Field Meeting for June 2012

[pieter]

BIRDWATCHING TRIP TO ODIEL MARSHES NATURE RESERVE

Guide: Manu Mojarro. manu@spoontrips.com

Date : Saterday 16th of June

Meeting place: Visitors Centre Odiel Marshes Nature Reserve

Time: 09.00

Duration: 5 hours

Accommodation: Accommodations in Huelva area can be trouble free booked through Visithuelva.com. They guarantee the lowest rate in most cases.

This is a day out to the �Kingdom of the Tide� to look for waders, seabirds and
water birds. By the road that connects some islands on the Odiel Marshes we can get
to Anastasio Senra�s Visitors Center and continue to have nice spots on the mudflats at
the South of the reserve. Then we go to El Portil to enjoy the scenery and birds from the
sightseeing platform.

Possible birds for the checklist:
Residents: Marsh Harrier, Spoonbill, Little Egret, Flamingo, Yellow-legged Gull, Hoopoe,
Crested Coot, Spanish Sparrow, Kentish Plover, Black-winged Stilt; Winter Birds: Curlew
Sandpiper, Dunlin, Gannet, Scoter, Great Cormorant, Pintail, Shoveler, Wigeon, Great
White Egret, Osprey, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Sanderling,
Greenshank, Whimbrel, Audouin�s Gull, Sandwich Tern; Summer Birds: Osprey,
Montagu�s Harrier, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Bee-eater, Little Bitern, Little Tern,
Black Tern, Collared Pratincole, Red-rumped Swallow, Reed Warbler; Migrants: Knot,
Spotted Redshank, Common Tern, Artic Tern.


Optional: Sierra Pelada & Andevalo Area
For those who want to stay more time in this interesting birding area, there is an option to participate in a guided birding tour on the 17th of June.

Guide: Manu Mojarro. manu@spoontrips.com

Date : Sunday 17th of June

Meeting place: Parking place Leroy Merlin

Time: 09.00

Duration: 10 hours

Costs for ABS members: 45 Euros

This full day trip is an ascent to the woody hills at the north of Huelva to watch
raptors, small birds and other wildlife on the rocks, woods and scrubland. The main
colony of Black Vulture in Andalucia is located in Sierra Pelada. On the way up we can
look for Little and Great Bustards on the steppes.

Possible birds for the checklist:
Residents: Little Bustard, Great Bustard, Black Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Eagle Owl,
Hoopoe, Blue Rock Thrush, Thekla Lark, Stonechat, Sardinian Warbler, Dartford
Warbler; Winter Birds: Golden Plover, Lapwing, Northern Wheatear, Chiffchaff,
Firecrest; Summer Birds: Quail, Black-eared Wheatear, Booted Eagle, Short-toed
Eagle, Bee-eater, Melodious Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Great Spotted
Cuckoo, Black Stork; Migrants: Whinchat, Willow Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Rock
Thrush.

[Bob Wright]

I'll be with you on the Saturday bring Jenny plus Steve and Elena Powell.  We have already booked in at Matalascanas so just have to remember to get up and out of the hotel by 8.30!!!  Manu, I think you have a date mistake for the follow-up meet which, presumably, should be on SUNDAY, 17 June.

Looking forward, as usual, to s great day on the Odiel Marshes.

Bob Wright

[jerry]

sorry will miss this meeting due to work commitments , great area we were there at Easter - enjoy!
regards Barbara and Jerry

[Peter]

Manu, I think you have a date mistake for the follow-up meet which, presumably, should be on SUNDAY, 17 June. Bob Wright

Actually no confusion Bob, Manu has posted the same dates as you! 

I'll be there, as will a few others I have spoken to (yet to post here).

Peter

[Doñana Spoonbill Trips]

Hello everybody!

My first contribution to the ABS Forum is just to let you know you can ask me anything about the June field trip or the optional tour through these lines or emailing me to manu@spoontrips.com.

I hope as many people as possible come to Huelva. It will be a pleasure to guide you in my homeland.

I am looking forward to meeting you soon.
Manu,

[Doñana Spoonbill Trips]

Sorry, I just posted twice the same so forget this current message please.

Good post above.

[Bob Wright]

I am still in the Donana area so this is a very early response to yesterday's ABS field meeting in Huelva led by Manu.  What can I say?  I travelled down with Jenny bringing Steve and Elena Powell and we were joined by Steve and Julia who were over from England for four days to visit their house near Ayamonte  on the Spanish/Portuguese border which had recently been burgled. So just the six of us met up with Manu at the Visitors' Centre at the north of the Odiel Marches and, as a result, all travelled in Manu's WV people carrier.

And what a cracking day's birding we had so all thanks to Manu.  Lots of local historical and environmental knowledge, masses of enthusiasm, excellent English and a birding knowledge of his "patch" that seemed to know no bounds.  We had a truly memorable day, recorded over sixty species before taking our departures at around 3 pm after almost six hours continuous birding (and not forgetting the side trip to pick up the chameleons).

Difficult to pick out a "bird of the day" but the pair of Ospreys sitting on their nest with three well-grown young, the family of four Marsh harriers and even the very close Montagu's Harrier would all be prime candidates.  Or what about close views of nesting and feeding Collared Pratincoles, Little Terns and Kentish Plovers?  All three grebes were seen along with Purple Swamphen, Purple Heron and scores of Spoonbills.  There is no end to the subject.

So, once back at Casa Collado, I'll post a list of our sixty-plus species for you all to enjoy.

Meanwhile, given that this was not the best time of year to visit the area (!), Manu has offered to lead another field visit in either the autumn or early spring.  I for one can't wait for it to be arranged and, once again I am sure, our grateful thanks to Manu for giving up his time and using his expertise to lead such a successful visit.  Well done Manu and thanks very much from your group of six.

Bob Wright

[Bob Wright]

Just a reminder that Steve and Julie Houston, Steve and Elena Powell, Jenny and I joined our tour leader Manu for a fabulous day's birding last Saturday where, under Manu's expertise and enthusiasm we managed, by my calculations based on what the ithers told me, we managed to record 65 species and left with Manu's invisitation to join hime again in the Province come autumn or spring for an even better day!  What a man!

Birds recorded:

Shelduck
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveler
Redcrested Pochard
Common Pochard
Little Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Cattle Egret
Little Egret
Glossy Ibis
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
White Stork
Spoonbill
Osprey
Black Kite
Marsh Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Buzzard
Moorhen
Purple Swampen
Coot
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
Stone Curlew
Collared Pratincole
Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
Kentish Plover
Grey Plover
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Black-tailed Godwit
Redshank
Turnstone
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Sandwich Tern
Little Tern
Black Tern
Collared Dove
Common Swift
Pallid Swift
Hoopoe
Crested Lark
Barn Swallow
House Martin
Red-rumped Swallow
Iberian (Yellow) Wagtail
White Wagtail
Blackbird
Reed Warbler
Crested Tit
Iberian Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
Azure-winged Magpie
Magpie
Spotless Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Serin
Linnet

Amazing, looking at the above list, the number of birds that, although seen during the week-end, were not recorded on Saturday.  But then that's birding for you!

Many thanks once again, Manu and, I am sure, we all eagerly look forward to next time.

Bob Wright

[Steve25]

[Doñana Spoonbill Trips]