from the experts who live and work here all year round... 25th - 31st March 2010 (24th - 30th March 2011)
 
El Rocío church in the Coto Doñana A View to Tarifa and Morocco from the Sierra de la Plata
 Andalucian
Guides offers the "Classic southern Spanish birding tour" to two of the
richest birding areas in Europe. This particular tour has been successfully running for seven years led by Stephen Daly. Stephen also leads similar tours for Limosa Holidays and the Travelling Naturalist, both companies are UK based.
On this spring tour, we cover
a rich variety of landscape and habitats travelling
from the mouth of the Rio Guadalquivir in Huelva
province’s Atlantic coast, to the Rio Guadarranque
that flows down from the sierras to the Mediterranean.
There certainly is a lot to see, and bird species number between
120 - 140.
Three
nights El Rocío
We start at the wetlands of the Coto
Donaña national park, based at our hotel
close to the National Park. Here we will be looking
for the rarest and most exotic birds. Winter rains will have replenished the lagunas and small lakes around our base and further through the vast agricultural areas and other Natural Parks we will be able to watch new spring migrants as they stop off to feed and rest.
  
Moorish Gecko Green-veined White Great Spotted Cuckoo
Right
from the start of our trip we should be able
to spot Hoopoe, Sardinian Warbler, Azure winged
Magpie, Bee-eater and Spotless Starling. Later
we will have time to explore several different
areas inside the vast park to look for Spoonbill,
Black Stork, Squacco Heron, Night heron, Purple
Swamp-hen and Glossy Ibis, as well as Greater
Flamingo, Avocet, Spotted Crake and Cattle and
Little Egret.
  
Spanish Imperial Eagle Black shouldered Kite Booted Eagle
Other beautiful birds are present
such as the very rare Spanish Imperial Eagle
and Golden Eagle. Different raptors include
Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle and Red Kite
as well as the ubiquitous Black Kite. Black shouldered Kite too seems to be making a stronghold here in Europe and we have chances of spotting this rare bird as well as possibilities of sightings along The Strait of Gibraltar
After
a transfer from Huelva province, we head over
to visit Andalucia's other gems in Cadiz province.
Passing the Lagunas of Comisario and Taraje
near Jerez de la Frontera we stop off to see
what’s present. Marbled and White-headed
duck, Black-necked, Little and Great crested
Grebe as well as Greater Flamingo, Black Kite,
Marsh Harrier and Purple Swamphen can be seen.
At the little known Laguna del Comisario, Bonelli's
Eagle and Red Kite regularly winter in this most peaceful
and diverse birding site.
 
Two beautiful and graceful raptors - the Red Kite and Montagu's Harrier
Our base for the next four days will be in heart of the
massive pine forest, that stretches along the cliffs from Barbate to Los Caños de Meca. Here, deep in amongst the Umbrella Pines, lies what was once the largest dovecot in the world, and a 18th century gem in the heart of coastal Cadiz province. Tucked away from the sight of passing pirates, this pigeon-house was first and foremost a gunpowder factory. The "black gold" was produced from the guano of over 17,000 terra cotta nesting "pots" embedded in the numerous walls of the old dovecot. Charcoal burners in the once endemic forest that contained wild-olive, pine and cork-oak produced the second ingredient for gunpowder and sulphur was imported. Fresh meat and eggs were also a secondary consideration in the dovecot and the enterprise contributed to sailing ships food stores bound for the America's. Remaining guano was washed down on top of straw, collected onto carts and spread on the local fields as manure. Nothing was wasted. Barn Owls and Kestrels now inhabit the old dovecot, which can be seen at the rear of the hotel - with not a domestic pigeon daring to enter the once bustling farm.
This peaceful
hotel is the perfect base for the next few days
birding and a great place to take our noncompulsory pre-breakfast walks!
From here we’ll explore the
beautiful Ojen Valley looking for Short-toed
Eagle, Booted as well as Spanish Imperial Eagles. Rock Bunting, Bee-eater, Serin, Red-rumped
Swallow, W. Orphean Warbler Black-eared Wheatear and Bee-eater can also be seen.
 The
plains and rice fields of La Janda offer White
and Black Stork, Purple swamp-hen, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Purple Swamphen,
Black-winged Stilt, Kingfisher, Collared Pratincole, Black shouldered Kite,
Marsh and Montagu’s Harrier, Spanish Sparrow,
Tawny Pipit, Little Owl, Green Sandpiper and
with a bit of luck the powerful Spanish Imperial Eagle.
The
lagoons and marismas and military areas of Barbate
often reveal Caspian,
Sandwich, Black and Little Tern, Great White Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Mediterranean
and Audouin’s Gull and often a Slender-billed Gull too! Ringed, Little Ringed
and Kentish Plover can be seen there with Calandra, Thekla and Short-toed Larks all breed on the drier slopes, while a colony of Collared Pratincoles dance in the air and Black-eared Wheatear, Subalpine Warblers and the well camouflaged Stone Curlew keep watch.
  
Brimstone Scarce Copper Speckled Wood
We'll
be visiting the beaches and river mouth of the
Rio Jara near Tarifa , the fringes of the Sierras
that lead down to the Atlantic and the beautiful
Cork Oak forest and hills within Alcornocales
natural park. Here anything can turn up from
Short-toed Eagles and Black shouldered Kite
on the coastal fields to Cory's and Balearic Shearwater
out on the Atlantic waves. Whimbrel and Grey
Plover, as well as a host of Gull and Tern species
often roost on the long wide beach and shallow estuary there.
Bee-eaters arriving in Andalucia from Africa
Travelling
from Tarifa to Barbate we can watch incoming
Raptors, Bee-eaters and other passerines crossing
the Strait of Gibraltar to the European mainland.
All in all, a wonderful birding week with lots
to see.
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Arrival at either Seville /Gibraltar / Jerez
de la Frontera airport. (Depending
on your own flight arrangements.)
Transfer to Coto Donaña.
Night spent at El Rocio.
 The
Doñana national park covers almost
half a million acres and is one
of the most important wetlands in
Europe and is home to an abundance
of wildlife, in particular resident
and migratory birds. Rare birds
such as Spanish Imperial Eagle,
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Glossy Ibis,
Eurasian Spoonbill and Purple Gallinule
are among some of the species we
are hoping to watch.
The
diversity of the park allows us
to select different habitats where
there is normally a large selection
of species to see. If winter and
early spring rainfall has taken
the lagoons, marismas and various
ponds and lakes to higher water
levels, then we are in for a treat!
We would then be in a better position
to see such wonderful birds as Black-eared
Wheatear, Short-toed and Lesser
Short-toed Larks, Red-rumped Swallow,
Grey, Purple, Night and Squacco
Herons, Woodchat Shrike and Azure-winged
Magpie, Red-crested Pochard, Marbled
Duck, Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle,
Red Kite, Dartford, Cetti's, and
Sardinian Warblers.
Travelling
across into Cadiz province there
will be opportunities to visit open
farmland and irrigation canals and
lakes including the Laguna de Medina
near Jerez de la Frontera. We will
arrive at the Hotel Almadraba for
dinner.
The
next four days will be spent exploring
the very best birding sites inland and on the unspoilt Costa de la
Luz.
The
wonderful Ojen Valley and surrounding
valleys and sierras of the picturesque
Alcornocales National park offers
a chance to see many raptors including
Griffon and Egyptian Vulture, Bonelli's,
Booted, Short-toed and Golden Eagles.
There are also Common Buzzard, Goshawk
and Hobby. Other species here include
Hawfinch, Black-eared Wheatear.
Blue Rock Thrush, Short-toed Treecreeper
and Great-spotted Cuckoo.
 
Little Bittern Squacco Heron
We’ll
also travel to the plains of La
Janda and the farmland of the Benalup
area of this rich birding area.
Earlier in the year there is still
the chance to see Little Bustard
and Common Crane which over winter.
La Janda was once one of the largest
natural freshwater marshlands and
lakes in Europe, but has been drained
and given over to rice, cotton maize
and sunflower fields. Nevertheless
the area still attracts huge numbers
of resident and migrants alike.
Here we can expect to see Purple,
Grey and Night Heron, Cattle and
Little Egret, Crested and Calandra
Lark, Reed Warbler, Montagu’s
and Marsh Harrier, White Stork and
Black Stork. There is also a large
breeding colony of Collared Pratincole
that nest near Black-winged Stilt,
Green Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail.
Little Owl are usually present with
a chance to see Barn and Short
Eared Owl. too.
 
Collared Pratincole Subalpine Warbler
We
will also have a beach walk along
Playa de los Lances near to the
town of Tarifa. This is where the
Rio Jara flows out on its last leg
from the Alcornocales to the Atlantic.
We can see almost anything here
as the changing weather dictates
what stays here for a few days or
flies over, westwards or northwards.
Caspian Terns can often be found
sitting on sandbars amongst Audouin’s,
Mediterranean, Slender-billed. Lesser
black-Backed and Yellow-legged Gull.
Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Little
ringed and Kentish Plover can be
found here too.
No trip would be complete without
a visit or two to the Miradors over
the Strait of Gibraltar to watch
incoming flights of Griffon and
Egyptian Vulture,Red and Black Kite and
Booted Eagle. Another great viewing
point is directly below on the coast
at Guadalmesi opposite Morocco.
This gives us flexibility to change
our viewing positions according
to the weather in the Strait.
We
return to your airport of arrival
for an afternoon flight back to
the UK.
Northern Bald Ibis near Zahara
£1150
£ 100
£300 per person.
Flight prices, holiday insurance, drinks and items of a personal nature, are not included in the holiday price.
To Book
this tour please email us using the "contact us" tab at the top of the page,
regarding bookings, deposits
and terms. Later you
will receive full details
of travel plans, climate,
health, what to bring,
bird list and our responsible
tourism document.
Important
Collection from and return to Malaga, Gibraltar, Jerez de La Frontera or Seville airports
To
help us plan your holiday,
the most convenient
airports to use are
Jerez de la Frontera
and Gibraltar. Gibraltar is just ove an hor's drive, Jerez is
55 mins. away from your
Hotel. Seville is 1
hour 30 min's. away.
away. Driving
to Malaga takes approx.
3 hours - longer
than your flight time.
So, we'd really like
you to start birding
the day you arrive and
not looking at the Costa
del Sol!
Ryanair
fly daily from Stansted
airport in the UK to
Jerez and Seville.
British
Airways and Iberia together operate a service
from Heathrow to Seville. They also fly from Heathrow to Malaga
EasyJet fly to Gibraltar from Gatwick and from Luton and Gatwick to Malaga
Monarch also fly to Jerez from Manchester and to Gibraltar
from Gatwick, Manchester
and Luton. They also fly from Gatwick to Malaga
Vueling/Clickair now fly from Heathrow to Seville
BMI baby fly to Malaga from Manchester, Birmingham, East Midlands and Cardiff
edreams probably one of the best integrated UK flight search engines
CheapFlights.UK searches most airlines for the best deal
Click
on the airline names
to price your flight, or Phone to discuss details - +34 956 432 949 |
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