Report of first three months, 2011

Last report on the Burgos birds (January - March), with interesting records, many first records of migratory birds from Africa, Black Kite, Little Kestrel , Cuckoo, Wryneck, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Iberian Chiffchaff…,  interesting records of migratory birds northwards, Waders, Common Crane, Fielfare, Redwing…, and other interesting records of Lammergeier, Black Vulture, Wallcreeper...
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Flock of Ruff. 21/03/11. Mahamud. Alfonso Rodrígo García 

Bad news for the Swallows

Thousand of Swallows and Martins are dying of hunger in the North of Spain by the low temperatures that have ended their food.

Barn Swallows, Common Martins, and Crag Martins are dying of hunger by thousand during these last weeks in the North of the Iberian Peninsula, because there are no insects.

More Here (spanish)

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.

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.

Breeding Bird Survey . Square VN4040

Again I have begun the routes of program SACRE - Breeding Bird Survey .

Cliffs of limestone, breed Crag Martin, Vultures, Chough....

In this first transect route (25 point counts, 5 minutes each on 10-km square ) by the square VN 4040, I have detected several species of African migratory birds just arrivals, Golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus) , Bonelli´s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli), Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis), Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus)**, thus like other already views days before.
Different habitats are crossed within the square, the first part of it, with the river Ebro, the riversides and the cliffs.

** out of transect

GR 99 River Ebro footpath

In the second part, many points counts are located in the moor.
A total of 51 detected species, similar as other years.
New species have not been detected.
Like curiosity, the Eurasian Crag Martin making the nests in the church of Ahedo de Butrón next to the House Martin, the Crag Martin is more normal to see him make the nests in caves and cavities on cliff faces.

Crag Martin left and House Martin right

Links:
European Bird Census Council

The Last News of Migrate Birds

The last news on the arrival of African birds to Burgos, are the records of Egyptian Vulture, Iberian Chiffchaff, Short-toed Eagle, Swallows, Crag Martins, and House Martins.

Spring

Another year more, and the spring is here, in the field, not in the calendar, and now have records of the first birds that arrive from Africa, Swallows, Black Kite, Swift , Hoopoe, Egiptian Vulture... and while, the resident birds or are singing and preparing nests, or even incubating.

If you want to see the updated information of different species that arrive to Spain from Africa, click this links:

http://www.springalive.net/

http://www.avesyclima.org/index2.php


The last news of migrate birds of Burgos are:
Black Kite
Crag Martin
Hoopoe

Red-rumped Swallow II

Again, the Red-rumped Swallows in the Valley of Zamanzas, have been observed and photographed, Ramon Elosegui and Ivonne Iglesias (SEO/BirdLife-Donostia), could enjoy this lovely Swallows.

Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow and House Martin by Ramón Elosegui

Red-rumped Swallow, photo by Ramón Elosegui