EXTREMADURA - 7 DAY TOUR - DAY 6 - MAY 20TH 2012

TRANSFER DAY  - FINCA SANTA TO THE PARADOR DE GREDOS VIA TRUJILLO - MONFRAGUE PARK -PLASENCIA AND JERTE VALLEY

After an early breakfast we said goodbye to Finca Santa Marta and headed off towards Trujillo in dull overcast cloud. We travelled quickly and within an hour we had passed through Monfrague noting Griffon and Black Vultures, Black Kite, Booted Eagle and a new bird for our list a Sparrowhawk which was seen on the northern edge of the park.

We stopped at a bridge over the Rio Jerte north of Plasencia and found Grey Wagtail and Dipper, both new birds for our tally. A few kilometers further along the valley road we turned off and entered some oak woodland. We spent an hour or so searching for new species but only came up with brief views of Great Spotted woodpecker but better views of Garden Warbler, Golden Oriole, Robin, Long-tailed Tit, Cirl Bunting and lots of Chaffinches.

We drove a little higher up to the tree-line where the temperature had dropped to 5C and was a little chilly. We found a Pied Flycatcher along the way and Rock Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush and 'snow in the air' at the top. A couple of Booted Eagles and a Griffon Vulture were noted above us. Our journey back down was uneventful and just before the town of El Barco we stopped for lunch on a bridge over a small river. The sun shone through hazy cloud but rain was not too far away so we hurried. Birds seen during our picnic were Golden Oriole, Bonelli's Warbler ( an extremely confiding little beauty which foraged just a couple of meters below us) we also saw Booted Eagle, our first Honey Buzzard, Red KIte and a Bonelli's Eagle, I'm sure Mr Bonelli must have been here!!

We checked into our hotel at 1:30 - the Parador de Gredos is situated on the edge of a huge pine forest and all the upper rooms have views over the forest and of the distant mountains. After an hour settling in we took walk around the grounds, our first bird was a superb male Black Redstart, it was singing from the roof. Next we saw Rock Bunting, Coal Tit and Serin. Our walk produced a few more species but it was very cold so we decided to drive to a nearby river.

At Navarredonda we parked near the concrete 'bull-ring' and viewed the open meadows. We listed Yellow Wagtail, Northern Wheatear, Carrion Crow, Rock Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Linnet and we heard a Green Woodpecker. Further down the road we stopped to look for another Green Woodpecker that flew up into a pine copse, but instead we found some nice orchids. A short walk from there produced some really good species, we hit a small purple patch. Firstly a summer plummaged Water Pipit was seen then 3 Ortolan Buntings and beside them were two Citril Finches, well what excitement for the group.

Next we drove along a track for several kilometers which brought us to a bridge where we parked and took our last walk of the day. The sky had brightened a little and it wasn't long before we were watching a party of Crossbills, some 20+ birds were seen. We also found Long-tailed Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over us and lots of Chaffinches were in song.

At 5:30pm we called it a day and drove back to the Parador for a shower in readiness for dinner at 8pm.