Extremedura in central Spain is an almost unspoilt area rich in flora and fauna,last week a group of us spent a very enjoyable few days exploring the wide open spaces there.Sandwich Bird Tours arranged the trip our leader was Gary and our local guide was Pau.Our base was near Trujillo at Las Canteras birdwatching centre,where we had nesting White Storks on the roof and Hoopoe and Bee Eaters in the garden just for starters.
On route from Madrid we had stopped off at an Orchid hot spot and although the weather was overcast and damp we spotted Short Toed Eagle and a Blue Rock Thrush.
SHORT TOED EAGLE
SHORT TOED EAGLE
WOODCOCK ORCHID
BLUE ROCK THRUSH
MIRROR ORCHID
YELLOW BEE ORCHID
NAKED MAN ORCHID or ITALIAN MAN ORCHID
Arriving at our base late afternoon, from our room we could hear the unmistakeable call of a hoopoe,so carefully opening the window there he was.
HOOPOE
HOOPOE
HOOPOE.
HOOPOE
HOOPOE.
Next morning we took to the road once more,probably the most common bird of the week the ubiquitous Corn Bunting was absolutely everywhere,its jangling keys song heard from every fence and bush.
CORN BUNTING
One of the birds Extremadura is famous for is the Great Bustard,we did see quite a few but all were distant.
GREAT BUSTARD
GREAT BUSTARD
Its smaller cousin the Little Bustard is also found here,we managed to see two males but again distant views, this was a new bird for me.
LITTLE BUSTARD
A FEMALE GREAT BUSTARD
LITTLE BUSTARD this one was a bit closer but still a fair way off.
ANOTHER GREAT BUSTARD FEMALE.
CRESTED LARK
ROLLER
ROLLER
ROLLER
A TYPICAL LANDSCAPE
WHITE STORK
WHITE STORK
BLACK WINGED STILT
BWS
BWS
BWS
BWS
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER
GREAT REED WARBLER
GRW
PURPLE HERON
LAVENDER GROWS WILD ALL OVER .
WHITE STORKS making use of the new bird hide.
PINK BUTTERFLY ORCHID
AKA PINK LADY ORCHID
There now follows a few BLACK EARED WHEATEAR pics.
BWE
BWE
BWE
BWE
BWE
BWE
BWE
BWE
BLACK EARED WHEATEAR
Spot the GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO,the only one we saw.
BLACK TERN
WOODCHAT SHRIKE
When we got back to base a Montagues Harrier was quartering the fields below the house,of course the bird was backlit by the sun but here we are.
MONTYS HARRIER
MONTYS
MONTYS.
The evening was spent in Trujillo where hundreds of swifts,crag martins and house martins filled the air as dusk settled.
SWIFT
SWIFT
CRAG MARTIN
SWIFTS
TRUJILLO STREET SCENES.
FRANCISCO PIZARRO CONQUISTADOR OF PERU
A GOLDEN ORIOLE Believe it or not,Surreal!
SURREAL CRANES
MORE WINE PLEASE
THERE ENDETH THE FIRST LESSON.
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