Spring and Summer Tour Itinerary
Day 1; Arrival at either Sevilla / Jerez de la Frontera airport. Transfer
to Coto Donaña. Night spent at El Rocio.
Days 2-3; The Donana national park covers almost half a million acres and is
one of the most important wetlands in Europe being home to an abundance of
wildlife in particular resident and migratory birds. Rare birds such as
Spanish Imperial Eagle, Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian
Spoonbill and Purple Gallinule are a few of the species we are hoping to
watch. The diversity of the park allows us to select different habitats
where there is normally a large selection of species to see. If winter and
early spring rainfall has taken the lagoons, marismas and various ponds and
lakes to higher water levels, then we are in for a treat! We would then be
in a better position to see such wonderful birds as Black-eared Wheatear,
Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, Red-rumped Swallow, Purple Night,
and Squacco Herons, Woodchat Shrike and Azure-winged Magpie, Red-crested
Pochard, Marbled Duck, Griffon Vulture, Booted Eagle, Red Kite, Dartford,
Cetti's, and Sardinian Warblers. Days 4-7; Travelling across into Cadiz province there will be oppotunities
to visit open farmland and irrigation canals and lakes including the Laguna
de Medina near Jerez de la Frontera. We will spend the next four nights at
the Hotel Almadraba in Zahara de los Atunes where we will arrive in good
time for dinner. The next few days will be spent exploring the very best
birding sites inland and on the unspoilt Costa de la Luz. The wonerful Ojen
Valley and surrounding valleys and sierras of the pituresque Alcornocales
National park offers a chance to see many Raptors including Griffon and
EgyptianVulture, Bonelli's and Golden Eagles, Buzzard, Goshawk and Hobby and
Short-toed Eagle. Other species here include Hawfinch, Black-eared Wheatear.
Blue Rock Thrush, Short-toed Treecreeper and Great-spotted Cuckoo.
We'll also travel to the plains of La Janda and the farmland of the Benalup
area of this rich birding area. Earlier in the year there is still the
chance to see Little Bustard and Comon Crane that over winter. La Janda was
once the largest natural freshwater marsh and lake in Europe but has been
drained and given over to rice, cotton maize and sunflower fields.
Nevertheless the area still attracts huge numbers of resident and migrants
alike. Here we can expect to see Purple, Grey & Night Heron, Cattle and
Little Egret, Crested and Calandra Lark, Reed Warbler, Monagu's & Marsh
Harrier, White Stork and if we are lucky, Black Stork too! There is also a
large breeding colony of Collared Pratincole that nest amongst Black-winged
Stilt, Green Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail. Little Owl are usually present
with a chance to see migrating Short Eared owl too.
We will also have a beech walk along Playa de los Lances near to the town of
Tarifa. This is where the Rio de la Jara flows out on its last leg from the
Alcornocales to the Atlantic. We can see almost anything here as the
changing weather dictates what stays here for a few days or flies over,
westwards or northwards. Caspian Terns can often be found sitting on
sandbars amongst Audoin's and Yellow-legged Gull. It's worth watching out
for Grey Plover, Little ringed & Kentish Plover here too.
No trip would be the same without a visit or two to the Mirador over the
Strait of Gibraltar to watch incoming flights of Griffon and Egyptian
Vulture, Black Kite and Booted Eagle. Another great viewing point is
directly below on the coast at Guadalmesi opposite Morocco. This gives us
flexibility of changing our viewing positions according to the weather in
the Straits. Sancti Petri island and the estuary there, is another
destination. We will take to the water in a boat, quietly exploring the
tributaries and deltas of this rich natural park. If weather permits we will
land on the Island of Sancti Petri itself.
Day 8; We return to your airport of arrival for an afternoon flight back to
the UK.
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