A Autumn Trip

A trip surrounding the water reservoir of river Ebro a total of 47 different species, emphasizing Red-crested Pochard, Black necked Grebe, Great Egret or Green Sandpiper.
List of birds observed

1. Gadwall Anas strepera
2. Common Teal Anas crecca
The first wintering birds of the season

3. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
4. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
5. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
Only four birds, the number throughout the winter is possibly increased.

6. Common Pochard Aythya farina
7. Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa***
8. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
9. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
A peculiar flock of 7 birds.

10. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
11. Great White Egret Casmerodius albus
Bird with more and more habitual records.


12. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea



13. Red Kite Milvus migrans***
The first birds of the season.
14. Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
15. Eurasian Sparrowhawk***
16. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
One of the most abundant birds due to the arrival of European birds.

17. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
A adult bird at the top of crags, in front of the Molino del Canto Inn.

18. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
19. Common Coot Fulica atra
20. Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
21. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Four birds feeding.

22. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
23. Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
24. Common Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
25. Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
26. Sky Lark Alauda arvensis
27. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
28. White Watail Motacilla alba
29. Dunnock Prunella modularis
30. Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
31. Blackbird Turdus merula32. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
33. Cetti´s Warbler Cettia cetti34. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
35. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus36. Blue Tit Parus caeruleus37. Great Tit Parus major
38. Soutthern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
39. Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
40. Magpie Pica pica41. Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula***
42. Carrion Crow Corvus corone
43. Common Raven Corvus corax
44. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
45. Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor
46. House Sparrow Passer domesticus
47. Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia***
A great flock

48. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
49. Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
50. Siskin Carduelis spinus
The first Siskins of the winter, small groups in the banks of the rivers

51. Linnet Carduelis cannabina
52. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

***Seen the previous day in the rubbish dump of Villarcayo.

A spider ( Eresus niger)found at the end of the day

Thanks to Ginny and Pete for their interest in the birds of Burgos

Le Teich vs Santoña

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), Le Teich.

I have been in Le Teich , rest and feeding area of the bay of Arcachon, French Atlantic coast.
This place could be taken like example for other places, here, in the north of Spain, diverse salt marshes with similar characteristics, and in several cases with more ornithological importance.
One of the cases is the Santoña Marshes, the best salt marsh of all the Cantabrian coast.
During many years, different groups, like SEO/BirdLife, fought hard to obtain a level of acceptable conservation.
Years later the marshes of Santoña, appears like one of the best places of birdwatching.
But the visit to this spectacular place can disappoint, since it lacks own infrastructures of a place thus.
The area that occupies Santoña is much greater, unlike Le Teich, but in so emblematic place, only we were an observatory and some of the observing points, that are indicated in different guides, are difficult to find and any type of signalling does not exist.

Flock of waders, Le Teich

Le Teich, where the entrance is 6,80€, but a day of very good observation of birds can be had, independently of the weather that does, 20 observatories from where to enjoy of birdwatching.

My nephew Adrian, enjoying the birds. Le Teich

Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia), Le Teich.

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

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

SACRE III

As every year I have finalized program SACRE of this season, two squares that I made a route detecting the present birds, to determine throughout the time the variations of the populations.

In square VN4040, with data from 1999, I have located to this season a total of 64 different species.
Altogether, during the 9 years that I take making this grid, I have located a total of 91 species.

Species that have been detected, this year, for the first time, in VN4040.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)
Great reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

In square VN3040, I take to only two years making the census, have located to this season 62 species.
During these two years I have located a total of 71 different species.

So far, it is difficult still to draw conclusions to from a square, although at least, begins to glimpse, as the most abundant birds maintain numbers similar.

Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Although the listening places, are well separate, is necessary to have precaution of not entering the same individual two times, Common Cuckoo it is listened to them distance.

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Great Tit (Parus major)

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Common Chafinch (Fringilla coelebs)

Red-rumped Swallow

One of the birds that can more represent the climatic change is the Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica), an African Swallow, who step by step this moving it’s breeding areas more and more to the north, by this is one of the species of recent colonization in the province of Burgos, although certainty of it’s presence in the south of the province, now in patent was had its presence and breeding in the north.
This week I have been able to observe a pair of Red-rumped Swallow who after constructing their characteristic nest have begun to rear, seeing them easily enter and leave it’s nest.

Making Reforms

Although I do not like to make photos to nests of birds, in this case I think that is good to see the reforms made in a nest of Great spotted woopecker by our protagonists.
The photos I have made by means digiscoping techniques, reason why the observed distance has been the sufficiently good like so that the birds were not bothered.

As we can see this is a hole of a nest Great Spotted Woopecker (Dendropocos major).

Here we can see since the reform has been made, reducing with mud the inlet diameter of the hole, until obtaining the suitable one.

Here we have the authors of this peculiar adaptation, the Nuthatch (Sitta europaea).

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.

Iberian Chiffchaff

One of the splits more controverted on species in the Iberian peninsula is the one that took on the Phylloscopus collybita, split accepted by the rarities committees and that in Spain, have taken to ornithologists to take extra precautions to separate the new species, the Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) and the Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus), denominated firstly like P. brehmii.
Still the discussions on the different identifications continue in diverse ornithological sites, forums etc...
In the field, in a typical observation, these two species are practically indistinguishable, although there are authors who indicate subtle differences in the color of the plumage.
Nevertheless, when we listened to it’s different songs we can determine as of both we are listening, that yes, whenever they emit his normal songs, since mixed songs can be listened, that can mistake.
The song of the Iberian Chiffchaff is a song faster, and normally shorter than the Common Chiffchaff , and that it finalizes with a very characteristic trill.

Look here!
The song of the Common Chiffchaff is slower and longer in the time, giving the sensation of which is sadder.
In several zones of the north of Spain it is easy to listen several of these mixed songs.

The origin of these songs, is difficult to attribute to the species exactly, some ornithologists, attribute these songs to imitations of Common Chiffchaff , others say that they are imitations of Iberian Chiffchaff , and many we decided on the sensation and the intuition to attribute to certain songs to a species or another one.
In order to clarify many of these doubts, the Iberian Ringning Group – Grupo Ibérico de Anillamiento. GIA - , it has prepared the first congress on the Iberian Chiffchaff , that will be celebrated in Riello (León), from 11th to 13th of May and that has great specialists of this species, Lars Svensson, José Luis Copete, Gozalo Elias, Alejandro Onrubia, Alfonso Balmori, …aspects on morphology, songs, distribution etc…. will treat.
Let us hope that the conclusions contribute means to us to differentiate these difficult species.

You have more information HERE (PDF file)

Lagoons

Great number of migratory birds has arrived, in a stroll by the lagoons of Gayangos it is possible to see and to listen many of these birds.
The lagoons of Gayangos conform one of the few wetlands of the province of Burgos.
They are composed by three main lagoons and other than is stationary because it is dried at times of summer.
In these lagoons it is possible to find great number of species of birds, being the most showy aquatic birds, Ducks, Grebes, Rails…and those that live related to the wetland plants, Cetti’s Warbler, Great Reed Warbler….

Garganey

Several of the birds that live in the wetlands plants are difficult to detect if it is not by means of the voice.
In the environs of the lagoons it is possible to see other many species of birds, Buntings, Stonechats, Finches, Kites, Storks…

Corn Bunting

Whinchat

Now, with the new observatory, it is possible to take refuge the days of bad weather.

New Records in the Yearbook.

You don’t let see the great amount of new records in:
http://www.avesdeburgos.com/anuario.htm

Black Stork, Garganey, Waders, Warblers....and more.

SACRE. Course

This weekend has been developed the course on the program of breeding common birds of Spain, SACRE, to carry out in the beautiful valley of Valdivielso.
The birder José Luis Lobo made the introduction to the course, along with the explanation of the program developed by SEO/BirdLife to study and to recognize the different songs from birds.
Next a stroll by the valley of Valdivielso was made, guided by the birders Josu Olavarria and Carlos Palma.
The course was very concurred, something that is really very positive.
Many species were not seen, although yes the first Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus and the first Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus of the season.

Birds in Wetlands. Censuses

The census of aquatic birds that has initiated the SEO/BirdLife, does not cover all the species that are related to the wetlands, only certain species have to be registered.
The census is had to make in three times, in the second two weeks of March, April and May.
In first census, it has been made with conditions in which meteorology to play a important part.
Days back, the snow, it was making, so the level of waters of the lagoons and the rivers has grown enormously, this has made difficult to walk round these wetlands of suitably form.
Even so, the results, by this time, still early are not of all bad.
Although of the Paseriformes no has been detected, if several Ducks, and like more observed the Common Coot.
In many zones of the field still it has up to 20 cm of snow, so it seems total winter, as excellent observation but were the one of a pair of Fieldfare.

List of the species, (not exclusively records to the census).

Common Pochard Aythya ferina
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Common Coot Fulica atra
Great Tit Parus major
Blue Tit Parus caeruleus
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita netting, good moment to observe these birds, since now it is crossing towards the north of Europe.
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis
Robin Erithacus rubecula
Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
Fieldfire Turdus pilaris

A Heavy Snowfall

When spring arrives from the calendar, it arrives the winter with snow and cold. Many of the birds that do not emigrate during the winter, have begun this year to sing early, mainly due to the smooth temperatures of second half of the winter, and some to make nests.

Several weeks ago, are listened to by the field, the songs of Robin, Great Tit, Common Chafinch, Wren, Cetti’s Warbler, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Deeper, all of them emitting their respective territorial songs of courtship and, and even carrying out persecutions, normally of males. But these days, the snow (60cm) has arrived again and the cold and those choirs have been silenced.

Bud the feeders packed of birds, the list:

Blackcap, four males and one female

Robin, lots of

Common Chafinch , lost of

Song Thrush, five

Great Tit, lost of

Blue Tit, lost of

Hedge Accentor, three birds

Grey Wagtail, one
White Wagtail, four

Wood Lark, one
Crested Lark, two birds
Black Redstart, male and female
Common Chiffchaff
European Nuthatch, two birds

Meadow Pipit, one

And the Sparrowhawk

We will have to hope again to that the temperatures activate the mechanisms of courtship of the birds and again we will have another real spring, and with all birds that arrive from Africa, Warblers, Swalows, Martins, and this will cause that he is greater the sound of the field.

Egyptian Vulture

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