Sunday 9 January 2011

DECEMBER 2010: Notable bird sightings in Extremadura

Black Kite (Milvus migrans). Mérida Landfill Site, Badajoz, 03-12-10 (Ángel Sánchez).

A list of the most notable records sent to the GOCE forum in December 2010 (compiled by Sergio Mayordomo). Click here for backdated months.

-Canada Goose: 2 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 19/12 (Álvaro Díaz Pastor et al).
-Barnacle Goose: one at Valdecañas Reservoir (Cáceres) on 8/12 (Javier Briz and Vicente Risco) and 11/12 (Ángel Sánchez); 2 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz), on 19/12 (Á. Díaz Pastor et al).
-Shelduck: 3 at Los Canchales Reservoir (Bajadoz) on 6/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Ruddy Shelduck: 3 at Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 4/12 (César Clemente, Javier Mahillo, Martin Kelsey and Sergio Mayordomo) and another 3 birds at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 19/12 (Á. Díaz Pastor et al).
-Wood Duck: one drake in a pond at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 17/12 (C. Clemente), 20/12 (S. Mayordomo) and 29/12 (Javier Prieta).
-Mandarin Duck: one bird with atypical plumage on Tentudía Reservoir (Bajadoz) on 26/12 (Alberto Pacheco).
-Teal: count of 1000 birds on the pond of Torrecilla, Plasencia (Cáceres), on 11/12 (J. Prieta).
-Tufted Duck: 77 birds on the pond at Brozas (Cáceres) on 29/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Black-Necked Grebe: 3 on the pond at Brozas (Cáceres) on 29/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Glossy Ibis: 2 at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz) on 27/12 (Antonio Ceballos).
-Little Bittern: wintering birds on the River Guadiana: 5 at Badajoz on 1/12 (Juan Pablo Prieto), 4 at Badajoz on 8/12 (Juan Carlos Paniagua) and one at Mérida on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez). One bird on Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 2/12 (S. Mayordomo),
-Black Stork: 2 birds seen at Oliva de Plasencia (Cáceres) on 22/12 (Raúl Guzmán) and on 26/12 (Ricardo Montero). On 26/12 one at Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Cáceres) (Manuel Rodríguez).
-Osprey: one at La Nava de Santiago (Bajadoz) on 8/12 (Á. Sánchez); at Arroyo Guerrero, La Roca de la Sierra (Bajadoz), on 15/12 (Ángel Luis Sánchez); at Ahigal Reservoir (Cáceres) on 17/12 (S. Mayordomo) and at Arrocampo Reservoir (Cáceres) on 30/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Short-Toed Eagle: first December record for Extremadura: one bird seen near El Gordo on the border between Cáceres and Toledo on 7/12 (J. Briz).
-Black Kite: one bird at Mérida Landfill Site (Bajadoz) on 3/12 (Á. Sánchez) and Mirabel Landfill Site (Cáceres) on 15/12 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Egyptian Vulture: one adult at La Roca de La Sierra (Bajadoz) on 15/12 (Á. L. Sánchez) and 3 adults at Canchos de Ramiro (Cáceres) on 26/12 (C. Clemente).
-Griffon Vulture: a pair incubating an early clutch on 19/12 at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres) (Manuel García del Rey and S. Mayordomo).
-Bonelli's Eagle: one juvenile at Montemolín (Bajadoz) on 10/12 (A. Pacheco).
-Imperial Eagle: juveniles at Montemolín (Bajadoz) on 10/12 (A. Pacheco) and at Llera (Bajadoz) on 11/12 (Antonio Núñez).
-Goshawk: one bird in display flight at Pinofranqueado (Cáceres) on 13/12 (A. Pacheco).
-Montagu's Harrier: first wintering record for Extremadura: one adult male at Navas del Madroño (Cáceres) on 29/12 (A. Ceballos)
-Lesser Kestrel: 5 wintering birds seen in December at Acedera (Bajadoz) (Manuel Gómez). One bird seen at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez) and at Jaraíz de la Vera (Cáceres) on 26/12 (Jaime Collado).
-Purple Swamphen: another bird seen at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 2/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Stone Curlew: 175-bird roost at La Nava de Santiago (Bajadoz) on 8/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Black-Winged Stilt: Biggest ever wintering flock in Extremadura: about 1000 birds on the ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Avocet: 3 at Galisteo Lake (Cáceres) on 2/12 (S. Mayordomo); 11 at Laguna Grande de La Albuera (Bajadoz) on 4/12 (J. C. Paniagua); 2 at Lugar Nuevo, Peraleda de la Mata (Cáceres) on 11/12 (Dave Langlois, J. Briz and Samuel Langlois) and one on the ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Kentish Plover: 9 at Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 26/12 (Fernando Yuste) and 25 on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez). In both cases some of the birds were in summer plumage.
-Curlew: 5 at Los Canchales Reservoir (Bajadoz) on 6/12 (Á. Sánchez); one at El Ancho, Arroyo de la Luz (Cáceres), on 10/12 (S. Mayordomo); 4 at Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 18/12 (F. Yuste); one at Riolobos (Cáceres) on 19/12 (C. Clemente and J. Mahillo); 8 at Galisteo on 22/12 (R. Montero) and 15 at Casar de Miajadas (Cáceres) on 24/12 (M. Rodríguez).
-Woodcock: one at Dehesa Boyal de Montehermoso (Cáceres) on 26/12 (comment by C. Clemente). One at Santa cruz de Paniagua (Cáceres) on 31/12 (J. C. Paniagua).
-Spotted Redshank: one on ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Ruff: 400 on ricefields of Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) on 30/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Knot: one juvenile at Portaje Reservoir on 3/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Mediterranean Gull: 2 at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Common Gull: One at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez).
-Yellow-Legged Gull: one adult on 10/12 and 29/12 at El Ancho, Arroyo de la Luz (Cáceres) (S. Mayordomo); one at Mérida (Bajadoz) on 25/12 (Á. Sánchez) and another at Valdesalor Reservoir (Cáceres) on 27/12 (S. Mayordomo).
-Stock Dove: 40 birds at Riolobos (Cáceres) on 19/12 (C. Clemente and J. Mahillo).
-Long-Eared Owl: one bird at Ribera del Fresno (Bajadoz) on 11/12 (A. Núñez).
-Short-Eared Owl: roost of 3 birds at Santa Amalia (Bajadoz) (F. Yuste and Jesús Porras) and one bird at Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Bajadoz), on 19/12 (Á. Díaz Pastor et al).
-Wryneck: 2 at Arrocampo Reservoir (Cáceres) on 21/12 (Chris Mills) and one bird at Plasencia on 24/12 (Eva Palacios) and on 31/12 (R. Montero)
-Red-Rumped Swallow: one bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 24/12 (C. Mills).
-Goldcrest: 2 in Mediterranean woodland at Canchos de Ramiro (Cáceres) on 22/12 (R. Montero). 3 at Valdesalor dam (Cáceres) on 26/12 (A. Ceballos)
-Alpine Accentor: 22 at Monesterio (Bajadoz) on 26/12 (A. Pacheco).