Huetor Tajar

Looks like the sun and calm conditions has brought everyone out to play in terms of birding; Eric, myself and now John and Jenny Wainwright whop managed to pop across the relatively short distance to Huetor Tajar from their Salar home.  It must have been very worthwhile for Jenny to grab a quick photo of the presently resident Black-winged Kite and also interesting to note that Song Thrushes, Bramblings and Stock Doves are still about an even a fly-past form those most graceful of fliers, the Common Crane.

Black-winged Kite Elanio Comun Elanus caeruleus (PHOTO: Jenny Wainwright)

 Huetor Tajar  29th January 2013

A very warm and sunny day, chilly breeze every now and then.  We just popped down to the Huetor stream for a couple of hours, it was running quite fast today and could not cross at the ford. The
large tree - were we used to shelter from the sun - has had a catastrophe and a small part is still standing, the other half is laying down the bank of the stream.  It was here we found Spotless Starllings, House Sparrows, Meadow Pipits, Grey and White Wagtails. Goinground the tracks to the small poplar copse we saw Chaffinches, Song Thrush, Brambling, Goldfinches, Crested Larks, Black Redstarts and a very pale Common Buzzard. 

Zitting Cisticola Buitron Cisticola juncidis (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

Further along the north bank of the stream we located several Zitting Cisticola, Grey and White Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and CattleEgrets. The Lapwings were very skittish this afternoon and we saw two good flocks of these along with two Stock Doves and severalWood Pigeon.   The bottom track to the ford was flooded so we took the top track- a bit muddy but passable - here we saw Moorhens, Linnets,Blackcap, House Sparrows, Mistle Thrush and more Goldfinches.

Common Cranes Grulla Comun Grus grus passing over Huetor Tajar (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

Leaving the stream area we dipped out on the Little Bustards but gained instead a Black-winged Kite, Serins, Linnets, Cattle Egretand Black Redstarts. A faint trumpeting to my left and I located a herd of twenty eight adult Common Cranes.  I though at first they might be coming in to land but they continued on. Just after this we found - at the top of a tall conifer -  a female Common Kestrel, and on the rooftop of the building here a Collared Dove.

Common Kestrel  CernicaloVulgar Falco tinnunculus (PHOTO: John Wainwright)

The Sierra Nevadas looked stunning today - as a backdrop to a nice spot of birding.


Another successful day John and Jenny; what will be next?

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