Spain - Extremadura & Doñana National Park
Saturday 18th to Sunday 26th April 2009
AA9010
This
tour provides a splendid combination of two of Spain’s finest reserves:
Parque Natural de Monfragüe in Extremadura, and Doñana National Park in
the south-west of the country. The region of Extremadura offers a
wonderful array of plains birds and a variety of evocative landscapes:
open, rolling steppes, the managed parkland of holm oak (dehesa), and
the rugged mountain ranges which are so attractive to raptors. Steppe
birds will feature prominently, with Great & Little Bustards high on the
list of birds to be searched for. Migrant breeding birds such as
Short-toed Eagle, Alpine Swift, European Roller, European Bee-eater and
Woodchat Shrike should have arrived; and little needs to be written
about Doñana National Park - it is simply one of the very best wetlands
in the world.Day 1:
Arrive at Madrid airport to be met by Ray Tipper and drive to Parque
Natural de Monfragüe where, if time permits, a brief visit will be made
to Peñafalcón, an impressive rock pinnacle famous for its Eurasian
Griffon Vultures.
Overnight - Torrejón el Rubio
Days 2 - 4: Over the next few
days we shall explore the Parque Natural de Monfragüe and surrounding
areas. The park is renowned for its raptors, especially its vultures
with resident Eurasian Griffon & Eurasian Black. Egyptian Vulture,
Spanish Imperial & Bonelli’s Eagles are all present in spring. Calandra
Larks, Eurasian Crag Martins, Sardinian Warblers, Southern Grey Shrikes,
Azure-winged Magpies, Spanish Sparrows and Rock Buntings are just some
of the resident passerines and Rock Sparrows are always possible, if
difficult to find. Blackshouldered Kite is a speciality we shall search
for, along with Black-bellied & Pin-tailed Sandgrouse.
Overnights - Torrejón el Rubio
Day 5: After breakfast we drive
to Doñana National Park, aiming to arrive in time for an hour or two’s
birdwatching by the marismas outside our hotel.
Overnight – Doñana
Days 6 - 8: We will explore the
varied habitats in and around Doñana National Park: mixed woodland,
freshwater lakes, open heath, marshes and dunes. El Rocío and the Doñana
NP centres – La Rocina and El Acebuche - offer Squacco Heron, Glossy
Ibis, European Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Red-crested Pochard, Purple
Swamp-hen and a variety of waders. A day will be spent at Laguna de
Medina and the east bank of the Río Guadalquivir where Black-necked
Grebe and White-headed Duck occur.
Overnights – Doñana
Day 9: After breakfast we will transfer to Seville to catch our flight home.