It was just like many other cities at rush hour, a steady crawl through the traffic in the rain, but this was different – a group of European press representatives in a mini-bus passing through the centre of Madrid. A mixed bunch but with one thing in common - birds and birding. One stop to pick up a small party of travel journalists who joined our expedition with a remit to check out accommodation in the area.

A drive of some 200 kilometres took us to Extremadura, an unspoiled region in the south-west of Spain towards the Portuguese border, which is being promoted as a birding area with designated viewing sites and attractive accommodation, much of it recently built.

As invited guests of Extremadura Tourismo we were made welcome at a Presentation and Dinner at Hotel Spa Aguas de Serrejon, situated in a quiet and peaceful area of Monfrague National Park, relaxing before a mini-bus trip to do some serious birding the following morning.

The scenery can change quite quickly from a green, flat valley with endless Eucalyptus trees to wooded hillsides where the narrow road clings to the side of a ravine with a precipitous drop to the river at the bottom. A number of prepared vantage points give birders the opportunity to mount their telescopes and binoculars to observe dozens of Griffon Vultures circulating their nests across the gorge; it is considered to be one of the best areas in the world to spot the Black Vulture. It also has the biggest breeding colony of Monk Vultures in the world.

The Egyptian Vulture is not so numerous, neither is the Spanish Imperial Eagle and even more so the Golden Eagle, but the latter was sighted on our first stop and proved to be one of the highlights of the day. To see this magnificent bird soaring gracefully above the gorge, just keeping its distance from the more numerous Griffon Vultures and Choughs, was a sight to savour.

There are two distinct landscapes in Monfrague National Park, the steep ridges alongside the rivers Tajo and Tietar, with peaks reaching up to 700 metres, and extensive plains, the two contrasting areas being habitats for different types of birds.

An early morning start saw a party of twenty or so birders set off by coach to the wetlands with frequent stops on the way and the cry ‘Stop the coach’ became a regular occurrence when someone spotted a bird not previously sighted. These included Cattle Egrit, Bittern, Kestrel and a Purple Heron in flight and numerous Linnets and Vultures. These were logged by Gerald, a rather boisterous fellow who hails from the Welsh valleys and he kept the party entertained - apart from those who had little knowledge of English (or even Welsh).

Storks are a familiar sight in the towns where they roost among the chimney pots, but in the valleys they choose to build their enormous nests near the top of power pylons and in Spring can be seen sitting on eggs. Parrots take advantage and settle in the lower parts of these nests utilising them for their own purpose.

A visit to the tiny village of Fio had been arranged which was hosting the Extremadura Birdwatching Fair, the first of its kind in Spain. It was started in 2006 and comprises a series of marquees where different areas of this part of Spain were displaying their attractions for birders and others interested in the countryside with the Extremadura region having one of the most impressive stands. Lunch was taken in the village where a large room had been commandeered and turned into something resembling a banqueting hall. The local wine flowed freely and the visitors sat down to a veritable feast lasting well into the afternoon.

On a break from birding the Press party were treated to a guided tour of the city of Plasencia, declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO. For anyone visiting Extremadura this is a must; with ancient buildings and a charming square with pavement cafes, it is an ideal place to relax.

A morning a visit to La Serena, where Steppe birds are in abundance, including raptors and waterfowl. Unfortunately the early morning mist was slow to clear so whilst bird calls were audible it was a case of being patient until visibility slowly improved and sightings of Lesser Kestrels, Montague Harriers and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse were spotted and recorded. It is hard to believe that much of this marshland becomes arid during the hot summer.

An evening guided tour of the walled town of Trujillo, which is centrally located to the plains and close to Monfrague National Park, began in the main square where many of the buildings date back to the 13th century. The town is overlooked by a hill-top castle which, by the time we had toiled up the narrow streets the light had faded and below was a panoramic view of Trujillo with twinkling lights illuminating the square. A large mansion on the corner of the square was home for many years to the artist Pissaro and on the descent from the castle we passed the house where Pissaro’s father lived.

Our last full day took in the birdwatching areas of Moheda Alta and El Cubilar culminating in a lavish lunch in the open air at La Serena camp site where the ‘armchair’ birder can log numerous local species whilst imbibing in a favourite tipple.

Accommodation varied from the four-star Melia Trujillo Boutique Hotel, formerly a convent now converted to a modern hotel but retaining its original character with religious paintings still adorning the walls, to the recently built Hotel Spa Aguas de Serrejon. Sited on a secluded hillside overlooking a fertile valley, it is an ideal centre to relax and enjoy the spa waters in a temple like building set aside from the main hotel complex. Unfortunately our busy schedule did not allow for a sample dip in the magnificent pool. It was a quick walk around with plastic bags over our shoes checking out the saunas and massage parlors and then back to the main block for dinner.

Two other stay-overs were at the four-star Hospederia Parque de Monfrague and Hospederia Embalse de Orellana, a three-star hotel, both highly recommended with excellent well-appointed restaurants and a chance to sample food and wines of the area.

Along with other regions in Spain such as Navarra, Extremadura has made great strides in recent years both in protecting and promoting bird life and investing in facilities to enable birders to see and enjoy the natural species as well as watching the migratory birds in Spring and Autumn.

More photographs

For more information about Extremadura check out their web site, there are English and Spanish versions.

En español

English version

 

 

Armchair Birding

 

The Bearded Vulture in Spain

One of Global Vision International’s Volunteer Projects is a study of the Bearded Vulture in Spain. The accompanying pictures are kindly supplied by them.

Further information about this project and Global Vision International is available on their website