Great Crested Grebes

I have spent some time this spring photographing Great Crested Grebes. The shot that every bird photographer hopes to get of these showy birds is of the weed dance, which they perform during courtship. They pick up weed in their beaks and face each other in the water, they then turn their heads from side to side and usually finish off by lifting right up out of the water. It can be over in seconds and performed anywhere on the water, so getting photographs is tricky. I did manage some courtship shots this year but none of the weed dance. Here are some of the results up to now.

 

Velvet Scoter

Being an Easter Monday I didn't intend to venture out with the camera, as I know from experience how frustrating it is to try and take photographs when every family, their grandma and dogs are out and about. Especially with some springtime sunshine appearing. Anyway, late afternoon I got a text message telling me that a Velvet Scoter is very close to the shore at Leasowe. Having not photographed one before I made a quick decision to grab the gear and shoot straight up there.

A ten minute walk and I see the bird by the waters edge. Typically the sun was starting to disappear for the day and a black bird on grey water was never going to look great. I moved down to wait for the bird to come along towards me, which it did, as it started to move out around the groyne. As the tide was receding the sandbanks were starting to appear and it chose to go the other side of them. It was still there when I left an hour later, happily feeding on crabs, but it wouldn't come any closer with a dropping tide.

Extremadura, Spain. Trip Report. Day 4

Day 4. February 23^rd. Sunny with a little cloud.

The final day would start with a look around the hilltop castle in Alburquerque. A Blue Rock Thrush was perched on the castle walls as we arrived. We climbed up on to the walls and could see Crag Martins flying around with House martins. Over the town there were a few  Lesser Kestrels which would be the first ones to arrive for the breeding season, a good number collect here as summer migrants. 

White Stork

Crag Martin

We would then head for the Gevora River in the vicinity of Alburquerque Birds seen here: Griffon, Egyptian and Black Vultures, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Sardinian Warbler, Hoopoe.

Hoopoe

Crested Lark

Egyptian Vulture

Sardinian Warbler

Serin

Spanish Imperial Eagle

It would then be time for lunch and then our journey back to the airport for flights home.

It was a very intensive four days and with so much to see, my aim of recording the trip with photographs of the birds would be quite a challenge. I hope my shots give an idea of what to expect, if considering a well recommended visit. From a birdwatching point of view it couldn’t be faulted. 124 species in four days is very impressive. Godfried is an excellent tour leader, he knows the area very well and his experience of the birds meant that nothing went unseen. For anyone interested in visiting the area it would be worth contacting him – godfried.schreur@gmail.com

I would like to thank Martin and the Surfbirds team for giving me the opportunity to go on the trip.  It has given me a great insight into the area and I will visit again for a photographic trip.
 
Species List For the Trip

Anser anser	Greylag Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca	Egyptian Goose
Anas strepera	Gadwall
Anas crecca	Eurasian Teal
Anas platyrhynchos	Mallard
Anas clypeata	Northern Shoveler
Netta rufina	Red-crested Pochard
Aythya ferina	Common Pochard
Alectoris rufa	Red-legged Partridge
Tachybaptus ruficollis	Little Grebe
Podiceps cristatus	Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis	Black-necked Grebe
Phalacrocorax carbo	Great Cormorant
Ixobrychus minutus	Little Bittern
Bubulcus ibis	Cattle Egret
Egretta garzetta	Little Egret
Egretta alba	Great Egret
Ardea cinerea	Grey Heron
Ciconia nigra	Black Stork
Ciconia ciconia	White Stork
Platalea leucorodia	Eurasian Spoonbill
Elanus caeruleus	Black-winged Kite
Milvus migrans	Black Kite
Milvus milvus	Red Kite
Neophron percnopterus	Egyptian Vulture
Gyps fulvus	Griffon Vulture
Aegypius monachus	Cinereous Vulture
Circus aeruginosus	Western Marsh Harrier
Circus cyaneus	Northern Harrier
Accipiter nisus	Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Buteo buteo	Common Buzzard
Aquila adalberti	Spanish Imperial Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos	Golden Eagle
Aquila fasciata	Bonelli's Eagle
Pandion haliaetus	Osprey
Falco naumanni	Lesser Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus	Common Kestrel
Falco columbarius	Merlin
Falco peregrinus	Peregrine Falcon
Gallinula chloropus	Common Moorhen
Porphyrio porphyrio	Purple Swamphen
Fulica atra	Eurasian Coot
Grus gruS	Common Crane
Tetrax tetrax	Little Bustard
Otis tarda	Great Bustard
Himantopus himantopus	Black-winged Stilt
Burhinus oedicnemus	Eurasian Stone-curlew
Pluvialis apricaria	European Golden Plover
Vanellus vanellus	Northern Lapwing
Gallinago gallinago	Common Snipe
Actitis hypoleucos	Common Sandpiper
Tringa ochropus	Green Sandpiper
Chroicocephalus ridibundus	Black-headed Gull
Larus fuscus	Lesser Black-backed Gull
Pterocles orientalis	Black-bellied Sandgrouse
Columba oenas	Stock Dove
Columba palumbus	Common Wood Pigeon
Streptopelia decaocto	Eurasian Collared Dove
Clamator glandarius	Great Spotted Cuckoo
Bubo bubo	Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Athene noctua	Little Owl
Apus pallidus	Pallid Swift
Alcedo atthis	Common Kingfisher
Upupa epops	Hoopoe
Dendrocopos major	Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos minor	Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Melanocorypha calandra	Calandra Lark
Galerida cristata	Crested Lark
Galerida theklae	Thekla Lark
Lullula arborea	Woodlark
Alauda arvensis	Eurasian Skylark
Ptyonoprogne rupestris	Eurasian Crag Martin
Hirundo rustica	Barn Swallow
Delichon urbicum	Common House Martin
Anthus pratensis	Meadow Pipit
Motacilla cinerea	Grey Wagtail
Motacilla alba	White Wagtail
Troglodytes troglodytes	Winter Wren
Prunella modularis	Dunnock
Erithacus rubecula	European Robin
Phoenicurus ochruros	Black Redstart
Saxicola rubicola	European Stonechat
Monticola solitarius	Blue Rock Thrush
Turdus merula	Common Blackbird
Turdus philomelos	Song Thrush
Turdus iliacus	Redwing
Turdus viscivorus	Mistle Thrush
Cettia cetti	Cetti's Warbler
Cisticola juncidis	Zitting Cisticola
Sylvia undata	Dartford Warbler
Sylvia melanocephala	Sardinian Warbler
Sylvia atricapilla	Eurasian Blackcap
Phylloscopus collybita	Common Chiffchaff
Regulus ignicapilla	Common Firecrest
Aegithalos caudatus	Long-tailed Tit
Lophophanes cristatus	European Crested Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus	Eurasian Blue Tit
Parus major	Great Tit
Sitta europaea	Eurasian Nuthatch
Certhia brachydactyla	Short-toed Treecreeper
Remiz pendulinus	Eurasian Penduline Tit
Lanius meridionalis	Southern Grey Shrike
Garrulus glandarius	Eurasian Jay
Cyanopica cookii	Azure-winged Magpie
Pica pica	Common Magpie
Corvus monedula	Western Jackdaw
Corvus corone	Carrion Crow
Corvus corax	Northern Raven
Sturnus unicolor	Spotless Starling
Passer domesticus	House Sparrow
Passer hispaniolensis	Spanish Sparrow
Passer montanus	Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Petronia petronia	Rock Sparrow
Estrilda astrild	Common Waxbill
Fringilla coelebs	Common Chaffinch
Serinus serinus	European Serin
Chloris chloris	European Greenfinch
Carduelis carduelis	European Goldfinch
Carduelis cannabina	Common Linnet
Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Eurasian Bullfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes	Hawfinch
Emberiza cirlus	Cirl Bunting
Emberiza cia	Rock Bunting
Emberiza calandra	Corn Bunting

Extremadura, Spain. Trip Report. Day 3

Day 3. February 22^nd

Weather: Sunny with white cloud.

First today would be a trip around La Rocca de la Sierra and Villar del Rey. Some of the first birds seen were: A good group of Azure-winged Magpies, Black Redstart and Dartford Warbler. A walk behind an industrial area in the town of La Rocca de la Sierra would give us: Stone Curlew, Spanish Sparrow, Black-winged Kite, Hoopoe, Little Owl and a Great-spotted Cuckoo was heard. 

 

Crested Lark

Stone Curlew

 Then we had a good stroll along the river, we would see Griffon, Black and Egyptian Vultures. A Bonelli’s Eagle was circling overhead as well as a large forming group of Common Cranes which were heading off on migration. On the journey to our lunch venue at Alberqueque, we would see Bonelli’s and Spanish Imperial Eagle.

 

Black Vulture

Bonelli's Eagle

Common Crane

Common Crane

Griffon Vulture

Griffon Vulture

Griffon Vulture

Griffon Vulture

Griffon Vulture

In the afternoon we would take an excursion through the Sierra de San Pedro to the Castle of Azagala. The castle sits high up above the surrounding countryside and is a great vantage point. With a lake and rocky outcrops below, there would be a lot to look for here. Species seen here would include: Golden Eagle, Black Stork, Crag Martin and Black Vultures which were loafing around on the rocks below.  

Crag Martin

Extremadura, Spain. Trip Report. Day 2

Day 2. February 21^st
Weather: Sunny.

From the hotel in Olivenza, Lesser Kestrel had been seen and Spotless Starlings were perching on the roof.  The morning would be a trip to the Alqueva reservoir. On the way we would stop off at some cork woods which were very productive for passerines. A good list of birds were seen including: Short-toed Treecreeper, Thekla and Crested Lark, Hoopoe, Cirl Bunting, Hawfinch, Woodlark and Serin.

Cirl Bunting

Short-toed Treecreeper

Short-toed Treecreeper

Hoopoe

Thekla Lark

Thekla Lark

 At the reservoir we saw Cattle Egret, Golden Plover, Osprey, Stonechat, Zitting Cisticola and Hoopoe. A gathering group of Griffon and Black Vultures were high overhead.

Osprey

Black Vulture

After a picnic lunch we headed to Badajoz town which is situated on the Guadiana river, this is the border between Spain and Portugal. Here we would do some “Urban birding”.  Along the edge of the river are a series of long thin islands, these have small trees, scrub and reeds and are home to a great variety of birds. We also saw Otters here. The birds seen here were: Common Kingfisher,  Little Egret, Great Egret, Purple Swamphen, Little Bittern, Penduline Tit, Cetti’s Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff and Common Waxbill.

Chiffchaff

We then headed to the town of Alberquerque. As the sun was setting we would wait for an Eagle Owl, which returns each evening to announce it’s territory on a rocky outcrop near the town. A little dark for photography, but great to see such a bird fly in and sit on the rocks.

Extremadura, Spain. Trip Report. Day 1

In February, I was given the opportunity to represent Surfbirds on a four day famtrip (familiarisation trip) to southern Extremadura in Spain. This being the Province of Badajoz.

The trip was organised to promote this under-watched area for birdwatching and was led by the experienced and very knowledgeable Godfried Schreur

 The full trip report with an impressive 124 species list can be found at the Surfbirds site - Surfbirds Trip Report

It was a very intensive trip with photography being quite difficult, it was stop and go and the birds were often quite distant. Especially on the first day with the poor misty weather conditions. Still, I managed a few good shots of some species and I hope it will give birdwatchers an idea of what they can expect to see.

I flew into Lisbon airport in Portugal. The road journey to Badajoz province takes about two and a half hours.

Day 1. February 20th. Weather: Misty and grey with showers.

A visit to the plains and steppe of Valverde de Leganés was our first location. This habitat of large open fields, interspersed with olive groves and the occasional few big trees is the perfect landscape for our target birds here.  Great Bustard and Little Bustard were seen in good numbers, on the ground and in flight. A  few Black-bellied Sandgrouse were seen flying over, as a Merlin was spotted sitting on a post. Large groups of White Storks were perched up on nests in the large trees, as Hen Harriers and Red Kites patrolled the fields. Calandra and Crested Larks could be seen and heard calling.  Common Cranes were heard in the distance.

Great Bustard

Great Bustard

Great Bustard

Black-bellied Sandgrouse

Little Bustard

We then moved on to the lagoons at La Albuera. Two hides overlook the main lagoon which is home to waterfowl. Amongst the more common birds here such as Pochard and Gadwall, of interest  were Egyptian Goose, Red-crested Pochard and Black-necked Grebe.  A pair of White Storks had taken up residence on top of a tower hide nearby, with more in the trees beyond. A Singing, Southern Grey Shrike was seen in a nearby tree and both Hen and Marsh Harrier were spotted here.

White Stork

White Stork

Lunch and the afternoon were spent at a private estate in  Valverde de Leganes.  We would be shown how the Iberian Pig is farmed and the breeding of the Toro Bravo (fighting bulls).  Birds seen here of note were: Pallid Swift, Corn Bunting and Green Sandpiper. Serins and Crested Larks were calling in abundance.  A nesting colony of White Storks occupied a number of large trees here. The day was finished off watching Common Cranes coming in to roost, large numbers were gathering in the fields.

Common Crane

Buzzards in Sunshine

With spring on its way (hopefully) the sun is now high enough for me to photograph the Buzzards in the garden with good light. They are looking in really good shape and have been displaying for a couple of weeks now, so hopefully will breed again nearby. Although this brings back memories from last year, of being woken at dawn by the screeching calls of the young, outside the bedroom window. All good fun though.