Gibraltar & - Whales, Dolphins & Autumn Migration Naturetrek Tour Itinerary Outline itinerary Day 1 Day 2/4 Day 4 Day 5 Fly Gibraltar and transfer to Gibraltar Fly London Departs September Focus The autumn bird migration, whales and dolphins Grading A. A standard wildlife tour, including boat trips and gentle wildlife walks Dates and Prices See website (tour code ESP02) or brochure Highlights Up to 18 species of raptor, plus a wealth of migrant passerines White-headed Duck & Purple Gallinule Cory s & Balearic Shearwaters, European Storm-petrel, gulls & terns Common, Bottlenose & Striped Dolphins plus Long-finned Pilot Whale Fin & Sperm Whales plus Orca possible Images (from top to bottom): Montagu s Harrier, Long-finned Pilot Whales and the rock of Gibraltar Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf s Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W: www.naturetrek.co.uk
Gibraltar & - Whales, Dolphins & Autumn Migration Tour Itinerary NB. Please note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse weather and other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme during the course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weather conditions available. We aim to have at least one whale-watching trip on this tour, but please bear in mind that these trips are entirely dependent on the weather (and wind). We have never yet failed to offer at least one whale watch. Day 1 We depart this morning on a flight to Gibraltar. On arrival we will drive approximately an hour to the west, to, and our hotel for the next four nights. After checking into our hotel, we may either explore the lagoons on the beach, which attract large flocks of gulls, terns and waders (perhaps including such specialities as Audouin s Gull and Caspian Tern), or we will head for the hills in search of birds of prey. Given the right weather, any day can witness spectacular raptor movements and this is a particularly good time of year for both numbers and diversity of species. Within sight of the town of, in the Sierra del Cabrito, there are several excellent vantage points ideally suited for the viewing of the migration of raptors and other soaring birds. As soon as warm thermals begin to rise, from late morning onwards, there are always birds on the move overhead and we will hopefully spend many happy hours watching one of the best migration spectacles that Europe has to offer. At this time of year the skies are dominated particularly by Booted Eagles, with Short-toed Eagles coming in a majestic second. Several other species of raptor are regular and include three species of harrier, Egyptian and Griffon Vultures, Black and Red Kites, Lesser Kestrel, Hobby, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Osprey, whilst amongst other species that are seen from time to time are both Golden and Spanish Imperial Eagle. Black Storks are also prominent at this time of year. When witnessing migration in the right conditions the species become less important than the sheer majesty of the spectacle. Booted Eagle Of course, for those in the group preferring a spot of sun-bathing at one of the miradors, or to relax on one of the finest beaches in Spain, perhaps going for a dip or marvelling at the antics of the local kite-surfers, the option will be available to you! We will return to our hotel for dinner this evening. Day 2 After breakfast, and providing the weather is good, we will head into and embark on our organised cetacean-watching trip into the Straits of Gibraltar. The Straits is a very rich area for cetaceans, with four species being resident and many others visiting from time to time, and our operators have a 99% success Naturetrek 1
Tour Itinerary Gibraltar & - Whales, Dolphins & Autumn Migration rate so we are hopeful of some good sightings. Striped, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins can all be seen with some ease and there is also a population of around 200 Long-finned Pilot Whales (actually a delphinid) in the area. The latter is a particularly fascinating species of cetacean and we will hopefully spend some time with them. By choosing to cruise in a relatively small vessel, we should be able to get some close encounters if the animals co-operate. It must be noted that this is not a dedicated Naturetrek charter but we know the crew well and they have delivered excellent cruises over the years and some superb sightings. Common Dolphins The Straits is also an excellent area for other marine wildlife. Ocean Sunfish are regularly seen here, and can often be observed waving their paddle-like pectoral fins in the air as they sunbathe on the surface of the water, and numerous seabirds use the Straits as a flyway between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. There is a fairly constant passage of Cory s and Balearic Shearwaters and Northern Gannets, whilst the occasional pelagic skua and petrel is thrown in for good measure. Indeed, this is a particularly good time of year for migrant seabirds and we may well be lucky and bump into something unusual! Of course, when planning boat trips the weather can always play a determining hand and it will be down to the discretion of the captain as to whether the sea conditions are good enough to allow us to go out. Hopefully though, if it is not too windy, we will spend the whole morning at sea, from around nine until midday. If is too windy (and it can be!), another option is to divert into Algeciras Bay, off Gibraltar; this is more sheltered, and has a substantial resident population of Common Dolphin. Our options for the rest of the day will again largely depend on the weather conditions. The raptor passage between and Gibraltar is highly weather dependent and we will need to read the weather each day and pick the best sites The whale-watching boat heading out in search of cetaceans for each afternoon. The influence of the wind is particularly crucial, with birds choosing at which points to cross the Straits, or not to cross at all, depending on the wind s direction and strength. We will have a picnic lunch whilst watching for soaring birds and assessing the probable state of the day s migration. If raptor passage over is good then we may want to stay and watch for a few hours. Alternatively, there are several sites of interest within a short distance. For example, the plain of La Janda, just to the northwest, is an excellent site for both steppe and wetland birds as well as migrant raptors and passerines. Little Bustard and Stone Curlew both breed here and are resident. Many other species, such as Montagu s Harrier, Rufous Bush Chat, Bee-eater and Red-rumped Swallow breed but will now be on the move, whereas others
like Bluethroat, Purple Heron, Penduline Tit or even Spanish Imperial Eagle will be arriving to winter or may be seen just passing through. We will return to our hotel in plenty of time for pre-dinner drinks and perhaps a quick dip in the sea! Day 3 Depending on the conditions and what we have seen so far, we will keep our plans fluid for today, although we will likely take a picnic lunch to one of the miradors in the hills to look for raptors and other southbound migrants, and judge what our best options will be for the afternoon. An excellent option, especially if the sea is too rough for another boat trip, is to explore some fruitful areas further to the west, around Cadiz. Bahía de Cádiz is a large natural harbour which contains great expanses of salt pans and saline marshes. There are usually thousands of wading birds of a variety of species, especially during passage periods. These may include Little Stint, Kentish Plover, both godwits, Spotted Redshank, Greater Flamingo, Spoonbill, egrets and Black-winged Stilt. There are also several freshwater lakes in this area which often hold some of the more specialist species associated with southern Spain such as Purple Gallinule, White-headed Duck, Marbled Teal and Red-knobbed Coot, and such passage marshland species as Whiskered Tern and Wood Sandpiper. We will again return to our hotel to have dinner. Bolonia, Day 4 Gibraltar Today we will drive back east and spend the day exploring the magnificent Rock of Gibraltar, which is connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus conveniently acting as the airport landing strip! This imposing limestone mass is steeped with history and packed with interest for the cultural tourist as well as the naturalist. Barbary Macaques Among the options open to us is the cable car up to the cable car station at the top of the Rock. The views from this point are quite spectacular. The Rock is 400 metres high in places and it feels a long way down. We should arrive at around the time that the raptors begin to take to the air, many of them having roosted overnight on the Rock. We will watch from near the cable car station or from one of the gun emplacements at the northern end of the Rock, depending on what the birds are doing, and ponder options for the afternoon s activities during a leisurely picnic lunch. The latter is bound to attract the attention of the friendly Barbary Macaques, who will attempt most things to help us dispose of our food!
Tour Itinerary Gibraltar & - Whales, Dolphins & Autumn Migration If raptor passage is good then we may choose to stay atop the Rock and wait for birds to arrive. One of the benefits of having such a high viewpoint is the amazing eye-level views obtained as the birds circle up the Rock, gaining height on the thermals. On the other hand, if things are a bit slow, then a pleasant option is to stroll back down the Rock, via areas of interest on the way. There are often good numbers of passage migrants to be found here, including such birds as Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Firecrest, Nightingale, Garden Warbler, Bonelli s Warbler plus an almost limitless host of other possibilities. Barbary Partridge are resident on the Rock, the only place in Europe that they can be found; they can, though, be very difficult to see. If we have time, we will do some sightseeing on the way back and visit St. Michael s Cave, a wonderful limestone cavern in the middle of the rock itself. You may also choose to visit the famous Alameda Botanical Gardens, a place which is not only of great botanical interest but also often shelters migrant birds! For those of you particularly interested in the whales and dolphins, a further boat trip into the Straits may be arranged from Gibraltar today (though this optional extra trip is not included in our holiday cost unless bad weather has prevented us from doing one of our two scheduled trips from ). We ll head back to in the evening. Day 5 London Depending on flight times, we may have a choice this morning. Perhaps we ll head back to a favourite viewpoint, or look for a species we may have missed thus far. Later we ll drive back to Gibraltar for our flight home to London. Our hotel in
Tour grading & focus This single-centre tour will be based in Huerta Grande for all four nights, a comfortable rural house with a pool a short distance to the east of. The tour focuses on short walks, birdwatching and, weather permitting dolphin/whale-watching boat trips. Although we will not be going out if the sea is rough, it is worth bearing in mind the possibility of seasickness, even in calm conditions. In terms of physical exertion, this is likely to be a relaxed tour as we are unlikely to cover more than 3-4 miles on foot during the course of a day. The main theme is to spend most afternoons lazing in the sun, watching migrating birds of prey! Daily schedule This will be fairly flexible. On days that include boat trips, we will leave the hotel at around 8.30am and spend the morning, until around midday, out in the Straits of Gibraltar. A picnic lunch will then be taken up to one of the miradors in the Sierra del Cabrito, where we may spend most of the afternoon. Of course, other options are available as described in the itinerary and activities depend very much on the weather, the vagaries of migrant birds, and the wishes of the group. Our priority is to see as much wildlife as possible without having to work too hard for it! Weather This part of Europe generally has quite reliable weather. By mid September temperatures will have calmed a little from the blazing heat of mid-summer and we should enjoy daily temperatures between the mid 20s and early 30s degrees Celcius. Rainfall is fairly infrequent, although the infamous easterly Levanter winds can bring rain and strong winds at times. Food and accommodation All food and accommodation is included in the price of this holiday. How to book your place In order to book your place on this holiday, please give us a call on 01962 733051 with a credit or debit card, book online at www.naturetrek.co.uk, or alternatively complete and post the booking form at the back of our main Naturetrek brochure, together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday cost plus any room supplements if required. If you do not have a copy of the brochure, please call us on 01962 733051 or request one via our website. Please stipulate any special requirements, for example extension requests or connecting/regional flights, at the time of booking.