Geese

Good year for Geese, this winter is being a good year for watching various species of geese on wetlands in northern Spain, from small lakes like as Atapuerca, as the Ebro water reservoir, like Santoña marshes and large lakes as La Nava and Villafáfila, the two with the largest number of geese in northern Spain with truly spectacular numbers.
This year, there have been almost all Geese species that appear in the European guides birds, including Lesser white fronted Goose (Anser erythropus). And always have to add many other species of waterfowl and waders. There are several web pages where there is good information of these natural spaces and species in each moment.

Related links:
Atapuerca Lakes
Villafáfila Lakes
La Nava Lakes
Santoña Marshes
Records of birds of Burgos

  Watching Geese on Ebro water reservoir.

 

Greylag Goose and Lesser white fronted Goose 

 Greylag Goose flock

La Nava lakes

La Nava lakes

Last wintering days

When begins to have the news from the arrival to the Iberian Peninsula of African migratory birds (Black Kites, Swallows, Martins...), when there are several species of birds in phase of reproduction, Vultures, Eagles… still in many parts of the Iberian Peninsula abound the hibernating birds, although also they have begun to move towards the north.
In the Ebro water reservoir it is possible to see flocks of geese, Greylag Goose in its majority, but also Barnacle Goose or White-fronted Goose.

Greylag Gees flock

Greylag Goose with neckband S12 (more here)

White-fronted Goose

A new little wetland

Mario Alonso Blanco, to discover for the ornithological community a new little wetland in the outskirts of Villarcayo town.
This it is very interesting so that in the province of Burgos there are not many wetland, which makes difficult the establishment of own species of these zones.
Even so, in dams and gravel pits, there have been very interesting records, although with very few settlement birds permanently.
The small lagoon, forms next to a farm, and it is dried in summer, reason why it will not be able either to have species all year, but during the winter it becomes a rest area for migratory birds.
Also it owns a quite great colony of White Stork.

These days:
Greylag Goose
Common Shelduck
Common Teal
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Lapwing
Great flocks of Common Starling
White Stork
Black-headed Gull

Yearbook, last quater of 2008.

A new quarterly report already is available in the web page of the Yearbook, corresponds to the months of October , November and December of 2008. Here.
With this report, the yearbook 2 finalizes and will be published next.

These are, for my, the most interesting records of the quarter, some really spectacular *:

Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)*
White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Egyptian Goose (Alopoche aegyptiacus)*
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)*
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Smew (Mergus albellus)*
Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica cristata)*
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)
Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis)

Migration towards to North

A small trip to the reservoir of the river Ebro, here I have seen great flocks of birds in migration towards to North, nearly 1000 Lapwings, 300 Greylag Goose, two great flocks of Lesser Black- backed Gull nearly 100 birds, a flock of 70 Common Curlew, Starling, Golden Plover, Yellow-legged Gull, Black-headed Gull…. All this in a small cove near the village “La Riva”.

Greylag Goose, Yellow-legged Gull, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black- backed Gull and Lapwing

Common Curlew and Lapwing

And on the following day, Yves Borremans informs three Great Northern Loon in the same zone.


Few records of this specie in the province of Burgos, I have a record in 1991 , a bird in the water reservoir of Puentelarrá , Volumen 40(1), junio 1993.

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.

Hot Spot of River Ebro

These days the water reservoir of the river Ebro is a hot spot for birdwatching.

It is not difficult to make a route in a day and to see near 50 species of birds.

Some of them considered Rare Birds in Spain and very rare others in the north of the Iberian peninsula.

Waders, Herons, Gulls, but mainly birds of the Anatidae family.

Remarkable birds:

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos).

There has been a great arrival from these birds to many places of Spain (to see analysis in Rare Birds in Spain Blog). A bird registered in the water reservoir.

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca). A bird, although the presence of this species can indicate that it is of captivity, have already been several the homologations of this species in the peninsula.

Smew (Mergellus albellus). Another species of doubtful origin, with many possibilities of natural origin.

Smew (Mergellus albellus) photo by Manuel Estébanez

Red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata). It is not the first registry in the north of Spain, before has been observed some bird in Galicia. But very rare bird in the north of spain.

Red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata) by Manuel Estébanez

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea): Three spectacular birds. Birds of uncertain origin too.

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna): Four birds.

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) by Manuel Estébanez

Common Shelduck below and Ruddy Shelduck above

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina). 450 birds recorded near the village of Cabañas de Virtus.

Historically this water reservoir has been a place chosen by thousands of Red-crested Pochard as to moult site.

Without justified cause, for years, the number of Red-crested Pochard has been littler, years with only possible to find four or six birds.

We hope starting from this year, they return in great flocks.

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) Part of the flock.

Thanks to Manuel Estébanez, you can find more photos of him here, here and here

Atlas of Wintering Birds. VN2050

Again I have been able to make a new one square for the Atlas of wintering birds, the VN2050 and again I have been able to enjoy a day of birdwatching, without a doubt this type of bird works becomes an incentive to follow with the birding.

This routes into squares is located under the reservoir of the river Ebro, these have a influence in the presence of birds in to the square.


It is a cattle zone and is characterized by the abundance of pastures, and is in these zones where more diversity of birds we can found.
In winter flocks of birds, they move by all the area.




Also wooded areas exist, mainly composed by Oak and Beech trees, in this type of forests the tits, treecrepers, woodpeckers… are the easy ones to find. Although today I did not have luck, is not difficult to see Black Woodpecker.

List of species recorder in the routes:
1. Northern Lapwing, Vanellus vanellus , two flocks in the pastures 2. Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago , two birds in a water area in the pastures 3. European Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria 4. Great White Egret, Egretta alba , two birds on the pasture area 5. Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea 6. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos 7. Great Crested Grebe, Podiceps cristatus 8. Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus 9. Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo 10. Red-billed Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 11. Eurasian Jay, Garrulus glandarius 12. Carrion Crow, Corvus corone 13. Common Raven, Corvus corax 14. Magpie, Pica pica 15. Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus 16. Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella 17. Rock Bunting, Emberiza cia 18. Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis 19. Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris 20. Spotless Starling, Sturnus unicolor 21. Dunnock Prunella modularis 22. Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis 23. White wagtail, Motacilla alba 24. Robin, Erithacus rubecula 25. Blackbird, Turdus merula 26. Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos 27. Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris 28. Redwing, Turdus iliacus 29. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus 30. Firecrest, Regulus ignicapilla 31. Short-toed Treecreeper, Certhya brachydactyla 32. European Nuthatch, Sitta europaea 33. Green Woodpecker, Picus viridis 34. Long-tailed Tit, Aegithalos caudatus 35. Great Tit, Parus major 36. Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus 37. Common Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs 38. Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla , flock with 30 birds near of the village of Santa Gadea 39. Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis 40. Common Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula 41. Zitting Cisticola, Cisticola juncidis, four birds near of the river 42. House Sparrow, Paser domesticus 43. Greylag Goose, Anser anser, 18 birds flying towards the south 44. Common Crane, Grus grus 2 birds flying towards the south.

56 Birds Species

After the news appeared in the forum of Cantabria, we have gone, David González Ortega (Burgos yearbook coordinator) and I , in search of Rock Pipit in the water reservoir of river Ebro, these have not appeared, all the observed ones have been Meadow Pipit,
but we has been a good day of observations, great flocks of Black-necked Grebe, Ducks (8 different species) and five species from waders.
Some remarkable records, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red Knot and Golden Plover.
At the end of the day a flock of Fieldfare feeding berries of Common Hawthorn.

The bird list of the day:

1.-Greylag Goose Anser anser, a rough estimate, 500 birds
2.-Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
3.-Gadwall Anas strepera
4.-Common Teal Anas crecca
5.-Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
6.-Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
7.-Common Pochard Aythya ferina
8.-Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
9.-Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
10.-Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis, likely the record with the bigger flock with 127 birds.
11.-Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
12.-Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
13.-Great White Egret Casmerodius albus, 3 birds
14.-Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
15.-Red Kite Milvus milvus
16.-Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
17.-Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

18.-Comon Krestel Falco tinnunculus
19.-Peregrin Falcon Falco peregrinus
20.-Common Coot Fulica atra
21.-European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
22.-Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
23.-Red Knot Calidris canutus, 1 bird
24.-Dulin Calidris alpina, 6 birds
25.-Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus, 2 bird
26.-Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundos
27.-Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus, 1 bird
28.-Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
29.-Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
30.-Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
31.-Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
32.-Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
33.-White Wagtail Motacilla alba
34.-Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
35.-Robin Erithacus rubecula
36.-Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
37.-Blackbird Turdus merula
38.-Fieldfare Turdus pilaris , 50 birds
39.-Redwing Turdus iliacus
40.-Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
41.-Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
42.-Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
43.-Coal Tit Parus ater
44.-Great Tit Parus major
45.-European Nuthatch Sitta europaea
46.-Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla
47.-Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
48.-Magpie Pica pica
49.-Carrion Crow Corvus corone
50.-Common Raven Corvus corax
51.-Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
52.-Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor
53.-House Sparrow Passer domesticus
54.-Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
55.-Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
56.-Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Second Report in the Yearbook

Once published the last report on the birds of the province of Burgos, the great amount of records, than 600 * records more reviewed can be observed, being many of really showy them.

Also it is observed that the number of birders is really high, 153 * and who the Birdwatching continues growing in the province of Burgos. Something really important.

This last report gathers the records of the second quarter of 2007, April, May and June, being this time one of most important, since many of the breeding birds.
Reviewing the report, we see enough contacts of Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) and Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), and the records of breeding of Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) in the environs of Miranda de Ebro.



The group of Ducks ones brings the most peculiar records, Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) and American Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), two birds whose origin is very probable escape of captivity.

Also the Garganey (Anas querquedula) very has been observed, although only in two places, several birds in the quarry of Grijalba, , and the lagoons of Gayangos, only a bird.
Up to 13 species different from the Vultures and Eagles, emphasizing the observations of Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus), Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) and flocks of up to 400 Eurasian Gryffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus).

The Hawks also emphasize by the presence of Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus), really scarce bird in the province.

Like a other times, the waders are a interested birds, especially in this province, almost with few wetlands.

The first record of Collared Prantincole (Glareola prantincola). Plovers, Whimbrel, Godwit, Sandpipers…..complete de list of waders.


Other first record for Burgos, Gull-billed Tern (Sterna nilotica).

And the breeding records of Red-rumped Swalow (Hirundo daurica).


* Data contributed by the coordinators