Ruta con MCBirding y Estornino Rosado

El día amaneció cubierto, con una neblina que escupía una incesante llovizna. Según las previsiones esto se acabaría a media mañana y luego disfrutaríamos de un día sin lluvia. No fue así. Evidentemente que no son las mejores condiciones para salir a observar aves, pero, sin duda aún peor es un día de viento, aunque no llueva. Con la jornada que teníamos por delante, nada hacía presagiar que tendríamos una de las mejores observaciones  de un ave considerada rareza.
La jornada empezó muy bien, ya que nada más salir de la puerta un Halcón Peregrino se mantenía posado en las rocas frente a la casa. Buenas observaciones de Lavanderas Cascadeña y Blanca y Bisbitas Pratenses. El recorrido la seguimos hacia el norte, a las zonas frecuentadas por Escribanos, donde estaban acompañados de Pinzones y Pardillos.

Seis especies de rapaces,Halcón Peregrino, Buitre Leonado, Aguilucho Lagunéro, Cernícalo Vulgar, Milano Real y Busardo Ratonero, de este último pudimos observar como se alimentaba de un roedor, posiblemente una rata.

Seguimos hacia el norte a través de los bosques de Roble y Haya, entre la incesante lluvia un Pico Picapinos se dejó observar. La lluvia no es no cesase, si no que en muchos momento se incrementó pasando a mojarnos considerablemente, aún así en una empalizada para ganado un ave, al que enfocamos con el telescopio, nos despistó, el tamaño de Zorzal no estaba acorde con la ausencia total de manchas en las partes inferiores, la cola corta y su silueta recordaban a un Estornino, pero esta vez de nuevo el color del plumaje no cuadraba con ninguna de las dos especies más comunes de Estorninos, sólo un Estornino semialbino podría haber cuadrado con el ave observada, pero el diseño característico del pico, curvado y pálido nos llevó a reconocer que nos encontrábamos con un ave que muy alejada de su zona habitual de residencia, un Estornino Rosado (Pastor roseus), ave, que resulta ser la primera observación de la especie es Burgos y posiblemente en Castilla y León.

 

Estornino Rosado (Pastor roseus)

Después de este agradable encuentro, nos dirigimos a observar aves acuáticos, aunque sin mucha esperanza, ya que el nivel del Embalse hace que las aves estén muy alejadas y que las zonas de pasto, se encuentren muy diezmadas. Varias Anátidas, Fochas y Somormujos.
En resumen, un día lluvioso, del que no se esperaba mucho, se ha convertido en un día que quedará señalado.

Muchas gracias a Salvador y Encarni por su interés en las aves de Burgos, dos buenos y apasionados birders.
Más en www.mcbirding.com y www.molinodelcanto.com

Lista de Aves
Zampullín Chico
Somormujo Lavanco
Ánade Azulón
Ánade Friso
Porrón Común
Pato Colorado
Buitre Leonado
Milano Real
Aguilucho Lagunero
Busardo Ratonero
Cernícalo Vulgar
Halcón Peregrino
Focha
Gaviota Reidora
Gaviota Patiamarilla
Paloma Torcaz
Pico Picapinos
Bisbita Pratense
Lavandera Blanca
Lavandera Cascadeña
Collalba Gris
Zorzal Común
Mirlo Común
Herrerillo Común
Urraca
Arrendajo
Corneja Negra
Cuervo
Estornino Negro
Estornino Rosado
Pinzón Vulgar
Pardillo Común
Jilguero
Camachuelo Común
Escribano Cerillo
Escribano Soteño

En total 37 especies de las que, evidentemente, destaca el Estornino Rosado (Pastor roseus).

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

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 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.

Atlas in VN 3060

Just as the year last, the census realised for the Atlas of wintering birds of Spain in the square VN 3060, has given very low results of records of birds.

To compare, the SACRE of winter in the VN 4040, with eight routes of 15 min. 29 different species of birds have been observed, and in the 22 routes of the Atlas of wintering birds with 15 min. each, I have been observed 22 different species.

The great difference is in the different types from habitat.
This square has an average of 900 m., and is cold.
The vegetation in this high zone is very not varied, and great part of her is occupied by gorse and pasture.

I do not know the causes of the absence of birds, but it is a zone in which there are not many shrubs with berries, and this without a doubt avoids the presence of birds like Thrushes, Hawfinch or Bullfinch.
Arable lands do not exist either, in which they are accustomed to see finches mainly.
This year the detected species have been very few, here you have the list of birds for this year:

Griffon Vulture, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Eurasian Sparrowhawk,
Meadow Pipit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Crested Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, European Robin, Wren, Common Chaffinch, European Nuthatch, Short-toed Treecreeper, Spotless Starling, Carrion Crow, Jay, Magpie, Southern Grey Shrike.

SACRE in Winter

This it is the first year that I realise the route for the new program for the follow-up of birds of SEO BirdLife, the follow-up of common birds in winter. (More here)
The squares it’s the same that I realise in spring, VN 4040.
The route is simple, and I have chosen to realise it by two zones easy to walk and very pretty, the pastures of the Valley of Zamanzas and the footpath GR 99 throughout the river Ebro.
In this zone the river Ebro has very well conserved banks, where the alders abound, ashs, poplars…
A good number of birds and species, 29, but certainly throughout the years this will change.

Here you have the relation of species seen in two hours:

Mallard, Grey Heron, Griffon Vulture, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, European Robin, Wren, European Serin, Eurasian Bullfinch, Hawfinch, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Siskin , Green Woodpecker, Blackcap, White Wagtail, Dipper, Spotless Starling, Red-billed Chough, Carrion Crow, Jay, Eurasian Nuthatch, Wood Pigeon.

Breeding Bird Survey . Square VN3040

My second square- VN 3040- for the Breeding Bird Survey
has reported a total of 48 different species of birds, a number similar to other years and to the other squares that I make, VN 4040, a number of birds that can seem small, but this is obtained in only four hours and by habitats little varied.

In this second square, again the river Ebro and the moor is the principal habitats, although the cliffs of the canyons of limestone are very abundant.

Again, several migratory birds that have arrived, in this square have been seen are outstanding the Common Swift and Alpine Swift, this one an amazing bird.

1.Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
2.Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
3.Great Tit (Parus major)
4.Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
5.Coat Tit (Parus ater)
6.Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)
7.Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
8.Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
9.Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
10.Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
11.Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
12.Magpie (Pica pica)
13.Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
14.Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
15.Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
16.Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)
17.European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
18.Blackbird (Turdus merula)
19.Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
20.Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus)
21.Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
22.Garden Warbler (Syvia borin)
23.Ibarian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus)
24.Bonelli´s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli)
25.Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
26.European Serin (Serinus serinus)
27.European Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
28.European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
29.Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
30.Short-Toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla)
31.Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia)
32.House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
33.Eurasian Golden Oriol (Oriolus oriolus)
34.Common Swift (Apus apus )
35.Alpine Swift (Apus melba)
36.Common Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
37.White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
38.Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)
39.Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)
40.Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor)
41.Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus)
42.Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)