Andalucian Guides presents

An eight day/seven night birding and wildlife tour to

Extremadura and the The Coto Doñana

"Great Bustards and Greater Flamingoes "

14th  - 21st April-2009             

"... particularly appreciated Steve´s local knowledge of the country."

                                                                                                                                                   Ann di Lorenzo, Spain, April tour

Introduction

-Fantastic wildlife photgraphic opportunities !

-Great Bustards displaying at first light on the open steppe. What an incredible sight to witness.

-Golden Orioles calling and flitting through the Poplars in the warm spring air.

-Bee-eaters, Azure-winged Magpies and Great Spotted Cuckoos flying across the shaded  dehesas.

-Bluethroats, Red Squirrels, Orchids, Red Kites and Spanish Ibex of the snow capped Sierra de Gredos and pine-scented forests

-Spanish Imperial Eagles, Black Storks, Eagle Owls and hosts of other raptors in and around Monfrague National Park.

-Two wonderful hotels in the Medieval town of Trujillo in Extremadura, and in the clear mountain village of Navaredonda in the Gredos mountains.

-The birding and wildlife are as spectacular as is the food at both hotels all wrapped around stunning scenery!

- Three nights in Andalucia, focusing on the celebrated Coto Doñana National Park • Spoonbill, Squacco Heron, Greater Flamingo, Purple Swamphen, Azure-winged  

  Magpie

Quick Overview of Tour

Day 1: Meet in Madrid. Drive to Finca Santa Marta, near Trujillo. (4 nts)
Days 2 - 4: Monfragüe National Park and the steppe grasslands of Extremadura
Day 5: Transfer south to Coto Donana National Park. El Rocio (3 nts)
Days 6 - 7: Coto Donana National Park
Day 8: Departure from Seville de la Frontera

Tour Leader  Stephen Daly

Introduction

Spring comes early to central and southern Spain! From February onwards, waves of European White Storks, birds of prey and passerine migrants start to arrive, making their first landfall in Europe along the coast of Andalucia. Come the start of April, Booted Eagles will be back over the woodlands, northbound waders throng the shores, Red-rumped Swallows hawk the skies and the marshes are a frenzy of activity, with herons and egrets among many species already busy nesting.

Flying into Madrid, we first head west to Extremadura - the wild heart of Spain - and the fabulous Spanish steppes. Nowhere else in Europe do birds of prey breed in such numbers or variety, while Little Bustards rasp and Great Bustards strut their stuff amid the flower-filled grasslands, and the likes of Black Stork, Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Calandra Lark, Blue Rock-thrush, Rock Bunting and Spanish Sparrow are among many possible treats in store. Our base for four nights here is the rambling Finca Santa Marta, a converted olive mill and farmhouse with bags of rustic charm.

During our stay we’ll explore the magnificent Monfragüe National Park. Eurasian Black and Egyptian Vultures and Eurasian Griffons nest along with all five Iberian eagles. We’ll seek the elusive Black-winged Kite, while Lesser Kestrels, Pallid Swifts and bill-clattering European White Storks breed in numbers in the historic old town of Trujillo.

Leaving Extremadura, we then head south to Andalucia for a three-night stay at a small hotel in El Rocio, adjacent one of Europe’s largest and most celebrated wetlands - the marismas of the Coto Doñana. Here the mighty Guadalquivir river empties into a low-lying basin of channels and shallow lakes, many of which are given protection within the Parque Nacional de Donana and the adjacent Parque Natural. Access into the Park itself is restricted, but there are many excellent birding spots and some fine birdwatching hides to enjoy, and we’ll visit the best of these during our stay.

This extraordinary corner of Spain shelters some of the continent’s rarest and most exotic breeding birds: Eurasian Spoonbill, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Greater Flamingo, Purple Swamphen and Whiskered Tern haunt the marshes, and Azure-winged Magpies trawl the picnic tables looking for scraps. The first colourful European Bee-eaters will be arriving now, calling and swooping low to snatch passing insects, and Common Hoopoes probe the tracks. Sardinian and Dartford Warblers, Firecrests and jangling European Serins add further to the pleasure of springtime birding here.

Our meeting point is in Madrid.

On previous tours clients have taken advantage of the starting point at Madrid and have arrived one or two days earlier, or stayed on at the end of the tour to explore this beautiful and art-filled capital city.

We head west to Trujillo across the vast open countryside of central Spain.

We’ll spend four nights in Trujillo in our family run hotel just off the wonderful main square which is free from traffic. From our first base we’ll explore the surrounding medieval town and on moring walks to the nearby castle find morning Hoopoes, Blue Rock Thrushes and Serins.

Itinerary

Day 1
TO TRUJILLO

Morning flight from London to Madrid and transfer west by road toward the rolling steppe, beautiful oak woodlands and wild sierras of Extremadura. The journey takes three to four hours but if travel time permits we’ll pause en route to scan the flowing grasslands for newly-arrived Montagu’s Harrier and Bee-eater - and have a first tryfor the ever-elusive Black-winged Kite.

Early evening arrival at our country hotel, set amidst wonderful birding country a few miles outside Trujillo. The gardens and grounds of this rambling old farmstead are a haven for birds in their own right, with European White Storks and Spotless Starlings nesting on the roof, Cirl Buntings and Azure-winged Magpies to watch for in the orchard and Eurasian Scops Owls to tease us after dark. Night at Finca Santa Marta.

Monfrague

Days 2 - 4 MONFRAGüE, THE STEPPE & SIERRAS OF EXTREMADURA

The drive north to Monfragüe National Park passes through mile upon mile of unspoilt countryside, where centuries of traditional land management have created the unique dehesas - a timeless, park-like habitat of cork and evergreen oaks, foraged by pigs and alive in spring with calls of Common Hoopoes, Woodlarks, Rock Sparrows, Woodchat Shrikes and beautiful Azure-winged Magpies. Rocky fields and verges brim with an exuberance of wild flowers in spring, Sardinian Warblers give their scolding ‘rat-a-tat-tat’ call at almost every halt and pink-chested Southern Grey Shrikes perch sentinel-like beside the road.

Birds L-R Purple Swamphen, Penduline Tit, Purple Heron, Slender-billed Gull, Whte Stork colony Extremadura

This is one of the finest spots in all Europe for birds of prey and we can expect to encounter a dozen or more different species here. Immense Eurasian Griffons patrol the skies, along with Eurasian Black and Egyptian Vultures, Red and Black Kites, Peregrine and up to five species of eagle: Short-toed, Booted, Bonelli’s, Golden and Spanish Imperial, the latter one of the world’s most endangered raptors. The scarce Black Stork is generally easier to see well at Monfragüe than anywhere else we know, and we’ll check a favourite spot for the powerful Eurasian Eagle Owl, too. Several of these species breed on and around the dramatic rock pinnacle of Peñafalcon, which lies at the very heart of the park.

Truly a magical spot, Monfrague’s herb-scented hillsides and plunging valleys are equally rich in small birds. Red-rumped Swallow, Eurasian Crag Martin, Thekla Lark, Blue Rock-thrush, Black Wheatear, secretive Dartford, Subalpine and Western Orphean Warblers, Short-toed Treecreeper, Hawfinch and Red-billed Chough are all present in spring, as parties of ‘bibbling’ Alpine Swifts sweep the skies.

Birds L-R European Bee-eater, Alpine Swift, Azure (Iberian) Magpie, Black-shouldered (winged) Kite, Black Stork

The sweeping plains that lie to the south are a vital stronghold of the aristocratic Great Bustard. Early mornings offer the best chance to see these magnificent birds (don’t worry, it doesn’t get light until around seven!), before the grasslands disappear beneath a sea of shimmering heat-haze. With Common Hoopoes, Eurasian Stone-curlews and bat-like Calandra Larks calling about us, from our vantage point overlooking the steppe we shall scan for the dominant males as they perform their quite extraordinary display. It’s one that culminates in the great birds shaking and turning themselves ‘inside-out’ to become a mass of white feathers - like a foaming bath or a giant chrysanthemum - visible at tremendous range! We should see and hear plenty of the smaller, ‘raspberry-blowing’ Little Bustards too, with their Newcastle United-(soccer) stocking necks!

The grasslands are interrupted from time to time by chains of low, rocky sierras and slow-flowing river systems, and for sheer variety of birds this whole region is hard to beat. Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Little Owl, Short-toed Lark, Spectacled Warbler, Eurasian Penduline-tit and Eurasian Golden Oriole are among many that await our discovery. Spanish Sparrows are actually rather scarce in Spain but can be common here, with flocks of several hundred sometimes seen.

Birds L-R Little Owl, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black Vulture, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Little Bustard

We’ll drop by at a lake that’s home to Purple Heron, Savi’s Warbler and Purple Swamphen, and have further chances to look for that troublesome Black-winged Kite. Out in the rice-fields we may encounter two tiny, introduced finches - Common Waxbill and the startling Red Avadavat; in breeding plumage, males of the latter resemble a fast-flying strawberry!

Birds L-R Spanish Imperial Eagle, Subalpine Warbler, Black-eared Wheatear (without throat patch), Lirttle Bustards, Blue Rock Thrush

Before leaving Extremadura, we’ll make an evening visit to Trujillo and spend a little time wandering the narrow cobbled streets of this historic old town. The Conquistadors may have long since departed this famous place but there are still plenty of European White Storks, Lesser Kestrels and Pallid Swifts to espy over a quiet drink in the beautiful main piazza. On a clear day, the views across the plains from atop the medieval battlements are superb! Nights at Finca Santa Marta.

Day 5
SOUTH TO ANDALUCIA & THE COTO DOÑANA

Bidding a reluctant farewell to the staff at our hotel after breakfast this morning, we travel south over good roads towards Seville. We’ll break our journey with a couple of short birding stops along the way, including a visit to a bustling heronry where we may find a few pairs of handsome Black-crowned Night Herons breeding amongst numerous Little and Western Cattle Egrets.

From Seville, we swing west and continue on to our next hotel in the sleepy Andalucian village of El Rocío - a ‘wild-west’ town with characterful white buildings and white sand streets, adjacent to the celebrated Coto Doñana National Park. We should arrive at our hotel in time to enjoy some relaxed late afternoon birding in the marshes close by. Night at El Rocio.

Days 6 - 7
COTO DONANA NATIONAL PARK

Covering an area of almost half a million acres, the marismas at the mouth of the Guadalquivir comprise one of the most important wetlands in Europe. Our birdwatching begins with a look at the wet areas around El Rocio and the Park’s visitor centres. Among a rich diversity of birds, Doñana boasts many that are rare or absent elsewhere in Europe and, if the water levels are right, the marshes can be crammed with birds. Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Spoonbill, Purple Heron, Little Egret, Whiskered Tern, Collared Pratincole and numerous waders are among those to be seen, as well as regional specialities that include Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis and the bulky Purple Swamphen. We will also visit some little known minor lagoons on the edge of the Doñana that normally hold Red-knobbed Coot, Black-necked Grebe, White-headed Duck and Marbled Duck.

Birds L-R (iberian) Yellow Wagtail, Bonelli's Eagle (juv), European Roller, Red-knobbed (or Crested) Coot, Montagu's Harrier

No visit to the park would be complete without a trip to the protected zone of the Corredor Verde and the Dehesa de Abajo. The former is always a great place to watch for raptors and is one area where the rare Black-winged Kite and Europe’s smallest eagle, the Booted Eagle hunt. The Dehesa de Abajo is a stunning sight to see, with large expanses of spring flowering meadows where Common Bee-eaters sweep low, feeding over the multi-coloured carpets of scented flowers. The surrounding wild olives or acebuche trees have one of the largest concentrations of European White Storks nests in Spain where the birds nest actually on top of the trees. A flooded lagoon at the corner of the dehesa (or meadow) often holds large numbers of duck including Red-crested Pochard, as well as Gull-billed and Black Terns.

As the day progresses, we can enjoy visits to various hides and a walk through the pine woods and Cork Oak groves. Flocks of dramatic Azure-winged Magpies flit through the lower branches, while Crested Tits and Firecrests work through the upper levels and furtive Dartford and Sardinian Warblers scold us from the scrub.

Along the tracks to the José Antonio Valverde Visitors Centre on the fringes of the northern marshes, migrant Spectacled and Subalpine Warblers can often be found, with Common and Great Spotted Cuckoos and sometimes even an early Montagu’s Harrier. The sandy tracks that bisect the drier, drained farmlands hold all the southern European larks. Crested Larks are our constant companions, their melancholy song given in flight, and others we could see include Thekla, Calandra and both Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks.

Birds L-R  Egyptian Vulture, Lesser Kestrel, Marbled Duck (Teal), White-headed Duck, Short-toed Eagle

Migrants passing through the area at this time can include Black-crowned Night Herons in the tamarisks, Common Hoopoe, Black-eared Wheatear and Red-rumped Swallow. Southern Grey and Woodchat Shrikes boldly survey the scene and, as the temperature starts to rise, so birds of prey become more noticeable. In April, these can include Red and the ubiquitous Black Kite, Western Marsh Harrier, Short-toed Eagle and, if we are lucky, the endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle. Nights at El Rocio.

Day 8
RETURN TO SEVILLE, LONDON

After a little final birding around El Rocio this morning, we drive back to Seville in good time to catch our afternoon flight back to London.

Trip Information

What to Expect:
An 8-day birdwatching tour combining Spain’s famous southern wetlands with the steppes and sierras of Extremadura.

Group Size:
Maximum of 14
participants plus leader/s.

Accommodation:
Four nights at a charming country house near Trujillo, followed by three nights at a comfortable 3-star hotel in El Rocio, overlooking the Coto Donana National Park. All rooms en suite.

Meals:
All included in the price. Breakfast and dinner at the hotels ( some wine with evening meal is included at Finca Santa Marta). Lunches taken either at a local venta or as picnics in some of our very favourite places.

Walking:
Easy. Short walks over easy terrain. Comfy walking shoes advised.

Travel:
We use the scheduled services of British Airways, Iberia or similar, outbound from London to Madrid, and returning Seville (or Jerez) to London. Ground Transport By minibus.

Birds:
125-150 species

Spanish Festoon Butterfly, Andalucian Spring flowers, Beautiful Demoiselle, Roadside French Lavender in Andalucia

Butterflies

12-25 species

Meeting point and plan for Day 1

Stephen Daly and Dr Stephen Knapp are residents in the south of Spain, and usually flies to Madrid

airport when leading the Extremadura and Sierra de Gredos tour, arranging to

meet clients at a rendezvous point there at noon.

If two mini-buses are required for the tour then a second leader will join us and

we shall head over to Extremadura and our hotel near Trujillo.

Museo del Prado

Please note - On previous tours clients have taken advantage of the starting

point at Madrid and have arrived one or two days earlier, or stayed

on at the end of the tour to explore this beautiful and art-filled capital

city.

Catedral de San Isidro               Museo Municipal                  Iglesia de San Nicolás

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Spanish Marbled White Butterfly

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Andalucian Guides Policy Statement

All Andalucian Guides Tours are especially aimed at responsible

clients who wish to participate in environmentally friendly, low-impact

nature tourism.

What do we do?

We are members of national and international organisations such as

the British Trust for Ornithology ( BTO ),

the American Birding Asociation (ABA)

and the Sociedad Española de Ornitologia ( SEO ).

Andalucian Guides are also ready to assist biologists and naturalists with

hands-on emergency work in the south, from the rescue and evacuation of

Flamingo chicks through drought, to the monitoring of pollution in the

Coto Doñana.

The team is committed to conservation and environmental Protection.

Our guides are active members of Los Amigos de la laguna de La Janda ,

a huge agricultural area in southern Cadiz province that was once one of the

biggest lakes and wetlands in Europe and has been drained since the middle

of the last century. We hope to recover a substantial piece of this land and

return it to its natural state to encourage wildlife to return to this rich area.

We campaign through fund-raising, publicity, and through promotion of public

awareness as to the importance of such an area on the bird migration route to

and from Africa, and through actively campaigning to the various governments

to have the area known as La Janda given some sort of protective status.

We are currently engaged in a new programme of ornithological study with

the Dep. of Biology, Cadiz University , collating data on the lateral

migration of seabirds and their movements from the Atlantic Ocean

to the Mediterranean Sea.

A young Ocellated Lizard