Monday 1 August 2011

JUNE 2011. Notable Bird Sightings in Extremadura

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo). Adult. Valdecañas Reservoir, 20-06-11. Javier Prieta.

List of the most notable records in June 2011, mostly taken from the GOCE forum. Compiled by Sergio Mayordomo. N.B: The denomination "Valdecañas Team 2011" (VT2011) refers, in alphabetical order, to Joaquín Fernández, Manuel Flores, José Guerrero, Carlota Gutiérrez, Francisco Hurtado, Luis Lozano, Sergio Mayordomo, Javier Prieta, Domingo Rivera, Miguel Ángel Romo, Esmeralda Rodríguez and Ángel Sánchez.

-Black Swan: One at El Batán ricefield, Guijo de Galisteo (Cáceres), on 13/06 (Javier Prieta).
-Egyptian Goose: Second breeding site in Extremadura: a pair with 3 young at Valdecañas Reservoir(Cáceres) on 14/06 (Ángel Sánchez, Francisco Hurtado and Manuel Flores). 2 at La Serena reservoir Badajoz) on 04/06 (María José Valencia and Xurxo Piñeiro). One at Alange reservoir (Badajoz) on 11/06 (Domingo Jorge, Esther Mateos and Jesús Solana).
- Shelduck: First Extremadura breeding record: at least 5 pairs and 21 young seen at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 14/06 (Á. Sánchez, F. Hurtado and M. Flores), 16/06 (Sergio Mayordomo) and 20/06 (VT2011). Two birds at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 25/06 (César Clemente and Javier Mahíllo).
-Mandarin Duck: Second Extremadura breeding record: a female with 5 large chicks on a pond in Valcorchero, Plasencia (Cáceres) on 26/06 (Carlos Martín).
-Shoveler: one female flushed off a nest with 8 eggs at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (Sergio Mayordomo and Javier Prieta).
-Teal: 2 drakes and 1 duck on Talaván reservoir (Cáceres) on 17/06 (S. Mayordomo) and 5 birds at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Spoonbill: New breeding site: a nest occupied by a pair on an island of El Borbollón reservoir (Cáceres) on 08/06 (J. Mahíllo, Jesús Montero, Jonás Martín, J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Squacco Heron: 1 bird at Villanueva de la Serena (Badajoz) on 12/06 (Á. Sánchez).
-White Stork: colony with 130 nests around the Mirabel landfill site (Cáceres), 82 nesting on Holm Oaks and 48 on high voltage powerline pylons (J. Prieta). Colony with an estimated 150 nests at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) (Jerónimo Jaén).
-Osprey: 1 at Charca de Camacho, Talaván (Cáceres), on 20/06 (José Luis Caballero).
-Rüppell's Vulture: one at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 18/06 (S. Mayordomo and Ricardo Montero).
-Goshawk: one at El Bronco (Cáceres) on 20/06 (Alberto Pacheco).
-Hobby: one at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 02/06 (Dave Langlois) and another hawking dragonflies at Nuñomoral (Cáceres) on 21/06 (A. Pacheco).
-Great Bustard: birds in post-breeding dispersal in north Cáceres: 3 at Cerezo on 20/06 and 1 at El Gasco on 26/06 (reported by A. Pacheco).
-Crane: 1 at Madrigalejo (Cáceres) on 04/06 (Pep Tapia) and one adult at Gabriel y Galán reservoir (Cáceres) on 09/06 (A. Pacheco).
-Golden Plover: one pair at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/06 (Á. Sánchez, F. Hurtado and M. Flores) and another on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Kentish Plover: New breeding locality, probably the biggest in Extremadura: at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) pairs with young seen on 14/06 (Á. Sánchez, F. Hurtado and M. Flores) and at least 47 birds counted on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Redshank: 5 at Valdehornillos ricefields (Badajoz) on 05/06 (Manuel Rodríguez). Present at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 17/06 (Javier Briz and Vicente Risco) and 3 birds on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Greenshank: 2 at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 16/06 (Á. Sánchez). 3 at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Green Sandpiper: 7 at Galisteo ricefield (Cáceres) on 11/06 (S. Mayordomo), 6 at Vegas Altas (Badajoz) on 16/06 (Á. Sánchez) and 5 at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) on 19/06 (S. Mayordomo).
-Common Sandpiper: 3 at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Dunlin: 2 at Valdecañas reservoir on 16/06 (S. Mayordomo) and 17/06 (J. Briz and V. Risco) plus another bird on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Collared Pratincole: new breeding site, the northernmost in Extremadura, with at least 43 adults and 22 young at Valdecañas reservoir on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Black-Headed Gull: 22 at Alange reservoir (Badajoz) on 11/06 (D. Jorge, E. Mateos and J. Solana). Thirty one birds and three nests seen at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Mediterranean Gull: One first-winter bird at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (Á. Sánchez, S. Mayordomo and J. Prieta).
-Yellow-Legged Gull: 58 at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06; at least 4 pairs have bred in 2011 (VT2011).
-Lesser Black-Backed Gull: 2 juvs at Alange reservoir (Badajoz) on 11/06 (D. Jorge, E. Mateos and J. Solana). One adult at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/06 (S. Mayordomo) and 3 on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Laughing Gull: First Extremadura record: One bird at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 14/06 (Á. Sánchez, F. Hurtado and M. Flores) and on 20/06 (Carlota Gutiérrez, Esmeralda Rodríguez, F. Hurtado and M. Flores).
-Common Tern: Six birds seen at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) including one pair incubating, on 16/06 (M. Flores). The pair was seen again on 20/06 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo). One bird at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) on 19/06 (S. Mayordomo).
-Black Tern: 2 Alange reservoir (Badajoz) on 11/06 (D. Jorge, E. Mateos and J. Solana). 11 at Valdecañas reservoir (Cáceres) on 20/06 (VT2011).
-Whiskered Tern: 4 at Lagunas de La Albuera (Badajoz) on 19/06 (Antonio Núñez) and 8 at Valdecañas reservoir on 20/06 (VT2011).
-White-Rumped Swift: One pair entering a nest in the village of Guijo de Santa Bárbara (Cáceres) on 12/06 (Jesús Calle). 3 at Pico de Miravete (Cáceres) on 23/06 (Godfried Schreur). One at Canchos de Ramiro, Cachorrilla (Cáceres) on 25/06 (C. Clemente and J. Mahíllo). One at Casas de Millán (Cáceres) on 29/06 (G. Schreur and Pedro López).
-Nightjar: Low-altitude observation: one at Montehermoso on 09/06 (C. Clemente and J. Mahíllo) and on 11/06 (C. Clemente).
-Wryneck: 2 at Santa Cruz de Paniagua (Cáceres) on 25/06 (Juan Carlos Paniagua).
-Budgerigar: one albino bird at Torrequemada (Cáceres) on 10/06 (S. Mayordomo).
-Hoopoe: at Garganta la Olla one bird entering its nest at a height of 1400 masl and another seen at 1570 masl on 15/06 (J. Prieta).
-Woodlark: at Garganta la Olla, males singing at 1700 masl, maximum height recorded in Extremadura (J. Prieta).
-Red-Backed Shrike: New site: one male at La Garganta (Cáceres) on 16/06 (Richard Coastwoth and R. Montero). At Puerto de Tornavacas (Cáceres-AV) a femle was seen on 01/06 (Iván Solana) and a pair on 25/06 (Eva Palacios and S. Mayordomo).
-Iberian Chiffchaff: one bird at La Garganta (Cáceres) on 05/06 (R. Montero).
-Savi's Warbler: New site: one bird singing at Laguna de Galisteo (Cáceres) on 24/06 (S. Mayordomo).
-Rock Thrush: one at Puerto de Esperabán, Pinofranqueado (Cáceres) on 08/06 and a female and 4 males La Canchera, El Gasco (Cáceres) on 16/06 (A. Pacheco).
-Rufous-Tailed Scrub Robin: New sites at Villa del Campo (Cáceres) and Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 15/06 (S. Mayordomo).
-Wheatear: Low-altitude observations: one at Hinojal on 17/06 (S. Mayordomo) and one male at El Gordo on 20/06 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Black-Eared Wheater: one territorial male singing at Garganta la Olla at a height of 1600 masl, maximum altitude recorded in Extremadura (J. Prieta).
-Bullfinch: observation of two summering birds in Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 05/06 (D. Langlois).