OUR FIRST BIRTHDAY!

Just like birds themselves, time flies. Hard as it is to believe for some of us, this blog you've now got on screen first took off one year ago. We hope it has achieved its objective, as expressed in the first blog-presentation entry published on 9 May 2010: appeal to a wider public by giving the breaking news on Extremadura's birdlife. The final say is the readers'. But the number of hits over the last year seems to justify our endeavour and encourages us to continue. There are no figures on the first feet-finding months, but, Spanish version, from July 2010 the site has clocked up over 25,000 hits, with a peak of nearly 4000 in March 2011. True it is that the blog took some time to get going, not topping 1000 monthly hits until September 2010 and 3000 in January 2011. The English version has registered 6500 hits in the same period, with a much slower upward trend, not topping 1000 monthly hits until March 2011, peaking at 1100 in April. Between both versions, therefore, some months have clocked up over 5000 hits (lots or few, according to the yardstick used).

The second entry of "Bird of Extremadura", and the first with content after the presentation, was entitled "Winter Hotspots", dealing with the provisional species-richness map after the fieldwork of the SEO/BirdLife-brokered Atlas of Wintering Birds in Spain. The definitive map has just been published in SEO's Bird Monitoring Survey 2009-2010 (Escandell et al., 2011). The picture hasn't changed much, although in the later version actual figures for the number of species in each grid are given, with red hues for those with over 50 and blue hues for those with fewer. The importance of Extremadura, especially Cáceres and North Badajoz, still stands out, but another notable feature is the species richness of some of the rivers. It's easy to pick out the course of the rivers Duero, Ebro, Guadalquivir, Guadiana and Tagus, and even some of the bigger tributaries like Jarama, Alberche and Aragón.


Acknowledgements: This first anniversary would not have been possible without the collaboration of many people, especially Dave Langlois and Sergio Mayordomo. The first has translated nearly every entry into English while the second has painstakingly recorded all the sightings of interest in Extremadura to compile the month by month summaries. This blog would probably not exist but for the Goce birdwatching forum, a lively virtual meeting and debating ground for Extremadura's bird lovers, always teeming with ideas and information that this blog has drawn on constantly. I'd like to give my thanks to all the participants in this forum and also those from elsewhere who have chipped in from time to time. Many thanks to one and all. Javier Prieta.

Escandell, V.; Palomino, D.; Molina, B.; Leal, A.; Remacha, C.; Bermejo, A.; De la Puente, J. y del Moral, J. C. (Eds.) 2011. Programas de seguimiento de SEO/BirdLife en 2009-2010. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.

WINTERING HERON COUNT, JANUARY 2011: EXTREMADURA RESULTS

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). Galisteo, Cáceres. Javier Prieta

As already mentioned in this blog, the National Count of Wintering Herons was held last January. As usual the overall result will be published by SEO/BirdLife. For the moment, however, we can give you a foretaste of the Extremadura results.

The chosen methodology was to count birds in communal roosts. The main date was the weekend 15-16 January, although some counts were held a few days later. No information was obtained for the abundant but non-roost-forming Grey Heron. The same goes for the scarcer heron species (Squacco Heron and Bittern) or the ones that are nocturnal or difficult to detect (Little Bittern).

RESULTS BY SPECIES

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). 30,917 birds (22,315 in Badajoz and 8602 in Cáceres) in 38 roosts (23 in Badajoz and 15 in Cáceres). Eleven roosts held over one thousand birds, the standout ones being Azud de Badajoz (6103), River Zújar in Villanueva de la Serena (4200), Valuengo Reservoir (2700), Madrigalejo (2400) and River Guadiana in Montijo (2000). The attached map, plotting the location of the roosts, brings out the obvious importance of the River Guadiana and its surrounding meadows, which account for the lion's share of the regional population.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). 1273 birds (823 in Badajoz and 450 in Cáceres) in 38 roosts (20 in Badajoz and 18 in Cáceres). Seven roosts held over 50 birds, the biggest being Valuengo Reservoir (230), Madrigalejo (125) and River Guadiana in Montijo (100).

Great White Egret (Egretta alba). 67 birds in 18 roosts (31 in Badajoz and 36 in Cáceres). The biggest roosts were on the River Tiétar in Malpartida de Plasencia (15), Arrocampo Reservoir (9), Valdecaballeros Reservoir(7) and River Zújar in Villanueva de la Serena (6).

Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). 52 birds in 5 roosts, all on the River Guadiana in the province of Badajoz. The most important roosts were Montijo Reservoir in Mérida (29) and Azud de Badajoz (10).

TREND

There's nothing specific to go on in terms of wintering herons in Extremadura. In January 1992 and 1993, however, two Iberian counts were conducted, giving the results by catchment areas (Fernández-Cruz and Farinha, 1992; Sarasa et al., 1993), but without breaking down the figures by regions or provinces. Working from the maps shown in the 1992 count, we estimate about 53,000 Cattle Egrets and 1500 Little Egrets in Extremadura. The 1993 figures were lower but the estimate is rougher because there is no map to go on; maybe the figures were about 42,000 and 700 respectively.

The number of Cattle Egret roosts has fallen from 64 in 1992 to 37 in 2011, a 40% drop. The fall in the number of birds was similar, about 35% on the mean figure for 1992-1993. This decline is much more notable in the Extremadura part of the Tagus catchment area (-60%) than in that of the River Guadiana (-20%). This figures should not really be taken in isolation, however, since the wintering population of the southwest Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal and Morocco, tends to behave as a metapopulation acting as a whole unit. Due consideration also has to be given to the possible differences in the censusing effort in the two years and the big swings from year to year and even month to month. Thus, in January 2011 5200 Cattle Egrets were counted in the Cáceres catchment area of the Tagus; only a few months earlier, in October 2010, two roosts alone pooled over 3000, this figure falling to 700 in January 2011 and then soaring to no less than 6000 in November 2007. Some districts with heron roosts in autumn were also empty by the following January. Although the information on previous years is bitty, it might well be a habitual practice for the Cáceres catchment area of the Tagus to have a bigger Cattle Egret population in autumn than in winter. What has been clearly recorded is a marked fall in some roosts associated with landfill sites; witness the case of the roost near the capital city of Cáceres capital, which was Spain's biggest in 1992, with nearly 8000 birds; by 2011 the number had dropped to one thousand.

As for the Little Egret, it is difficult to establish a clear trend due to the big difference in the estimated figures for January 1992 (1500 birds) and January 1993 (700). The number of roosts was almost the same 1992 (37) and in 2011 (38) and the number of birds in 2011 (1273) is 15% up on the mean figure for 1992-1993 (1100). Unlike the Cattle Egret, the Little Egret's wintering population has risen sharply in the Tagus catchment area since 1992, with a slight fall in the Guadiana. Another factor that has to be taken into consideration here is the possibility of confusion in some counts with the abundant Cattle Egrets; some small Little Egret roosts might even go totally unnoticed.

According to the annual January Wildfowl Count the trends in Spain (Molina, 2011) for the four heron species are:
- Cattle Egret: reduction in the 1991-2009 period and especially in 2000-2009
- Little Egret: sharp increase from 1991 to 2009, flattening out in 2000-2009
- Grey Heron: increase in the 1991-2009 period
- Great White Heron: sharp increase in the 1991-2009 period.

Lastly, neither in 1992 nor in 1993 were Night Herons or Great White Egrets detected in Extremadura; they would therefore seem to be new winter visitors to the region.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The National Wintering Heron Count is a project of SEO/BirdLifes' Bird Monitoring Area, run by Juan Carlos del Moral. In Extremadura the survey was coordinated by José María Traverso (Badajoz) and Javier Prieta (Cáceres). The fieldwork involved the collaboration of the 59 following collaborators: Pablo Caballero Javier Prieta, César Clemente, Javier Mahillo, Sergio Mayordomo, Eva Palacios, Jesús Montero, Manuel García del Rey, Emilio Pérez-Balsalobre, Javier Briz, Vicente Risco, Laura Alicia Rodríguez, Carmelo López, Helios Dalmau, Colin Jewitt, Marcelino Cardalliaguet, F. Javier Caballero, José Luis Caballero, Martin Kelsey, Jesús Solana, Juan Carlos Paniagua, Emilio Costillo, Casimiro Corbacho, Fernando Yuste, José Gordillo, Pedro Schreur, Godfried Schreur, Jesús Morena, José Antonio Fimia, Maria Jesús Tarín, Alfredo Mirat, Jesus Rojas, Carmen Galán, Álvaro Martín, Chema Traverso, Álvaro Sánchez Arribas, Antonio Núñez, Diego González Romero, Raquel Rangel Vanessa de Alba, Toribio Álvarez, Celsa Agudo, José María Abad, Patricia Gordon, María Jesús García-Baquero, Manuel Parejo, Raquel García Hierro, J. Elías Rodríguez, Juan Luis Soriano, María Luisa Villoslada, Juan Antonio Barquero, Elvira del Viejo, Juan Villalobos, Antonia Cangas, José Ángel Salas, Gerardo Pizarro, Emilio Jiménez, Agustín Sanabria.

Sources
- Fernández-Cruz, M. & Farinha, J. C. 1992. Primer censo de ardeidas invernantes in la península Ibérica and Baleares (1991-92). Airo 3:41-54. [download PDF]
- Sarasa, C. G., Bartolomé, J., Fernández-Cruz, M. & Farinha, J. C. 1993. Segundo censo de ardeidas invernantes in la penínsulas Ibérica and Baleares (1992-93). Airo 4:41-50. [download PDF]
- Molina, 2011. Censo nacional de aves acuáticas invernantes, Enero 2009. In, Escandell, V.; Palomino, D.; Molina, B.; Leal, A.; Remacha, C.; Bermejo, A.; De la Puente, J. and del Moral, J. C. (Eds.). Programas de seguimiento de SEO/BirdLife in 2009-2010. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid. [download PDF]

APRIL 2011: Notable bird sightings in Extremadura

Ortolan Bunting (Emberiza hortulana). El Torno, Cáceres. Javier Prieta.

A list of the most notable records in Extremadura in April 2011, most taken from the GOCE birdwatching forum. Compiled by Sergio Mayordomo.


-Barnacle Goose: one bird at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 24/04 (Godfried Schreur, Martin Kelsey).
- Egyptian Goose: possibly the same bird seen at two ponds in Oliva de Plasencia (Cáceres): at Valverdejo on 11/04 and at Fresnedillas on 14/04 (Ricardo Montero).
-Garganey: one drake at Galisteo Lake(Cáceres) on 5/04 (Sergio Mayordomo).
-Red Crested Pochard: possible breeding; 5 drakes and one female at a small reservoir in northern Badajoz on 24/04 (Ángel Sánchez and Ángel Luis Sánchez).
-Glossy Ibis: 2 at Montijo Reservoir (Badajoz) on 3/04 (Jesús Solana).
-Grey Heron: colony with 185 nests on the island of Borbollón Reservoir(Cáceres) on 12/04 (Jes·s Montero, Javier Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Osprey: single birds on passage at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 2/04 (César Clemente and Javier Mahillo), 6/04 (G. Schreur) and 30/04 (José Guerra and Marc Gálvez). One bird at River Tiétar, Valdeíñigos (Cáceres) on 2/04 (Pepe Guisado and Pilar Goñi). On 7/04 one bird at Casas de Belvís (Cáceres) (C. Clemente) and another at Campo Lugar (Cáceres) (M. Kelsey). One at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 20/04 (G. Schreur).
-Long-Legged Buzzard (rarity; pending acceptance): one bird at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres) on 3/04 (Stephen Daly) and 2 adults at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 24/04 (Javier Esteban).
-Goshawk: single birds at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 2/04 (Eva Palacios, Jesús Porras and S. Mayordomo), 9/04 (S. Mayordomo) and 27/04 (M. Kelsey). One at Monfragüe on 14/04 (Juan José Díaz).
-Montagu's Harrier: melanistic bird at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 5/04 (R. Montero).
-Purple Swamphen: first record for Talaván Reservoir (Cáceres): one bird on 30/04 (J. Guerra and M. Gálvez).
-Baillon's Crake: one bird at River Gargáligas on 8/04 (J. Muddeman) and on 13/04; on the latter occasion another Baillon's Crake or Little Crake was seen nearby (Steve Fletcher).
-Lapwing: 2 pairs at Galisteo Lake (Cáceres) on 5/04 (S. Mayordomo), 3 birds on 12/04 (J. Prieta) and one on 15/04 (S. Mayordomo). Two birds at Brozas (Cáceres) on 6/04 (Á. Sánchez). Single birds at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 7/04 and 12/04 (M. Kelsey). Ten pairs at La Albuera (Badajoz) on 18/04 (Á. Sánchez and J. Fernández).
-Kentish Plover: 2 birds at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 8/04 (John Muddeman), 8 on 12/04 and 2 on 21/04 (Martin Kelsey).
-Curlew: one bird at Montijo Reservoir (Badajoz) on 3/04 (Jesús Solana).
-Bar-Tailed Godwit: female in summer plumage at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 21/04 (M. Kelsey).
-Great Snipe (rarity; pending acceptance): first record for Extremadura: 3 birds at Madrigalejo (Cáceres) on 1/04 (Roberto Cabo, Uwe George).
-Spotted Redshank: one at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 24/04 (G. Schreur and M. Kelsey).
-Wood Sandpiper: one bird at Galisteo Lake (Cáceres) on 5/04 (S. Mayordomo) and two on 12/04 (J. Prieta).
-Curlew Sandpiper: 2 at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 8/04 (J. Muddeman).
-Temminck's Stint: one at Galisteo Lake (Cáceres) on 22/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo).
-Common Tern: 4 birds at Sierra Brava Reservoir(Cáceres) on 8/04 (J. Muddeman).
-Black Tern: one at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 21/04 (M. Kelsey) and 5 at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 23/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo).
-Whiskered Tern: summer plumaged bird at River Guadiana, Mérida (Badajoz) on 2/04 (M. Kelsey). 8 birds in breeding plumage at Valdesequera (Badajoz) on 9/04 (Á. L. Sánchez). 12 birds at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 12/04 (M. Kelsey). 15 at La Albuera (Badajoz) on 18/04 (Á. Sánchez and J. Fernández). Several at the lakes of Torremejía (Badajoz) on 21/04 (Á. Sánchez). On 23/04 8 birds were seen at Arroyoconejos Reservoir(Badajoz) (Antonio Núñez), several at the Roman Bridge of Mérida (Badajoz) (Á. Sánchez) and one at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo).
-Long-Eared Owl: adult with 2 fledgling chicks at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 3/04 (D. Langlois, J. Muddeman and S. Langlois). One seen on an island of Borbollón Reservoir (Cáceres) on 12/04 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo). One bird heard at Valcorchero, Plasencia (Cáceres) on 13/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo) and another at Montehermoso (Cáceres) on 18/04 (C. Clemente and J. Mahillo).
-Short-Eared Owl: one bird at Campiña Sur (Badajoz) on 23/04 (A. Núñez).
-Wryneck: at least one bird seen and heard at Villanueva de la Vera throughout the whole of April, with a peak of 3 on 16/04 (Dave Langlois and Sammy Langlois). Two males singing at Valencia de Alcántara (Cáceres) on 10/04 (J. Prieta).
-Bearded Tit: single birds at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 3/04 and 8/04 and two on 23/04 (M. Kelsey).
-Iberian Chiffchaff: one bird at Valdecañas Reservoir(Cáceres) on 8/04 and another at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 24/04 (M. Kelsey).
-Grasshopper Warbler: one bird at Valcorchero, Plasencia (Cáceres) on 13/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo), another at River Guadiana, Badajoz, on 15/04 (J. C. Paniagua) and another at Plasencia Reservoir(Cáceres) on 22/04 (J. Prieta).
-Sedge Warbler: one bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 3/04 (José Antonio López and Óscar Llama). Single birds at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres), on 5/04 (S. Mayordomo) and 12/04 (J. Prieta). One bird in a wheat field at Campo Lugar (Cáceres) on 7/04 (M. Kelsey). One bird at River Gargáligas, Vegas Altas (Badajoz), on 8/04 (J. Muddeman). One bird at River Guadiana, Badajoz, on 14/04 and two on 23/04 (J. C. Paniagua). One bird in an oats field at Torrequemada (Cáceres) on 15/04 (S. Mayordomo).
-Moustached Warbler: One bird at River Guadiana, Puente Viejo, Badajoz, on 2/04 (J. C. Paniagua).
-Garden Warbler: 2 birds at Vegas Altas (Badajoz) on 12/04 (M. Kelsey). At Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres), one bird on 16/04 and 17/04 (D. Langlois and S. Langlois). One bird at Valdastillas (Cáceres) on 27/04 (J. Prieta).
-Ring Ouzel: one bird at Los Canchales Reservoir(Badajoz) on 6/04 (J. Muddeman).

-Whinchat: 2 males at Casatejada (Cáceres) on 7/04 (J. Prieta). On 8/04 3 females and one male were seen at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) and 4 males at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres) (S. Mayordomo). One bird at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 9/04 and another at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres) (M. Kelsey). One male at Oliva de Plasencia (Cáceres) on 14/04 (R. Montero). One male at Cáceres on 18/04 (S. Mayordomo). Ten birds between Almendralejo, Hinojosa and Ribera del Fresno (Badajoz) on 21/04 (Á. Sánchez). One female at Mirandilla (Badajoz) on 27/04 (J. Ledo). Two birds at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres), on 28/04 (M. Kelsey).

-Tawny Pipit: 5 birds at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 4/04 (M. Kelsey). 4 birds at Brozas (Cáceres) on 6/04 (Á. Sánchez). On 8/04 one bird at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) (S. Mayordomo), another at Arrocampo (Cáceres) (M. Kelsey) and another at Trujillo (Cáceres) (J. Muddeman). On 9/04, 2 birds at Acehúche (Cáceres) (Iván Solana) and one at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) (M. Kelsey). At Cáceres 3 birds on 16/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo) and 5 on 18/04 (S. Mayordomo). On 28/04, 2 at Valdesalor, Cáceres, (S. Mayordomo) and another at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres) (M. Kelsey).

FIRST SUMMER VISITORS
-Honey Buzzard: one bird at Grimaldo, Cañaveral (Cáceres), on 15/04 (Raúl Guzmán) and one on passage over Plasencia on 28/04 (J. Prieta).
-Hobby: one bird at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 15/04 (S. Mayordomo) and another at Villanueva de la Vera on 16/04 (D. Langlois and S. Langlois).
-Little Tern: 2 birds at Badajoz on 23/04 (J. C. Paniagua), another 2 at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 24/04 (G. Schreur and M. Kelsey) and another 2 at Cornalvo (Badajoz) on 26/04 (José Ledo).
-Gull-Billed Tern: 30 at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 7/04 (M. Kelsey) and over 40 on 8/04 (J. Muddeman).
-Turtle Dove: one bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 14/04 (M. Kelsey). On 17/04 one was seen at Santa Cruz de Paniagua (Cáceres) (J. C. Paniagua) and another at Belvís de Monroy (Cáceres) (G. Schreur).
-White-Rumped Swift: one at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 27/04 (M. Kelsey) and several on 29/04 (R. Montero).
-European Nightjar: one singing at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 26/04 (D. Langlois).
-Red-Necked Nightjar: one at Pago de San Clemente, Trujillo (Cáceres), on 10/04 (M. Kelsey) and another at Serrejón (Cáceres) on 12/04 (Manuel García).
-Golden Oriole: 2 birds at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 11/04 (S. Langlois) and three on 13/04 (D. Langlois). One bird at Casas del Castañar (Cáceres) on 13/04 (J. Prieta).
-Melodious Warbler: One bird at Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) on 8/04 (J. Muddeman) and another at Valencia de Alcántara (Cáceres) on 10/04 (J. Prieta).
-Whitethroat: birds on passage: one at Mérida (Badajoz) on 6/04 (J. Muddeman) and two at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres)on 8/04 (S. Mayordomo). In breeding habitat: 2 males at Piornal (Cáceres) on 8/04 (J. Prieta).
-Spectacled Warbler: on 5/04 one bird was seen at Piornal (Cáceres) (J. Prieta) and two at Jaraicejo (Cáceres) (J. Muddeman). Two birds at Jaraicejo (Cáceres) on 10/04 (M. Kelsey). One male at Cáceres on 18/04 (S. Mayordomo).
-Rock Thrush: 12 birds on passage in the central sierras of Badajoz on 16/04 (Á. Sánchez). In breeding habitat: one bird at Garganta la Olla (Cáceres) on 20/04 (G. Schreur).
-Spotted Flycatcher: present at Montehermoso (Cáceres) on 29/04 (C. Clemente).
-Pied Flycatcher: birds on passage: one male at Mérida (Badajoz) on 6/04 (J. Muddeman). Another at Parque del Príncipe, Cáceres on 10/04 (R. Montero). In breeding habitat: one male at Garganta la Olla (Cáceres) on 15/04 (J. Prieta) and 10 territorial males at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 23/04 (D. Langlois and S. Langlois).
-Rufous-Tailed Scrub Robin: on 28/04 3 pairs were seen at Montehermoso (Cáceres) (J. Mahillo) and one bird at Ahigal (Cáceres) (R. Montero).
-Redstart: one female at Campo Lugar (Cáceres) on 7/04 and one male at Cabañas del Castillo (Cáceres) on 10/04 (M. Kelsey). One male singing at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 14/04 (D. Langlois). Another at La Codosera (Badajoz) on 16/04 (G. Schreur). One pair at Santa Cruz de Paniagua (Cáceres) on 17/04 (J. C. Paniagua). Two males at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 23/04 (D. Langlois and S. Langlois).
-Ortolan Bunting: one bird at Piornal (Cáceres) on 15/04 (J. Prieta). One bird at Garganta la Olla (Cáceres) on 20/04 (G. Schreur). One bird on passage at Santa Marta de Magasca (Cáceres) on 25/04 (M. Kelsey).

LINGERING WINTER VISITORS AND SPRING MIGRANTS
-Wigeon: pair at Sierra Brava Reservoir(Cáceres) on 8/04 (J. Muddeman).
-Pintail: pair at Sierra Brava Reservoir(Cáceres) on 24/04 (G. Schreur).
-Teal: pair at Galisteo Lake(Cáceres) on 12/04 (J. Prieta).
-Hen Harrier: one bird at Badajoz on 18/04 (Á. Sánchez and J. Fernández) and one bird at Talaván (Cáceres) on 21/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo). Breeding cannot be ruled out.
-Crane: one bird at Mohedas de Granadilla (Cáceres) on 1/04 (Alberto Pacheco). One bird at Arrocampo Reservoir (Cáceres) on 8/04 (M. Kelsey). One bird flying with difficulty on the island of Borbollón Reservoir (Cáceres) on 12/04 (J. Montero, J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo). One juvenile at Dehesa Boyal of Talaván on 21/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo) and on 24/04 (J. Esteban).
-Snipe: one bird at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz), on 12/04 (M. Kelsey), three at Galisteo Lake (Cáceres) on 15/04 (S. Mayordomo) and one bird at Riolobos (Cáceres) on 22/04 (E. Palacios and S. Mayordomo).
-Chiffchaff: one male singing on the island of Borbollón Reservoir(Cáceres) on 12/04 (J. Montero, J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo).
-Wheatear: two females at Llanos de Cáceres on 28/04 (S. Mayordomo).
-Meadow Pipit: 5 birds at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 7/04 (J. Prieta). 6 at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres), on 8/04 and three at Torreorgaz (Cáceres) on 14/04 (S. Mayordomo).
-Reed Bunting: one female at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 3/04 (J. A. López and O. Llama).

BALTIC GULL IN EXTREMADURA

Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus). 04.06.06. Eggegrund, Gastrikland, Sweden (photo: P. Aspenberg). Bird ringed in Villanueva de la Serena on 22.02.06 por J. M. Traverso.

Some of our recent blog entries have dealt with species seen for the first time in Extremadura. Or rather the first known and conscious sightings of said species. On this occasion we are recording what we believe to be the first ever certain record in Extremadura of a particular subspecies of the otherwise common Lesser Black Backed Gull (Larus fuscus). The nominate subspecies of this gull is called the Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus). This race has a very dark, almost black back; field observations are never accepted, only of ringed birds in the hand. The photo of the Baltic Gull alongside was taken on 4 June 2006 on the Baltic coast of Sweden, in Eggegrund, Gõvle, Gastrikland (P. Aspenberg). What's so special about a Baltic Gull seen on the Baltic coast, where, as their name suggests, they're abundant. Well, the remarkable fact in this case is that the bird was ringed in Extremadura two years earlier, on 22 February 2004. At the time the bird was classed as an immature female; it was captured and marked with a white ring (code N548) on the landfill site of Villanueva de la Serena by Chema Traverso. The information published here would never have come to light without the collaboration of Javier Marchamalo, who passed on crucial data.

The Lesser Black Backed Gull is traditionally divided into three subspecies in Western Europe:
- graellsii: slate grey mantle, breeding in the British Isles and the centre and west of Europe; this is Extremadura's commonest wintering gull
- intermedius: darker mantle that phases into the other two races at both extremes; also turns up now and then in Extremadura; its range is the North Sea so it is intermediate not only in mantle colour but also in distribution
- fuscus: very dark mantle, breeding in the Baltic Sea and wintering in Africa, migrating through Eastern Europe; it is considered to be a rare vagrant on the Iberian Peninsula.

A few pundits choose to divide the bird into two species: Lesser Black Backed Gull (Larus graellsii, with two races, graellsi and intermedius) and Baltic Gull as a species in its own right (Larus fuscus).

BIRD MONITORING SURVEY, 2009-2010

SEO/BirdLife has just brought out a new booklet on the various bird monitoring projects it runs for the two-year period 2009-2010. As on previous occasions this hard-copy booklet is issued free of charge to all voluntary collaborators in the various long-term bird monitoring schemes run by SEO/BirdLife (Common Breeding-Bird Census and Nocturnal Bird Monitoring Scheme) while the online English version can be downloaded free by just clicking on the cover.









The contents of this 36-page survey, crammed with priceless information, are the following:

- Spring Common Breeding-Bird Census (showing the population trends of common breeding birds)
- Winter Common Bird Census (initial results)
- Nocturnal Bird Monitoring Scheme (population trend of nocturnal birds)
- Breeding Bird Monitoring Ringing Plan
- BIRDS AND CLIMATE (records of first arrivals of migrating birds)
- Spanish Wintering Wildfowl Count. January 2009
- Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Spain (provisional results)
- National Census of Woodland Raptors (population estimates and sighting frequency maps for nine species: Honey Buzzard, Black Kite, Red Kite, Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Short-Toed Eagle, Goshawk, Sparrow Hawk and Hobby)
- The Fuerteventura Stonechat (world census 2005-2006)
- The Lesser Grey Shrike (2003-2010 censuses)