BIRD WATCHING OPPORTUNITIES AND REPORTS

Birdwatchers, in groups or individually, have been attracted for many years to Finca Santa Marta by the internet or word of mouth. They stroll uphill before breakfast to observe 30-40 or so species around the Finca (farm). When they end their day's touring and return to the Finca to share reports...and the local wine, they are greeted by beak-clapping Storks in the nest above the chapel tower, by the inviting song of the Hoopoe and the intriguing invitation of the invisible Scops-owl.

Less than an hour from the Finca, birdwatchers can enjoy possibly the most impressive bird of prey spectacle in Europe, at Monfrague Park. Finca Santa Marta makes an ideal base to explore the many recognised birdwatching sites in Extremadura and provides the adventurous ornithologist with an opportunity to discover new sites.

Birding Groups' Reports and Publications:

Latest report: (June 2004), from Paul Gaffan, who visited Finca Santa Marta with his group, May 27th - June 5th 2004. You can download Paul's full bird report here (Word doc, 46Kb). See also his comments in our birdwatching groups and commentary page.

Below are extracts from the Speyside Wildlife bird watching report of 15-22 March 2003, led by Darren Rees and Ray Nowicki. Visit their website here: www.speysidewildlife.co.uk.

"On arrival at the Finca Santa Marta, our host Henri meets us and before long we join him at a reception to enjoy some food, wine and stories. There is time for a short walk around the Finca to find Azure-winged Magpie, Spotless Starling, Short-toed Treecreeper and, briefly, Sardinian Warbler before going back for our meal. Scops Owl calls nearby and although we know its position, it is to remain heard only, all week!

(Day 2) "A cool wind greets us during the pre-breakfast walk around the grounds of the Finca Santa Marta. We stroll along the tracks between the almond and olive groves noting the common birds that are present, including Blackcap, Black Redstart, Serin, Corn Bunting, Short-toed Treecreeper, Azure-winged Magpies and Hoopoe. The track winds its way through the groves towards the main road where we have good views of Sardinian Warbler, Red-rumped Swallow, Cirl Bunting, Pallid Swift and Spanish Sparrow, as White Storks are busy with their nest at the Finca.

(Day3) "...We head back and travel west towards Dehesa country, where we find several Southern Great Grey Shrike and Hoopoe along the route before we turn off along a track which takes us to a raptor viewing point. We have superb views of Griffon and Black Vultures as they drift close by, often low overhead. A few Egyptian Vultures are seen but they are further out. Our attention is then turned to good numbers of birds moving through the woodland; Azure-winged Magpies plus Jay, Spanish Sparrows and Hoopoe feed on the ground and nearby a female Woodchat Shrike perches on a fence, while Thekla Larks sing around us. It starts to rain gently so we head back, stopping as we see Rock Bunting at a bridge.

(Day 4) "...Breakfast is early and we leave soon after, as there is a long day ahead of us. Just before we get to Trujillo we join the autovia and travel to Jaraicejo, we leave here and set off towards Monfrague National Park. It is not long before we are held up by road works but this provides one of the many highlights of the day. Someone spots an eagle while we wait, so we park and all jump out, most people seeing an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle as it lands in a tree and then drops out of sight. We turn the minibuses around and drive back to a viewpoint close to where we think the eagle has landed. As we wait, several Hawfinches land nearby for all to see and then the eagle takes off again and we have the most fantastic view of this bird as it slowly circles around so we are able to clearly see the white leading edge to the wings. As the present population of this magnificent bird is thought to be around 150 pairs, we feel honoured to have such superb views.

"...So onto the marathon viewpoint for the day, another steep rock face provides a nesting site for a group of Griffon Vultures and it has been home to a pair of Eagle Owls for a few years. As we arrive four Great Crested Grebes are seen on the water along with roosting Cormorant, sinensis race. We park the minibuses, set up the scopes and begin our wait. A pair of Bonelli’s Eagle are found to the right of the cliff face, one is facing us, the other facing away so we are able to study every feather and marking on these birds. Next a pair of Short toed Eagle are found some way left of the rock face and these are seen to mate. A good mix of birds keep us on our toes during the wait, including Cetti’s Warbler, Iberian Black Redstart, Kingfisher, Blue Rock Thrush, Red-rumped Swallow and more Griffon Vultures with chicks. As the daylight begins to fade we start to see bat species flying around and then we hear the call we are waiting for as an Eagle Owl stirs. It calls again and suddenly appears on the top of the cliff face. All scopes are trained on the bird and the ear tufts and markings on the breast are clear enough despite the fading light. As it calls the bird lifts its tail up, perhaps due to all that effort. After a short while it flies away but another bird is still calling on the rock face, the light conditions are failing fast so we call it a day and head back to the Finca for our meal. What a day!"

".... The Bird of the Week goes to the majestic Great Bustard. The Place of the Trip goes to Monfrague National Park and the Magic Moment is the Eagle Owl wait."

Visit the website of Wildlife Holiday providers, the Travelling Naturalist at:
www.naturalist.co.uk/reports2002/extremadura2.htm for the full report of their visit to the Finca in April 2002. Below is an extract with the commentary starting from Trujillo:

"The town is also a fine place for watching wildlife, with White Storks adorning the rooftops, Lesser Kestrels diving in under the pantiles to their nests and Pallid Swifts racing over the Plaza Mayor. A fine pale phase Booted Eagle drifted over the vans just before we reassembled, and an Iberian Wall Lizard in front of the Parador was admired before we left.

"Being a somewhat more laid-back day, we retraced our route to the finca for a relaxed lunch (outside for most), then out to the Río Tozo. This was a delightful walk along a swollen river, with abundant natural history interest. A Green Sandpiper kept a watchful eye on us from a rock upriver, a couple of Alpine Swifts banked and scythed through a mixed swift and hirundine flock overhead, including Common Swift and all five hirundine (swallow and martin) species. Raptors were very evident too, with regular fly-overs by Black and Red Kites and Griffon and Black Vultures. Several Gadwall rose up noisily from the river and Stonechats 'chatted' at our passing. The judicious lifting of a couple of tin sheets revealed a large Viperine Snake plus a mother and six baby Wood Mice - fortunately under another. Hoop-petticoat Narcissi were common in the damper grass and a number of Spanish Festoons brightened up our passage along the river where Stripe-necked Terrapins basked on the banks."

Click here to read 2001 Travelling Naturalist Field Trip Report (PDF File - 141 Kb)

Click here if you need to download Acrobat Reader

An earlier excerpt from The Travelling Naturalist Trip Report, 1-7 April 2000 - "In the same field there were several Great Bustard... in flight as another small flock flew in. Further along the road another field gave us views of Pin-tailed Sandgrouse on the ground, with an impressive flock of around forty taking off, their wings whirring and calling noisily. Down the River Magasca, views of Red-rumped Swallow and Crag Martin, a fine Black Wheatear, one of the "target" birds... further along another Black-shouldered Kite flew in, and perched nearby on telegraph wires. Coming back to Trujillo and a small pond a Black-winged Stilt and no less than three sub-species of Yellow Wagtail. Bee-eaters were flying overhead and we also saw Short-toed Eagle and Booted Eagle: not a bad list for a village pond! At the bullring we had great views of the Lesser Kestrels on the roof tiles."

The following are extracts from the 2001 published book "A birdwatching Guide to Extremadura", Arlequin press, by John Muddeman (tetrax20@hotmail.com): "Of the classicallly Spanish resident species, the mouth-watering selection of imperial eagles and bonelli's eagles, black vultures, black-winged kites, great and little bustards, sandgrouses and azure-winged magpies, all breed locally in good numbers".

"In migration time, the number is diversified by passerines and raptors...Extremadura is famous for its population of cranes (more than 60.000) which typically arrive in November and leave in February to the Nordic countries.."

"Nobody including non-bird watchers who goes to the Monfrague Natural fails to be impressed by the birds of prey, and the ancient towns of Trujillo and Merida delight not only those interested in history, but also in watching lesser kestrels and white storks around their nests with swifts screaming overhead".

As mentioned in Lawrence Rose's popular book "Where to Watch Birds in  Spain and Portugal" - "The C-524 towards Montfrague and Plasencia passes through superb Dehesa, with several pairs of Black Storks in summer, and feeding Cranes in winter." As to the C‡ceres / Trujillo road, he writes "The wide undulating grazing plains of C‡ceres province may appear empty and monotonous... In fact they rank amongst the most important bird areas of Spain. Grassland, cereals and lavender scrub are home to about 1000 Great Bustards and maybe twice as many Little Bustards."  Writing about Trujillo: "Its main square is the best place in Spain, perhaps the world for watching Lesser Kestrels"

The bird images on this page are all reproduced from Collins Pocket Guide "Birds of Britain and Europe".
See also comments in the GuestBook in regards to bird watching opportunities.

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