Iberian Lynx Tour. Leader: John Muddeman

Transcription

1 Iberian Lynx Tour September 2012 Spainbirds Nature Tours Leader: John Muddeman Introduction Late September sees the onset of autumn in both biological and calendar terms, and while the Sierra de Andújar and nearby mountains hold by far the majority of the remaining critically endangered Iberian lynx population, it is also home to large populations of other mammals, as well as birds. This trip was designed to try and see Iberian lynx in the wild, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, but also to time it to see, and hear, the start of the Red and Fallow Deer rut. While the area houses a superb number of rare, local and characteristic birds of Iberia, including Spanish Imperial Eagle and Eurasian Black Vulture, we also spent time on the first day, en route down to the area, looking at a couple of other sites to increase the number of birds, in particular, seen overall. In one sense we were very unlucky to experience the dramatic change in weather experienced during the trip this year, with cool wet weather prevailing, but thankfully we also missed by far the worst of the terrible and of course, unpredictable flooding which hit S Andalucía at the same time, tragically leading to the deaths of several people. A stark contrast to the hot sunny weather leading up to the tour and unseasonably hot afternoon temperatures peaking into the mid 30s centigrade! Please note that the text may contain species not mentioned in the lists and vice versa, and they should be treated as complementary! 24 th September We all met in the village of Barajas close to Madrid airport, and to avoid the rush-hour went to the agri-steppe areas of the NE for couple of hours. The first field, with over 40 Little Bustards was a great start, and a few small groups of Great Bustards in other nearby fields meant we had seen the two main birds for here very well. A couple of Common Ravens and two Cinereous Vultures just as we started S were good, while migrants included a few Whinchats and our first Pied Flycatcher. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa c.6. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus 2. Great Bustard Otis tarda 18. Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax 43. Common Raven Corvus corax 2. Whinchat Saxicola rubetra 3. European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca 1. 1/9

2 White Stork Ciconia ciconia c.20 en route near Valdemingomez Red Kite Milvus milvus 2 en route near M50 A coffee stop en route produced fine male Common Redstart and Willow Warbler in the trees, but an hour-long break at a lake in La Mancha was the ornithological highlight by far, with some 40+ White-headed Ducks of most note, but a juvenile Garganey, Common Pochard, Northern Shoveler, Little and Black-necked Grebes, Little Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Common and Green Sandpipers, Common Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Northern Lapwing and numerous Black-winged Stilts making a fine sight! A marauding pale morph Booted Eagle and a few Western Marsh Harriers increased the raptor tally a little more, and a few flycatchers on a fence included both streaked Spotted and not black-and-white Pied! Sunny with light patchy cloud; stiff?s breeze; cool. Gadwall Anas strepera Recorded. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Recorded. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Recorded. Garganey Anas querquedula A juvenile male. Eurasian Teal Anas crecca Seen in flight. Common Pochard Aythya ferina Recorded. White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala Lots present. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Lots present. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 4 or 5 seen. Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 3. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus 1 pale morph. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Heard. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Recorded. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra Recorded. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Recorded. Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Recorded. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Recorded. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Recorded. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Recorded. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Recorded. Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Recorded. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Recorded. Crested Lark Galerida cristata Recorded. Sand Martin Riparia riparia Recorded. Common House Martin Delichon urbicum Recorded. Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Recorded. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Recorded. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Heard. Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava 1 (1st summer male). White Wagtail Motacilla alba Recorded. Some huge filled rolls in a nearby bar were gratefully devoured at lunch, then we headed down to our accommodation in the rather warmer Andújar mountains for a short break. Readjourning at 1830h we drove down to a nearby river for a little over an hour s watching, which in the warm still evening conditions was a delight. Plenty of roaring Red Deer was one of the main attractions, but a large Wild Boar just before last light was a prize observation. The birds weren t bad too, including a number of small passerines including a fine mixed flock of Sand, Northern House and Crag Martins, 2/9

3 plus Barn and numerous Red-rumped Swallows, while a flock of ten Black Storks passing over twice was a treat! Very fine and sunny, but cool S breeze. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Recorded. Black Stork Ciconia nigra 10. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 2. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 2. European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus 1 over CR Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Recorded. Little Owl Athene noctua 1. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Heard. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major 1 seen; also heard European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis 2 Heard. Iberian Magpie Cyanopica cooki Abundant. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Common. Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Heard. European Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus Heard. Sand Martin Riparia riparia Recorded. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Recorded. Eurasian Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris Recorded. Common House Martin Delichon urbicum Recorded. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Recorded. Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti Recorded. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Recorded. Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Recorded. Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Recorded. Common Blackbird Turdus merula Recorded. European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Recorded. Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia Recorded. White Wagtail Motacilla alba Recorded. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Recorded. European Greenfinch Chloris chloris Recorded. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Recorded. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Recorded. Rock Bunting Emberiza cia Recorded. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus Recorded. European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Recorded. Wild Boar Sus scrofa 1. Red Deer / Maral Cervus elaphus Recorded. A superb dinner of onion soup followed by veal stew and home-made desserts rounded off a very full and rewarding day. 25 th September The day dawned rather cloudier and cooler than expected, but soon cleared, before it returned and went cool again! No rain though. A stiff breeze blew at times too, particularly in the afternoon. 3/9

4 After a 0730h breakfast we left not long after sunrise, and headed out on a long, winding and rather bumpy road and through kilometre after kilometre of hunting estates, with a mid-way change afforded by more open fields where large numbers of bulls were being reared. Iberian and Common Magpies were very much in evidence, as were Common Blackbirds, of which we saw hundreds during the course of the day! We stood first overlooking a huge sweep of mountainside, with little pleats in the landscape hiding away an infinite number of Iberian Lynx. Sadly, all too successfully! However, Griffon and Black Vultures, Dartford and calling Sardinian Warblers, a passing Great Spotted Woodpecker, a cryptic Little Owl perched on a rock, and a few other birds, as well as numerous Red Deer, kept us busy. We moved a few times along the track to scan new spots, but to no avail, and so finally decided to continue on and down to a dam area to change scenery. A fine flock of Crag Martins perched on a building was the first thing to catch our eye, and while several fly-by Hawfinches were also seen, none of those perched were! A fine male Blackcap was seen by a few, but a freshly plumaged Garden Warbler delighted us all and a pair of smart Rock Buntings working their way up a crag were even better. A couple of Eurasian Sparrowhawks played in the air currents and rose quickly up from the valley below before drifting off. And after some searching, we finally noted no less than three Blue Rock Thrushes, including a young brown female and nice blue male. We returned along the same track. Looking hard as we went, as well as gleaning a bit of info from other visitors (mainly lynx and deer-watchers ) in the area, but lunch was calling and so we only stopped briefly to look at our first Fallow Deer and a small, but pregnant-looking (!) female Mouflon. Largely fine and quite sunny. Cool early, with moderate breeze until midday, but them warming to mild. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Common. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos c.15 on river Eurasian Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis 1. Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus plenty Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus 1. Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus 2. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 1. Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major 1. [Eurasian] Common Raven Corvus corax [corax-group] 2. Great Tit Parus major Scarce. Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Common. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Common. Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 1. Garden Warbler Sylvia borin 1. Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata 3 minimum Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala Heard. Common Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla 1 Heard. Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Heard. Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Abundant. Common Blackbird Turdus merula Abundant. European Robin Erithacus rubecula 1. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius 3. European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Scarce. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Common. 4/9

5 Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia 2. White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba 1. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Common. European Greenfinch Chloris chloris Heard. European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Scarce. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Plenty in flight! Rock Bunting Emberiza cia 2 (a pair) European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Recorded. Red Deer / Maral Cervus elaphus Recorded. Fallow Deer Dama dama Recorded. Swallowtail Papilio machaon Recorded. Cardinal Pandoriana pandora Recorded. Lunch, a series of different dishes, was taken at the Los Pinos restaurant and was excellent, and a siesta afterwards just as good! We returned to the same track area from earlier than the day before, noting good numbers of Fallow Deer this time, including some remarkably large and colourful males, as well as even more Red Deer and four superb male Mouflon as we returned, plus a soaring Golden Eagle, two Northern Goshawks, a Eurasian Hobby and Cinereous and Griffon Vultures of most note. Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus plenty Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus 1. Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 2 (1 Male; 1 juv Female). Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 1 (adult). Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo 1. Little Owl Athene noctua [noctua-group] 2. Red Deer / Maral Cervus elaphus Abundant. Fallow Deer Dama dama Common. Mouflon Ovis orientalis 4 males. Another excellent dinner was taken at Villa Matilde and we mostly retired quite early to bed (except for your leader, who was up trying to get the lists, trip report and his s done!!!). 26 th September Rain! Sadly, autumn arrived with a vengeance this year, and we woke to thick cloud and persistent light to moderate rain. Instead of heading down to one of the favourite sites, we decided instead to explore a little more of the immediate area, and after checking a couple of hillsides from roadside lay-bys, continued up the narrow winding road to the Sanctuary. Quick views off the hilltop produced a fine male Blue Rock Thrush and a couple of flying Hawfinches and some calling, but unseen Rock Buntings, but little else. Red Deer and Iberian and Eurasian Magpies were out in force as usual, but little else was moving. After a quick look inside the Sanctuary followed by a warming drinks break, it was time to head off again and with the rain continuing, we gently cruised the road leading N. More and more Red Deer, including some huge and impressive males were seen, a couple of Eurasian Jays were noted too, but little else. 5/9

6 We returned towards 12 o clock, again looking at various hillsides from the roadside, but to no avail, though Pat saw a fine Crested Tit pines at one point and a few other small birds put in brief appearances. After dropping Kate off for a rest, we dropped in for a short visit to the Visitor s Centre open this morning, unlike the day before! which was a welcome break again, and after looking at the various displays on offer, decided to take a slightly earlier and longer lunch than usual! This was again very good, with a warming picadillo soup a necessary starter! A siesta afterwards was also good, since it gave the rain time to move through. The forecast was for things to improve, and indeed as we headed down to the riverside site again, it was clearing, and we had a fine evening. This we largely spent quietly watching from a small flat viewpoint over the slopes opposite, in the outside hope of finding a large male Iberian lynx which occasionally crosses the river here, but to no avail again. Several Grey Herons, a fishing Kingfisher a few Red-rumped Swallows, plus a pair of courting Spanish terrapins in the water and the everpresent Red Deer kept us busy, though the highlight was an albeit distant perched Golden Eagle, crowning a nearby hilltop. Another excellent dinner was taken at Villa Matilde before we turned in for a good night s sleep. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa 50 minimum Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Several Río Jándula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 5 minimum Eurasian Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis 18 minimum Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus c.30. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus 1. Western Buzzard Buteo buteo buteo 1. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 1. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus 1. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 2. Rock Dove Columba livia 1. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Common. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Common. Little Owl Athene noctua [noctua-group] 1 seen by Martin Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 1 plus others heard Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major 1 plus others heard Iberian Green Woodpecker Picus viridis sharpei 2 Heard or more Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius 8. Iberian Magpie Cyanopica cooki Abundant. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Abundant. European Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus 1. Great Tit Parus major 1. Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus 3 minimum Woodlark Lullula arborea 2. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Scarce. Common House Martin Delichon urbicum Common. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Scarce. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Scarce. Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus 1 Heard. Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla 1. Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata 2. Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala Heard. 6/9

7 Eurasian Nuthatch Sitta europaea 1. Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla 2. Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Abundant. Common Blackbird Turdus merula Common. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius 3. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 2. European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Scarce. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Common. White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba 2 minimum Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Common. European Greenfinch Chloris chloris Heard. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Scarce. Rock Bunting Emberiza cia 2 en route Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus 1. European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Recorded. Red Deer / Maral Cervus elaphus Recorded. Fallow Deer Dama dama Recorded. 27 th September With time running out, we needed a bit of luck on our side. Autumn had come with unexpected force however, and although it was not raining when we left, thick black cloud was looming and it was very cool again. We headed again to the main viewing area on the track, with highlights en route including a dark saddled Red Fox, Red and Fallow Deer and Mouflon among the mammals, plus a male Common Stonechat and also our first Eurasian Hoopoe feeding on the near bare fields was very welcome. The first of numerous Red-legged Partridges for the day were again a feature, and it seemed that the rain was forcing them out into less vegetated areas where they were drier. Once in the main viewing area, with huge areas of scrubby and tree-studded hillsides to scan, we watched intensively both as we went and also while stopped at a few points. This included seeing our first and indeed only Iberian Grey Shrike, on a wire, plus another delightful Little Owl, which if it hadn t landed on the now revived mat of green moss, would have been impossible to find on the rounded grey granite blocks. A lark calling in flight high overhead turned and came down when whistled to, even landing on a rock not far in front, and when it also flew round us and hovered, again in response to be whistled to, we could see it was a fine Thekla Lark. A pale morph Booted Eagle passed over when we were in the car at one point, but was at a difficult angle, and a couple of rather miserable-looking Griffon Vultures were perched on a hillside affording easier views. The rain finally got too strong, so we returned for lunch, with careful checking as we went. This fortunately resulted in a false alarm, when I stopped for a strange-looking rock, but luck was on our side when an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle flew off from the nearest hillside only to pitch into the side of a huge Cork Oak, and so allowed us fine views in the scope. The same or another Eurasian Hoopoe as before flew up and over us as we returned near where 6 Corn Buntings rose up from the trackside and flew off. A good look was also taken at some female and then a male Mouflon at quite close range, while a couple of Iberian race Green Woodpeckers were remarkably adept at hiding, even on tiny tree stems (!), though three were seen in flight en route. 7/9

8 Lunch was again taken at Los Pinos, with a warming soup again a very welcome starter, plus the usual salad and Spanish omelette and croquets to follow-up this time. Having had a good break here, we returned for our last chance at the track, briefly seeing a small flock of European Serins in flight as we went, and went straight to the most consistent site. A moderate breeze with occasional light rain was blowing from the NE and made standing or sitting and watching a fairly arduous task. Little broke the wait, though several Dartford Warblers at close range gave excellent views. The almost complete absence of movement other than from the numerous Red Deer and a few Rabbits compounded this, and it wasn t until around a couple of hours from dusk that a change happened. A car was noticed coming down the track and when an antenna appeared from the window, hopes were raised. Indeed, when the driver appeared, I flagged him down and asked if he was tracking lynx. Yes, he said, and a male was actively moving somewhere in the small valleys back towards the start of the viewing area... So, after also showing him a pair of Spanish Imperial Eagles, which had come over our heads before the female swooped in to catch a Rabbit and then took it to the top of a huge boulder, where both perched as the female started to eat it, we headed back to the start of the track with higher hopes. But again, sadly, it was not to be, and despite scouring the slopes for almost 2 hours, virtually until dusk, there was no sign, so we headed back while there was still a little light. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Abundant. Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus A few Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus 2. Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Recorded. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Common. Little Owl Athene noctua 2 at least Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops 2 or perhaps one seen twice! Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major 1. Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis 1; Now generally known as Iberian Grey Shrike. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius Several Iberian Magpie Cyanopica cooki Common. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Common. Northern Raven Corvus corax 2. European Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus 1 Heard. Great Tit Parus major Recorded. Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Recorded. Thekla Lark Galerida theklae 1. Sand Martin Riparia riparia 1. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Several Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus A few Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 1 briefly seen on roadside fence Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata 4 at least Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala 1 smart male seen & others heard Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Abundant. Common Blackbird Turdus merula Common. European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola 1. Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius 1. European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca A few Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 1 Heard. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Recorded. European Serin Serinus serinus c.10. 8/9

9 European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Recorded. Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra 6. European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Recorded. Red Fox Vulpes vulpes 1 «carbonero» Red Deer / Maral Cervus elaphus Abundant. Fallow Deer Dama dama Common. 28 th September With just a couple of hours available before we needed to leave, we again drove slowly down to the riverside site, checking one or two spots as we went, but the low cloud on some of the hills and moderate rain kept us close to the vehicle. Turning along the river we had brief views of three Black Storks fishing in the river, but with such low light levels it was tricky to see them before they flew! A single Grey Heron, being paler, was rather easier! Two pairs of Great Cormorants looked a little confused by the weather, flying in opposite directions The route back was punctuated by occasional sightings of interest, including a flock of Western Jackdaws, various Western Marsh Harriers, a low-flying Golden Eagle, a couple of perched Common Buzzards, a Crested Lark on the road, a group of four Little Bustards flying over, a flock of Northern Lapwings in some flooded fields just after entering the Province of Madrid, and even, close to the airport, two Eurasian Black Vultures grounded by the still poor weather in an arable field, and a Red Kite drifting over a nearby ridge top. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Common. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos A few. Black Stork Ciconia nigra 3 (2 Adults; 1 Juv). Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 1. Red Kite Milvus milvus milvus 1 en route Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus a few en route Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus 2 grounded near Madrid Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 4 en route Western Buzzard Buteo buteo buteo 2 en route Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 1 in flight en route Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus a few en route Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax 4 in a flock in flight en route Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus a good-sized flock in flooded fields en route Rock Dove Columba livia several flocks en route Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Plenty en route Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Common. Iberian Magpie Cyanopica cooki just 1 in Andújar and a small flock en route Eurasian Magpie Pica pica Common. Western Jackdaw Coloeus monedula c.30 in flight near Andújar Great Tit Parus major Recorded. Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Recorded. Crested Lark Galerida cristata 1 en route Sand Martin Riparia riparia 1 Andújar Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica c.5 Andújar Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor Abundant. Common Blackbird Turdus merula Common. White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba 1 Andújar Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs several Andújar 9/9

10 European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Recorded. Red Deer / Maral Cervus elaphus Recorded. 10/9

11 Despite the fact that we didn t even get a glimpse of a lynx, (which is very unusual, to be honest), we still had a great time and it was a pleasure to lead you on the trip. Thanks to you all for making this such an enjoyable experience and we greatly look forward to seeing you again on another Spainbirds Nature Tours trip again in the future. With very best wishes, John Muddeman John Muddeman / Spainbirds Nature Tours, /9