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| A small portion of a large flock of Bee-eaters (circa 50) |
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| Orphean Warbler |
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| One of three Woodchat Shrike |
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| Thawing Ski Slope above Cerler |
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| Male Crossbill |
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| One of at least five Water Pipit |
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| Whinchat |
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| Wheatear |
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| One of three Whinchat |
🇪🇸 NE SPAIN 2018 ~ Pyrenees Day 3
🇪🇸☁️☀️4C/20C Tuesday 15th May 2018 ~ While Dazza continued her beauty sleep I was out and about locally just after sunrise, this time taking a five-minute drive down to the local Rio Lanata. Things here were particularly quiet, a flyby Dipper, a few Serin, the usual Bonelli's Warbler, which appears very common here and Black Redstart, which are even more abundant. Things got a little more lively just as I was leaving when a huge flock of (circa 50) Bee-eaters flew through, a wonderfully colourful sight.
From the river, I drove back to the track which leads up to the cottage and decided to try a small area which consisted of rocky terrain, meadow, some small ravines and a tiny copse. A Nightingale was in full flow deep in cover and then another song caught the ear low in the scrub, a harsh twitter of squeaks and whistles, a Subalpine Warbler. I managed a few brief views before the bird moved on.
While I was listening to a distant Cuckoo a Quail suddenly began calling from the meadow grass and then movement below alerted me to a couple of Orphean Warblers. Since arriving I've heard several Golden Oriole but up to this point I hadn't actually seen one, thankfully that was put right when a stunning male passed right in front of me. Finally, before heading back for breakfast three Woodchat Shrike, ending an excellent 90-minute outing!
If you remember my first post on Sunday from our current trip to Spain you may remember that we were unable to get right up to the ski centre above Cerler due to the 2018 Vuelta Aragon cycle event. I did say at the time we'd return and today we did just that.
After Sunday's glorious blue skies the weather was quite changeable today and by the time we reached the 6000ft summit the cloud had descended and a light rain was falling, although not constantly. We paused once again on many occasions to check out the meadows and rock fields, finding several Wheatear, Crossbills and Black Redstarts. The usual Griffon Vultures were busy soaring above, a little lower today due to the low cloud. A single Blue Rock Thrush was also noted, surprisingly hard to find thus far during this visit!
Ski slopes at this time of the year are a birders paradise, you can pick up some well sort-after species by just edging your way around a thawing piste. After parking up we began to scan slowly around the slopes, immediately coming across a small group of Yellowhammer, a larger group of Cirl Buntings and seventeen of the sort after Citril Finch.
We counted five Water Pipit but I'm sure there were more, a half dozen Wheatear and a trio of Whinchat. Seeing the latter two species in a snowy background is a thing of beauty with the colours standing out vividly. Despite seeing Alpine Accentor during our disrupted visit on Sunday we sadly dipped today. Another species we had our sights set on Snow Finch is notoriously difficult in the spring and it would appear that they may well have moved on to their breeding areas!
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🇪🇸 NE SPAIN 2018 ~ Pyrenees Day 2
🇪🇸 ❄️☁️☀️4C/20C Monday 14th May 2018 ~Mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable and the Pyrenees are no exception! You can set off in glorious sunshine and end up with low cloud, rain and gusty winds. This was the case when we took the 2 1/2 drive north-west towards the Hecho Valley and in particular the Refugio de Garbardito.
Naturally, the drive took much longer, stopping at various points to investigate different habitats. I can say one thing, Red Kites are abundant here with many sightings today. In fact, there are few occasions when driving along any road where the sky is actually baron of any bird life. Griffon Vultures too seem to appear around every bend, sometimes in four and fives and this area also has a decent population of Egyptian Vultures.
Just prior to heading on up to the Refugio we paused for a while to check out around a half dozen raptors circling above. Within were at least two Egyptian Vultures, Black Kite, a high Booted Eagle, Lammergeier and naturally two Red Kites.
It's around a four-mile drive up to the car park at the Refugio through woodland and winding roads but well worth stopping occasionally to listen out, particularly for Black Woodpecker. We knew before we began our ascent that the weather would be an issue! Low cloud had already descended and the odd sleet/snow shower had begun to arrive. However, we were rewarded as we reached the car park with five Citril Finch, typically taking on grit! The meadow in front of the Refugio held six Wheatear and like the Red Kite, Black Redstarts seem to be everywhere.
One of our main reasons for the visit was Wallcreeper and after parking, we headed off through a wooded area. Firecrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Tit and the distant call of a Black Woodpecker, which was the closest we got to seeing one. There are also White-backed Woodpecker here but not today! As you continue on the canopy opens out offering stunning views of the cliff face, although seeing it was another matter. We spent a good while up here scanning when conditions allowed, eventually dipping on Wallcreeper but it was time well spent and rewarded with Golden Eagle, Alpine Chough, Alpine Swift and Crag Martin.
On route home and back into blue skies a few more stops, one at the stunning Urdues Gorge. A very easily assessable site just 180 meters from the road up the Hecho Valley. We enjoyed a good hour here searching the river below for Dipper but it was all happening above with the addition of Honey Buzzard and Goshawk to the day list. We ended the visit with a surprise when a Black Stork drifted through overhead, way off range until having referenced the Collins, apparently a typical migration route.
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| Egyptian Vulture ~ Several around the Hecho Valley |
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| Egyptian Vulture |
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| Citril Finch ~ typically taking on grit in the car park! |
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| This as actually a good view! |
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| Black Stork ~ Way off range but migrating through! |
🇪🇸 NE SPAIN 2018 ~ Pyrenees Day 1
🇪🇸☀️-1C/17C Sunday 13th May 2018 ~ The wife and I arrived into Barcelona on Saturday evening and after picking up our rental car took the 3-hour drive north-east to Charo Northern Aragon, a small hamlet based in the Pre-Pyrenees mountain range (Population 36).
Here we'll be staying in our holiday cottage, around 3,000ft for the next seven days before spending a further nine days along the coast near Girona.
Thunderstorms during the drive down and rain all evening but today Sunday we woke to crystal clear skies and a temperature of -1C. Before Dazza woke I decided to take an early morning stroll around the wooded areas of the cottage and along a dirt track, which at its apex has stunning views of the surrounding vista. Even this early in the morning I could make out several distant large raptors, presumably Griffon Vultures circling over the snow-capped tops. While watching these a Red Kite drifted by being mobbed by a persistent Raven.
There was a good amount of birdsong, mostly from the tracks below the cottages, Nightingale, Golden Oriole, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo and a very vocal Hoopoe. However, I decided to head up a dirt track and into the woodland to see what could be found. It wasn't long before I discovered a pair of nesting Short-toed Treecreeper, which had set up home in a pollarded cork oak tree, both constantly calling to each other I sat and watched intrigued for a while. Two Western Bonelli's Warblers prompted me for a photo but the low sun made things difficult. A few other species before I emerged back into the open which included: Firecrest, Crested Tit and Black Redstart.
Just before breakfast on the terrace, the sky seemed suddenly awash with birds. Firstly a group of noisy Bee-eaters, then a count of (8) Honey Buzzards, a Red Kite which swooped so low over the cottage I could have reached out and touched it and a constant stream of Griffon Vultures, which included a single Egyptian Vulture, and all this before breakfast!
We decided on a leisurely first day taking a 90-minute drive to Benasque in the heart of the Pyrenees and then on up to around 6,000ft just beyond Cerler. Above the treeline here habitats include Alpine Meadows, rock fields and some glacial cirques so a good variety of species are possible.
Shortly after leaving the cottage a brief stop at the local Rio (river) Lanata to try for Dipper. Not only were we successful here but we connected with the first of four Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) for the day. This bird drifting slowly overhead, offering a perfect photo opportunity of this iconic eaglelike vulture of the Old World (family Accipitridae)
Before eventually reaching Benasque we naturally stopped several more times to investigate various habitat and indeed enjoy the stunning scenery. At Elise, we took a stroll around the Embalse (reservoir) de Linsoles but of course being Sunday it was reasonably busy. That said by the time we'd moved off after lunch we'd registered (2) Dipper along the Rio Elise, (4) Common Sandpiper, (3) Yellow Wagtail, (2) White Wagtail and a family of five Black Redstart (incl. adults). A bonus species of Tawny Pipit was found in amongst a small group of cows. Over the water, many Crag Martin and Barn Swallows were feeding.
Despite a great day's birding we had to work hard for every species at Cerler. This due mainly to the major televised cycling event which was taking place, stage 3 of the 2018 Vuelta Aragon. In fact, we were marooned for an hour while the main race took place due to the road closure. That said we simply headed off across the meadows, rock fields and streams and did pretty well, despite the helicopters!
Wheatear, at least five Water Pipit, which breeds here, two Citril Finch, Alpine Accentor and among the many Griffon Vultures three more Lammergeier and a Golden Eagle. Today was certainly about quality and not quantity, with most birds either flyover or at distance but we'll be back here later in the week for a second visit!
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| ~ Our home for the next week ~ |
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| ~ View from the cottage ~ |
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| Western Bonelli's Warbler |
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| Honey Buzzard over the cottage |
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| Griffon Vulture |
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| Bee-eaters from the terrace |
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| Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) over the Rio Lanata |
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| Black Redstart at Elise |
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| Alpine Marmot ~ They were reintroduced with success in the Pyrenees in 1948 |
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| Wheatear ~ Seem look more vibrant in the Spanish light! |
📖 #35 ~ Staying Local
☀️☁️19C Thursday 10th May 2018 ~ I stayed mainly local today starting at a very nippy and breezy Napton-on-the-Hill, although the sun was shining. Things were pretty quiet, the only saving grace was a Hawfinch, which flew over the church and down on towards Church Leys Farm. From here I headed on over to Napton Reservoir to meet up with Jim Timms but abandoned him a short time later for a reported Whinchat at Coventry Airfield, sorry Jim, Carol and Tony this was a year-tick.
Unfortunately, it was a fruitless effort, spending a good half hour searching along with Chris Mathews. That said as I pen this post I see the bird has just appeared on the Warwickshire Whatsapp Group, you can't win them all.
Unfortunately, it was a fruitless effort, spending a good half hour searching along with Chris Mathews. That said as I pen this post I see the bird has just appeared on the Warwickshire Whatsapp Group, you can't win them all.
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| Green Hairstreak ~ Stockton Cutting |
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| Hairy Dragonfly |
The remainder of my time was spent once more at Stockton Cutting, this time in the sunshine. It was a decent visit recording my 1st Local Hairy Dragonflies (3) and Green Hairstreaks (4), plus more Dingy Skippers, a Holly Blue and a Four-spotted Chaser, which simply wouldn't settle.
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| Dingy Skipper |
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| Holly Blue |
Tomorrow I'll be putting the final touches to my itinerary in preparation for Saturdays departure for the Spanish Pyrenees and my quest for a self-found Wallcreeper goes on, simply can't wait.
📖 #34 ~ Butterfly Quest
☀️☁️21C Wednesday 9th May 2018 ~ Wednesday I spent the morning at Brandon Marsh, mainly checking out the woods and meadows for Butterflies and Odonata. There was nothing new to add to the year lists, with the exception of Large Red Damselfly, with one or two around River Meadow and Ted Jury Hide. Birds of note included a Grasshopper Warbler on farm reedbed, singing Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo and an unprecedented five Hobbies feeding over Newlands. Most likely feasting on St. Marks flies, with their favourite food dragonflies at a premium this time of year.
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| Hobby over Newlands |
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| Grizzled Skipper |
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| Dingy Skipper |
📖 #33 ~ RSPB Otmoor
☀️23C Tuesday 8th May 2018 ~ Today was my annual pilgrimage to RSPB Otmoor in Oxfordshire for the residing Turtle Doves, sadly a persecuted and declining species!
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| Cuckoo in flight, along with at least two other birds |
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| Turtle Dove ~ target species acquired ~ Year-tick ✅ |
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| Turtle Dove |
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| Snipe in courtship display ~ Clearly showing the modified tail feathers. |
I managed to capture the above image which shows the modified tail feathers. 'Drumming (also called bleating or winnowing) is a sound produced by Snipe as part of their courtship display flights. The sound is produced mechanically (rather than vocally) by the vibration of the modified outer tail feathers, held out at a wide angle to the body, in the slipstream of a power dive'.
Also today I spent some time with Denis Woodward and Paul Cashmore, who I met when returning to the car park for breakfast. After which I continued on past the hide turnoff towards some farm building where I spent a little time searching for Whinchat. I drew a blank here and on the return trip paused at the empty hide for tea. Highlights were Brown Hare and Muntjac Deer. Across the meadows a few waders to be seen which included: Ringed Plover, Redshank and Curlew.
On route back to the car my first Large Red Damselflies of the year, plus several Hairy Dragonfly. Although familiar with the male of the species a big thank you to Jim Timms who was good enough to identify the above female for me.
An amazing eleven Hobby feeding high over the meadows, which included having seven in my binocular field of view at one time. A half dozen Red Kite, as you'd expect in Oxfordshire and a selection of butterflies on the wing, but nothing unusual within the eight species.
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| Brown Hare |
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| Hairy Dragonfly (Female) ~ Thanks to Jim Timms for ID |
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| Hobby's a plenty today! |
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| Red Kite |
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| Hobby |
📖 #32 ~ Summer Leys NR
☀️24C Monday 7th May 2018 (Bank Holiday) ~ An early morning visit to Summer Leys Nature Reserve in Northamptonshire with the wife before the heat set in.
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| Yes ~ That tiny dot in the middle is a Wood Sandpiper😀 |
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| More Garden Warblers than Blackcaps today |
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| Garden Warbler |
Taking the footpath around to the Britten hide at least five Garden Warblers, in fact, more of these than Blackcaps singing today. Naturally just as Dazza and I arrived for the amazing Great Egret photos the bird took flight! Still, we spent a short time here, Dazza picking out a distant Red Kite, plus Cuckoo, only heard distantly.
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| Sedge Warbler |
We completed the full circuit encountering the usual warblers, which included the above Sedge Warbler. Many butterflies 🦋 on the wing, mainly Brimstone, Green-veined White and Orange Tip, but also managed a single Small White and Small Tortoiseshell.
There was also a lifer for me today, my second passion being aviation, in the form of the below Messerschmitt Me109 fighter. Which if memory serves is the Hispano Buchon, a Spanish licenced built copy, which I would imagine in current touring.
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| Hispano Buchon, a Spanish licenced built copy of the Messerschmitt Me109 fighter. |
📖 #31 ~ Wyre Forest
☀️☁️8/19C Thursday 3rd May 2018 ~ Amazingly this was my first ever visit to the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire, which is, in fact, one of the largest ancient oak woodlands in England at nearly 550 hectares. I began at the Dry Mill Lane car park taking the clockwise circular walk, which takes you along an old disused railway line. Today I was in the company of a couple of Warwickshire birders, Theo de Clermont who travelled with me from Napton and Denis Woodward who we met up with at the car park.
Arriving at around 7:30am it was a chilly start, in fact, I had to scrape some light frost off the windscreen when I set off from the marina an hour earlier. The weather to start the day was around 8C with overcast skies but by the time I ended the visit shortly before 2pm, the sun was shining with a pleasant 18C, enticing a few butterflies on the wing which included: Orange Tip, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Peacock and Green-veined White.
It wasn't long before we were into the first of eight Wood Warblers today, its highly distinctive song resonating through the woodland. I love these birds, sadly an infrequent spring visitor to Brandon Marsh, my local reserve, probably due to a number of reasons, not least the lack of Beechwood there, its favoured habitat.
A short time later the song of another distinctive bird, a Tree Pipit, which was perched high in the canopy, occasionally completing its characteristic parachute display, were it climbs skyward then parachutes down on rigid wings, legs dangling near the end of the descent, often perching in a different tree.
A short way along the track we paused at an ornate bench, which is carved with various animals, immediately picking up the song of a Pied Flycatcher. A short time later we had close-range views of the bird which appeared to be holding territory.
At Lodge Hill Farm we took a detour into the orchard, primarily for Common Redstart but despite not connecting with this particular species we still enjoyed watching a pair of Pied Flycatcher, which were taking great interest in one of the many nest boxes. A couple of Raven, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk overhead before we moved on.
Dropping down through the woodland onto Dowles Brook, we managed to eventually connect with a Dipper, obtaining a few record shots (above) but unfortunately hampered by the bird refusing to come out into the light! A Grey Wagtail also appeared while we waited patiently on the wooden bridge.
From here a walk back towards the car park along the brook, stopping at Knowles Mill, now in the care of the National Trust. Another male Pied Flycatcher and a few more Wood Warblers, along with Marsh Tit, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and a second Grey Wagtail, before lunch at the car park.
After lunch and with the sun shining and a little more heat to the day we decided to retrace our steps, at least as far as Lodge Hill Farm. This mainly in the hope of finding some early Fritillary butterflies (3 species found here), plus any illusive Redstarts, our nemesis bird for the day but it wasn't to be.
However, stopping once more at the bench we noticed that the earlier male Pied Flycatcher was now in the company of a female, which perhaps we'd missed earlier. A second visit to the orchard at the farm failed once more to produce any Redstarts but some incredible views of a Tree Pipit, foraging on the ground, plus a surprise when a Tawny Owl called a few times, but we didn't attempt to locate the bird.
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| Circular route from Dry Mill Lane |
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| Wood Warbler ~ In full song |
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| One of a half dozen Tree Pipits today! |
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| Pied Flycatcher (m) ~ Six today during the visit (including 2 females) |
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| Dipper ~ Unfortunately photo hampered by poor light |
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| Another Wood Warbler ~ Gorgeous birds! |
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| Tree Pipit ~ Ground foraging |
However, stopping once more at the bench we noticed that the earlier male Pied Flycatcher was now in the company of a female, which perhaps we'd missed earlier. A second visit to the orchard at the farm failed once more to produce any Redstarts but some incredible views of a Tree Pipit, foraging on the ground, plus a surprise when a Tawny Owl called a few times, but we didn't attempt to locate the bird.
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| Wood Anemone ~ Lots of this gorgeous spring flower on site |
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