April Birds News

The best bird records of April in Burgos province. 

- Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides). 1 bird 24-04-11 Villandiego (Nicolás Gallego Rojas).

- Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). 1 bird river Ebro , Miranda de Ebro  01-04-11 (David Martínez Andrade, Gema Ruiz del Río) ,  17-04-11 (Juan Carlos Torralba, Natalia Mena Ramos). 1 bird, Villahoz 24-04-11 (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román Sancho). Same bird of Miranda de Ebro days 23, 25 and 26-04-11 (Pablo Sevilla).

- Great White Egret (Egretta alba). 1 bird 10-04-11 Atapuerca lagoons (Diego Santamaría Merino).

- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). 3 birds 07-04-11 Basconcillos del Tozo (Javier Amo Fernández, Julio César Amo Fernández).

- Black Stork (Ciconia nigra). 1 bird 30-03-11, Ircio (David Martínez Andrade). 1 bird, Suzana 04-04-11 (David Martínez Andrade). 1 bird northwards, Escuderos 17-04-11 (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Romám Sancho, Javier La Roca Carazo).

- Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). 1 bird, gravel pits of  Suzana , 01-04-11 (David Martínez Andrade, Gema Ruiz del Río). 1 bird northwards, Tabanera 14-04-11 (Francisco Meléndez). 1 bird 15-04-11 Frandovinez (Javier Otal).

- Garganey (Anas querquedula). 2 birds Basconcillos del Tozo , 07-04-11 (Javier Amo Fernández, Julio César Amo Fernández). 1 male 21-04-11 Atapuerca lagoons (Diego Santamaría Merino).

- Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus). 1 bird, 18-04-11 Pancorbo (Álvaro Camiña Cardenal).

- Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus). 3 birds,  23-04-11, Mecerreyes (Fernando Román Sancho). 1 bird Quintanilla del Agua 19-04-11 (Manuel Mata Hurtado).

- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).  1 bird, Báscones del Agua , 06-04-11 (José Luis Silva). 1 bird, 12-04-11 water reservoir of Úzquiza (Julio César Amo Fernández). 1 bird, Tordueles , 24-04-11 (Alfonso Antón).

- Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus). 1 bird Guadilla de Villamar 21-04-11 (David González Ortega, Nicolás Gallego Rojas).

- Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola). 1 bird 10-04-11 lagoons of Atapuerca (Diego Santamaría Merino).

- Ruff (Philomachus pugnax). 9 birds, 16-04-11 , Villandiego (Nicolás Gallego Rojas); Same birds 17-04-11 (Nicolás Gallego Rojas).

- Whimbrel (Numenius phaeophus). 1 bird 10-04-11 Arauzo de Salce (Iván Martínez Díez) and lagoons of Atapuerca (Diego Santamaría Merino).

- Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus). 1 pair 16-04-11 , Peña Amaya (Ricardo Fernández).

- Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). 3 birds river Odra , Tabanera 14-04-11 (David González Ortega, Francisco Meléndez), 2 birds (1 male singnig) 22-04-11 (Agustín Salazar Celis, David González Ortega, Jus Pérez Martín).

- Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispanolensis). Nesting colony, Valle del Esgueva 15-04-11 (Fernando Núñez); 21-04-11 20 pairs (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román Sancho).

More in the yearbook of Burgos

Birds News

36 European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) in a little lagoon near of Villarcayo
Record by Mario Alonso Blanco

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.

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.

Blackbird like a Grey Plover

Today, after cutting the grass, I have been able to observe the behavior of hunting of Blackbird and the behavior has remembered me enormously the Plovers.
Blackbird arrives at the grass, walks, stretches the neck, look round searching a few movement of the grass, returns to walks, watches and attacks, removing an appetizing earthworm.
Now, changing the bird and the habitat:
Grey Plover arrives at the salt marsh, walks, stretches the neck, look round searching a few movement of the mud, returns to walks, watches and attacks, removing a appetizing worm.
These behaviors can see in others thrushes, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Robin....
Birds with great eyes, necessary to catch the little movement.



You can see similar behavior here:
Blackbird, a male in a field, collecting earthworms to bring to the nest.

Grey Plover, an adult pair walking and feeding

Both of IBC, The Internet Bird Collection

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.

Atlas of Wintering Birds. VN3040.

Square VN3040, composed mainly by high land, a fluvial canyon formed by the river Ebro and a valley very closed by the oaks.

I have made the 20 routes of season 2007, in two days.

The first day 11 routes and second 9.

The time has been very good, with temperatures between 0 and 10ºC with sky overcast by high fog that soon has cleared leaving a spectacular sun.

With respect to the records of birds, both days have been very good, with a great variety of species and flocks of birds.

The total number of species recorder has been of 46.

The species with more birds, Common Chaffinch.

The species with interesting records.
-Golden Plover three birds with a Northern Lapwing flock.

-Goldcrest, is necessary to remember that, in Spain, the distribution of Goldcrest is smaller than the Firecrest, reason why always are interesting the contacts with this species.

Maps of distribution of Goldcrest (left) and Firecrest , in Europe.

Maps by COLLINS BIRD GUIDE. THE MOST COMPLETE FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF BRITAIN AND EUROPE , Mullarney K. & Svensson L

Very interesting also the records of flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing.

The list of birds recorder.

1.Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax Carbo
2.Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
3.Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
4.Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
5.Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, 60
6.European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria, 3
7.Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
8.Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
9.Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
10.Skylark Alauda arvensis
11.White Wagtail Motacilla alba
12.Blackbird Turdus merula
13.Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
14.Fieldfare Turdus pilaris, >50
15.Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
16.Redwing Turdus iluacus, three flocks 20, 12, 15
17.Robin Erithacus rubecula
18.Great Tit Parus major
19.Blue Tit Parus caeruleus
20.Coal Tit Parus ater
21.Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
22.Dipper Cinclus cinclus
23.Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla
24.European Nuthatch Sitta europaea
25.Linnet Carduelis cannabina
26.Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
27.Greenfinch Carduelis chrolis
28.Siskin Carduelis spinus
29.Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
30.Rock Bunting Emberiza cia
31.Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus
32.Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
33.Corn Bunting Emberiza Calandra
34.Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti
35.Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
36.Goldcrest Regulus regulus, 1
37.Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor
38.Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
39.Southern Grey Shrike Lanius Meridionalis, 1
40.House Sparrow Passer domesticus
41.Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia
42.Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax >50
43.Jay Garrulus glandarius
44.Carrion Crow Corvus corone
45.Magpie Pica pica
46.Raven Corvus corax

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