December Bird News

-Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer) 1 bird 28-12-10 Ebro water reservoir (Mario Alonso Blanco).

-Cattle Egret (Bubulcus Ibis)1 bird 19-12-10 Villasur de Herreros (Pedro Arratibel Jáuregui). 1 bird 23-12-10 Santa Inés (Alfonso Antón).

-Great White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons). 4 birds with a flock of Greylag Goose 17-12-10 Requejo (C), Ebro water reservoir (Mario Alonso Blanco). 28-12-10  7 birds Ebro water reservoir (Mario Alonso Blanco).

- Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis). 1 bird 24-12-10 Suzana (David Martínez Andrade, José Eduardo Mateos Moreno, José Luis Lobo Cueva); same bird 25-12-10 (David Martínez Andrade). 26-12-10 2 birds Suzana (José Eduardo Mateos Moreno). 1 bird 28-12-10 Ebro water reservoir (Mario Alonso Blanco). 1bird Suzana 29-12-10 (Óscar Zuazo).

- Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus). 2 birds 01-12-10 Lanchares (C), Ebro water reservoir (Francisco Javier Morala Muñoz). 1 bird Ebro water reservoir, Villafría (C) 11-12-10 (José Antonio Román, Manuel Estébanez Ruiz, Marisa Martínez Ahumada).

- Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna). 1 bird 12-12-10  Sasamón gravel pits (Nicolás Gallego Rojas).

- Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus). 1 bird 08-12-10 Villamayor de los Montes (Fernando Román Sancho). 2 birds 23-12-10 Los Barrios de Bureba (Fernando Mínguez Batuecas, Íñigo Alonso Molinuevo); 2 birds 28-12-10 (Íñigo Alonso Molinuevo). 

- Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus). 2 birds 06-12-10 Tejada (Alfonso Antón). 2 birds 19-12-10 Quintanilla de las Viñas (Fernando Román Sancho).

- Common Crane (Grus grus). 24 birds 03-12-10 Cabia (Carlos Palma Barcenilla). 1 bird 23-12-10 Las Vesgas (Íñigo Alonso Molinuevo); same bird 28-12-10 (Íñigo Alonso Molinuevo). 

- Eurasian Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria). 01-12-10, 90 birds Suzana, 3 flocks (David Martínez Andrade), 46 birds Orzales (C) (Francisco Javier Morala Muñoz) y 5 birds Villanueva las Carretas, with Lapwing flock  (Juan Arias Gómez). 02-12-10 64 birds Suzana, and 76 birds 03-12-10 (David Martínez Andrade). 3 birds Villanueva de las Carretas, 03-12-10 (Carlos Palma Barcenilla). Suzana, more 100 bird 08-12-10 (Juan Antonio García Pérez), 114 birds 09-12-10 (David Martínez Andrade) and 95 the 10-12-10 (David Martínez Andrade). Ebro water reservoir, 130 birds Requejo (C) 10-12-10 (Mario Alonso Blanco) , 300 birds Villafría (C) 11-12-10 (José Antonio Román, Manuel Estébanez Ruiz, Marisa Martínez Ahumada). 6 birds 24-12-10 Suzana (David Martínez Andrade, José Eduardo Mateos Moreno, José Luis Lobo Cueva).

- Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola). 1 bird 03-12-10 Suzana (David Martínez Andrade).  Same bird 09-12-10 (David Martínez Andrade).

- Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata). 6 birds 17-12-10 Ebro water reservoir (Mario Alonso Blanco). 12 birds 28-12-10 Ebro water reservoir (Mario Alonso Blanco).

- Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris). 3 birds 10-12-10 Tejada (Alfonso Rodrigo García). 11 birds Carazo 11-12-10 (Alfonso Antón). 5 birds with a flock of Snow Finch Humión mountain (Cubilla) 11-12-10 (Beatriz Fernández Marín, José Ignacio García Plazaola).  3 birds Tejada 18-12-10 (Alfonso Antón). 26 birds 19-12-10 Quintanilla de las Viñas (Fernando Román Sancho). 3 birds La Yecla 19-12-10 (Iván Martínez Díez, Natalie Pino Proost). 2 birds 26-12-10 Contreras (Fernando Román Sancho).

- Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus). 1 bird 10-12-10 Tejada (Alfonso Rodrigo García). 5 birds 11-12-10 Carazo (Alfonso Antón).

- Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria). 1 bird 11-12-10 Carazo (Alfonso Antón). 1 bird 19-12-10 Quintanilla de las Viñas (Fernando Román Sancho). 1 bird  La Yecla 19-12-10 (Iván Martínez Díez, Natalie Pino Proost). 1 bird 26-12-10 Peña Amaya (Agustín Salazar Celis, Martin Hale).

- Snow Finch (Montifringilla nivalis). 12 birds, with Alpine Accentor, Humión (Cubilla) 11-12-10 (Beatriz Fernández Marín, José Ignacio García Plazaola).

SACRE Winter VN4040

New project of monitoring on wintering birds.
Square VN4040, meadows, oaks, berries, crags and the river Ebro.
Monitoring in the long term, obtaining information about the bird species that spend the winter in Spain. (Sacre Invierno)

Sacre Invierno

After finishing the Atlas of wintering birds, this it is the following challenge.
Realizing eight routes of 15 minutes each.

Spotless Starling

List of Birds

European Robin

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Wood Pigeon

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Jay

Spotless Starling

Common Buzzard

Mallard

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Blackcap

Griffon Vulture

Carrion Crow

Common Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Cirl Bunting

Roosting Brambling

A spectacular news, from November there are in the Natural Park of Gorbea, a great roosting of Brambling with an estimation of 2.500.000 of birds. Probably the half population of Brambling of western Europe ( The EBCC European Bird Census Council). 

Videos and photos in the related links:

http://macizodelgorbea.blogspot.com/2010/12/el-dormidero-de-pinzon-real.html

http://macizodelgorbea.blogspot.com/2010/12/el-dormidero-de-pinzon-real-de-barazar.html

http://macizodelgorbea.blogspot.com/2010/12/el-dormidero-pinzon-real-iii.html

http://otroslugaresotrasaves.blogspot.com/2010/12/salburua-y-gorbea-en-alava.html

Population index, 1980-2005, Europe.
Trend classification¹⁾: Moderate decline

Red Kite in Burgos II

A new report of the monitoring and wintering of the Red Kite in the Burgos province. (Pdf file)

Although there are more roost registered this month (23) that in the first report (15) (Pdf file), is possible observed clearly as, in the last census there are a clear increase of the number of birds.

A good job of work of the 19 participants.

Related links:

http://www.avesdeburgos.com/anuario.htm
http://northbirdspain.blogspot.com/2010/11/red-kite-in-burgos.html

Geese & Ducks

These days there are a important pass of migrate birds towards the south, probably increased for low temperatures in northern Europe.

There are several formations of Geese flocks flying to the south.

The Ebro water reservoir is a rest area and sometimes wintering area of Ducks and Geese flocks.

So these days you can see flocks of ducks scattered throughout the reservoir, with special preference for more sheltered areas.

With the snow, the Geese have a little difficult to find food.

Most birds observed were geese and ducks, but we have also observed several flocks of Thrushes (Fieldfire, Redwing) and Finches (Chaffinch, Linnet, Hawfinch...) , typical of this season.

Greylag Goose 

Eurasian Wigeon 

Greylag Goose

 Greylag Goose flocks

Greylag Goose

Most birds observed were geese and ducks, but we have also observed several flocks of Thrushes (Fieldfire, Redwing) and Finches (Chaffinch, Linnet, Hawfinch...) , typical of this season.

 Fieldfare

The two birds of the Egyptian Goose still present in the same area. These birds are almost certainly arrived for the naturalised populations of Great Britain.

A good book about the naturalised birds is “Naturalised Birds of the World”

Egyptian Goose

List of species with * the more remarkable records:

Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe*, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Egyptian Goose*, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Red Kite, Griffon Vulture, Marsh Harrier*, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon*, Common Coot, European Golden Plover*, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker,  Meadow Pipit, Hedge Accentor , Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing*, Fieldfare*, Mistle Thrush, , Common Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Spotles Starling, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Hawfinch*, Cirl Bunting.

Congress of Seabirds Iberian Group (GIAM)

Conclusions of the Congress of the Seabirds Iberian Group (GIAM) of SEO/BirdLife. (PDF file)
Ten points based at present on the situation of the seabirds and the sea ornithology in Spain.
Birdwatching tourism and its environmental potential like tool of education and conservation.
Studies, monitoring  and conservation of seabirds, with special interest in Shag, Red-billed Tropicbird and Madeiran Strom-petrel.
And a special session about the sea wind farms, more specific in the few information about the sea wind farms impact in the seabirds.
More information,
http://www.egrupos.net/grupo/forogiam
Coordinator: Óscar Llama,  giam@seo.org / oscar.llama@gmail.com