Julian Sykes Wildlife Holidays & Short Breaks : trip reports

Little Grebe	2 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Great Crested Grebe	1 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Balearic Shearwater	20+ from the Denia/Javea Headland on 23rd
Scopoli’s (Cory’s) Shearwater	30+ from the Denia/Javea Headland on 23rd
Grey Heron	Seen on 3 days mostly Moro Marsh on 22nd
Purple Heron	2 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Squacco Heron	3 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Little Egret	20+ on 22nd around Moro Marsh
Cattle Egret	20+ on 22nd around Moro Marsh
White Stork	Seen en-route on 19th & 22nd
Mallard	Seen on most wetlands
Red Crested Pochard	20+ at Moro Marsh on 22nd
European Honey Buzzard	Seen on 3 days around the Pyrenees
Red Kite	Seen on 4 days in good numbers
Black Kite	Seen on 4 days in good numbers
Lammergeier	7- 8 seen very well over 3 days in the Pyrenees
Egyptian Vulture	Seen on 4 days in the Pyrenees
Eurasian Griffon Vulture	Seen most days in good numbers
Short-toed Eagle	1-2’s seen on 18th, 21st & 22nd
Western Marsh Harrier	3 'cream crowns' seen en-route on 19th
Montagu’s Harrier	3 at El Planeron on 18th, 1 at C. de Loarre on 19th
Sparrowhawk	1 over Ayerbe Petrol Station (well done Kath), 1 on 21st
Common Buzzard	Seen on most days in small numbers
Golden Eagle	1 adult at Blancas on 18th, 1 at Gabardito on 21st
Booted Eagle	Singles seen on 4 days
Eurasian Kestrel	Seen on most days in small numbers
Lesser Kestrel	A pair around farm buildings at Belchite on 19th
Peregrine Falcon	1 at Gabardito on 20th, 4 at Denia/Javea on 23rd
Red legged Partridge	1 at El Planeron on 18th, 2 en-route on 19th
Quail	Heard calling around Villareal on 21st
Purple Swamphen	2 seen at Moro Marsh on the 22nd
Moorhen	1 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Common Coot	6 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Red knobbed Coot	4 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Black-winged Stilt	Several found at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Stone Curlew	One pair seen at El Planeron on 18th & 19th
Yellow-legged Gull	Lots seen on the coast
Black-headed Gull	Several en-route through the rice fields on 22nd
Audouin’s Gull	Several seen on 22nd & 23rd
Gull-billed Tern	Several en-route through the rice fields on 22nd
Little Tern	2 at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Whiskered Tern	50+ at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Pin-tailed Sandgrouse	5 at El Planeron on 18th, heard only on the 19th
Black-bellied Sandgrouse	4 at Blancas on 18th, 2 at El Planeron on 19th
Rock Dove	Several at the Castillo de Montearagon on 22nd
Common Wood Pigeon	Seen on all days in good numbers
European Turtle Dove	Seen in several places on 18th, 19th & 22nd
Eurasian Collared Dove	Lots seen on most days
Common Cuckoo	Heard at Castillo de Loarre (19th), Villareal (21st)
European Scop’s Owl	1 at Oliva Paseo on 22nd
Eurasian Eagle Owl	1 briefly near Puente de la Reina on 20th
Little Owl	1 at El Planeron on 19th
Red-necked Nightjar	10+ at Pego on 22nd
Pallid Swift	Breeding colony on Denia/Javea Headland on 23rd
Common Swift	Seen in good numbers on most days
Alpine Swift	10+ at Gabardito on 20th
Monk Parakeet	4 around Denia on 23rd
European Bee-eater	Seen on 3 days in small flocks
Hoopoe	Seen in singles in several places on 18th & 19th
Golden Oriole	4 at El Planeron on 18th heard at the Badlands on 21st
Wryneck	1 showed well at the Badlands on 21st
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Singles seen on 18th, 19th & 21st
Black Woodpecker	Heard at Gabardito on 20th
Iberian Green Woodpecker	1 seen at Gabardito on 20th
Calandra Lark	Small flocks at Gabardito on 18th & 19th
Greater Short-toed Lark	20+ at Blancas on 18th
Lesser Short-toed Lark	Lots seen at El Planeron on 18th & 19th
Dupont’s Lark	1 at Blancas on 18th, 4 on El Planeron Reserve on 19th
Crested Lark	Seen on 4 days in good numbers
Thekla Lark	2 at Blancas on 18th
Wood Lark	2 at El Planeron on 18th
Skylark	Single at Blancas on 18th
Eurasian Crag Martin	Seen most days in the Pyrenees in small numbers
Barn Swallow	Lots seen on a daily basis
Red-rumped Swallow	1 good record at the Castillo de Montearagon on 22nd
House Martin	Lots seen on a daily basis
White Wagtail	Small numbers seen on 4 days
Spanish Yellow Wagtail	2 at Villadoz (en-route lunch stop) on 22nd
Grey Wagtail	3 seen on the Rio Aragon on 20th
Tawny Pipit	Singles seen well on 3 days
Water Pipit	6 singing high up at Portalet on 21st
Firecrest	Small numbers seen around the Hotel Uson
Dipper	4 seen along the Rio Aragon on 20th
Wren	Several seen and heard around the Hotel Uson
Dunnock	Seen mainly around the Hotel Uson
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush	1 at Selva de Osa on 20th, 2 at Portalet on 21st
Blue Rock Thrush	Seen in pairs & singles on 3 days
Blackbird	Seen on all days, good numbers in the Pyrenees
Song Thrush	Heard only at Gabardito on 20th
Mistle Thrush	2 at Castillo de Loarre on 19th, 1 at Gabardito on 20th
Zitting Cisticola	Several around Moro Marsh on 22nd
Cetti’s Warbler	Heard at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Eurasian Reed Warbler	A few seen and heard at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Great Reed Warbler	Several seen at Moro Marsh on 22nd
Common Chiffchaff	Heard on 20th & 21st in the Pyrenees
Western Bonelli’s Warbler	2 @ C. de Loarre on 19th, 1 @Gabardito on 20th
Blackcap	Singles seen around the Hotel Uson
Garden Warbler	1 @ Rio Martin on 18th, 1 @ Selva de Oso on 20th
Western Orphean Warbler	Singles seen @ El Planeron on 18th & 19th
Melodious Warbler	Pairs found @ San Martin, Loarre & Villareal
Sardinian Warbler	1 female seen en-route on 19th
Spectacled Warbler	2 @ Castillo de Montearagon on 22nd
Spotted Flycatcher	Singles seen on 3 days
European Robin	1 seen around the Hotel Uson on 21st
Common Nightingale	Singles seen on 2 days with lots more heard
Black Redstart	Seen in small numbers on 5 days
Whinchat	2 at the Badlands on 21st
Stonechat	Seen in small numbers on 3 days
Black Wheatear	6 near Huesca on the 22nd
Black-eared Wheatear	4 at Blancas on 18th, 2 near Huesca on 22nd
Northern Wheatear	20+ at Blancas on 18th, singles on 3 other days
Long-tailed Tit	Only one bird seen at Hotel Uson on 21st
Coal Tit	6 at Gabardito on 20th, several at San Juan de la Pena on 21st
Crested Tit	2 in pines at Gabardito on 20th
Great Tit	Seen on most days in small numbers
Blue Tit	Several seen around the Hotel Uson
Eurasian Nuthatch	2 at San Juan de la Pena on 21st
Wallcreeper	2 crackers showing very well at Gabardito on 20th
Short-toed Treecreeper	Singles @ Gabardito (20th) & San Juan (21st)
Red-backed Shrike	1 at the Badlands on 21st, 2 at Hotel Uson on 22nd (all males)
Woodchat Shrike	Seen in small numbers on 3 days
Jay	Seen in small numbers every day in the Pyrenees
Eurasian Magpie	Seen on most days except final morning
Red-billed Chough	Seen on most days, 50+ at Gabardito on 20th was notable
Yellow-billed Chough	Only 2 seen at Portalet on 21st
Jackdaw	2 at the Castillo de Montearagon on 22nd
Carrion Crow	Seen in good numbers on most days
Common Raven	Seen in varying numbers on most days
Spotless Starling	Common in most areas
House Sparrow	Common in most areas
Eurasian Tree Sparrow	2 amongst a mixed flock at Blancas on 18th
Rock Sparrow	Seen on most days, 20+ at Blancas on 18th
Chaffinch	Seen in good numbers on most days
Common Crossbill	4 at Hotel Uson on 20th, 10+ at Villareal on 21st
European Greenfinch	Several seen in various locations
European Goldfinch	Several seen in various locations
Eurasian Linnet	Small numbers seen over 4 days
European Serin	Common in most areas
Citril Finch	4 seen very well at Gabardito on 20th, 1 at Portalet on 21st
Yellowhammer	6 in the Selva de Osa on 20th
Cirl Bunting	Singing males at the Hotel Uson (20th, 22nd) and Villareal (21st)
Ortolan Bunting	2 singing males at the Badlands on 21st
Corn Bunting	Seen in good numbers on most days