Borrascas, Aves y Carroñas

Entre borrasca y borrasca, estos días de Semana Santa, había que coger esas ventanas de relativo buen tiempo para disfrutar de las aves. Recorrimos el Valle de Zamanzas, visitamos el espectacular pueblo de Tudanca y aprovechando que el tiempo nos seguía respetando, decidimos recorrer los pastos y riberas de la zona Burgalesa del Embalse del Ebro. La vuelta del recorrido nos llevó por el apartado valle del río Trifón, aunque ya aquí el la precipitación se tornó abundante. En la primera parte de nuestro recorrido, los cantos incipientes de las aves se hacían notar, Petirrojos, Pinzones Vulgares, Pitos Reales…Las emparejadas Tarabillas Comunes en sus territorios cazando. Después de las lluvias, las grandes aves, como los Buitres Leonados, no les queda más remedio que secarse, por lo que cualquier rayo de sol es aprovechado para ese fin. Lavanderas, Colirrojos, Mosquiteros, Alcaudón Meridional…en los valles, Alondras y Totovías en el páramo. El recorrido de la parte sur del Embalse del Ebro, nos permitió la observación de aves acuáticas, aunque lo más llamativo fue el encontrar un número elevado de Buitre Leonado alimentándose de una carroña, sin duda una imagen similar a las que se dan en África.

Lista de Especies:
Somormujo Lavanco
Cigüeña Blanca
Ánade Azulón
Cerceta Común
Porrón Común
Buitre Leonado
Alimoche
Milano Negro
Busardo Ratonero
Cernícalo Vulgar
Paloma Torcaz
Pito Real
Alondra
Totovia
Avión Roquero
Bisbita Arboreo
Lavandera Blanca
Lavandera Cascadeña
Chochín
Petirrojo
Colirrojo Tizón
Tarabilla Común
Zorzal Común
Zorzal Charlo
Mirlo Común
Ruiseñor Bastardo
Mosquitero Ibérico
Herrerillo Común
Mito
Trepador Azúl
Alcaudón Meridional
Urraca
Arrendajo
Cornaja Negra
Chova Piquirroja
Cuervo
Estornino Pinto
Gorrión Común
Pinzón Vulgar
Jilguero
Escribano Soteño

Muchas gracias a Inma, Carlos y David por su interés en las aves de Burgos.
Más en www.mcbirding.com y www.molinodelcanto.com

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...
PDF file

Flock of Ruff. 21/03/11. Mahamud. Alfonso Rodrígo García 

Egyptian Vultures and Lammergeier

Two news about the two more spectacular Iberian vultures.
This is the link to web page of WWF and the Biodiversity Foundation that allows us to see the migration of four Egyptian Vultures from the south of the province of Burgos -Spain- to the south of Mauritania - Africa.

www.elviajedelalimoche.com

The other news is about the Lammergeier.
After many years of that disappeared of the Cantabrian Mountains, now there are a reintroduction program in Picos de Europa.
The last news, about the released birds, they are good adapting to these mountains. Here.
We hope that, again, come back to fly on Cantabrian mountains.
In the province of Burgos the last Lammergeier that bred was in 1956 La Yecla and Ortigüela, Pancorbo in 1954 and Arlanza valley in 1976. (Gonzalez, D., Román, F, Fernandez, R., Lobo, J.L. 2006 Anuario Ornitológico de la provincia de Burgos. Vol.1)
At present every year they are several records of Lammergeier in Burgos, almost all juvenile birds in dispersion from the Pyrenees.

Historical records of Lammergeier in Burgos Province

Gonzalez, D., Román, F, Fernandez, R., Lobo, J.L. 2006 Anuario Ornitológico de la provincia de Burgos. Vol.1

Records of Lammergeier in 2006, 2007 and 2008

Gonzalez, D., Román, F, Fernandez, R., Lobo, J.L. 2009 Anuario Ornitológico de la provincia de Burgos. Vol.2

April in Burgos

Interesting first days of April in Burgos, apart from the arrival of numerous African Birds, there is a good number of birds records, especially remarkable, less common birds in Burgos, I put some for you.

- Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). 11-04-10 - Santillán del Agua (Fernando Román Sancho). Burgos, 12-04-10 (Gema Ortega, Roberto Milara) , Lerma 18-04-10 (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román). 24-04-10 Villatuelda (José Luis Silva).

- Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). Villadiego 02-04-10 (Nicolás Gallego Rojas). 05-04-10 Lerma (Alfonso Rodrigo García).

- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). 12-04-10 Burgos (Gema Ortega, Roberto Milara). 13-04-10 Tordueles (Alfonso Antón).

- Black Stork (Ciconia nigra). 16-04-10 Villarcayo (Josu Olabarria Bastida).

- Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). 18-04-10 Grijalba (Carlos Palma Barcenilla).

- Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus). 26-04-10 Torrecilla del Monte (Fernando Román Sancho).

- Monk Vulture (Aegypius monachus). Tubilleja (Javier Lamas Sierra). 08-04-10 en Báscones del Agua (Alfonso Rodrigo García). 24-04-10 Hozalla de Losa (José M. Vadillo).

- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). 01-04-10 La Puebla de Arganzón (Javier Lamas Sierra). 10-04-10 Ura (Alfonso Antón).

- Black-billied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis). 01-04-10 La Sequera de Haza (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román Sancho).

- Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta). 18-04-10 Arlanzón water reservoir (Julio César Amo Fernández).

- Little Stint (Calidris minuta). 19-04-10 Atapuerca (Alfonso Rodrigo García).

- Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus). 27-03-10 Ebro water reservoir (Manuel Estébanez Ruiz).

- Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida). 18-04-10 Ebro water reservoir (Manuel Estébanez Ruiz).

- Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica). 24-03-10 Quintanilla del Agua (Alfonso Antón).

- Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura). 01-04-10 Milagros (Alfonso Antón, Fernando Román Sancho).

- Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus). Palacios de la Sierra 28-03-10 (Sonia Martín Gómez). Peña Ulaña 03-04-10 (Justina Pérez Martín). Ordejón de Arriba, Peña Ulaña 03-04-10 (Agustín Salazar Celis). 10-04-10 Corralejo (Agustín Salazar Celis).

- Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). 18-04-10 Sasamón , Grijalba (Carlos Palma Barcenilla). Atapuerca (Alfonso Rodrigo García).

- Wallcreper (Tichodroma muraria). 11-04-10 (José M. Vadillo).

More information HERE

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

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)

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.

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.

Illustrious Visitors

These days a family of Golden Eagles, a pair and the young bird of this year, are showing up by the environs of the Molino del Canto.

It is possible to be heard the young bird, to call to his parents, and to be followed to them in flight.

Also it is seen him persecute, as a game, to the Griffons Vultures.

Of the great Eagles, luckyly, the Golden Eagle in Spain is one of the birds that, at the moment, do not have great problems.

It is reproductive successful, and the problems, that years back they had, poisons, shots, electrocution…, have been diminished, although not disappeared.

The status in the province of Burgos is the one of sedentary reproducer, with a 51-56 pairs, a tendency to increase the population *.

*Data of the ornithological yearbook of Burgos

Golden Eagle in Burgos

Good or bad news?

Good news for the natural environment, but very bad news for the birds. Any town it is beginning to close the rubbish dumps.
This means an improvement, the rubbish will be controlled.
As always, the activities of the man bring about imbalances.
A very important number of species of birds takes to long time having the rubbish dumps like an important feeding area.

Went the rubbish dumps are closed, how they are going to replace this food?.
For some species, like the Griffon Vulture, it will mean another new problem.
After the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad-Cow Disease (MCD), the vultures and other species do not find carrion in the field, the government haven`t open new vulture feeders, and now the rubbish dumps are closed.
But other many species use the rubbish dumps of massive form, Black and Red Kite, Gulls, Crows, Storks ......
All of them will have problems by the closing of the rubbish dumps.

Releated Link:

http://miradascantabricas.blogspot.com/2008/06/basurero-de-aguilar-de-campoo-sellado.html

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

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

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

Yearbook, January-March 2007

Updated the Ornithological Yearbook of the province of Burgos , with the new report of January, February and March with interesting records of wintering and migrate birds .

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata )

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Monk Vulture (Aegypius monachus)

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti )

Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius )

......

Also interesting records in the home page.

If you have any record of this region you can send to anuariodeburgos@yahoo.es

Coordination: David González Ortega, Fernando Román Sancho, José Luis Lobo Cueva, Rufino Fernández González.

Egyptian Vulture

First bird of the season in the Zamanzas Valley, although this year has arrived a month but late that other years.

500 Vultures

Again, a visit to the rubbish dump of Villarcayo (Burgos) has supposed the observation of nearly 500 Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), one of the concentrations greater than I have seen, practically all in flight on the place. Other observed species have been Red Kite (Milvus milvus) (35), Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) and Common Raven (Corvus corax) of which peculiarly there were very few individuals (15).