort! Great company, lots of laughs, and another fantastic trip for us to report back on.
 
We'll be preparing a new post soon with great photos of a specific bird so keep an eye out for it. Bye for now!

06 February 2014

Common Cranes winter in La Janda

The Common Crane is a winter visitor localized in La Janda (350-550) birds.

It is unmistakable, as it walks with slow, majestic steps, flies with its neck extended, legs protruding considerably, and the flocks fly in a V-formation. Their far-reaching calls consist of rough nasal trumpeting and are very distinct.

The first birds arrive towards the start of October, and the last one's have been seen towards the end of April.

Common Crane





We like to get to La Janda nice and early to hear these birds calling from a distance, and soon after we can see them flying overhead, landing in the nearby fields to feed. What a beautiful sight to behold in the early morning light!

We also saw the following birds:

Common Buzzard
Snipe
Lapwing
Little Ringed Plover
Water Rail
Purple Gallinule
Moor Hen
Hen Harrier
Black-winged Kite
Spoonbill
Glossy Ibis
Bonellis Eagle
Meadow Pitpit
Kentish Plover
Great White Egret

White Stork
Meadow Pitpit
Meadow Pitpit
Common Buzzard
Common Buzzard
Little Egret
Little Ringed Plover 
Kentish Plover
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
As you can see it was a great day out so we hope you enjoyed this post and our photos.

See you soon! Bye for now...