Extremadura & Castilla La Mancha

19th - 26th March 2011

Early Spring can be magnificent with Great Bustards now performing their 'foam bath' display, Little Bustards gathered in winter flocks along with mixed flocks of Pin tailed & Black bellied Sandgrouse. Early migrants will have arrived with Great Spotted Cuckoos being chased by their host - Magpie, Lesser Kestrels should be hawking insects around Trujillo - home of the Conquistadours. The wetlands of La Mancha will hold many Greater Flamingos, wildfowl, waders and usually a few surprises along with a visit to the Gigantes (Windmills) on the 'Ruta de Don Quixote'. We will enjoy a memorable half day in the little-known reserve of Los Cabañeros, a haven for birds (especially raptors) and mammals, as we traverse this 'Serengeti of Spain' in special vehicles giving us access to the more remote areas. Monfrague needs no introduction as arguably the best reserve in Spain with huge numbers of raptors including the rare and endangered Spanish Imperial Eagle.

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Day 1 :- A flight into Madrid Airport where you will be met by your guide and after loading the mini-bus we head south into Castilla La Mancha stopping for a break or lunch before reaching our first night accommodation in Mota del Cuervo. This is the home of the 'Gigantes' made eternally famous by Dantes novel - Don Quixote and as part of the day we will visit their site. This area is superb for birds with extensive agricultural fields and vineyards, which hold many steppe species such as Great & Little Bustard, Pin tailed Sandgrouse, Stone Curlew, Lesser Kestrel and possibly Montagu's Harrier. There are also a fantastic network of lagoons in the area and we shall endeavour to visit the best of these that will include Manvajacas and Pedro Munoz where we will find Black necked Grebes, Greater Flamingos, White Stork, White headed Duck, Marsh & Hen Harriers, waders, Gull billed Terns, Penduline Tit, Savi's & Cetti's Warblers.

Day 2 :- After breakfast we go to Miguel Estaban another of this area's excellent wetlands, which can be very good for Pin tailed Sandgrouse and Great Spotted Cuckoos as well as White Stork, waders & wildfowl. Slowly we will head west stopping at more lagoons on-route, previous stops here have produced Lesser Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, and Garganey. After lunch we will go to one of Castilla-la Mancha's most important wetlands 'Tablas de Daimiel', at this time of year birds could include Grey Lag Geese, Common Cranes,, Marsh Harrier, Purple Gallinule, Water Rail, Bearded Tit, Reed Bunting, Spanish Sparrows, Savi's, Cetti's & Moustached Warblers. Finally we head for Alcoba and if time allows we will call into the hide situated on the edge of 'Los Cabañeros Reserve', and we should see Black & Griffon Vultures, Azure winged Magpie, Great Spotted Cuckoo, and Spanish Sparrows.

Day 3 :- An early start as we swap transport for a special 4 x 4 vehicle, which will take us on safari for the morning. Apart from the main road that runs through the reserve vehicular access to here is restricted to this type of transport (or walking) and strictly governed. The huge plains and rolling hills, with Red Deer, Red Fox & Wild Boar and a very high concentration of raptors with reputedly 120+ pairs of Black Vulture alone, plus Spanish Imperial, Golden & Short toed Eagles, Lapwing, Little Bustard, Southern Grey Shrike, Jay and Corn Bunting. After lunch our next destination will be Embalse de Garcia de Sola, hoping to see the resident Bonelli’s Eagles, and possibly Griffon & Egyptian Vultures, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Raven, and Cattle Egrets. We drive into Extremadura and to our accommodation for the next five nights, a beautiful 'casa rural' situated just outside Trujillo, surrounded by some wonderful countryside with some excellent walks. At night we shall listen and look for singing Scop's Owl with a chance of also finding a Long eared Owl, which roost nearby.

Days 4, 5, 6 & 7 :- The next four days will be spent visiting some of the very best of sites in Extremadura such as Monfrague National Park, Santa Marta de Magasca, the Zorita Plains, Vegas Altas, Jaraicejo Heath,  Embalse de Arrocampo, and the Belen Plains. Some time will be spent in Trujillo's main square where we will see some lovely architecture along with nesting Lesser Kestrels, White Storks and Jackdaws.

The steppes can be simply outstanding with species gathering into large groups on the extensive rolling plains with Great & Little Bustard, Black-bellied & Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Stone Curlew, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Southern Grey Shrikes being some of our targets.

Extremadura is home to huge numbers of raptors, which include Griffon Black & Egyptian Vultures, Spanish Imperial, Golden & Bonelli's Eagles, Red & Black Shouldered Kites, Marsh & Hen Harriers, Lesser Kestrel and Peregrine all of which can be found with a little vigilance.

Amongst the limestone crags we should find an Eagle Owl (on the nest), Black Stork, Rock & Cirl Buntings, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin, and Black Redstart, and in the dehesa we look for Hawfinch, Woodlark, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Short toed Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Firecrest, Crested & Long tailed Tits.

The Embalse de Arrocampo will also produce some extra quality species such as Purple Gallinule, Great White Egret, Night & Purple Heron, Spoonbill, Penduline Tit, Cetti's & Savi's Warblers, this area has undergone some excellent habitat management and makes up one of Spain's premier wetland sites.  

Day 8 :- This morning we repack the minibus and return to Madrid in good time for our flight back to Britain.

"What's been said"

Hi Jules - " thank you" for a fantastic week. When I got back and checked my records there were 8 new species which was incredible! By some measure my best birding hol in Spain - great birds with superb views, a racing wild boar and a splendid group who got on very well together. We all appreciated not only the birding but also the taste of Spain eg in the lunch stops. C Byrne

We are stiill enjoying the afterglow of a wonderful trip that has inspired us both to do a number of things, not least work out when we can get on another one! Your guiding was out of the top drawer, your enthusiasm is remarkable, and your patience is  astonishing. Thank you so much. We were not able to give you as much, as a token of our appreciation as we would have wished. M & W Ball

Dear Jules, thank you for the brilliant week, in spite of some indentification difficulties on our part the week was brilliant both birdwise and socially.  Just how many birds we saw and positively (with help) identified wasn't really evident until we got home and entered them on the computer. The list just went on and on with some stellar birds everyday and one memorable owl walk. Most organisations these days seem to require their customers to answer a questionairre at the conclusion of their holiday. For your information the only thing which really bugged us all and probably put a damper on the Saturday was the idiotic Spanish Traffic Cop. But then I suppose this could be a further example of Spanish feral wild life. R & A Chisholm-batten

Here is something you can put on your website from a satisfied customer!
"Jules is the perfect blend of expert birder and good tour leader; his knowledge of the birds of Spain is extensive, and his skill in locating and identifying them, second to none!  Our trip with him was highly enjoyable and great fun.  I rate him up there with the best, and recommend his trips to anyone.". I shall definitely be back. A. Skiffington

A big thank you note. The thank you is from the Extremadura holiday for making my recognition of the Woodlark so easy. I have just returned from birding and two came very close, right in front of the hide and I instantly knew what they were. J Moon

Just thought that I would drop you a line to say THANKS, THANKS, THANKS for a fantastic trip, you are a consummate professional, and were attentive to our every needs, my trip list came to 150+ species which by any standard is FANTASTIC, keep up the good work. J Fotheringham

Hi Jules. Thanks for such a super time last week, the bird list was amazing.  The trip home went like clockwork, arriving home at 9.00pm.  Met some friends last night and told them of your trips and one is already interested in one of your short breaks!. I will keep in contact and wish you the best of good fortune for the future. J & O Gould