Gredos
Birdwatching in Spain | Birding in Spain | Birdwatching tours in Spain
EXTREMADURA IN SPRING – 6 days
Dates: 12-17 April 2010
Cost per person: 1.200 Euros (single supp. 120€)
Minimum group size: 4
A spring holiday based in a single hotel exploring the wide diversity of birds found in the varied habitats of Extremadura, one of the best birding areas in Spain: the National Park of Monfragüe, dehesas, steppes, small wetland areas and the foothills of the Gredos mountain range.
Day 1: Meeting at Madrid airport around midday, we head straight towards our base for the duration of the tour, the small country hotel of El Alcaudón, in the small village of Serrejón located on the edge of the National Park of Monfragüe, amidst extensive plains of dehesas. Having settled and rested in the hotel, we will start exploring the area around the village which holds a range of warblers, larks, shrikes and raptors.
Day 2: The whole day is spent in the National Park of Monfragüe, one of the best areas in Europe to watch raptors. It is a magnificent example of the genuine Mediterranean forest and scrubland interspersed with impressive rocky outcrops which rise above the rivers of the Tajo and Tiétar. Griffon, Black and Egyptian Vultures, Spanish Imperial, Bonelli's and Golden Eagles, Eagle Owl and other raptors can be found in the reserve as well as Choughs, Alpine Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush and the shy and scarce Black Stork. Sardinian, Sub-alpine and Dartford Warblers are often seen in the bushes of sweet scented Daphne and rock roses.
Day 3: We spend the whole morning on the shores of the nearby Arrocampo reservoir which has an interesting community of wetland birds such as Purple Gallinule, Little Bittern, Night and Purple Heron and Marsh Harrier among many others. In the afternoon we tour through the beautiful surrounding dehesas in search of their typical birds such as the Hoopoe, Azure-winged Magpie, Woodlarks, Bee-eaters, Great-spotted Cuckoos, Southern Grey and Woodchat Shrikes as well as the elusive Black-shouldered Kite.
Day 4: A day spent touring the huge expanse of rolling plains which surround the monumental town of Trujillo, South of Monfragüe. This is a steppe bird paradise where Great and Little Bustards, Black-bellied and Pin-Tailed Sandgrouse are found. Other birds such as Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Roller, Crested and Calandra Lark, and Spanish Sparrow to name a few also breed here. Time permitting, we shall visit a small reservoir where Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Kingfisher, Sand Martin and Fan-tailed Warbler nest.
Day 5: Extremadura is bordered to the North by the Gredos Mountains, the only high mountain area of Extremadura and were the best areas of native woods remain, basically Pyrenean Oak. Here, we can find many woodland and mountain scrubland species with possibilities of seeing Pied Flycatcher, Bonelli’s Warbler, Firecrest, Ortolan Bunting, Dartford Warbler, Thekla Lark, Honey Buzzard, Dipper and Grey Wagtail in mountain streams, and also Pallid Swift.
Day 6: We drive back to Madrid airport aiming to arrive there at 15h00, making various stops along the way and keeping an eye open for the many raptors that soar through the sky above these vast plains of Extremadura and Toledo, with the Gredos Mountains in the background. Our final halt before heading towards the airport will be for a drink and some typical Spanish tapas by the medieval castle of Oropesa from which we shall enjoy spectacular views of the landscape and the acrobatic displays of many Swifts, Swallows, Martins, and Jackdaws.
