Richard Dunn, Alan Jack, Roger Forster, Andy McLevy
Before I went away to The Gambia, Alan had been thinking of another Winter trip to Donana and I was all for it. I told him when my next holiday was and said that if he could book the flights I would go as well. On my return a text from Alan confirmed that we would be flying into Faro in Portugal and then driving across to Spain and Donana.
February 3 Sunday
After we landed at Faro and collected the hire car, a very nice Skoda Octavia Turbo Diesel Estate with loads of room for us and the gear, we headed for Faro marshes and the causeway that allows access to the beach which is at the end of the runway. An hour or so birding here and we saw Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern, Marsh Harrier, Little Stint, Kentish Plover, Red Knot and Mediterranean Gull and the first of literally thousands of Chiffchaffs and House Martins. Somehow we missed the main road to the motorway and ended up driving along some minor roads until we came to the motorway and off we went towards Spain. As we approached the border we turned off and went to Castro Marim and had a look at the salt pans from the access bridge to the town. The first thing that stood out here was the big numbers of Cormorant, 50 plus over the marsh. Also here a good selection of waders, Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet and Common Sandpiper. After the 2006 trip we looked for and found Crag Martin, a single and also here Swallows. We left here and crossed the bridge over into Spain and went straight to the Marismas del Odiel, a place I first visited in May 2004 and went to again in November 2006 and again it did not disappoint with thirty Audouin’s Gull (I had brought a loaf of bread to try and entice the gulls within range of the camera, sadly they do not come to bread and they all flew off when bread was thrown so that was the end of that idea), Osprey, Black-necked Grebe and a Crested (Red-knobbed) Coot that came to bread to within feet. From here straight past Huelva, getting past the football stadium before the match finished and the crowd came out and on to El Rocio where we had a quick look at the lagoon in the gloom of dusk. Then on to Hinojos where we stayed at the Pino Donana Hostal, we were to stay here for the duration of the trip.
February 4 Monday
After an early morning visit to one of the local cafes for coffee we headed back to El Rocio to bird at the lagoon next to the village. The number of birds was staggering, 150 plus Glossy Ibis, at least 1000 Shoveler and 400 Pintail. Also big numbers of Black-tailed Godwit here. Looking around we saw Black-shouldered and Red Kites, Purple (Swamphen) Gallinule, more Swallows and House Martins that were nest building and a Cetti’s Warbler that showed very well and Spotless Starlings that were a bit camera shy and would not allow close approach. Next stop, La Rocina which is just down the road from El Rocio, sadly here it was a bit quite with no Gallinules to be seen and only the odd heron / egret on view. The woods were a little better with some nice views of Short-toed Treecreeper. Further along the road is another reserve centre this one is Acebuche and the objective here was to photograph Azure-winged Magpie, and these readily come to bread so it was not a difficult task. The White Storks that nest on the roof of the centre were in full display mode with lots of bill clapping. Larks seen here include Thekla and Wood, but there are no birds to see on the pools from the hides. From here we head back through El Rocio and head for the Northern marshes and rice fields of Donana and then a look at the Dehesa de Abajo. And the birding was fantastic, we had a Great White Egret, found a roost of at least 150 Night Herons, had 30 Black Storks together, a single White-headed Duck, a pair of Black-shouldered Kites at the nest, two Hen Harriers, one of which was hunting as a pair with a Merlin and that’s just the big stuff. Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails and Skylarks in big numbers and again lots and lots of Chiffchaff.
February 5 Tuesday
Again an early morning visit to the local café for coffee and then we devote the whole day the Northern marshes and rice fields area, today going to the Jose Valverde centre and then all the way around on tracks and back out on to the road to head back to Hinojos. And again the quantity of birds is staggering. We start at an area of fruit trees with some larger trees in the distance, these trees have a Red Kite roost of which we see thirteen leave as well as three Common Buzzard. In the fruit trees are lots of finches, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Serin as well as Tree Sparrow. We then head to the marshes and at first it seems quiet, there is not as much water around as when we visited in November 2006 and consequently the birds don’t seem to be around. And then waders are seen in a ditch, Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks and Green and Wood Sandpipers. We turn on to the track that takes you to the Jose Valverde centre and stop at the field where we had a big flock of Stone Curlew in 2006, none of these to be seen be we find a Short-eared Owl and then another and then another, eventually we see six in the one field, it’s a Spanish tick for me. Also in this area a couple of groups of Common Crane. At the Lucio Lobo the water is very low and as we are looking south into the sun not much time is spent here and head for the centre where almost immediately Penduline Tit is found, at least four, another new bird for Spain for me. Coffee is had here and we spend a bit of time enjoying the general birding and area. We continue along the track to the gate and you can go no further without a permit, from here we have two distant Spanish Imperial Eagles, some not so distant Griffon Vultures, a couple of in the heat haze Great Spotted Cuckoos and a wintering Northern Wheatear. Back towards the centre and then a different track back towards the road and we find a rice paddy with water and waders, the waders turn out to be Little Ringed Plovers 25 of them, and also in the paddy, Water Pipits 5 of them. We find an area of set aside type vegetation and a shout from the back and we stop while the bird is scrutinised, it’s a Little Bustard and there are five of them. Also here in this area are a good assortment of larks, Calandra, Crested, Lesser Short-toed, Short-toed and Skylark as well as lots of Corn Buntings. On the final stretch of track six birds flash over in the dusk and we leap out to watch them go by, initially we think Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, but none of the identification features are seen so they get away.
February 6 Wednesday
Another visit to the café for coffee but this time a different one as the café we have been going to is closed on a Wednesday, and then we head to El Rocio and El Aceberon where we hope to have some woodland stuff and some of the scrubby warblers. When we arrive its just getting light and its cold and foggy. As the sun rises the fog starts to burn off and we see Dartford Warbler, Chiffchaffs and some Southern Grey Shrikes. Further along the road we park at the car park and follow the trail through the woods seeing Short-toed Treecreeper and eventually Crested Tit which showed rather well. From here back to El Rocio at the time prescribed by a guide that we met yesterday and hey presto there they are, we he said they would be, Spanish Imperial Eagle, just over the other side of the lagoon, but still along way off. From here we headed back to the Dehesa de Abajo for another look as we had enjoyed it so much the other day, and then back to the rice field area where we had seen the Little Bustard yesterday this time seeing 8 and 10 Stone Curlew in the same area. Also here Common Crane, Black-shouldered Kite, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, a distant Little Owl and loads of larks of the same species as yesterday
February 7 Thursday
This morning we have to drive back to Portugal as we fly home today, but not before a visit to the café for Café con leche (coffee with milk), it must be the way the Spanish make their coffee but it always tastes sooo good. Somewhere on the internet is a small piece of information that states that Lesser Kestrel winter at a small walled town called Niebla, which is just off the main road, in the direction we are going. Somehow Alan found this piece of information and suggested that we might have a look as we passed, which we did and sure enough there are Lesser Kestrel’s at Niebla, we saw at least five, most of them diving in and out of holes in the impressive walls of the town. And then from here straight back to the airport and that’s it trip over.
Species
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Great Cormorant
Grey Heron
Great White Egret
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Squacco Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Black Stork
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Eurasian Spoonbill
Greater Flamingo
Greylag Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
Gadwall
Common Teal
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Red-crested Pochard
Common Pochard
Tufted Duck
White-headed Duck
Osprey
Black-shouldered Kite
Red Kite
Griffon Vulture
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Spanish Imperial Eagle
Booted Eagle
Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Red-legged Partridge
Common Crane
Purple Gallinule
Moorhen
Red-knobbed Coot
Common Coot
Little Bustard
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone Curlew
Lapwing
Golden Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Common Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Spotted Redshank
Common Redshank
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Turnstone
Dunlin
Ruff
Audouin's Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Feral Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Little Owl
Short-eared Owl
Common Kingfisher
Hoopoe
Calandra Lark
Short-toed Lark
Lesser Short-toed Lark
Crested Lark
Thekla Lark
Skylark
Wood Lark
Swallow
House Martin
Meadow Pipit
Water Pipit
White Wagtail
Wren
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Robin
Black Redstart
Stonechat
Northern Wheatear
Zitting Cisticola
Cetti's Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Dartford Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
Long-tailed Tit
Crested Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Short-toed Treecreeper
Penduline Tit
Southern Grey Shrike
Azure-winged Magpie
Magpie
Jackdaw
Common Raven
Common Starling
Spotless Starling
House Sparrow
Spanish Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
European Serin
Bullfinch
Cirl Bunting
Reed Bunting
Corn Bunting
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