Extremadura with Shetland Wildlife · by Martin’s lovely wife, Claudia. Casa Rural el Recuerdo is a delightful property and is located ... Continuing the lark theme, we were

© Shetland Wildlife www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk

Extremadura with Shetland Wildlife www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk

27 April – 4 May 2019 Leaders: Judd Hunt & Martin Kelsey

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Saturday 27th April 2019

The group met in London Gatwick where we soon boarded our flight and arrived on time in

Madrid. After meeting Martin, who would be both our host and co-guide for the week, we picked

up our minibus and began the journey to the heart of Extremadura. As has become customary, we

stopped at the halfway point of the journey at ‘Restaurante134’ near Gamonal. Here we made use

of the facilities and took refreshments. At this stop, and while travelling en route, we started

seeing species of birds less familiar to those of us residing in the UK which whetted the group’s

appetite for the week to come. The highlights included White Storks, Black Kites, both the huge

Griffon and Black Vultures, Marsh Harrier, Booted Eagles, Black-winged Stilts and Red-rumped

Swallows!

In the late afternoon, we arrived at Martin's home in the village of Pago de San Clemente which is

situated 10 kilometres south of the ancient town of Trujillo and were welcomed at the Guesthouse

by Martin’s lovely wife, Claudia. Casa Rural el Recuerdo is a delightful property and is located

within beautiful gardens and orchards.

Before dinner, we strolled around the gardens and our spirits were instantly elevated by the

mesmerising song of the resident Nightingale and the beauty of Azure-winged Magpies. The

weather was warm and sunny and our dinner delicious, both constant themes throughout our

stay!

Sunday 28th April 2019

Before breakfast, we took a leisurely half hour stroll around the village and had great views of some of the birds commonly seen in these rural settings. We saw a gorgeous male Woodchat

Shrike, some more Azure-winged Magpies and a few Serins. A male Sardinian Warbler proved

more of a challenge but eventually we managed good views of him. We saw a few Spotless

Starlings and were able to clearly discern the features that separate this species from Common Starlings. The local pair of White Storks, which have built their substantial nest just below the

church tower, seemed totally impervious to the bells as they loudly rang out to declare it was 8am

and time for us to head back to base.

After breakfast, we drove the short distance to the area in which we would spend the rest of the

day - the Santa Marta de Magasca loop which is formed by the plains and dehesa habitat between the aforementioned, Trujillo and Caceres.

Our first stop yielded some great birds and we were soon watching small groups of Spanish


Sparrows, comparing how their features differed from the more familiar House Sparrows. An

Iberian Grey Shrike perched nearby and gave excellent views through the telescopes and a few stunning Bee-eaters fed along the roadside, occasionally landing on the barbed wire fences.

Bee-eaters

We moved on a short distance and took a gentle walk along a track that leads out into a lovely

area of grassland. We heard the raucous calls of distant Pin-tailed Sandgrouse but, despite a thorough scan of the skies, we couldn’t locate them.

All around us we could see and hear a multitude of Calandra Larks as they chased each other over the grass or delivered their song flights high above us. Continuing the lark theme, we were

able to watch both Crested and Thekla Larks and point out the salient features in plumage,

structure and voice.


We then spotted an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle which was soaring in the distance and, scanning

from the same spot, we saw other raptors circling as they rode on the thermals that were beginning to form. We noted both Red and Black Kites, Booted Eagle and, dwarfing all these, both

Black and Griffon Vultures! A Little Ringed Plover was also seen as it fed in the margins of a

nearby pool, adding to the eclectic mix of birds on view.

By rotating 180 degrees, we were thrilled to see a male Little Bustard uttering his raspberry-like

call and a group of 15 Great Bustards in the same field! Alongside the path, we saw a couple of Green-striped White butterflies which danced gracefully in the sunlight.

It was time to move on and we took a comfort stop before getting back into action a couple of kilometres away. Along this stretch of road, many of the telegraph poles have been fitted with

Roller nest boxes and, sure enough, we soon found a number of these beautiful birds. Some were

sitting on wires while we watched others as they undertook their display routine and ‘rolled’ while

performing their aerial acrobatics – stunning!

Rollers aren’t the only species to make use of these nest boxes and we also saw Jackdaws and

two Little Owls who had taken up residence. A little further along this road we found several Lesser Kestrels who had also made use of these homes and excellent views were obtained,

allowing the group to note the features which separate these beauties from the more familiar

Common Kestrels.

Overhead, we watched the sparrow-like Short-toed Larks as they sang high up above us but we

also managed views of these small, pale, sandy larks as they fed in the bare-earthed fields around us. A few Zitting Cisticolas were heard “zitting” in song-flight and another Great Bustard

was seen at the far end of a field.

After spending time enjoying the amazing birds in this location, we moved on to our lunch stop

alongside the Rio Magasca. It was difficult to eat lunch as we were constantly interrupted by some

great sightings – how inconsiderate wildlife can be on occasions! A superb Golden Eagle was watched as it drifted overhead as were a couple of gorgeous Short-toed Eagles. Crag Martins and

Red-rumped Swallows twittered all around us as they busied themselves with the business of

feeding and producing the next generation of hirundines. A few Spanish Terrapins were seen basking on rocks that rose from the water and these were joined by a Viperine Snake that had

swum there across the river.

We saw a Kingfisher as it flew along the river and perched in an overhanging tree. This, along with

the Bee-eaters, Rollers and Hoopoes that we had already seen, gave the day a true feel of the

tropics – just like the weather we were experiencing!

During the afternoon, we stopped to take a walk along an ancient drover’s track and spent a few

hours exploring the vicinity. A couple of Whinchats were seen as they frequently dashed upwards

from their wire perches to catch insects, fuelling their next nocturnal leap northwards to their breeding grounds.

As had been the case all day, Corn Buntings were everywhere and what a delight it was to see this species, now so range-restricted in the U.K., flourishing here. More Short-toed Larks made this

area their home and Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies were seen while they patrolled their


territories. All the while, birds of prey were soaring above us and scanning produced more

vultures, kites and Common Buzzards.

Feeling the need to rehydrate, we returned to the vehicles and made a short journey to our next

stop. Here, in the past, a healthy population of the beautiful Montagu’s Harrier had existed but, alas, we saw none today. Like Little Bustards, this species has experienced a dramatic and

worrying decline in recent years and it was so sad to see a void where, in the past, harriers could

be seen ‘sky dancing’ all around us. Studies into what’s causing these species’ demise are on-going but, surely, modern farming practices, including the overuse of pesticides plus habitat

degradation and destruction must be leading contenders.

Before we departed, a very worn, ragged-looking Common Swallowtail was seen and more Zitting

Cisticolas were watched as they flew in their undulating fashion around us.

Time had passed so quickly (they say it always does when one is enjoying oneself!) and it was now time to return to base where we enjoyed another delicious dinner and, in great company, we

reflected on the fantastic day we had shared.

However, the day was not yet done and, after we had finished our meal, we set off on a walk to the

far edge of the village in search of crepuscular and nocturnal species. Along the way, we took time

to watch birds that were readying themselves for a night of roosting.

We saw Sardinian Warblers, Red-rumped Swallows (and marvelled at their nest which resembles

an upside-down igloo with a long entrance tunnel!), Barn Swallows, both House and Crag Martins, Black Redstarts singing from chimneys, Serins jingling from treetops and a

Hoopoe,”hoo-hoo-hooing” from an invisible location.

We found a good vantage point along a hillside track and waited. As the light faded, creatures of

the night began to emerge but, thankfully, none of the ones that seem to crawl underneath every

item of clothing and feast upon one’s blood, as is so often the case when looking for similar species back home!

It didn’t take long for us to hear distant Scops and Little Owls calling and, soon after, the distinctive, “Chock-a-chock-a-chock…..” of a Red-necked Nightjar was heard close by. We were

then treated to a fantastic fly-by as the male began to patrol his territory and hunt for moths. This

was a fitting and fantastic way to end what had been a day that will live long in the memories of all those who had witnessed it!

Monday 29th April 2019

A pre-breakfast walk produced much of the same but a few of us caught a glimpse of a Hawfinch

as it sped calling overhead and a distant singing Golden Oriole was heard. Again, the church bells destroying the silence at 8am caused our hearts to skip a beat but the storks remained completely

nonchalant to the sudden outburst! Many spikes of Champagne Orchids were found, both in the fields and alongside the track.

After finishing breakfast, we set off in a southerly direction and, after about 20 minutes, we arrived at the plains which lay to the east of Campo Lugar. The habitat is similar to where we began yesterday and many of the species encountered then were evident here as well.


Whilst here, we recorded 25 Great Bustards, many Calandra Larks and White Storks, Red-legged Partridge, a single Stone Curlew plus good views of seven Black-bellied Sandgrouse which flew across the fields in front of us.

More migrant Whinchats were evident as was a single Willow Warbler with all its tail feathers missing which had undoubtedly caused a halt to its journey northwards. Lesser Kestrels were seen hovering in the distance and their silvery-white underwings were lit up by the low sunlight. A little further west, we saw a Northern Wheatear and watched more Rollers as they interacted with each other and then a gorgeous male Honey Buzzard slowly drifted over the vans giving splendid views.

Honey Buzzard

From here, we moved a few kilometres east to Sierra Brava reservoir. Here we saw many Cattle Egrets, Great Crested Grebes and our first Gull-billed Terns of the trip and we watched as they patrolled the water’s edge in search of food. A Great Reed Warbler remained hidden, but his song was more than evident.

West of Madrigalejo, we searched the rice fields for Collared Pratincoles but there was much farming activity taking place and the birds were nowhere to be found.

We spent the remainder of the day at the fabulous wetlands created by Alcollarin Reservoir.

After lunch, we watched a colony of Cattle Egrets and nearby, we saw both Little and Great Egrets fishing in the margins. A Purple Heron showed well on the far bank and a single Spoonbill played hide-and-seek behind an island that harboured a few Egyptian Geese. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen around the picnic site while rainbow-coloured Bee-eaters flew over the grassy banks below,


uttering their evocative “pruup” calls. More Gull-billed Terns and a Kingfisher were seen before we moved locations.

We drove south around the reservoir, passing more Bee-eaters and some lovely Woodchat Shrikes along the way before arriving at an arm of the reservoir that contained some muddy shorelines.

Over the next few hours, and stopping at several places which afforded good viewing conditions, we saw a host of great birds and certainly added lots to the trip list total. The highlights were two Black-necked Grebes adorned in their gorgeous summer garb and a few species of wildfowl including Gadwall, Teal and Shovelers. We saw a Booted Eagle overhead, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Kentish Plover, Greenshanks, Redshanks, Wood and Common Sandpipers plus, best of all, a single Temminck’s Stint. Also, at one point, an Otter stole the show and we watched it constantly diving for fish for at least 10 minutes! So Shetland doesn’t hold the monopoly on this fabulous animal after all!

Butterflies were well represented, and today’s encounters included Black-eyed Blue, Spanish Festoon, Spanish Marbled White and Green-veined White.

Later, we took a detour from our usual route to base and stopped to view some small roadside pools near Zorita. Here we had great views of two jaw-droppingly beautiful, summer-plumaged Spotted Redshanks with a supporting cast of Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and a few dandelion-hued Yellow Wagtails of the Iberian race. Well worth the recce!

As we drove back through ‘our’ village, we stopped to try and see a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that was heard drumming. Several members of the party were successful and had views but others were left disappointed - but not for too long!

Tuesday 30th April 2019

Today was the day everyone had been looking forward to the most, a visit to Monfrague National

Park. We set off soon after breakfast to spend the whole day exploring this fantastic area. The

plan was to start at Peña Falcon, on the southern fringes of the park. From there we would move

slowly in a north-easterly direction through the park, stopping at various points en route including

Puerto Tietar and Puerto Serrana. We executed that plan perfectly.

At Peña Falcon we saw a fantastic array of new species for the trip and the highlights at this dramatic location were eight Black Storks (with birds both incubating and flying across the valley) and hundreds of Griffon Vultures sat on their nest ledges. Also seen were a migrating female Montagu’s Harrier, Short-toed Eagle and, very aptly, a Peregrine Falcon! We walked a little further along the viewpoint area and enjoyed wonderful views of singing Blue Rock Thrushes, Rock Buntings and Black Redstarts while Crag Martins whizzed around us while feeding. All this formed a truly amazing spectacle which we enjoyed at this stunning location.

It was time to move deeper into the park and our next stop was alongside the Rio Tajo. This is the river that becomes the mighty Tagus as it enters neighbouring Portugal where it eventually runs into the sea at Lisbon.

As we disembarked the vehicles, a Wryneck was heard singing in the trees ahead of us but, despite a thorough search, we didn’t catch sight of this cryptically patterned little woodpecker.

A short walk along a track, shaded by verdant trees, afforded us views across the river and from here we watched a few Alpine Swifts as they joined the crowds of House and Crag Martins as they


fed, swirling above and below the nearby bridge. Speckled Wood butterflies were dancing in the shafts of sunlight that managed to penetrate the canopy and below, we watched Common and Mirror Carp as they spawned in the water’s margins.

Due to very low water levels, we were able to see the more distant, 500-year-old bridge which spans the river a little further along. We then noticed that a large Wells Catfish had joined the ranks of carp below us, but it soon sank back into the murky depths.

Near Villareal de San Carlos, where we made use of the facilities, we searched an empty car park and the adjoining cistus-covered hillside and soon found our quarry, a gorgeous male Black-eared Wheatear. On one occasion, we delighted as he sprang upwards from his perch and delivered his song flight before returning to ground. Soon after, we found another pair as well as a few obliging Thekla Larks and, in the cistus, we saw Dartford, Subalpine and Sardinian Warblers – what a car park!

Our next stop, at Puerto Tietar, proved to be yet another great location and again we watched another smaller colony of Griffon Vultures going about their business. Our most hoped-for bird here soon appeared, and we had good views of a magnificent Spanish Imperial Eagle which was truly majestic, in every way! We saw more Rock Buntings and Subalpine Warblers here before it was time head off for a much-needed coffee and comfort stop.

After finishing our drinks, we strolled along the quiet road to see what we could find. Over the next 30 minutes we saw more great birds, the highlights being two Rock Sparrows, one of which showed well near its nest hole in a Cork Oak, Azure-winged Magpies hopping on the ground, Woodchat Shrikes and a Short-toed Treecreeper. A few lucky guests managed views of a Golden Oriole. A Red-underwing Skipper butterfly was a new species for many.

We then stopped for lunch and, while eating, we were delighted to see a Crested Tit as it fed in the trees above us. Another couple of Golden Orioles put in an appearance and everyone was delighted to obtain good, albeit brief, views.

A quick stop just past Portilla del Tietar produced great views of an Egyptian Vulture that was sat on its nest incubating. Several more of these small, dapper birds were seen well during the afternoon.

Puerto Serrana was our next stop and, like at Peña Falcon, we were scanning in hope of finding an early returning White-rumped Swift, but with no joy. This is also a good site for Bonelli’s Eagle and, just we were about to leave, one was spotted as it drifted over the hillside giving us all great views of this very handsome raptor.

By late afternoon, it was time to head back but we stopped again at Peña Falcon to feast our eyes upon the hordes of vultures and Black Storks that were drifting effortlessly on the wind. Another memorable end to a glorious day!

Wednesday 1st May 2019

The day began with a customary pre-breakfast sojourn around the village where we spotted Short-toed Treecreeper, Hoopoe, Common Cuckoos, Spotless Starling and Woodchat Shrike.

We were up and away following breakfast and returned to the location on the plains between

Trujillo and Caceres. Our target here was Pin-tailed Sandgrouse as we had only heard them

during our previous visit.


We didn’t have to wait long as small groups could be heard and seen as they flew in tight groups

over the grassy terrain. Some were seen to land but disappeared into the grass and, despite a

thorough search, we failed to find them in our telescopes. This morning, we found two calling male

Little Bustards but the number of Greats seen had diminished to six.

We then drove for around 30 minutes to our next location where we were hoping for a bit of a

warbler-fest!

The heathland area just to the east of the town of Jaraicejo provides fantastic habitat for many

species with its mixture of Spanish Heather, Broom and oak woodland. It didn’t take us long to find

one of the specialities here, Spectacled Warbler and we watched a male as he sang from dead

twigs and at times during his song-flight routine. A few Dartford Warblers were present as were

good numbers of Thekla Larks, the ubiquitous Corn Buntings plus a few Woodlarks were seen

while delivering their lovely fluty songs.

We walked down through the woodland towards a stream that runs through the bottom of the

valley and found some spikes of Dense-flowered Orchids along the way. Short-toed Treecreepers

and Long-tailed Tits were evident, and a few Golden Orioles added a splash of colour to

proceedings. Near the stream we located two Melodious Warblers and had great views as they

sang in nearby trees. We then spotted a Garden Warbler and, while trying to point this out, a

female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was discovered in the same tree. Everyone obtained great

views of the bird, a species so hard to find back home these days.

We drove a short distance to search more good habitat alongside a watercourse. Here we had

good views of Subalpine and Melodious Warblers but were frustrated in our efforts to track down a

singing Western Orphean Warbler. Just as we were about to give up, and with most of the group

back in the vehicles, one was spotted in the bushes adjacent to us. A quick vehicular decant

allowed everyone to have good views of this big, chunky warbler and we left feeling pleased with

ourselves – we had certainly feasted our eyes upon the hoped-for array of warblers but there were

more to come!

After a quick comfort stop, we headed further to the northeast and towards our next stop, the

wetlands at Arrocampo, situated between Almaraz and Saucedilla. We had lunch here and spent

the remainder of the afternoon exploring an area which contains large bodies of open water and

reed beds.

In the sky, we watched an assortment of raptors with Lesser Kestrels, Black and Red Kites,

Booted Eagles and both Black and Griffon Vultures being frequently seen.

At several different locations throughout Arrocampo, we were inundated with birds and the list

seen included Great Crested and Little Grebes, a gorgeous Little Bittern, four Night Herons, a

Squacco Heron, Cattle, Little and Great Egrets, lots of Purple Herons and White Storks, Purple

Swamphens, at least 40 Gull-billed Terns, Bee-eaters, incredible views of Savi’s Warblers, Reed

and Great Reed Warblers, plus Zitting Cisticolas!

Before leaving the area, we moved a few kilometres to a site where we looked for Eagle Owls. It

didn’t take long to find two well grown chicks that had fledged the nest and were sheltering from

the sun amongst the rocks. Martin spotted an adult bird at the mouth of a small cave but, by the

time the telescopes has been trained on the area, it had shuffled deeper inside and was lost to


view. Despite checking for its re-emergence over the next 15 minutes we failed to see it again.

Before we left, we indulged in a bit of orchid hunting and a site for the endemic Almaraz Bee

Orchid was right behind us. Unfortunately, they hadn’t begun to flower but both Naked Man and

Woodcock Orchids were seen.

Other fauna was well represented during the day and we noted Red Deer, Whip Snake,

Schreiber’s Green Lizard, Long Skimmer and Lesser Emperor dragonflies plus Brown Argus,

Queen of Spain Fritillary, Cleopatra, Dappled White and Scarce Swallowtail butterflies.

It was time to return to the Guesthouse and enjoy a sumptuous dinner but, before retiring to bed,

we had another gentle walk around the village.

Thursday 2nd May 2019

We left base a little earlier than usual as we had a relatively long drive ahead of us. As we drove through the countryside to join the motorway a Great Spotted Cuckoo was seen perched low in a

roadside bush. We spent a few minutes watching this handsome bird, which, like its commoner cousin, is a nest parasite but one that mainly lays its eggs in Common Magpie nests.

Today’s journey took us south from Trujillo, past Extremadura’s capital city, Merida and on to our first stop at Valverde de Merida where we stopped alongside the Rio Guadiana in search of

Western Olivaceous (or Isabelline) Warbler. We failed to find any here but did have amazing views of Alpine Swifts as they fed above us. A Spotted Flycatcher was also seen.

We then moved on to Alange and parked near the dam. From here we witnessed the wonderful

spectacle of Extremadura’s largest Alpine Swift colony in full throttle! Hundreds of birds were busily engaged in courtship flights with many chasing each other in a follow-my-leader fashion while others mated on the wing.

We walked for 15 minutes to our destination, seeing plenty of birds along the way; Gull-billed

Terns patrolled the shoreline, a Night Heron kept flushing just ahead of us, Lesser Black-backed Gulls roosted on the far shoreline and a migrant Western Bonelli’s Warbler was heard singing. A

Willow Warbler gave us the run-around before revealing itself sufficiently for its ID to be confirmed

and Thekla Larks were everywhere! An Egyptian Vulture was seen over the crags where Crag Martins were wheeling around with occasional Red-rumped Swallows and Common Kestrels. Again, we kept our eyes peeled for an early returning White-rumped Swift but with no luck.

Rock Bunting and Blue Rock Thrush were seen before we reached the point where we looked for

our main target species. Immediately we saw several splendid Black Wheatears with the male regularly dashing skywards to deliver his chattering song flight. This species has sadly declined

across the region and many of the previous reliable sites along the Rio Almonte are now void of them but several pairs nest around the northern shore here and long may they continue to do so.

After returning to the minibuses we headed further south and searched the Olive groves that surround the eastern edge of Almendralejo. We drove slowly along the tracks that traverse the

groves with windows open, listening for the song of Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin. This time of year

is right on the cusp, timing wise, as this species, like White-rumped Swift, arrives later than most migrant species here.

After approximately 10 minutes, one was detected singing so we parked the vans and walked


surreptitiously towards the area the bird was in. Sure enough, after a little searching, we found

him singing in the top of an Olive Tree and, over the next 15 minutes, we had amazing views through binoculars and telescopes. This was the first time that a Shetland Wildlife group had recorded this species so it was a real ‘feather in the cap’ for us all!

By now, the heat of the day and our grumbling tummies demanded a lunch stop in the shade so

we made our way into Merida where we parked near the ancient Roman bridge. Under the trees and alongside the Rio Guadiana we used a handily placed picnic area and fuelled-up.

Another Garden Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher were seen from here but an unidentified ‘Leaf’ warbler, possibly a Wood, evaded conclusive identification.

After lunch we made our way on to the bridge and soon located a super Penduline Tit and, as we

watched, it could be seen attending to the pendulous, hanging nest from which it derives its name.

Several Glossy Ibis and a Night Heron were seen as were many Pallid, Common and Alpine Swifts that were hunting insects above the bridge. The heat of the afternoon intensified, and time was moving on so we decided to do likewise.

We finished the day exploring some riverine habit with reed fringed pools near to Don Benito.

Here a few members of the party saw another Little Bittern while others saw a Common

Sandpiper. We saw a gorgeous male ‘Pied Flycatcher’ and, once we obtained better views, and by studying his features, were able to discern that he was an Iberian Pied Flycatcher. Several

Tree Sparrows were seen before we heard the song that we had been listening out for a short

distance ahead. Several Golden Orioles provided some distraction as the Western Olivaceous Warbler that was singing in the near bushes proved elusive, to say the least! Eventually however,

and with no short measure of perseverance and patience, everyone assembled managed good views of this much sought-after species.

On the way home we stopped at a site where we’ve previously seen Collared Pratincoles but we had no luck so decided to return to the Guesthouse for dinner.

Friday 3rd May 2019

This morning saw us visiting an area east of Saucedilla in search of a species that had so far evaded us. It didn’t take long for us to spot a gorgeous Black-shouldered Kite and we watched as

it flew over the fields and gradually into the distance. If we’d arrived a few minutes later, we’d have

missed it completely so considered ourselves lucky indeed!

From here, we made our way up into the Sierra de Gredos in search of a new selection of bird species.

After stopping for refreshments, which include some delicious tapas, we moved higher into the

foothills and stopped once we’d entered the Pyrenean Oak woodlands. Here we had wonderful

views of several Western Bonelli’s Warblers as they fed and sang under the canopy. A Hawfinch

was seen by most and a Mistle Thrush was heard singing.

We drove on and once we had cleared the treeline, we parked up adjacent to a conifer plantation situated not far from the highest town in Extremadura, Piornal. Here we had good views of a

number of species including Common Whitethroat, Woodlark, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Raven,

Short-toed Treecreeper, Common Cuckoo, a stunning Firecrest and Coal Tits.


From here, we drove to Piornal where we stopped and took time watching the Pallid Swifts that

breed here, the largest colony in Extremadura. It was a glorious day and the cooler air here in the mountains was a welcome change from the warm weather we’d experienced during the week. It

was hard to believe that it had been snowing here a few days previously!

The next part of our journey took us down into the Jerte Valley and from there we drove eastwards and up to Tornavacas which lies at the head of the valley.

We had lunch around the picnic table and the vista from this location was fantastic with

snow-capped mountains either side of us framing the Jerte Valley below.

After lunch we walked from the car park and headed to the south following a well-trodden path

which took us out of Extremadura and into the region of Castilla y Leon in search of Ortolan

Buntings. A few of us spotted a Carrion Crow and then we witnessed a Spectacled Warbler song-flighting and then disappearing back into the vegetation.

Eventually, and after some frustratingly brief views of Ortolan Buntings, we managed to find a

perched bird that gave good views through the telescopes.

Time dictated that we should depart and head back to the Guesthouse for our final dinner of the trip.

Saturday 4th May 2019

With bags packed and with heavy hearts we had to drag ourselves away from this beautiful place

and head back to Madrid. We said our goodbyes to Claudia and thanked her for the wonderful

hospitality and food she’d supplied and then we were off.

Before leaving Extremadura, we took a short detour off the motorway to look one more time for

Collared Pratincoles. We stopped at several points around the large reservoir, Embalse de

Valdecanas, but after an hour we had to admit defeat – fulltime score, Collared Pratincoles 3,

Shetland Wildlife NIL!

However, and by way of a consolation prize, we did see a group of both Black and Griffon Vultures

as they fed near to the roadside. At the airport we bid our fond farewells and thanked Martin for his

amazing company and for sharing his incredible knowledge before catching our flight and

returning to Gatwick.

Documents

Extremadura with Shetland Wildlife · by Martin’s lovely wife, Claudia. Casa Rural el Recuerdo is a delightful property and is located ... Continuing the lark theme, we were