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NORTHEAST SPAIN

7th – 14th NOVEMBER 2008

By Neal Warnock

Introduction

The intention of this late autumn/early winter trip to NE Spain was to catch up with a number of European birds that are common in this region that I had not seen before. I also hoped to see a number of species that are specialties of this region including high altitude and steppes species and those that winter in the region. The main target birds of the trip were Lammergeier and Wallcreeper, with a supporting cast that I hoped would include some of the following: Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Snowfinch, Moustached Warbler, Black Wheatear, Alpine Accentor, Bluethroat, Rock Bunting, Little Bustard, Alpine Chough, Golden and Bonelli’s Eagles, Citril Finch and Lesser short-toed, Calandra and Thekla Larks. I flew to Barcelona International with Easyjet and picked up a hire car for the duration of the trip at the airport, which I had pre-booked through Holiday Autos. I decided not to base myself in one particular location, but hoped that moving from place to place each day would maximize my chances of seeing my target species.

Over the course of the week I drove 1471km on approximately €110 of fuel. The planned

itinerary worked out extremely well and a good number of target birds were seen. The major disappointments of the trip came when my hire car was broken into and several personal items stolen at the Ebros Delta and when my days birding for high altitude

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species was hampered by severe overnight weather and heavy snow. These setbacks greatly reduced my chances of seeing species such as Woodlark, Bonelli’s Eagle, Lammergeier, Citril Finch and Snowfinch and also meant that my planned afternoon at Els Ports on Day 3 had to be cancelled and replaced by an afternoon in the local police station. The trip ended with a total of 139 species seen or heard, 28 of which were new to me.

Resources � I was helped greatly in the planning stages of the trip by Steve West and his

excellent website www.BirdingInSpain.com, which provides a number of day trip itineraries, suggested places to stay and associated maps free of charge. I decided to contract the services of Steve West as a guide for half a day in the Steppe habitats of Lleida and Alfes and a day in the pre-Pyrenees region of Montsec.

� I also gratefully received useful information and advice on sites from Stephen

Christopher and his website www.catalanbirdtours.com. � I used the Collins Bird Guide by Killian Mullarney et al. for identification purposes. � The books Where to Watch Birds in Northern and Eastern Spain by Michael Rebane

and Ernest Garcia and Where the birds are in northeast Spain by Steve West, both proved invaluable in deciding which sites to visit and in finding my way around them.

� I kept up to date with recent sightings in the area up until my departure on the

websites www.rarebirdspain.net and www.audouinbirding.com Unfortunately nothing of interest was reported at any of the sites I intended to visit.

� A vast array of trip reports from this region are available on the usual websites.

� I printed out routes and maps for each day through Google Maps.

Itinerary Day 1: Arrive Barcelona International Airport 18:30pm, drive to Deltebre (2hrs), stay in

Hotel Rull www.hotelrull.com.

Day 2: EBROS DELTA SOUTH - Hotel Rull grounds, Rice fields, La Tancada,

L’Encanyissada, Riet Vell www.rietvell.org/es, Illa de Buda and Gola de Migjon. Stay Hotel Rull.

Day 3: EBROS DELTA NORTH – Canal Vell, El Garxal and El Fangar. Stay Hotel Rull.

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Day 4: Drive to Granyena de les Garrigues (2hrs 15mins). Meet Steve West. Check into

La Garbinada www.garbinada.com. STEPPES OF LLEIDA – Alfes Park Natural and Embalse de Utxesa. Stay La Garbinada.

Day 5: Drive to EAST MONEGROS, ARAGON (1hr 30 mins). Drive to MONTSEC

(50mins). Drive to Baga (2hrs). Stay Hotel el Blat www.hotelelblat.com.

Day 6: CADI-MOIXERO Park Natural - Coll de Pal, Camp del Teixo. Drive to Pedret (2hrs

5mins). Stay Can Bastons www.canbastons.com.

Day 7: Drive to CAP DE CREUS (1hr). Drive to AIGUAMOLLS Natural Park (50mins) –

Vilaut/Tres Ponts, El Cortalet and La Rogera. Drive to Els Prats de Llobregat (1hr 45mins). Stay Hotel Ciutat del Prat www.salleshotels.com.

Day 8: LLOBREGAT DELTA – Remolar-Filipines Reserve. Drive to airport for departure

flight 19:15pm.

Diary 8th November – EBROS DELTA SOUTH Weather – bright sunshine, calm, 20 oC

Key species seen: Serin, *Spotless Starling, Water Pipit, Great White Egret, Fan-tailed Warbler, Greater Flamingo, Purple Swamp-hen, Dartford Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Red-crested Pochard, Audouin’s Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Merlin, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Balearic Shearwater.

*Those in bold denotes lifers

The night-time arrival meant that an entire day was available for birding the southern Ebros. My hotel room overlooked a small garden, with vegetable patches and thick vegetation, amongst the surprisingly attractive Deltebre suburbs. First thing the next morning before breakfast, I was surprised to find a single Spotless Starling at the top of a fruit tree and a Serin calling from a telegraph wire, just outside the window. I watched

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this patch for the next 15mins and saw Black Redstart, Robin, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Collared Dove, House Sparrow and Common Starling.

After breakfast, I headed towards one of the 3 car ferries that takes you across the Ebre

River towards the village of Sant Jaume d’Enveja and took the road south towards Poblenou. I stopped at various points along the way to view the many small orchards around the outskirts of town and the endless flooded rice fields. While waiting for the ferry, I noted a flock of Tree Sparrows feeding on weeds beside the car and a Kestrel hovering overhead. The rice fields held many Little Egrets, Black-headed Gulls, Cormorants, Yellow-legged Gulls and White Wagtails. The first of many Marsh Harriers seen today and a Common Buzzard were hunting over the reed beds. The number of herons and egrets was impressive, including Great White and Cattle Egrets and Grey Heron. I stopped at the Erms de la Tancada and noticed a single Water Pipit amongst the many Meadow Pipits feeding in the fields. A Common Snipe flew overhead and a number of Crested Larks, Reed Buntings and Skylarks were also noted here. Smaller numbers of Stonechat, Linnet and Fan-tailed Warbler were also to be found in this location. Further along the road a Kingfisher flew along a drainage channel level with the car and the unmistakable sight of two Hoopoes flew across the road. The main hide at Tancada held smaller numbers of waterfowl than had been expected. Scanning along the lagoon edges revealed Mallard, Moorhen, Teal and Purple Swamp-hen to the list of birds seen. A Water Rail squealed from a ditch close to the hide, a quick look here also revealed a Common Sandpiper and a Little Egret. Further scanning of the lagoon added Greenshank, Redshank, Great Crested Grebe and thousands of Coots to the trip total. I stopped briefly further along the road to Poblenou, where the road runs alongside the shoreline and noted several Greenfinch and a rather skulking Dartford Warbler. From this vantage point I could see 40+ Greater Flamingo and a single Curlew. The observation tower at Mirador del Traves offered superb views over the surrounding pools and scrapes. Several Kingfishers were using a pipe that bridged the drainage channel below as a feeding perch. A number of Red-crested Pochards and Little grebes were in the lagoon immediately in front of the tower and a Cetti’s Warbler loudly announced its presence before revealing itself in a thicket not far from the kingfisher perch. A further Water Rail soon drowned out the call of the Cetti’s Warbler. The shrubs and reeds below also held Tree Sparrows and another Water Pipit was feeding in flooded vehicle tracks beside a pile of hay bales. L’Encanyissada provided the first Audouin’s and Slender-billed Gulls of the trip. A few Gadwall and 2 Grey Plover were also seen. A single Spotted Redshank was in a small pool on the seaward side of the road and 3 Sandwich Terns were seen in flight over the sea. I drove some of the way down the beach towards Punta de la Banya and stopped to see if a large patch of scrub held any migrants. Ten minutes of pishing revealed a Chiffchaff, 10 Black Redstart, a Fan-tailed Warbler, some Greenfinch and a Stonechat. I made my

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way back to the car suitably unimpressed, only for a female Merlin to dart towards the flock of Greenfinches I had put up. I watched as it flew on towards the point and out of sight. I made a brief visit to the SEO reserve at Riet Vell, which held more of the same species already seen but was noteworthy for the 30 or more Purple Swamp-hens that gathered there. The rice fields along the road to Illa de Buda seemed to hold larger numbers of birds than I had previously noted, so I made a roadside stop (from where I took the above photo) to see if I could find anything different. I was delighted to see a Wood Sandpiper only 15 metres from the car window and noted several Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst their more abundant Yellow-legged cousins. The first flock of small waders of the trip flew into view and amongst 50 or so Dunlin and Ringed Plover, was a Little Stint. The observation tower at Migjon added 5 or 6 distant Greylag Geese to the trip list so far. I drove the short distance to the beach and half an hour’s seawatch from here provided 17 Balearic Shearwaters, a second winter Gannet and 20 Sandwich Terns. I also noted 4 Goldfinch in the scrub surrounding the car park. 9th November – EBROS DELTA NORTH Weather – fine and sunny, 23 oC

Key species seen: Ruff, Penduline Tit, Black-necked Grebe, Mediterranean Gull, Thekla Lark, Red-throated Diver, Balearic Shearwater, Red-crested Pochard, Cetti’s Warbler, Greater Flamingo, Purple Swamp-hen. A roadside stop heading north out of Deltebre towards the Mirador Canal Vell produced many Ruff and more Common Sandpipers and the observation tower itself proved very productive. The reeds and trees along the path to the tower held an obliging Penduline Tit, Cetti’s Warblers and many Tree Sparrows and Chiffchaffs. From the tower the first of many Shoveler of the trip were near a couple of Black-necked Grebes, whose small numbers suggested that wintering birds had only just started to arrive in the area. This mirador provided views of the majority of birds seen so far including Purple Swamp-hen and Water Rail.

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The shallow lagoon at El Garxal again held thousands of Coots, but I didn’t have the patience to look through too many for the Red-knobbed variety. This area also provided the first Mediterranean Gulls of the trip in the full range of 1st, 2nd and adult winter plumages. Around 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls could also be seen, as well as, Purple Swamp-hen, Redshank, Greenshank, Marsh Harrier and Fan-tailed Warbler. On the walk back to the car through the sand dunes and coastal scrub, I managed to pick out 2 Thekla Larks amongst the many Skylarks and Crested Larks feeding in the more open bare areas. The sharp spotting on the upper breast and overall grayer appearance of these birds first got my attention and the identification was confirmed when they both flew up and perched on a small tree nearby. I drove on towards El Fangar and parked at Marquesa beach. From here I scanned the sea and saw a flock of 20 Balearic Shearwaters and a Red-throated Diver. I then walked the short distance to a point overlooking the inner bay of El Fangar, seeing a further 2 Thekla Larks on the way. From this vantage point large numbers of waders and waterfowl could be seen, but the views were extremely distant, so I decided to return to try and find the tracks near El Golero that run alongside the shoreline for a closer look. However, I returned to the car to find it had been broken into and a lot of personal items had been stolen. Fortunately, I had the most expensive (telescope, binoculars and camera) and important (passport) items with me. This incident meant that my plans had to be drastically altered. I had intended to drive to Els Ports that afternoon and then onto Granyena de les Garrigues ready for a full days guided birding with Steve West the next day. Instead that afternoon was spent in Deltebre police station filling in forms and making phone calls. As I sat looking out the window pondering the meaning of life, a female Sparrowhawk flew up the square outside and perched on an apartment balcony. Perhaps things weren’t as bad as they seemed! 10th November – THE STEPPES OF LLEIDA Weather – fine and dry, 15 oC

Key species seen: White Stork, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Little Bustard, Red-legged Partridge, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Little Owl, Green Woodpecker, Thekla and Calandra Larks, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Sardinian Warbler, Firecrest, Bearded Tit (heard only), Penduline Tit, Southern Grey Shrike, Chough, Spotless Starling, Rock Sparrow and Corn Bunting. I stayed an extra night at the Hotel Rull so I could pick up a few essential items in town the following morning. I then drove north to meet with Steve West to make the most of what was left of the day. On the way I spotted several Mistle Thrushes, a Raven and 4 White Storks from the car. Upon arrival, Steve said he would try and get my trip back to being about birds and vowed to help me forget about my mishap the previous day. We jumped into his 4-wheel drive vehicle and made our way the short distance from La Garbinada to Alfes Natural Park, where new birds for the trip quickly started to appear. Flocks of Chough

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were joined by large gatherings of Jackdaws and Red-legged Partridge. As we drove along a quiet country track a number of Common Buzzards and Kestrels could be seen, followed by a Marsh Harrier, an unusual sight in such arid surroundings. We were then stopped in our tracks by a large raptor moving into view across the plain, a magnificent Golden Eagle. We drove towards an area Steve knew for Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, but were disappointed when scanning the stony fields revealed very little. Suddenly a Peregrine Falcon swooped into the field in front of us, causing 11 Pin-tailed Sandgrouse to noisily appear, as if from nowhere. Several Green Woodpeckers were also noted in this area. Another spot, close to the town of Alfes itself, with rocky outcrops, gave superb views of Little Owl, Blue Rock Thrush and Black Wheatear. A male Blackcap came into view in a bush just in front of the latter and several Song Thrushes, Sardinian Warblers and a single Dunnock were also found in the scrub here. Another stop along a dusty track provided the first Calandra Larks of the trip and also gave good views of Crested, Thekla and Skylarks allowing for detailed comparisons to be made. Nearby, we visited a regular site for Little Bustard and I was delighted to see 10 of these curious birds proudly enjoying some afternoon sunshine. A handful more Pin-tailed Sandgrouse again only announced their presence by bursting into flight. We made our way to the Embalse de Utxesa, along the way adding Southern Grey Shrike, Rock Sparrow, Chaffinch and Corn Bunting to the trip tally. The wetlands held small numbers of common wildfowl including Mallard, Shoveler and Teal. The late evening silence was broken now and again by Cetti’s Warblers and Water Rails. The more subtle tones of Penduline Tits, Bearded Tits (a good find for this site) and Reed Buntings echoed from the reeds. Other species noted here included Little Grebe, Cormorant, Marsh Harrier, Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher and Chiffchaff. The final stop of the day, was in a small area of pine trees close to the waters edge, and produced neck-aching views of Goldcrest and Firecrest before darkness fell. The day ended with me seeing 8 new species, each reminding me why I enjoy birding so much. The staff at La Garbinada then treated me to a wonderful 3-course meal, as I looked forward to what the next day might bring. 11th November – EAST MONEGROS and MONTSEC, PRE-PYRENEES Weather- east Monegros, misty and cool, 10 oC. Montsec, overcast, 14 oC Key species seen: Monegros - Red Kite, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Red-legged Partridge, Buzzard, Hoopoe, Thekla, Calandra and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Southern Grey Shrike. Key species seen: Montsec – Griffon Vulture, Buzzard, Red-legged Partridge, Green Woodpecker, Crag Martin, Blue Rock Thrush, Dartford Warbler, Firecrest, Wallcreeper, Chough, Rock Sparrow, Hawfinch, Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting.

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We left La Garbinada at 8am and headed west towards the steppes around Bujaraloz and the eastern Monegros area. The journey was made much longer than it should have been, owing to the thick fog encountered most of the way. It was a great relief to find the fog beginning to lift as we arrived at a location Steve knew for Black-bellied Sandgrouse and Lesser Short-toed Lark. The first bird encountered was a Red Kite, which lifted off a disused stone hut and flew off into the gloom. The number of raptors in the area also included Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. This alongside 2 Southern Grey Shrikes suggested that a large number of passerines must be nearby. As we walked around the site it wasn’t long until the first Black-bellied Sandgrouse began to flush, including a flock of 20 birds. This area also held a few Pin-tailed Sandgrouse allowing for direct comparison between their distinct flight calls to be made. These weren’t the only birds lifting, with large numbers of Larks and Meadow Pipits also in attendance. Amongst these were at least a couple of small flocks of Calandra Larks and a small number of Lesser Short-toed Larks. Careful scanning of the fields provided all too brief views of these species and considering that there were also Skylarks, Crested Larks and Thekla Larks in the area, identification was best clinched through their differing contact and flight calls. Luckily Steve has vast experience of these and was able to point them out to me, as well as any key differences in flight appearance. This site also held Red-legged Partridge, Hoopoe, Black Redstart, Stonechat and Song Thrush. We made our way to the Montsec region and the town of Gerb, about an hours drive away. We made a stop at a small wooded area, full of nettle trees, the berries of which are attractive to Hawfinches and we spotted around 5 high up in the trees here. A Great Spotted Woodpecker and a number of Siskin were also found. We then parked opposite the campsite shown on map 15 of Steve’s book. From here we walked along the track that runs alongside the canal towards a dam. This track is lined with Pine trees and provided closer views of Firecrest and Great Spotted Woodpecker but not the Short-toed Treecreeper or Nuthatch we had hoped for. The dam itself was relatively birdless, with only Grey Heron, Cormorant and Mallard noted. So we decided to try the disused farmland that can be found by following the track to the left after the bridge, west of Sant Llorenc de Montgai. This area provided the first Wood Pigeon, Great Tit and Long-tailed Tits of the trip. A few small flocks of Finches included yet more Hawfinches, Linnets and Siskins and a male Blackcap and a Dartford Warbler were also welcome sightings here. We then drove up the rough track that takes you high into the hills to the hermitage of Mont-Roig (see map 15). This was our first attempt at finding Wallcreeper and Alpine Accentor. On the way up a large flock of Chough flew noisily overhead. We parked the cars and scrambled up to an area from where we could scan the surrounding rock faces. Steve spotted a Griffon Vulture perched on the hill opposite, but despite much further scanning we could not find any Lammergeier, which are regularly spotted in this area, as are Bonelli’s Eagles, which breed nearby. We stumbled back down towards the cars and had a quick check around the hermitage building, but could not find a single bird. As we were just about to leave (as is so often the case), Steve shouted “Wallcreeper!” and I

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looked up to a fluttering of crimson passing by our noses and perching briefly on a rock only a few metres away, before disappearing. This was more like it! This superb find signaled that it was time for lunch, so we stopped along the road near the farm (shown on map 15). As I munched through a delightful Spanish sausage baguette, Steve spotted a Rock Bunting in a distant hedge and put his scope up for a closer look. A Cirl Bunting was calling from a garden across the road and eventually revealed itself for some fine views. We searched in vain around the hills of Artesa for Bonelli’s Eagle and could only add Crag Marin to the trip total, flying high above the mountain ridges. Steve took me to an area he said I would not find in any guidebooks, down a track, which ran for some distance beside a fast flowing river. In places the rock face rose steeply from the river, creating a vertical wall of rock. It was at one of these points along the track that gave us a brief view of another Wallcreeper, which flew along the track, as we checked the trees for Short-toed Treecreeper and Nuthatch. The latter two species were ironically proving much more difficult to find than the normally elusive Wallcreeper! We searched the area for Bonelli’s Eagle for another fruitless half hour before deciding to call it a day at around 16:00. We stopped for a coffee before Steve headed back towards Llieda and I meandered my way southeast, down the bendy roads to Ponts and Manresa, before turning north onto the C16 towards Baga and the Pyrenees. The one and a half days spent with Steve West provided me with 14 new species. But more importantly, introduced me to the sights and sounds of a spectacular part of Spain and helped me forget my ordeal at the Ebros Delta. I was now looking forward to the rest of my trip with a renewed zest for birds. Thank you Steve. 12th November – CADI-MOIXERO Weather – dull, heavy rain and snow, cold, 3 oC Key species seen: Nuthatch, Alpine Chough, Chough, Crested Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Raven, Blue Rock Thrush, Crossbill, Peregrine Falcon, Jay, Griffon Vulture, Firecrest, Crag Martin, Alpine Accentor, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk.

After watching the local weather forecast in my hotel room the night before, I awoke to find that the predicted heavy snow and rain had materialized. I decided that I would just have to be cold and wet for a day and try and make the most of it. I took the road (BV-

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4024) into the mountains from Baga towards the Coll de Pal and located the entrances to the two sites (at 7 and 8km’s) mentioned on the www.BirdingInSpain.com, Serra del Cadí: Coll de Pal Itinerary. I thought I would see how far up this road I could get before the rain turned to snow. At around the 10km level, where the altitude had reached approximately 1, 800 metres, the rain gave way to snow and the road became covered in slush, and by the 13 km marker the road was covered in a thick blanket of snow- time to turn around I thought! On the way down I noted a few Crossbills perched on the snow laden treetops. I made my first stop at the lookout point at the 11km marker and the first birds noted were 2 Alpine Chough passing closeby. A number of small groups of Crossbills and Siskins made their way past, perhaps escaping the awful conditions above. I scanned the top of the ridge opposite and noted a Griffon Vulture sitting on a rock with its wings spread. A number of Red-billed Choughs, Jays and Ravens were noisily examining the scree slopes below the road. I now realised that my chances of seeing Lammergeier, Citril Finch and Snowfinch had been greatly reduced by the weather conditions, so I decided to head back down the mountain and try the path to Camp del Teixo (pictured above) at the 7km road marker. The path leads you along the course of a small stream, past a large house on the right, through grassy meadows and then finally into the lower pine forests. From a vantage point near a small dam I scanned the mountains above with my scope. A Peregrine Falcon was perched high above me, but I could not see any further vultures in this area. A single Blue Rock Thrush looked on from above the dam. I ventured into the pine forests and after 5 minutes ‘pishing’, a few birds started to drop in for a look. These included Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Robin, Firecrest, Goldcrest, and the first Coal Tits of the trip. I moved back down the track to where it crosses the small stream and continued trying to call in birds. I was soon delighted when I spotted 2 Nuthatches and 2 Short-toed Treecreepers scuttling about the pine trees beside me. I walked back towards the car and noted large numbers of Goldfinches in the meadows close to the house. A few Song Thrushes were sitting on top of the tall trees that line the track to this point. I drove back up the main road and parked at the site near the 8km marker. However, the conditions began to deteriorate further until I had to give up and go back to the car to dry off and get warmed up. I decided to give the lookout at 11km another go; at least I could eat my lunch here and scan out the car window if the weather was as bad up there. I then discovered that it was now becoming difficult to even get the car to this altitude. Visibility was now reduced to below 50m, but the clonks of Ravens kept me company as I waited for half an hour until a break in the snow and cloudy skies, allowed me to scan the ridges opposite and the slopes below. No sign of the previous Griffon Vulture, but a Buzzard had taken its place. Things were extremely quiet, with a trickle of birds heading down the mountain and one or two Jays passing over the canopy far below. At this point I was very tempted to give in and just start driving onto the east coast ready for the next day. However, I remembered about a site that Steve had mentioned the previous day - a stop with a Crossbill sign, good for Citril Finch and possibly Black

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Woodpecker. For some reason, I soon found myself walking up the road through the snow to look for this sign. Fortunately it was not long before I reached it (it was very close to the point in the road where I had turned the car earlier). I walked down the track only a few hundred metres, when lots of small birds started flitting between the trees, amongst them were 2 Crested Tits- a lifer for me! I didn’t hang around for too long afterwards, but hasten to add that no other birds were noted here once this flock had passed through. Once I had walked back down to the car, the weather had greatly improved and it actually stopped snowing! I scanned a number of Choughs on the hillside for Alpine, but couldn’t find any. The ridge opposite was now bare of any raptors, but a number of Crag Martins could now be seen. A Raven was calling loudly from the top of the rock face at the other side of the road (parts of which have been caged off to avoid rock fall) and as I looked up to see what all the fuss was about, I noticed a small bird hopping about the rock face, the view through my bins wasn’t great, so I set up the scope and quickly got onto it- my first ever Alpine Accentor. The bird then flew down into a small crevice in the rock face, where I was delighted to find that it was joining a further 2 Alpine Accentors. This raised my hopes that a last minute Lammergeier would appear, but sadly none did. This was without doubt the most challenging days birding I had ever faced, but also one of the most rewarding, with 5 new birds seen. I drove the 2 hours to Pedret on the east coast, very pleased with what I had managed to get out of the day.

13th November- CAP DE CREUS and AIGUAMOLLS Weather – Cap de Creus, NE gales, sunny, clear skies, 10 oC. Aiguamolls, sunny with strong winds, 14 oC Key species seen: Cap de Creus- Balearic Shearwater, Yelkouan Shearwater and Shag Key species seen: Aiguamolls – White Stork, Greater Flamingo, Greylag, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Purple Swamp-hen, Spotted Redshank, Water Pipit, Fan-tailed Warbler, Firecrest.

I awoke the following morning to the sound of Serins outside the Can Bastons guesthouse. The weather today was much more in my favour, with strong NE gales (difficulty standing up) providing ideal conditions for seawatching at the Cap de Creus. It took about an hour to drive from Can Bastons to the Cap de Creus and I arrived around 09:30am. I positioned myself where I could shelter from the driving wind, behind a large boulder and had a quick scan to sea with my binoculars. I could see great numbers of

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gulls and shearwaters passing southwards very close to shore. I set up my scope to get some even closer views and it was immediately evident that the majority of the birds were Balearic Shearwaters. However, the birds were passing at great speed and it was difficult to get much detail on them. I watched 3 Greylag Geese fly inland off the sea and up to 30 Shag passed overhead in a single flock. As I followed yet another Balearic Shearwater through my scope, I noticed a feeding circle of birds in the waves. I zoomed in and was able to watch more and more birds stop off here for a short time, feeding and then moving on again. In this way I was able to identify 2 Yelkouan Shearwaters amongst the many hundred Balearic Shearwaters and Yellow-legged Gulls.

It wasn’t long before I had discovered another feeding flock of birds, this time very close in, at the mouth of a small bay immediately to the south of my position. This bay remained reasonably calm, despite the strong gales and heavy swell. Here I enjoyed magnificent close up views of both Shearwater species, as they appeared to feed then take a few minutes to shelter in the benign waters of the inlet, before moving off again. I drove back through Cadaques towards Castello d’Empuries, scanning the high ridges around the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes for Bonelli’s Eagle as I went. However, the only raptors noted here were a female Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel. I turned left off the main highway onto the GIV-6103 and made my way to my first site in the Aiguamolls Natural Park. The areas known as Vilaut and Tres Ponts are renowned for attracting passage waders and wildfowl as well as holding wintering birds, including Bittern. Unfortunately as I passed over the ‘three bridges’ it was obvious that few wetland birds would be encountered here, as the site was stone dry. I drove up a farm track sign posted for Vilaut lagoon and was surprised to see a number of Cattle Egrets in the dry crop fields. I got out of the car and immediately flushed a finch flock that was easily 200 strong. These were mostly Linnets. Other birds such as Skylark and Crested Lark were also feeding in the fields here in large numbers and a few Hoopoes pranced along the laneway. I decided not to waste any more time here and set off for the main reserve at El Cortalet, hoping that it would at least have some water! Thankfully, it did and I spent a most enjoyable 4 hours here, in what is an excellent reserve, carefully managed to attract a vast array of species. I observed at least 55 in one afternoon here, in very windy conditions. These included 3 new birds for the trip, a single Wren, a Common Pochard and 2 Tufted Ducks. Other birds of note included up to 150 White Storks, Greater Flamingo, Purple Gallinule, several Water Pipits and numerous Firecrests. I spent some time in the various hides listening for any Moustached Warblers that may be lurking in the reed beds. Apparently one had been heard in the morning, but I couldn’t detect any. Another gentleman I spoke to told me that he had seen a couple of Pallid Swifts along the Can Comes path, but these too avoided my detection. As did Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, which are found here in small numbers. Nevertheless I was very impressed with the superb views I got of the species I did manage to see here.

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I left the reserve at 16:30, dreading the drive to Els Prats de Llobregat through the rush hour traffic in Barcelona. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although the number of vehicles on the road was incredible, the drive only took 1hr 45minutes and the most difficult thing about it was finding my hotel and a place to park in Llobregat.

14th November – LLOBREGAT DELTA

Weather – sunny, 15 oC Key species seen: Goshawk, Little Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Temminck’s Stint, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Hoopoe, Water Pipit, Monk Parakeet, Bluethroat, Fan-tailed and Cetti’s Warblers, Firecrest, Penduline Tit, Common Waxbill. The Remolar-Filipines Reserve is only 10 minutes drive from Els Prats de Llobregat and I arrived at 9am planning to spend the rest of the day there. Upon arrival I walked back up the entrance road and into the reeds beside the Riera de San Climent. Here I found many Blackcaps, Fan-tailed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings. However, the best find here was a female Penduline Tit that posed for some time at close quarters, next to to an old nest site. Upon wandering deeper into the vegetation, I was interrupted by a police car blaring its siren at me. I felt my blood begin to boil, when they advised me that I couldn’t birdwatch here and that there was an ‘observatory’ at the end of the road. The famous phrase ‘no shit Sherlock’ sprang to mind, but I somehow managed to resist the temptation. I crossed the road and walked back towards the car park along the La Vidala canal and offered the numerous buses full of school children that passed by, a few choice expletives, as they (the buses not the children!) kicked dust into my face. Birds noted along this canal included a perched Buzzard, Little Grebe, Mallard, Teal, Moorhen, Coot and Kingfisher. Several flocks of Woodpigeons and Common Starlings were crossing the road and a Hoopoe was resplendent in the early morning sun on the far bank. I took a short detour onto the path that leads to the observation tower to study a map of the area and was delighted to encounter 3 Common Waxbills (although introduced) at the first corner. As I entered the reserve itself, I was stopped by the reserve warden and asked if there was anything in particular I would like to see. So I told him Bluethroat and Moustached

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Warbler. He offered his advice on the best places to look for each species and said that at that time of year the reserve only holds 2 or 3 Moustached Warblers and most of the time they are only heard and not often seen, but that with luck, I should see a Bluethroat. I ambled around and watched a Firecrest hurriedly move around a fir tree beside me, then looked up as half a dozen Monk Parakeets passed overhead (another introduced species). I entered the first of the 2 main hides and noted several Spotted Redshanks and took some time to examine the features of Mediterranean Gulls in all their plumages, as I was unfamiliar with 1st winter birds of this species. I also noted 3 Golden Plover here, a first for the trip and a variety of other common birds that had already been seen. The second hide overlooks the main Les Filipines lagoon and provided a dazzling array of birds. As I Watched a Kingfisher ‘hover’ fish directly in front of the hide, all the birds on the far side of the lagoon suddenly lifted. I scanned the skies, thinking Peregrine! But the bird that caused all the commotion wasn’t instantly recognizable to me. I noted its broad Buzzard-like wings, sandy streaked colouration underneath, flying with short flaps 1,2, 3 followed by a long glide or hover. Upon seeing its long barred tail and light brown upperparts I had an inkling that it was a Goshawk. Its ID was confirmed as a juvenile Goshawk, an unexpected lifer, when I noted its size was clearly outside the boundary of a female Sparrowhawk. Later a member of staff said that it was quite a scarce sighting, although they do appear from the nearby hills from time to time. One of the first birds to settle again onto the lagoon after the Goshawk had gone was a Green Sandpiper, another trip tick. This lagoon also held the first decent numbers of small waders of the trip, which included 5 or 6 juvenile/winter Little Ringed Plover and 2 Temminck’s Stint, both firsts for the trip. These were amongst several Ringed Plover, Dunlin and 2 Little Stint. Sightings of a Wood Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, further Golden Plover, Lapwing, Greenshank, Snipe and 2 Ruff completed an impressive cast of waders. I left this hide to go and fruitlessly check the areas I had been told about for Moustached Warbler and Bluethroat, and noted what I thought to be a Black Redstart skipping over the fence outside the hide into cover. I then walked down to the observation tower and scanned the shoreline (I expected to see a few Kentish Plover at some point of the trip) and out to sea. The calm nature of the sea and light winds meant that what was visible, was distant and combined with a heat haze, made identification impossible. So I decided to return to the reeds close to the information centre that I had been told offered the best chance of Moustached Warbler. It was at this point when the member of staff I had spoken to earlier about the Goshawk, approached and asked if I had seen the Bluethroat. No I certainly had not! She kindly offered to take me to where she had seen it. As she led me to where the path into the main hide becomes fenced off- I suddenly had visions of that Black Redstart I had seen disappearing over the fence before. No, it couldn’t have been…. could it? I leaned against the fence and waited for it to appear again, then tried a bit of pishing, only to get laughed at by a group of incredibly amused school children coming out of the hide. I waited a further 15 minutes or so, and then began to check a bit further round

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the corner. No sign. As I returned, I saw a small bird hop out from behind the final panel of the screen fencing. It made its way a short distance towards the door of the hide, showing only its dull grey back. Then it turned around and made its way towards me and into the sunlight, revealing it as a stunning male Bluethroat. I managed to take the photo below, as it began to feed ever closer to where I was standing, before disappearing again over the fence. This was bird number 139 of the trip and lifer number 28 for me. I left the reserve just before 16:00 and drove the short distance to the airport for my departure flight.

Bluethroat, adult male

I had hoped to see around 35 lifers on this trip and would have gotten even closer to this target, if I had not lost almost a full days birding (half a day in Els Ports and half a day around Lleida) courtesy of some aberrant crook in the Ebros Delta and had the weather been more kind at Cadi – Moixero. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the birding and scenery this region of Spain had to offer and will remember with fondness, the company and kindness I received from the people I met along the way.

Species Lists Birds

1. Red-throated Diver 2. Black-necked Grebe 3. Little Grebe 4. Great Crested Grebe 5. Balearic Shearwater 6. Yelkouan Shearwater 7. Gannet 8. Cormorant 9. Shag 10. Cattle Egret

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11. Little Egret 12. Great White Egret 13. Grey Heron 14. White Stork 15. Greater Flamingo 16. Greylag Goose 17. Mallard 18. Gadwall 19. Shoveler 20. Teal 21. Pochard 22. Red-crested Pochard 23. Tufted Duck 24. Griffon Vulture 25. Golden Eagle 26. Red Kite 27. Marsh Harrier 28. Common Buzzard 29. Sparrowhawk 30. Goshawk 31. Kestrel 32. Peregrine Falcon 33. Merlin 34. Red-legged Partridge 35. Water Rail 36. Moorhen 37. Coot 38. Purple Swamp-hen 39. Little Bustard 40. Little Ringed Plover 41. Ringed Plover 42. Grey Plover 43. Golden Plover 44. Lapwing 45. Dunlin 46. Temminck’s Stint 47. Little Stint 48. Wood Sandpiper 49. Green Sandpiper 50. Common Sandpiper 51. Redshank 52. Spotted Redshank 53. Greenshank 54. Black-tailed Godwit 55. Curlew 56. Common Snipe 57. Ruff 58. Black-headed Gull 59. Slender-billed Gull

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60. Mediterranean Gull 61. Yellow-legged Gull 62. Audouin’s Gull 63. Lesser Black-backed Gull 64. Sandwich Tern 65. Black-bellied Sandgrouse 66. Pin-tailed Sandgrouse 67. Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon 68. Wood Pigeon 69. Collared Dove 70. Little Owl 71. Hoopoe 72. Kingfisher 73. Green Woodpecker 74. Great Spotted Woodpecker 75. Skylark 76. Crested Lark 77. Thekla Lark 78. Lesser Short-toed Lark 79. Calandra Lark 80. Crag Martin 81. Water Pipit 82. Meadow Pipit 83. White Wagtail 84. Wren 85. Dunnock 86. Alpine Accentor 87. Robin 88. Bluethroat 89. Black Redstart 90. Black Wheatear 91. Stonechat 92. Blue Rock Thrush 93. Song Thrush 94. Mistle Thrush 95. Blackbird 96. Blackcap 97. Sardinian Warbler 98. Dartford Warbler 99. Fan-tailed Warbler 100. Cetti’s Warbler 101. Chiffchaff 102. Goldcrest 103. Firecrest 104. Great Tit 105. Coal Tit 106. Blue Tit 107. Crested Tit 108. Long-tailed Tit

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109. Bearded Tit (h) 110. Penduline Tit 111. Nuthatch 112. Wallcreeper 113. Short-toed Treecreeper 114. Southern Grey Shrike 115. Magpie 116. Jay 117. Jackdaw 118. Chough 119. Alpine Chough 120. Raven 121. Common Starling 122. Spotless Starling 123. House Sparrow 124. Tree Sparrow 125. Rock Sparrow 126. Chaffinch 127. Linnet 128. Goldfinch 129. Greenfinch 130. Siskin 131. Serin 132. Hawfinch 133. Common Crossbill 134. Reed Bunting 135. Cirl Bunting 136. Corn Bunting 137. Rock Bunting 138. Monk Parakeet 139. Common Waxbill

Butterflies

1. Red Admiral 2. Speckled Wood (P.a. aegeria subspecies) 3. Small White 4. Large White 5. Common Blue 6. Clouded Yellow (including f. helice)

All photographs © Neal Warnock