Sierra de Maria with the Arboleas Birding Group

Wednesday 15 May 

Yet more cracking birds seen by Dave and his Arboleas Birding Group seen up in the hills of the Sierra de Maria.  Not here, but all those Red-billed Choughs and even Golden eagles; now that's birding with a vengeance!  Still, looking on the bright side, I've just booked passage on Brittany Ferries Portsmouth - Bilbao service for a three week visit to Spain in October so, maybe, still chance to catch up on all those birds you have been seeing

Sierra de Maria  -  Wednesday 15th May

Juda came to my house and we went to the Overa hotel to pick up Peter 1.  We then drove to Velez Blanco where the bird count begins as we headed to Maria town.  En route we saw Woodpigeon, Collared Dove and Common Swift.  In the town itself we saw House Sparrow, House Martin and Spotless Starling . On arrival at the La Piza forest cafe we discovered Trevor had seen a Hoopoe. Richard, Mike 1 and Kiersten had seen Griffon Vulture and two Golden Eagles.  In the meantime, Kevin had logged Jay, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Crested Tit, Chaffinch and Blackbird around the bird feeders which I re-filled.  We were joined by Peter 2 and his wife, Linda plus Mike 2 and Sue, friends of Mike 1 and Kiersten.  Whilst we had coffee both Coal Tit and Crossbill came for a bath in a shallow puddle. Richard saw a Short-toed Treecreeper.  Also seen were two Iberian red squirrels and a Fox spotted by Trevor.

Coal Tit (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

We left there and commenced to do the loop.  Peter 1 and I in the lead car managed to see Goldfinch, Crested and Calandra Larks.  In the cars following they added Carrion Crow and Jackdaw.  Juda spotted a Kestrel.  We stopped outside the village for a catch up and scan.  Linda found a Woodchat Shrike. Kevin found a Corn Bunting on a distant reed.  Barn Swallows were quartering the meadow in front of us. Moving on we saw Magpie and Rock Sparrow near to where last year Rollers bred in a nest box on the side of a farm building.  Alas no sign of them this year.  As we approached the cliff face I noticed a plume of about 50 Red-billed Chough soaring above it.  I saw a Stock Dove land on its nest in a crack in the rock face.  We heard Nightingale, Reed Warbler and Turtle Dove.  Linda spotted a Black Wheatear high on the ridge.  We walked to the far side. Saw a Chiffchaff.  We were elated to see a flight of 15 Black-bellied Sandgrouse fly over the cliff.  We left there.  I spotted a Black-eared Wheatear.  A Hoopoe flew across in front of us.  We saw two distant Griffon Vultures flying away from us.  Next seen was an Iberian Grey Shrike near the cave house village where Peter 2 and Linda added a Bee-eater.  En route to the hamlet we saw another Calandra Lark plus a Raven.

Apart from a pair of Red-billed Chough seen by Kevin, the hamlet was a disappointment.  No Lesser Kestrels!

The sheep trough area was better.  We added White Wagtail, Serin, Greenfinch and Linnet.  Also seen were Rock Sparrows.  Juda found a Mistle Thrush, Sue spotted a pair of Turtle Doves and Richard saw a Roller.  As we were leaving Peter 1 added a Northern Wheatear. 

We returned to the forest cafe where we had lunch seeing more of the same species from the morning.

I handed the staff 4 bird boxes donated by Jacky.  Thank you.

We ended up with 46 species.  Had a great day. Good birds and company.  The only downer was the automatic gearbox on my car started to slip gears.  Sounds expensive!

Regards

Dave

Jay (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

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