Day 35 14.05.2017
It’s crazy to think that we are now into the last week of
working. So many birds have been seen, but there’s still so much more to see,
and that was demonstrated today. We headed off La Albuera, a small town, quite
close to Badajoz. Despite birding in an area of endless agriculture, I had a
really sweet mornings birding. Without a doubt the highlight was a small colony
of Collard Pratincoles next to the track I was walking. They showed really
well, such class birds. Also showing crazy well were the areas abundant Montagu’s
Harriers. I stumbled across a 2 pairs of Rollers, as well as a single Great
Bustard. Perhaps the real surprise were four Lapwings in the fields, not a
species I was expecting for the morning.
-Montagu's Harrier
-Lapwing
-Collard Pratincole
Species List:
La Albuera: Mallard,
Red-legged Partridge, White Stork, Montagu’s Harrier, Black-winged Kite, Black
Kite, Common Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Great Bustard, Little Ringed Plover,
Black-winged Stilt, Lapwing, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Woodpigeon, Feral
Pigeon, Collard Dove, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, European
Bee-eater, European Roller, Crested Lark, Calandra Lark, Short-toed Lark,
Blackbird, Iberian Grey Shrike, Magpie, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow,
Goldfinch, Linnet, Corn Bunting, Small
White, Large White, Green-striped White, False Ilex Hairstreak,
Day 36 15.05.2017
Today was our final day in Merida, although we were actually
working in an area of Steppe half way between Merida and Trujillo, near Campo
Lugar. Despite the habitat looking good there was a very limited array of
birdlife. A few Little Bustards were a highlight, but apart from them it was a
small assortment of common steppe birds. The only birds that were really
different were three Roller, but sadly they were more distant than I would have
liked. We also called off at a couple of the nearby reservoirs. The birdlife
here was also limited, with a Red-crested Pochard probably being the best of
it.
In the evening we started working near Trujillo. There was
very little improvement it has to be said, although my first Red Kite for some
time was nice, as was a very brief Great-spotted Cuckoo. Holly Blue was a nice
butterfly trip tick, and I found an enormous Ocellated Lizard, with the
individual being about 50cm long. An absolute beast!
Species List:
Campo Lugar: Little
Bustard, Roller, Bee-eater, Calandra Lark, Short-toed Lark, Crested Lark, House
Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Lesser Kestrel, Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Eurasian
Griffon Vulture, Linnet, Goldfinch, White Stork, Grey Heron, Cattle Egret,
Mallard, Gull-billed Tern, Hoopoe, Barn Swallow, Spotless Starling, Serin,
Goldfinch, Great-crested Grebe, Cormorant, Red-crested Pochard, Kingfisher,
White Wagtail,
Trujillo: Red
Kite, Great-spotted Cuckoo, Corn Bunting, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Black Kite, Mallard,
White Stork, House Sparrow, Crested Lark, Calandra Lark, Thekla Lark, Western Dappled White, Holly Blue, Small
Copper,
Day 37 16.05.2017
We continued working in the same area that we started the
previous evening. I had a fairly pleasant morning, with double figures of both
Great and Little Bustard, although seeing the latter was a completely different
challenge. Distant views of Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Stone-curlew were also
nice. Great-spotted Cuckoo and Red Kite were also still around, plus I had a
Northern Wheatear, which is always awesome to see. There was a good selection
of insects on offer, with many species of Butterfly and Dragonfly, with a lifer
of Knapweed Fritillary, plus I had an Ant-lion which is only my second ever.
-Thekla Lark
-Scarlet Darter
-Knapweed Fritillary
In the evening I worked in an area of very small, very well
grazed fields. Sadly this meant there were not too many birds. The highlight
was a pair of young Great-spotted Cuckoo, which were being ferociously mobbed
by a Magpie. Upon our return to the accommodation I found a Turkish Gecko
hanging from the roof of our porch.
Species List:
Trujillo: Mallard,
Great-crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Short-toed Eagle,
Red Kite, Black Kite, Lesser Kestrel, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Great Bustard,
Little Bustard, Black-headed Gull, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Stone Curlew,
Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Great-spotted Cuckoo, European Bee-eater, Hoopoe,
Crested Lark, Thekla Lark, Calandra Lark, Short-toed Lark, Red-rumped Swallow,
House Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern Wheatear, Stonechat, Iberian Grey Shrike,
Jackdaw, Magpie, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Linnet, Serin,
Corn Bunting, Spanish Psammodromus,
Spanish Pond Terrapin, Western Dappled White, Green Striped White, Common Blue,
Brown Argus, Meadow Brown, Southern Gatekeeper, Small Copper, Knapweed
Fritillary, Scarlet Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser,
Red-veined Darter, Dainty Damselfly,
Day 38 17.05.2017
Today was our final working day. Unbelievable to think but
our time in Iberia is almost over. It was nice to end our work with a few Great
Bustards, but sadly only one Little Bustard was heard. There were good numbers
of Bee-eater around, and a Booted Eagle was nice. Overall though it was a
fairly steady morning! The reptiles were much better. I had a really nice
Montpellier Snake slither into a wall when it saw me, plus a few Wall Lizards,
Psammodromus and Ocellated Lizard. There were quite a few butterflies on the
wing, but nothing really different from previous days.
-Mantis Empusa egena
-Bee-eater
Species List:
Trujillo: Trujillo: Mallard,
Grey Heron, Cattle Egret, White Stork, Short-toed Eagle, Black Kite, Lesser
Kestrel, Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Great Bustard, Black-bellied Sandgrouse,
Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Great-spotted Cuckoo, European Bee-eater, Hoopoe,
Crested Lark, Thekla Lark, Calandra Lark, Short-toed Lark, House Martin, Barn
Swallow, Stonechat, Woodchat Shrike, Jackdaw, Magpie, Spotless Starling, House
Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Spanish
Psammodromus, Western Montpellier Snake Ocellated Lizard, Western Dappled
White, Green Striped White, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Meadow Brown, Southern
Gatekeeper, Small Copper, Black-tailed Skimmer, Western Clubtail, Dainty
Damselfly, Southern Emerald Damselfly,
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