We were a group of 20 Norwegians- from the BirdLife Oslo branch- travelling on a very intensive birdwatching trip to Spain. The reward was 185 species, one of the highest numbers we have ever had in one week in Europe. But, it meant a lot of travelling...
The route was as follows:
- Alicante- Petrola- and Pedro Munoz Lagoons- Santa Olalla
- Santa Olalla- Navalmoral- Monfrague-Trujillo
- Trujillo-Madrigalejo-La Serena-Hornachos- Zafra
- Zafra-Sierra Morena-Azuaga-Llerena-Cordoba-Laguna Zonar-Montemayor
- Montemayor-Andujar-Cazorla
- Cazorla-Sierra Espuna
- Sierra Espuna-Alcantara-El Hondo- Salinas de Santa Pola
- Santa Pola- Alicante...puh
The first real birding we had was in the two very good "lagoons" in Castilla-La Mancha, Pedro Munoz and Petrola. We had Red-crested Pochards, White-headed Ducks and other specialities. In the evening a nice Barn Owl flew above us outside the hotel in Santa Olalla. Next day was essential, as we were heading for Monfrague and the surroundings. As we entered Extremadura, we were rewarded with Great-spotted Cuckoo, a pair of mating Black-winged Kites and Iberian and Azure-winged Magpies. And Monfrague did not dissapoint us; we had 14 species of raptors, including both Black Vulture and Spanish Imperial Eagle.
Each night of the trip we were also out listening for owls. And, it was a very good year; 4 species and among them 16 Scop's Owls!
Next day was steppe day with a visit to La Serena, and we were rewarded with both bustards and many Montague's harriers. And the day after, at the Llerena steppe, we had a flock of 16 Greater Bustards, flying very close to us.
After more driving, we started to approach Cazorla, and it was evident that we were close to a migration route for raptors, as we had a constant movement of Booted Eagles and Short-toed Eagles. Cazorla added several new species to the list among them a lovely Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush, Firecrest and Tawny pipit. So far on the trip, we had all possible species along the route, and we had also seen most of Central- and South-Eastern Spain, allthough most of it through the bus window.
The next day it was time to go for the Dupont's lark in the Sierra Espuna area. And, we suceeded there also, with two singing males. And, then it was time for the grand final, with some very intensive birding around in the Alicante area, to ensure we would break a record of number of species. And we did, as we added many waders, ducks, terns and gulls in this coastal area; Marbled ducks, Slender-billed Gulls, Audouin's Gulls, Little Stints, Grey Plovers etc etc.
After a very intenisve week we could finally relax at a very pleasant hotel in Santa Pola. Seen in retrospect, it was really to much driving and to little birding. On the other hand, if this was the one trip to Spain, you certainly got most of it in one week and value for money. And people were not fed-up, as many of the same participants joined for new trips the coming years. In fact, these trips of the nineties were the start of the formalisation of the BirdLife Travel Agency in Norway- in 2006.
