Comederos para Aves Silvestres

Una de las acciones que podemos realizar para ayudar a las aves, y de paso disfrutar con su presencia, es la instalación de comederos. Existen diferentes modelos en el mercado e incluso podemos nosotros mismos háceles. Pueden ser para bolas de grasa con semillas, para grano, para cacahuetes…cuanta más variedad de comida, más diferentes especies puedes llagar a atraer.
El problema se plantea cuando buscas la comida, desgraciadamente, en España, esta buena costumbre de instalar comederos en los jardines, no es que este poco extendida, simplemente no existe, salvo en muy contados casos.
Esto, al igual que en otros aspectos del comercio, hace que sea difícil conseguir comida especialmente preparada para aves silvestres, a un precio razonable, que te permita mantener los comederos en activo. No es extraño ver como, nuestros  17 comederos, se vacían en tres días.
Evidentemente que existen otras posibilidades, como es hacer tu propia comida, sobre todo con grasa (manteca o mantequilla) y semillas, pero aún así no sale muy barato y has de añadir el tiempo en hacer, por ejemplo bolas de grasa, tampoco es muy viable cuando quieres mantener muchos comederos.
Por ejemplo, si queremos adquirir bolas de grasa con semillas, en el mercado normal no se comercializan ( no sé si en grandes ciudades, sí), por lo que sólo nos queda el comercio en internet, y acudiendo a lugares especializados, aquí, y sólo para hacernos una idea, en una de las páginas webs más conocidas y con más productos, una bola de grasa con semillas, en su formato más barato sale por 0,36€. En piases con una mayor tradición en la instalación de comederos para aves silvestres, la misma bola de grasa sale por 0,11€ lo que es una diferencia más que apreciable.

Una  vez que hemos conseguido comida para nuestros amigos, estos no se harán de rogar y pronto podrás ver como un buen número de aves acuden a los comederos. Páridos y Fringílidos de diferentes especies serán los más habituales, y al revuelo de estos también acudirán sus depredadores, con el Gavilán a la cabeza.

Estos días de tremenda nieve hemos tenido rondando los comederos:

Pinzón Vulgar, posiblemente más de 70 aves
Lúgano, alternandose con los aliaos, un grupo de unas 40 aves
Jilguero, 5 aves
Verderón, 6
Carbonero Común, junto con el Herrerillo  común, los más habituales, unas 50 aves
Herrerillo Común, unos 30 aves.
Carbonero Palustre, 6 aves
Acentor, 2
Petirrojo, 10
Lavandera Cascadeña, 2
Lavandera Blanca, 1
Trepador Azul 2
Pico Picapinos 1
Gavilán 1
Busardo Raonero 1
Corneja Negra 2
Chochín, 2, estos pasan de comederos, pero siempre están por aquí.
Mirlo Común, 10 aves
Zorzal Común, 3
Curruca Capirotada 2

Primeros Días de Primavera

Primeros días de primavera, y una pequeña ruta de observación de aves a través del Valle de Zamanzas, entre pastos, robles y sotos. Casi cuatro horas sobre todo observando las evoluciones de pequeñas aves, aunque la presencia de Buitres Leonados en el cielo es casi continua. También descubrimos los primeros Alimoches y Milanos Negro de la temporada recién llegados de África. Parejas de Tarabillas Comunes empezando a posicionarse en sus territorios. Pequeños grupos de Escribanos Soteños con los plumajes de verano. Todo esto acompañado de la presencia de tres Pinzones Reales, dos hembras y un macho, este con su plumaje estival, posiblemente los últimos de la temporada, ya que empezarán a dirigirse hacia sus áreas de reproducción allá en Escandinavia. Pocas veces es posible observar esta mezcla de especies invernantes y estivales, sobre todo con especies como los Pinzones Reales.

Lista de Especies oidas y observadas

Ánade Azulón
Buitre Leonado
Alimoche
Milano Negro
Busardo Ratonero
Paloma Torcaz
Pito Real
Avión Roquero
Mirlo Acuático
Chochín
Petirrojo
Colirrojo Tizón
Tarabilla Común
Zorzal Charlo
Zorzal Común
Mirlo Común
Mosquitero Común / Ibérico
Reyezuelo Listado
Herrerillo Común
Carbonero Común
Arrendajo
Pinzón Vulgar
Pinzón Real
Camachelo
Escribano Soteño

Muchas gracias a Raúl y Lucia por su interés en las aves de Burgos.
Más en www.mcbirding.com y www.molinodelcanto.com

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

Breeding season is ready

Like every year, at the end of February, there are many records by all north of Spain of birds that begin to arrive from Africa, already are here Black Kites, Martins, Hoopoe, Swallows, Swifts… In this season is possible to find a mix of winter birds and summer birds.

Also they are possible to be begun to listen to several birds singing, Tits, Chaffinch, Dipper…The breeding season is ready.

A trip report

A good morning of birdwatching in the vicinity of the Inn, in the meadows fields to see Mistle Thrush searching earthworm, Robins, Common Chaffinch and Firecrest does not stop to sing from the Oaks.
Four Roe Deer leave running, while a Common Buzzard is thrown in search of its prey from a tree.
A Grey Heron on an unusual perching, at the top of a black poplar.
Stop to observe the rocky wall, locating to a precious female of Peregrine Falcon, a while a Short-toed Eagle flies over the zone to settle in a rocky one. Several Griffon Vultures settle and fly by the zone.

A flock of 36 Great Cormorants flying in formation towards the north.
In the bank of the river, among the alders and ashes, the Iberian Chiffchaff with its characteristic voice.
The Egyptian vultures, just arrived from Africa, with their spectacular plumage, emphasize among the Griffon Vultures. To far a Golden Eagle it flies near the cut ones, one settles in a dry tree and it allows us to observe it easily.

In the canyon of Orbaneja del Castillo they appear the Egyptian vultures again, several Black Kite and the omnipresent Griffon Vultures.
Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Yellowhammer.
Once again a Grey Heron surprises when being perching at the top of the rocky of the canyon of river Ebro.
Altogether 26 species of birds in a pretty morning of spring.

Thanks to Beatriz, César, Daniel and Borja for their interest in the birds of Burgos

Lagoon of Miranda de Ebro

The province of Burgos is not characterized to have many wetlands, but the few that it has are really interesting.
One of that I have followed since I began with birdwatching is the lagoon complex next to the city of Miranda de Ebro.
Three small lagoons very next to the city and surrounded by highways, but that even so are able to lodge a good amount of species of birds. Luckily, from year 2002 a good sum of money has been reversed to prepare them, and now one of them has an observatory.
These lagoons were on the verge of disappearing, as it happened with other many in Spain, used like tip, burned the vegetation…
Now it is possible to be enjoyed a good number of birds and the proximity to the city causes that they are possible to be used by the schools to bring back to consciousness to the children and to teach to them to the importance of the water, wetlands and birds.
The other day in a two hours I could see the next birds:

Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Common Buzzard
Great Cormorant
Eurasian Coot
Common Moorhen
Corn Bunting
Common Red Bunting (3)
Marsh Harrier (1)
Common Snipe (16)
Barn Swallow
Cetti’s Warbler
Magpie
White Stork
European Greenfinch

Atlas in VN3040

The past week I finished the census in the last square for the Atlas of wintering birds .
In this grid I have been able to observe a lot of forest birds, more variety of species and number of birds that in the two previous squares.
The first routes in an Oak forest and pine and the last routes I walk on arable land.
The weather has been excellent, reason why also it can have been this one of the causes by which I have detected more birds.
Reviewing the species of the squares, (VN2050, VN3060)one can to get come idea of the birds that can be found in the northwest of Burgos in winter.
Between that I have seen, they emphasize a lot of Goldcrest, a scarce bird in this area, unlike Firecrest, much more common in any time of the year.
Also there was a good number of Bullfinch.
Although they do not enter within the census, I saw first flocks of Geese going towards the North, altogether 300 birds.
This, along with the first songs of Wren, Great Tit, and Woodpeckers, nuptial flights of Vultures, the first Swallows and House Martins…, confirm that the breeding season is ready.
Birds observed in the 20 routes of square VN 3040
Griffon Vulture, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Blackbird, European Robin, Wren, Common Chaffinch, Bullfinch, European Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Skylark, White Wagtail, Yellowhammer, House Sparrow, Red-billed Chough, Carrion Crow, Jay.

Census of Great Bustard II

The morning has left very pretty, almost cleared and without frost, there was 1.5ºC when we began the census to 9.00h.
No wind and the visibility was wonderful, in the majority of the flocks has been possible to know the sex of the birds.

Hoping to finish analyzing the collected data, we can indicate that the amount of wintering Great Bustards in the region the west of the province of Burgos is at least 266 birds, 27 more than the last year.

Photo by José Pedro Portillo

An equipment that has looked for Great Bustards in the province of Palencia, to the other side of the river Pisuerga and it has not found any, this is also an important data.

Photo by José Pedro Portillo

But not only it has been to count Great Bustards, the different equipment has been able to enjoy the tremendous number of raptors that there is in the zone, mainly Common Kestrels, Common Buzzard and Red Kite, but also has been able to observe Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, many Hen Herriers and some Marsh Harrier.
The cold of this week also have been let notice in the cereal plain of the region in the form of great flocks of Lapwings, with very few Golden Plover.
Other birds of the area, Skylark, Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, Corn Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Finches….

Also they have been mammalian, one of the equipment some thirty Roe Deer and another equipment a Fox.

The Birders

Information about the first census Here.

Atlas in VN 2050

A incredible White Rainbow, effect of the frost

Among ice, snow, cold and sun, this week I realised the route in the square VN 2050 for the Atlas of the wintering birds of Spain.
Very few detected bird species.
Within the forests of pines, oaks and beech trees, the forest birds make its appearance.
A flock of Crossbill between the pines.
In the forest of oaks and beech trees Coal Tits, Great Tits and Firecrest, Black Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Crested Tit.
But what it emphasized more is the absence of birds in the open areas, the snow are displaced to Lapwing, European Golden Plover and other birds common in the pasture, to lower and free zones of snow.
These days there are great flocks of Lapwing and European Golden Plover near Miranda de Ebro. Look here.
List of the birds recorded in the square VN 2050 in the route for the Atlas of wintering birds.

Griffon Vulture
Common Buzzard
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Common Kestrel
Black Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Common Crossbill
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Crested Tit
Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Song Thrush
Blackbird
European Robin
Wren
Common Chaffinch
European Nuthatch
Short-toed Treecreeper
Spotless Starling
Carrion Crow
Jay
Magpie

The following photos have been made by the professional photojournalist Javier Prieto, specialist in travel photography.