Osuna "Triangle", Sevilla Pprovince

Saturday 28 February

Great Bustards Otis tarda

Up nice and early and, with Derek and Barbara Etherton, off to Osuna to travel the "triangle" in search of Great Bustards and, hopefully, some raptors, etc.  No sooner had we left the motorway to take the nearby country road than we found Spotless Starlings near the factory units then both Blackbird and Song Thrush in the first olive trees.  Ere long we also saw our first Stone Curlew.   Continuing past the olive grove we added Greenfinch, White Wagtail and Crested Lark before coming across a large flock of Spanish Sparrows.

Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus

Continuing ion to the first overhead bridge we encountered Collared Dove and Red-legged Partridge and as we drove to the bridge apex a Raven flew away. From our scoped observations from the bridge we saw a Buzzard to the right and on the other side of the rail track a resting Hoopoe.  Both Great Tit and Blackcap were also seen below us but the main attraction was the distant score of Great Bustards resting/feeding on the ploughed fields away to our right.  Much time spent looking at these magnificent birds as they moved about either individually or in small groups but, given the distance, photographs very much just for the record. Before leaving to follow the farm track, finding a pair of Calandra Larks,  we also recorded both Woodpigeon and a Marsh Harrier.

Calandra Lark Melanocorpha calandra

Calling at a local farm site we managed to see a trio of passing Stone Curlew along with a good number of Barn Swallows.  Chaffinches in the trees to our right and then a Black-winged Kite took to the skies from a nearby small tree.  A little further on along the farm road we came across a Red Kite on the field adjacent to the road and then noted a Common Starling amongst the resident Spotless Starlings.

Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus

Stopping atop the next rail bridge a Common Kestrel was seen hovering and then a couple of Red-rumped Swallows.  Amazingly, we then saw a passage of 113 Black Kites, presumably newly arrived back from their winter quarters.  Time to move on and just before reaching Lantejuela we came across Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler and Serin before seeing a good number of Lesser Kestrels in the old ruins just of the road.

leaving Lantejuela where the pool, seen from the roadside fence, produced Coot, White-headed Duck, Mallard, Cetti's Warbler and Corn Bunting we headed for the Laguna Ballestera.  Approaching the water we stopped to observe a gorgeous male Hen Harrier and a lone White Stork before finding we could not pass the laguna as the farm track was under water.  Having stopped we admired the Flamingos along with a few Shelduck and many resting Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls on the water. 

Making our way back to the main road to Osuna we made a short stop opposite the Laguna Calderon to note the many Flamingos, Lesser Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls, Coot, Crested Lark and Marsh Harrier and also saw a female Hen Harrier.  Continuing on to Osuna we took the cross-country road back to Campillos rather than the motorway and just beyond El Saucejo came across a pair of Little Owl sitting on a stone wall at the roadside.  Approaching Campillos we also noted House Sparrow and Spotless Starling to end the day with 46 species.  Fabulous day in fabulous company.

Male Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

Birds seen:

Shelduck, Mallard, White-headed Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Flamingo, White Stork, Black-winged Kite, Red Kite, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier,  Griffon Vulture, Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Coot, Great Bustard, Stone Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull,  Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Hoopoe, Calandra Lark, Crested Lark, barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, White wagtail, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Blackcap, Great Tit, Raven, Common Starling, Spotless Starling, House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Serin, Linnet, Corn Bunting.

Distant shots of the Great Bustards from the rail bridge:

Great Bustards Otis tarda

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