EXTREMADURA
TO ANDALUCIA – WITH STOPS AT BONANZA SALT PANS – LAGUNA TARELO, TREBUJENA
SALT MARSH AND LAGUNA TORREGUADIARO
STAR BIRD - WHITE WINGED TERN
STAR BIRD - WHITE WINGED TERN
We set
off at 8:30am and drove directly to Seville; many species were noted from the
bus but nothing new for the trip list.
After a
lunch stop when we ate a lovely tapas sitting in warm sunshine we set off for
our first birding stop at Trebujena marsh. We searched open water and enclosed
lagunas for the rare Marbled Duck without success. A lot of work had been done
recently to strengthen the laguna banks so we assumed the ducks had been
disturbed. We did find: Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, Greater
Flamingo, Marsh Harrier and lots of Shoveler.
At
Laguna Tarelo we were again disappointed with the low number of birds, however
we did see several White-headed Ducks, Common Pochard, Black-necked Grebes,
Little Grebe, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and a couple of Common Waxbills,
 |
| Common Waxbill |
Most of
the Salt Pans were also devoid of birdlife but the main laguna near the pumping
station held quite a lot species. We were treated to a fishing exhibition by
several Caspian Terns, they were joined by a single Little Tern, a couple of
Sandwich Terns and after some debate and later consultation of the photo shown
below we had found a White-winged Tern. Great stuff and a very good record.
 |
| Juvenile White-winged Tern (formerly White-winged Black Tern) |
The
water here also held several hundred Greater Flamingos and an amazing count of
22 Great Egrets; I have never seen so many in one place. Black Storks numbered
3 but were still much appreciated. A good selection of waders included 2 new
species for our list: Spotted Redshank (14) and Little Stint (2), these were
joined by: Sanderling, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper (6), Turnstone, Ruff (1) and more
Avocet than you can shake a stick at.
 |
| Some of the 22 Great White Egrets seen at Bonanza Salt Pans + 1 Grey Heron |
We also enjoyed
great views of Slender-billed Gull, Red Kite, Booted Eagle, Griffon Vulture,
Marsh Harrier and plenty of common species. The flies eventually drove us off
as they constantly pestered us.
Our very
last birding was done at the Laguna Torreguadiaro near Soto Grande on the coast;
we were just 30 minutes from home now so a quick stop in the late afternoon sun
was welcomed by the group. We search the reed beds for a wintering Little
Bittern without success but there were plenty of other birds to see in the
shape of, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Moorhen, Coot, Kingfisher, Little Egret, barn
Swallow and Crag Martin.
Well
that concluded our birding tour we had seen 168 species, we had some memorable
sightings and happy memories of a fantastic trip to Coto Donana and
Extremadura.
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