Paul Bowyer and I decided to do a (hastily arranged) short trip to try
to see some of the more special birds of the Pyrenees and north‑east
Spanish steppes. The "big four" targets were Wallcreeper,
Lammergeier, Dupont's Lark and Great Bustard, with Snow Finch a close fifth. In
the end we saw the first three of these. overall I had 9 lifers and Paul had
15+ lifers, and we recorded 108 species in only 3'/z days birding, so we were
pleased with the trip. Another couple of days would have given us more time at
some other sites, but we saw most of the species we really wanted.
We got cheap flights from Ryanair from Stansted to Girona (£65 return),
although Bristol‑Barcelona on easyJet would have been better for us in
terms of time, if not money. Car hire was from Rega via the web. We were
originally going to stay 2 nights at Boletas birdwatching centre in Loporzano
(which came recommended and whom we thank for site information freely given),
but a lost e‑mail scuppered those plans, so we stayed at the Hotel
Montearagon on the edge of Huesca ‑ relatively cheap and with excellent
food. In Zaragoza we finally found a room in the rather soulless NH Orus hotel
by the railway station, and for the final night we stayed in a cheap and cheerful
pension/bar at Belchite. Food poor and organisation chaotic there, but what can
you expect for 15 euros a night?
Itinerary: Day 1: early afternoon flight to Girona, then drive to
Huesca for overnight stop. Brief birding stop near Lleida towards dusk. Day 2:
Embalse de Vadiello dam, Riglos, Gabardito, Oroel Day 3: PortaletlValle de
Tena, Embalse de la Sotonera. Embalse de Vadiello, Loporzano cemetery Day 4: La
Planeron, Laguna de la Playa, back to La Planeron Day 5: La Planeron, then
Llobregat Delta on way back to Girona. Late afternoon flight back to Stansted.
Day 1 Essentially a day travelling: driving up to Stansted, flying to
Girona airport, picking up the hire car and driving to Huesca. We arrived in
the Lleida area in time to have half an hour or so birding at the inlet end of
Embalse de Utxesa before dark, the main species seen being Moustached Warbler.
Day 2 A pre‑breakfast visit to Embalse de Vadiello did not
produce the hoped‑for Wallcreeper on the dam, but gave good views of
Griffon Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Crag Martin and Serin. The first few of many
Spotless Starlings were identified on the way back to Huesca. After breakfast
we headed to Riglos, seeing White Stork, Crested Lark, Hoopoe. and both Black
and Red Kites on the way. The cliffs of Los Mallos de Riglos are spectacular,
but most of the interest was on the scrubby scree slopes below them, including
several Black Wheatears. Sardinian and Dartford Warblers. We met another group
of British birders who had had success with several target species at Gabardito
in the Hecho valley, so we spent most of the afternoon there. Perseverance
finally gave us a single adult Lammergeier and good views of several Citril
Finches, plus lots more vultures and various other species new for the trip. Another
try for Wallcreeper at Boca de Infierno failed, as did an attempt late on at
Oroel for Black Woodpecker.
Day 3 We knew that Snow Finch had been looked for and not seen around
Astun ski resort, so we tried the other high valley, Valle de Tena. A Rock Bunting
and 2 sharpei race Green Woodpeckers
(potential split) showed well by the roadside about 2km before Formigal
village. At the border post at Col de Portalet we had good views of Alpine Chough. Red‑billed Chough,
Rock Sparrow and Water
Pipit and the ski stations of Formigal produced a few species including
Ring Ouzel, but no Snow Finches, unfortunately.
On the way down we tried the dam and its flanking rock walls at Embalse
de Lanuza and after only 20 minutes or so it happened ‑Wallcreeper! A
male in full breeding plumage, it flew in and landed on the reservoir side of
the dam wall, showed well for a couple of minutes, then flew again right past
us at less than 20m range. Stunning! It didn't show again in the next hour, but
we still had a Short‑toed Eagle, Black Kites, Jays and Crag Martins to
watch.
We headed down out of the high Pyrenees to Embalse de la Sotonera near
Huesca for a different range of birds. Not much on the reservoir itself, but
species seen in the area included Lesser Kestrel, White Stork, Rock Sparrow,
Marsh Harrier and lots of Serins and Corn Buntings.
It was now late afternoon and we headed back to Embalse de Vadiello.
After a hour or so's wait, the usual good views of Griffon and Egyptian
Vultures and Crag Martins keeping us amused, Paul found our second Wallcreeper
of the day, flicking amongst the moss on the dam wall. This one showed for a
lot longer (about 15 minutes) and allowed Paul to get some good video footage.
We finished off the day at Loporzano cemetery (up a dirt track opposite the
southern entrance to the village) listening to an Eurasian Eagle Owl
(unfortunately distant and unseen) and watching Thekla Larks.
Day 4 We got out of Zaragoza as fast as we could, but still didn't
arrive at La Planeron reserve, near Belchite, until Sam. Nonetheless, with
perseverance and no doubt some luck by I 1 am we had seen at least 3 Dupont's
Larks in a flat area of steppe about l km SW of the car park, tracking them
down by the rather unlark‑like song (which I likened to the five‑note
tune from the film Close Encounters). Plenty of other larks too, including
Calandra, Lesser Short‑toed, Crested and Thekla, though the last two were
as ever a pain to separate. Several small groups of both Pin‑tailed
Sandgrouse and Blackbellied Sandgrouse flew overhead, and other notable birds
included Black‑eared Wheatear and Spectacled Warbler.
In the area around Laguna de la Playa, SW of Bujaraloz, we failed to
find any bustards, but did see more of both sandgrouse, 2 Little Owls and a
selection of waders on a small salina ‑ Black‑winged Stilts, Ruff
and Spotted Redshanks. Paul was particularly keen to try to get video or photos
of the larks and sandgrouse, so we headed back to La Planeron and more of the
same there, but without much photographic success. We did get excellent views
of 4 Marsh Harriers and a Short‑toed Eagle though, and 2 Golden Eagles
near Gelsa.
Day 5 Out at dawn at La Planeron again, and Paul had more success with
the camera, getting some shots of Dupont's Lark (though they are generally too
wary to approach close enough for good shots) and excellent shots of Lesser
Short‑toed and Calandra Larks. Other species seen included Hoopoe, Marsh
Harrier, both sandgrouse again, Red‑legged Partridge, and the by now
obligatory Griffon Vultures. By l oam we had to leave.
A couple of minor delays and a brush with the complicated and
inconsistently‑signed road network around Barcelona meant that we only
had a very short time at the Llobregat Delta reserve, which would deserve at
least half a day itself. Nonetheless, along the access road and on the lagoon
we picked up several new species for the trip, including Monk Parakeet, Little
Ringed Plover and Wood Sandpiper, before dashing to Girona airport for our
flight home.
Species
List
1. Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Llobregat Delta
2. Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Embalse de
Vadiello, Llobregat Delta 3. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) A few seen in various
places 4. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) Llobregat Delta 5. Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) 1, Embalse de Utxesa 6. White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
1‑3 seen in several places 7. Mallard
(Anas platyrhynchos) A few on the
steppes and at Llobregat Delta NR 8. Shoveler
(Anas clypeata) Llobregat Delta
9. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) Llobregat Delta l O.Pochard (Aythya ferina) Llobregat Delta 11.Griffon Vulture (Gyps
fulvus) A daily sight, usually in good numbers. Magnificent. 12.Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) Embalse de
Vadiello, Gabardito, odd ones elsewhere 13.Lammergeier
(Gypaetus barbatus) A fine adult
at Gabardito 14.Short‑toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) 1, Embalse de
Lanuza; 1, La Planeron 15.Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) 1, Gabardito; 2,
near Gelsa 16.Buzzard (Buteo buteo) A few seen, including at
Formigal 17.Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Odd ones, including at
Gabardito 18.Red Kite (Milvus milvus) A few seen daily 19.Black Kite (Milvus migrans) A few seen daily 20.Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) 1, Embalse de la Sotonera; at least 4, La
Planeron 21.Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 1, Riglos 22.Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) Common 23.Lesser
Kestrel (Falco naumanni) Singles near
Embalse de la Sotonera and near Lleida 24.Red‑legged
Partridge (Alectoris rufa) Ones
and twos in various places 25.Water Rail
(Rallus aquaticus) Heard at
Embalse de Utxesa 26.Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) Llobregat Delta
27.Coot (Fulica atra) Llobregat Delta
28.Black‑winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) Laguna de la
Playa area, Llobregat Delta 29.Little
Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) Llobregat
Delta 30.Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) Llobregat Delta 31.Spotted Redshank (Tringa
erythropus) Laguna de la Playa area 32.Wood
Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) Llobregat
Delta 33.Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) Laguna
de la Playa area 34.Lesser Black‑backed
Gull (Larus fuscus graellsii) Llobregat
Delta 35.Yellow‑legged Gull (Larus (cachinnans) michahellis) 2,
Puente de la Reina 36.Black‑headed
Gull (Larus ridibundus) 1, Barcelona
37.Black‑bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis) La Planeron and
Laguna de la Playa area 38.Pin‑tailed
Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) La
Planeron and Laguna de la Playa area 39.Rock
Dove (Columba livia) Wild ones eg
at Riglos; domestic strains in some towns 40.Woodpigeon
(Columba palumbus) Common 41. Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) Common in towns 42.Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) One
calling at Gabardito 43.Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) Noisy and obvious
at Llobregat Delta 44.Eagle Owl (Bubo
bubo) Heard behind Loporzano cemetery 45.Little
Owl (Athene noctua) 1 nr
Loporzano; 2 nr Laguna de la Playa 46.Hoopoe
(Upupa epops) A few seen in
various places 47.Green Woodpecker (Picus
viridis sharpei) 2 of this
distinctive race, Formigal 48.Skylark (Alauda arvensis) A few at high altitude
above Formigal
49.Lesser
Short‑toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens)
Common
and easy at La Planeron
50.Dupont's
Lark (Chersophilus duponti) Relatively (!)
easy to see early to mid am at La Planeron
51.Crested
Lark (Galerida cristata) A few seen at La
Planeron and elsewhere
52.Thekla
Lark (Galerida theklae) Loporzano
cemetery, La Planeron
53.Calandra
Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) Lots at La
Planeron
54.Barn
Swallow (Hirundo rustica) A few seen in
various places
55.Crag
Martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris) Common in the
mountainous areas
56.House
Martin (Delichon urbica) Girona airport
57.Meadow
Pipit (Anthus pratensis) A few in various
places
58.Water
Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) Common at high
altitude
59.White
Wagtail (Motacill alba alba) Common
60.Grey
Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) Boca de Infierno.
Puente de la Reina
61.Yellow
Wagtail (Motacilla fava) La Planeron, in
flight only (so not assignable to race)
62.Starling
(Sturnus vulgaris) Seen around
Barcelona, and a few inland
63.Spotless
Starling (Sturnus unicolor) The common
starling in the steppes and pre‑Pyrenees
64.Eurasian
Jay (Garrulus glandarius) Seen in Valle de
Tena, including 2 at Embalse de Lanuza
65.Magpie (Pica pica) Common
66.Red‑billed
Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) Regular in
mountain and steppe areas
67.Alpine
Chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus) Good views at Col
de Portalet, more distant at Gabardito
68.Jackdaw
(Corvus monedula) 2, Embalse de la
Sotonera area
69.Raven (Corvus corax) Regular in the mountains
70.Carrion
Crow (Corvus corone) Odd pairs seen
occasionally
71.Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) Common
72.Great
Tit (Parus major) Common
73.Crested Tit (Parus cristatus) 2 or 3, Oroel
74.Long‑tailed
Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) Only odd ones
seen
75.Wallcreeper
(Tichodroma muraria). THE target.
Single males at both Lanuza and Vadiello dams.
76.Nuthatch
(Sitta europaea) Heard at
Gabardito
77.Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) Common
78.Dunnock
(Prunella modularis) Only one seen!
79.Northern
Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) 2 males. Laguna
de la Playa area
80.Black‑eared
Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) A male, La Planeron
81.Black
Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) 4, Riglos
82.Stonechat
(Saxicola torquata) Odd ones in the
mountains
83.Black
Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros
aterrimus) Plentiful at many sites, especially rocky areas
84.Robin
(Erithacus rubecula) Common
85.Blackbird
(Turdus merula) Common. One near
Formigal was a surprise though.
86.Ring
Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) A male at the
higher Formigal ski station
87.Mistle
Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) Heard singing
below Formigal
88.Cetti's
Warbler (Cettia cetti) Embalse de
Utxesa. Llobregat Delta
89.Fan‑tailed
Warbler (Cisticola juncidis) Seen at Azaila
and Llobregat Delta; a few others heard.
90.Moustached
Warbler (Acrocephalus melanopogon) Noisy and active
at Embalse de Utxesa.
91.Sardinian
Warbler (Sylvia melanocephala) Common at Riglos
92.Blackcap
(Sylvia atricapilla) Heard singing few
times in the mountains
93.Dartford
Warbler (Sylvia undata) Common at Riglos
94.Spectacled
Warbler (Sylvia conspicillata) Singing male at
La Planeron
95.Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) Common; all
songs heard were collybita
96.Goldcrest
(Regulus regulus) Heard regularly;
not looked for hard
97.Firecrest
(Regulus ignicapilla) 2, Gabardito;
more heard in various places
98.House
Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Common as ever in
towns
99.Rock
Sparrow (Petronia petronia) 2, Portalet; 1, nr
Embalse de la Sotonera
100.Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) Common
lO1.Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) Seen occasionally
102.European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) Llobregat Delta
103.Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) A few small groups
in the mountains
104.Serin (Serinus serinus) Very common in
agricultural areas (eg Canal de Monegros)
105.Citril Finch (Serinus citrinella) 6+ birds seen well
near the cafe at Gabardito
106.Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra) Common in
agricultural areas
107.Yellowhammer
(Emberiza citrinella) A few seen between
Formigal and Col de Portalet
108.Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) A male seen briefly twice
about l km before Formigal