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Subject: [Oversea] 西班牙觀鳥/拍鳥之旅分享 Spain Bird Trip Sharing [Print This Page]
Author: kyshum    Time: 30/05/2011 21:21     Subject: 西班牙觀鳥/拍鳥之旅分享 Spain Bird Trip Sharing

Firstly I would like to say thanks to Eling. Although I don't know her personally, because of her post in this forum, I know this good place in Europe for birding. As had a family trip to Europe, I took this chance to Spain and spent a few days for birds. The staying period was too short for me to explore myself and so I went with a local bird guide there.

My objective was to take some good pictures for those species that I like, instead of a long list of seen record. Sometimes we wait in habitat that fit for my favorite birds, and hope those birds were there. I think I was pretty lucky and just like to share my happiness here.

Little bustard:
Very lucky for this. We saw one male displaying (calling, showing his neck feather and with little jumping). The bird guide mentioned that this was the only time he see this also in this season.






Great bustard:
Saw many times. However, they were always quite far away.






Corn Bunting:




Roller:
I thought the size is similar with flycatcher but they are much larger than I expected. I like this bird kind very much although it is common in lots of places. I spent quite some time to wait and search for it to stay in a "more natural" place. However, they love to stand on wire so much..


Bee eater:
I like this also although common.




Red-legged Partridge:
One of the favourite birds.


Sandgrouse:
Another bird kinds I like. From other websites, one good way to see them is to wait them in water drinking area in late afternoon. In late summer, most water source will dry out and force them to the remaining ones. However, the period I stay was not fit for this as water were everywhere. Also grass were long and they tended to hide inside. It was already lucky to see them flying out from it. Following are pic of black bellies sandgrouse.


Northern Wheatear (Male):


Northern Wheatear (Female):


Great Spotted Cuckoo:


Black Stork:




White Stork:




It is a very good place to watch raptors.
Griffon Vulture:




Egyptian Vulture:


Black Vulture:


Spanish imperial eagle:
At one moment, there was only 30 pairs left in the world. Now around 150 pairs according to the bird guide.


Golden Eagle:


Booted Eagle:


Short-toed Eagle:


Little Owl:


Black kite:
I thought it is red kite when I first saw this, as it is different from what we commonly seen in hk.


Red kite:
This red kite ate an egg of lesser kestrel. When the lesser kestrel mother realized and came back, it was too late. I saw the lesser kestrel went back to the place of her egg to check, then she shouted at and chased the red kite but nothing can be done








Lesser kestrel:
"star birds" there. Met lots of bird watchers in one of the popular location. 2nd one below is male and others are female.










Goldfinch:


Common Cuckoo:


Red-rumped Swallow:


Woodchat Shrike:


Southern Grey Shrike:


Hoopoe:


Rock Bunting:


House Sparrow (Female):


House Sparrow (Male):


Wood Pigeon:


Crested Lark:


Calandra Lark:


Thekla Lark:


Mallard (Photo taken in France):


Spotless Starling:


Jackdaw (Photo taken in France):


Raven:




Great Reed Warbler:


Zitting Cisticola:


Common Starling (Photo taken in France):


Landscape:








Two more videos:
The "flamboyant display with foot stamping and leaping in the air" (quote from wiki) of Little Bustard
[youtube]2F0aNvdmfaE[/youtube]

"Hi bird, I know your name already, no need to repeat so many times"
[youtube]OCP2NMCzPoM[/youtube]

[ Last edited by kyshum at 31/05/2011 22:28 ]
Author: Mon    Time: 30/05/2011 21:54

我要給10個讚。
Author: gary    Time: 30/05/2011 22:34

Very impressive! may I know which part of Spain you went? Especially the Spanish Imperial Eagle.
Gary
Author: kyshum    Time: 30/05/2011 22:58

Thanks Mon and Gary.
I've been to Extremadura in Spain.
Author: ajohn    Time: 31/05/2011 09:55

Wow, a great set of photos. It seems you had a very good trip.
I especially like the very first photo of the displaying Little Bustard - this is a species I have always wanted to see.
Also I love the super close-up of the Clanadra Lark, probably one of the best photos I've seen of this species.
Author: tomatofamily    Time: 31/05/2011 11:58

Wow, great captures.  Thanks for sharing.

BTW, I am going to Koln, Germany to meet my son there, and then will travel around that area.  Any suggestion for bird watching.  I know there are great forests in Germany.  What will I expect to see?
Author: kyshum    Time: 31/05/2011 21:16

Hi tomatofamily, sorry that cannot give you any advise about Germany as I don't have any experience.

I had done one homework (maybe stupid) before I go and you may consider to do that.
I had scanned through the book <<Collins Bird Guide>>. There is a map for every bird species, and I list out all the bird species that may show up in the area I visit.
From the list, I check the description, identification and picture one-by-one. Then filter out another list that I interested in and then I can ask/google how/where to see it in more detail.
Author: kyshum    Time: 31/05/2011 22:04

Added two more videos in the bottom of my first post.

[ Last edited by kyshum at 31/05/2011 22:07 ]
Author: Ronaldo    Time: 31/05/2011 23:00

Quote:
Original posted by kyshum at 31/05/2011 21:16
Hi tomatofamily, sorry that cannot give you any advise about Germany as I don't have any experience.

I had done one homework (maybe stupid) before I go and you may consider to do that.
I had scanne ...
Hi Tomatofamily,

Hard to see birds in forests in Europe, I am afraid. And if you are not familiar with the songs (it may be a bit late for that), you will have even more problems. In Germany, and actually in most colder climates, I would suggest you try to concentrate to the relatively open areas around streams or ponds. You shall see some common species (tits, thrushes, blackbirds and finches), kingfishers, woodpeckers (if lucky), sparrowhawks (if very lucky), and if the reedbeds are large enough, some warblers, may be hobbies and marsh harriers. In lakes, you can see terns, grebes and ducks.
Summer is not a very good season for birding in Europe, apart if you know breeding sites.
Hope this helps
Author: lchunfai    Time: 31/05/2011 23:43

Nice photos ! thanks for sharing
Author: EricB    Time: 1/06/2011 02:54

Thanks for sharing a great set of photos,you did well to get so many excellent photos on holiday with the family!
I think the Lesser Kestrels showing the diagnostic white toenails are a Classic.Can you remember the name of the site/town these were taken?
They don’t look like they were at the Bullring in Trujillo .

You were really too late for displaying Great Bustards , which tends to pretty much finish by mid April. The Little Bustards tend to display  into May, but the long grass is a problem thankfully part of there display involves jumping up into the air, as you have beautifully demonstrated.  

There is a bird photographer, Steve Fletcher who has been living in Extremadura for the last 3-4 years, and I believe he has some hides set up to photograph displaying Great Bustards! You might be interested in his website: http://extremaduraphotos.webs.co ... esize=60&page=1

If other people are thinking of visiting the area and are more into birding rather than photography, Martin Kelsey is the main local birder. He runs a guest house with his family near Trujillo.http://www.birdingextremadura.com/web/inicio.htm
I would probably stay with him and try to work the area by yourself, leaving a day or two at the end to get him to clean up the stuff you’ve failed to see. The tricky birds are generally Black Wheatear and Pin tailed Sandgrouse.

The third birder for the area is John Muddeman. He has written a step by step birdguide to the area , which is hard to get hold of(out of print) . Lynx have been talking about a reprint or revised edition for almost 4 years now and I’ve lost interest waiting for it to materialize.
http://www.lynxeds.com/product/birdwatching-guide-extremadura
I think his rate is about 50% more than anyone else and I don’t think he actually lives locally. He’s more of an all round naturalist.

Boletas are also a Spanish group you might be interested in. This is a place where they have a Vulture feeding station nearby, it is no where near Extremadura but they run trips to the region annually. Their hostel is near a Lammergier site. Rufous tailed rock thrush and Wallcreeper are also well within the realms of possibility here.They run photographic tours.
http://www.boletas.org/phototours.htm

The Crossbill guide: The nature guide  to Extremadura is an interesting background read, but nothing like as detailed for actual sites as the Muddeman guide but at least you can get hold of it.

A lot of Monfrague can be easily done without a guide, but you need a car.

Get up the top of Monfrague castle from late morning or better in the afternoon when the Vultures are returning from their daily wanderings and it can be very good for Griffons photos.There are times you feel that if you reach out your arm , you could touch them.Take a torch as the steps to the top of the castle are poorly lit.

The Portilla  del Tietar is a famous site for nesting Sp Imperial, Eagle Owl and Black Storks. Although the Eagle often uses a nest on the other side of the mountain if you stand at the Portilla the bird will come round at least several times a day. Your photo of the 2 Aquila eagles is great as it really shows the difference between the 2 shapes. Golden has that pinched  inner wing(narrower wing base) where it joins the body, whilst the Sp Imp wing looks more rectangular .A helpful field when one is directly overhead.

There are 2 other sites besides the steppes and Monfrague to really consider if planning a trip are the reservoir at Arroyocampo(close to Monfrague) – for Purple Gallinule, Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Black winged Kite and Savi’s Warbler. and the Sierra Gredos (2.5-3 hours away) – for Rufous tailed rock Thrush, Citril Finch, ‘Gredos’ (‘Blue spotted’) Bluethroat , Orotolan Bunting, Water Pipit, Crested Tit, Western Bonelli’s Warbler and that sort of thing.
This Iberian Azure winged Magpie is felt to be another Ice age split (like Imperial E)and doesn't have the pale tips to the end of the tail feathers as seen in Asia.


Drop me a note if you are planning to do it yourself as I have a lot of information on the area.

E

[ Last edited by EricB at 1/06/2011 15:20 ]

Image Attachment: Iberian Az Winged.jpg (1/06/2011 02:54, 84.08 KB) / Download count 521
http://hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=9111

Author: EricB    Time: 1/06/2011 02:58

Hi Tomato family,
You might find these trip reports of some limited help. http://www.travellingbirder.com/ ... php?from=7&to=7

Or these birding contacts might be a place to start
http://birdingpal.org/Germany.htm

Koln or Cologne is not a birding hotspot but as you know there will be some good birds to see. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Best wishes,
Eric

[ Last edited by EricB at 1/06/2011 04:25 ]
Author: kyshum    Time: 4/06/2011 22:40

Hi Eric,
I wish I had seek for your advise before I go.
For the Lesser Kestrels, the photos are taken in the Bullring in Trujillo.



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