Dave Williams Big Year 2017

[Dave Williams]

205) Red-rumped Swallow Extremadura,Spain

Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

206) Ortolan Bunting Sierra de Gredos,Spain

Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulan by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

207) Water Pipit Sierra de Gredos,Spain.

A struggle to get near this one!

Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

208) Rock Sparrow Colera y Chozas,Spain

A very distant record of a new bird for me. Sadly didn't realise until later what I had seen and could have improved on!

Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

209) (Blue-headed) Yellow Wagtail Sierra de Gredos,Spain

There are so many sub species of the Yellow Wagtail, this one is the Spanish version Iberiae

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla Flava Iberiae by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

210) Egyptian Vulture Monfrague,Spain

Sadly I didn't realise my 1.4TC had been slowly falling apart internally when I took these shots which like the previous 3 days of photos are very, very soft. Shame it was a lifer for me and the only sighting at anything like a photographical distance.

Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

211) Alpine Swift Monfrague Spain

Fast flying, a naked lens is the best hope of capturing them!

Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

212) European Hoopoe Colera y Chozas,Spain

Taken from a hired photo hide.

Hoopoe. Upupa epops by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

213) Woodlark Extremadura Spain

Woodlark Lullula arborea by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

214) Blue Rock Thrush Monfrague,Spain.

Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

215) Dunnock Sierra de gredos,Spain

Didn't have to go to Spain and climb to 5800 feet for this one, we have them in our garden! Still, I wasn't sure what I was looking at at first as the sun shone on the silver breast feathers.

Dunnock Prunella modularis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

@@Dave Williams

A lovely set of additions to the Spanish collection

[michael-ibk]

I just love the Hoopoe, what a cool shot.

[PeterHG]

@@Dave Williams

Excellent set of Spanish birds again. You certainly did well on the Swallow and Swifts!

[Peter Connan]

Magnificent birds and photography. The red-rumped swallow shot is incredible. Hoopoe is brilliant too.

[Dave Williams]

216)Common Sandpiper Colera Y Chozas Spain

Taken from a hide.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

217 )Dunlin Colera Y Chozas Spain

 

Taken from a hide.

Dunlin Calidris alpina by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

218) Greenshank

219) Spotted Redshank

About 200m away but probably the only Spotted Redshank i'll see this year. Not common in the UK.

 

Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

219) Little Bittern Arrocampo Reservoir,Spain.

The variety of birds was good but photographing them was very limited.

Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

220) Purple Swamphen Arrocampo ,Spain

This must be one of the most northerly places in Europe you can find them and they are breeding too. My Collins guide needs updating!

 

Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

221) Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed Warbler) Los Canchales,Spain.

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

222) Purple Heron Arrocampo,Spain

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

223) Little Owl Nr Trujillo, Spain.

Just north of the town you can find the "birding road" where all the telegraph poles have nest boxes attached to them. Main occupiers are Jackdaws,European Rollers and Little Owls. A great benefit to the farming community as they provide organic pest control!

 

Little Owl Athene noctua by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

224) Calandra Lark Nr Trujillo, Spain.

The fence posts along the birding road are alive with Larks

Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

225) Corn Bunting Nr Trujillo,Spain

Corn Buntings are common place in Spain but sadly nearly vanished from the UK. It's all down to our farming methods. In this part of Spain it is obvious that the use of pesticides is fairly limited so there is plenty of food for the wildlife.

Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra by Dave Williams, on Flickr