Galana's. Third big year.

[Galana]

After that brief delay it is time for some more:-

First a duck for two locations:-

A distant shot at Sarinena early in our trip. Best I could do.

Then I got lucky when I discovered that our choice of an overnight stop on the drive south took me close to Las Tablas di Damiel NP so I just had to pay a visit with the following better result with a very shy pair..

The male was having non of it and made for the reeds

but his lady was more obliging (despite some orrible Spanish child throwing chocolates at it.)

66. Red-crested Pochard.

 

67. Great Egret. Sarinena. Zaragoza.

 

68. Eurasian Marsh Harrier. As an ECB but all was not lost.

 

A pair came to visit me in Sipan. I have never been this close to a perched Harrier.

 

69. Tree Sparrow. Sipan.

 

70 Lesser Kestrels. This was a private house and I could not get nearer. Monnegras.

[Dave Williams]

15 minutes ago, Galana said:

Neither have I!  It's after twelve o'clock now.  Check out its number and Latin name.

 

No comment you little ********.

 

Nice one!!

I hadn't even realised the date...

[Peter Connan]

[PeterHG]

Love your April Warbler !

[Galana]

5 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

No comment you little ********.

52 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

Love your April Warbler

Best guess is it is  a Leucistic Sardinian so no tick but it gave me an idea I could not resist.

[Galana]

Another batch:-

71. Corn Bunting. Virtually everywhere.

 

Going for an ECB duo and then the camera plays up...

And fails to blur the image...

72. European Hoopoe. Monegras and Casares.

 

73. that's better. An Ecb to be proud of and a lifer.

Iberian Grey Shrike. Meridionalis.  Monegras.

 

74. Getting the hang of these ECBs.

Little Owl. Monnegras.

 

75. Thekla Lark. (Lifer) Monnegras.

[Dave Williams]

Are you 100% on the Thekla Fred? I'd hate you to lose a lifer but.....

 

Second thoughts the first might be but the second I have as a Crested for sure.Surely the chest should be more streaked?

Edited April 1, 2019 by Dave Williams

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

Are you 100% on the Thekla Fred? I'd hate you to lose a lifer but.....

 

Second thoughts the first might be but the second I have as a Crested for sure.Surely the chest should be more streaked?

To be honest I have no idea. Most larks and pipits are not my strongest suites. I relied on my guide Alberto's call.

We were up on the steppes in very arid country which does fit the 'location' for Thekla.  "Higher altitude on barren mountain slopes or dry steppes." Looking at the two again and comparing with my field guide illustrations I could reverse your feeling about either.

[Galana]

Another five to post.

One lifer and two ECBs.

76. Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Monnegras Steppes. Best I could do.

 

77. Red-legged Partridge. Sipan.

 

78. Black Redstart. Most places.

 

79. Spectacled Warbler. Monnegras Steppes.  Lifer for me!

And you learn something new every day..

Seen lots of these chaps in Africa but never knew they parasited Magpies.

Let's hear it for

80. Great Spotted Cuckoo. Sarinena. There were three of them. My guide was jumping about pointing to one while I had one closer, but not by much. The magpies were going ballistic.

 

Another five later on after I go out in the sunshine.

 

[Galana]

I went out and the sun went in but did find the first WheatEars of the spring.

So here are a few more ingredients for my Spanish Omelette...

 

First we spy an Eagle hunting and with patience we see it get closer for a BIF shot.

 

81. Golden Eagle. Mongras.

 

82. Calendra Lark. Mongras Steppes.

 

On the way home we stop by the roadside, taking care not to alert other road users to what we are looking at..

 

83. European Eagle Owl.   Nesting somewhere in Spain.

 

84, White Stork. We first saw these from the train windows near Zaragoza as they nest in the overhead power gantries.

In Sarinena they have built a tower to house a colony to keep them off the power lines.

 

85. Reed Bunting. Serinena and Las Tablas di Damiella.

[PeterHG]

Great collection of steppe birds! Eagle Owl and Golden Eagle both magnificent birds to see. 

[Galana]

17 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Great collection of steppe birds!

I would have been lost without Alberto and he really knew the Steppes of Monnegros. We saw a lot more than I could actually photograph.

 

Having 'finished' with the Steppes we now move back to the Sipan and Vadiello areas of the Pyrenees outliers:-

Starting with..

86. Blue Rock Thrush.

 

87. Crag Martin. Valdiello.

 

88. European Serin. Rio Guadiaro.

Now for some controversy...Splitters? HuH?

89. "Mediterranean Peregrine" is what my guide called it. Ssp Brookerie and I can see the rufous below. but e can talk again if and when I manage to get a 'proper' Peregrine this year. Vadiello cliffs.

 

 

 

90. Egyptian Vulture. Several soaring about the Vadiello cliffs.

[Galana]

Final five for today:-

 

91. Common Cranes migrating. Is this an ECB or a chance BIF?

 

92. Black Wheatear. All I saw were very shy and these are the best I could get. But a Lifer is a lifer!!

Now for what must be the ultimate ECB.

 

93. Bonelli's Eagle. Vadiello. According to my mentor and guide Alberto this was the only Bonelli's Eagle in the Pyrenees and he was delighted to have found it. With a build up like that I just had to try and photo it.

 

A bit of a relief from ECB now with a small bird that cooperated briefly but I got it fair and square.

Same shot but different treatment. You choose.

94. Dartford Warbler. Near Sipan.

 

Finally a bird that was everywhere but I kept neglecting to take its photo until almost too late.

95. Spotless Starling. Sipan and elsewhere.

 

Tomorrow I will reveal my 100th bird. Well 101st really but I switched them around in view of the subject.

[pedro maia]

I choose the second treatment for #94.

[PeterHG]

I'm sure EBC stands for: Every Bonelli' s Eagle Counts. A great find and one that Alberto failed to find for us, much to his regret. I'm glad you got to see it!

[Galana]

11 hours ago, pedro maia said:

I choose the second treatment for #94.

So do I and that is the uncut version.

2 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

one that Alberto failed to find

Yes. He was really delighted with that.

 

 

[Dave Williams]

That camera is very capable, you have some excellent shots in your BY.

[Galana]

Now for another five:-

 

96. Chiff-Chaff. Sipan. I don't know if Iberian but not bothered. Chiff Chaff will do.

 

97.  Short-toed Eagle. Sipan and Vadiello. Snatched from a migrating flock.

 

98. Rock Sparrow. Sipan.

 

99. Yellow-legged Gull. OK. So you can't see the legs! Vadiello 'Lake'.

 

and....

 

100. Bearded Vulture. Vadiello. Why do they always manage to get some foliage in the way???

My 2nd or third visit to Vadiello. There was a territory nearby and one of the pair would do a brief fly by about every two hours. So a sighting but no snap! Then as we finished lazing in the sun as set off to leave I glanced up and blinked. One had come to say good bye and was perched on a pinnacle above us.

I have seen and photoed Lammergeiers before but this was the first one actually sitting. A good day for me.

The pity was that Alberto was not there to share it as he had tried so hard to find one for me.

 

More follows:-

[Galana]

4 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

That camera is very capable, you have some excellent shots in your BY.

Thanks. Sometimes I love it and some times I curse it. If it does well it  really does well but the length of lens is not all it is cracked up to be although none really can do this.

But, stating the obvious, get in close in good light and it is fine. I just yearn for the twist grip manual zoom of the old Fuji I had. Hey. What do we want for £200 of Amazon vouchers??

[TonyQ]

@Galana

Well done on the 100 and a magnificent bird to achieve it. You had a reall productive trip to Spain - a great collection

[Tdgraves]

Well done on 100

 

[xelas]

5 hours ago, Galana said:

What do we want for £200 of Amazon vouchers??

 

Maybe newest Nikon A1000: https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_coolpix_a1000_review ... only you will need more then one voucher .

[Galana]

Thanks but even I would think that was a step backwards. It may not even do ECBs!

[michael-ibk]

You got some seriously awesome species in Spain, very well done. Masterful ebcs as usual, in a league of their own, but some like the Dartford Warbler are really way beyond your standards.

 

Got a good chuckle about your April Fool´s Warbler, and that´s actually a very attractive litte guy, would love to see one like that.

[Galana]

1 minute ago, michael-ibk said:

but some like the Dartford Warbler are really way beyond your standards.

I know. Even the best cameras can let one down at times.

Thanks for the comments. I am not done yet with the species. Some old friends and some new.

 Here are the next five:-

 

101. Blue Tit. Vadiello. Technically this should have been #100 but could not help move the Bearded Vulture up one place.

 

102. Isabelline Warbler. Casares.

 

103. Greater spotted Woodpecker. Casa Vivan balcony, Sipan. Fluke capture as I was focusing on a Siskin!

 

104. Yellow Wagtail. Las Tablas di Damiella.

 

105. Barn Swallow. Las Tablas di Damiella.