SAKER FALCON. NEW SPECIES FOR EXTREMADURA

 

Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug). Piros, a juvenile female born in Hungary and photographed in Palencia by Juan Sagardía (photo taken from his personal blog). 

The news is not exactly hot off the press but the Rarities Committee has just confirmed the presence of a Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) in Extremadura in 2009, the second record ever for Spain, after the first in Cádiz back in 10.04.02, and the first ever for Extremadura. The curious fact in this particular case is that no one has knowingly seen this satellite-monitored individual in Extremadura territory: a young female called "Piros" tagged with a satellite transmitter on 03.06.09 in Hungary. Piros set off on her juvenile-dispersal journey on 25.07.09, passing through Croatia, Slovenia and, Italy to the south of the Alps (27.07.09) and the south coast of France. It entered Spain on 30.07.09 via Girona, then crossing Lleida, Tarragona, Zaragoza, Navarre and Burgos. It then settled down for a month and a half in Tierra de Campos (Palencia, Valladolid and Zamora) until mid September, barring a brief foray into Portugal (districts of Guarda and Castelo Branco) from 30 to 31.08.09. The following map, taken from the Rare Birds in Spain Blog, traces its movements within the Iberian Peninsula.

According to the detailed info of the website www.sakerlife.mme.hu its brief passage through Extremadura broke down as follows:
- 14.09.09. 10:00-12:00 hours, Palencia. 13:00-18:00 hours, near Puerto de Béjar (Salamanca). 19:00 hours, centre of Badajoz, where it spent the night.
- 15.09.09. 07:00 hours, still in the centre of Badajoz. 08:00-12:00 hours, moved southwards. 13:00-18:00 hours, north of Seville. 19:00 hours, Doñana.
- 16.09.09 and 17.09.09. Still in Doñana.
- 18.09.09, reached Cádiz. From 19 to 20.09.09 it crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and continued through Morocco, Western Sahara and Mauritania, where it was found dead, from unknown causes, shortly after 24.09.09.

The Saker Falcon is an open-country raptor whose range spreads from central Europe to China. Europe hosts a very threatened population, closely monitored since 2006. Up to 2010 47 were tagged (43 juveniles and 4 adults) with satellite transmitters. This research has shown that the adults stay put while the juveniles make dispersal journeys of varied length. Most stick to central Europe and a sizeable share shift eastwards to the Caucasus and Belarus, and southwards to Italy and above all Sicily. Only four birds reached Africa, one of them (Piros) passing through the Iberian Peninsula. Later on, another bird in 2011 moved to the west of France, brushing the Spanish Pyrenees but without actually crossing to the Spanish side.

Sources: 

- CR-SEO (Comité de Rarezas de SEO). 2011. Observaciones de aves raras en España, 2008. Ardeola 58(2). 

- Proyecto LIFE (LIFE06 NAT/H/000096) “Conservation of Falco cherrug in the Carpathian Basin 2006-2010”. Download PDF.

TAGGED AND RINGED GRIFFON VULTURES SEEN IN EXTREMADURA

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) with wing tags and colour ring. Adult tagged in Álava on 06.05.09 and photographed in Jarandilla de la Vera, Cáceres, on 08.11.09 by Rafael Ruiz Fuente. 

More and more tagged and/or ringed Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) are now turning up in Extremadura. This species is marked in two ways: wing tags and colour rings, both with alphanumeric codes. As with other bird species the local group SEO-Cáceres has begun to record observations of tagged/ringed birds seen in Extremadura. In most bird species the number of birds is too low to be representative. This is not the case of the Griffon Vulture, which has by now produced enough observations to make a provisional analysis of the sightings.

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), a 4th year bird ringed at the Wildlife Refuge Centre of Burgos on 12.11.07 and photographed in Serrejón, Monfragüe, on 10.08.10 by José Luis Rivero/Objetivo Verde. 

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), a 4th year male tagged in Carcastillo, Navarre, on 09.11.11 and observed at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe, on 21.02.12 by Javier Prieta and Sergio Mayordomo. 

The culled information now adds up to 49 different birds seen between 2008 and 2011. In some cases the information is partial: for eight birds the ringing site is unknown and for another twelve the age. The mode case is the observation of each individual once or several times in the same site in a single year. The longest stay was 2.5 months; two birds were seen two years on the trot; and four birds were seen in two different sites within the region (three in Monfragüe and Canchos de Ramiro and one in Monfragüe and Las Hurdes). Most records have come from Monfragüe (41 birds, 84%), with some records from Canchos de Ramiro (5), Hornachos (3), Las Hurdes (2), La Vera (1) and Valle del Jerte (1). Monfragüe's majority share of the sightings is due to the fact that it hosts the biggest regional population of Griffon Vulture (about 800 pairs in 2008) and is also the site most visited by birdwatchers. Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) and Cinereous Vultures (Aegypius monachus).

4th year bird tagged in Alcoy, Alicante, on 18.10.06; seen in Barcelona on 01.07.07 and photographed at Mirabel, Monfragüe, Cáceres, on 05.02.09 by José Luis Rivero/Objetivo Verde. 

Origin of tagged vultures. In Extremadura tagged birds have been seen from two countries: 47 from Spain (yellow tags) and two from Portugal (green tags). White tagged birds from France have also been seen but without being able to read the code. The Spanish birds came from 13 different provinces, mainly from the northeast, pride of place going to Navarre with 11 birds. Fourteen of the birds came from wildlife refuge centres, including all the birds from Burgos, Cáceres, Andalucía and Portugal. Another three birds came from a reintroduction scheme in Alicante and the rest from diverse wing-tag monitoring programmes from Castellón, Aragón, Basque Country and Navarre.

Age of tagged/ringed vultures. Expressed in calendar years, i.e., the year of birth is the first calendar year and another year is added on each 1st of January thereafter. Thus, a bird born in 2008 would be in its fifth calendar year by 2012. Few birds were tagged as chicks in the nest, so the ageing is based on plumage; it is therefore guesswork in some cases. The graph therefore shows the certain ages in red and a minimum known age in blue. Birds aged two to four are the most commonly observed age range; there are no records of birds in their first calendar year. Observations fall away after the fifth year. As for adults, only two birds from the Los Hornos Wildlife Refuge Centre (Sierra de Fuentes, Cáceres) have been proven to be breeders, hence possibly born in Extremadura.

Phenology of the tagged/ringed vultures. Observation effort is uneven throughout the year so this introduces a bias in the results. The peaks in spring and troughs in summer may be as much a reflection of the number of birdwatchers visiting Monfragüe as the movements of immature Griffon Vultures around the Iberian Peninsula. The back histories of the birds seen often have gaps, indicating only the ringing dates and not the monitoring thereafter. Nonetheless, some of the more complete back histories do seem to show a displacement of birds from northeast Iberia to Extremadura in winter-spring, with a return flow to the northeast, even to the French Pyrenees, in summer-autumn. Publication of the results of these tagging and ringing projects will no doubt clear up these matters and other questions.

Acknowledgements: our thanks go to all observers who have taken the trouble to read the ring codes and wing tags and then pass on the information. To Javier Briz for compiling the readings and finding out the back histories. To everyone who has helped to fill in these back histories, especially Álvaro Camiña and Maquia Ambiental.

MARCH 2012: NOTABLE SIGHTINGS IN EXTREMADURA

Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus). 18.03.12. By Ángel Sánchez.

A list of the most notable March 2012 records sent to the GOCE birdwatching forum. Compiled by Sergio Mayordomo.

- Shelduck: At Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz), nine birds on 26/03 (Francisco Montaño) and eight on 27/03 (Ismael Sánchez, Francisco Lopo, Elvira del Viejo, Cándida Díaz and Antonia Cangas).
- Ruddy Shelduck: At Charco Salado, Casatejada (Cáceres), one bird on 14/03 (Sergio Mayordomo, Marta Gómez and Javier Prieta) and 17/03 (S. Mayordomo and Eva Palacios).
- Red Crested Pochard: At El Manantío-Atalaya (Cáceres), seven birds, 5 drakes and 2 ducks, on 04/03 (Jesús Solana) and three pairs on 09/03 (Sebastián Molano). At Morantes Reservoir (Badajoz), nine birds on 17/03 (Pablo Herrador and José Luis Bautista) and two pairs on 30/03 (J. L. Bautista and Inmaculada Jerez). Six birds, 4 drakes and 2 ducks, at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 23/03 (E. del Viejo and A. Cangas).
- Tufted Duck: 30 birds at El Manantío-Atalaya (Cáceres) on 04/03 (J. Solana).
- Ferruginous Duck: At El Manantío-Atalaya (Cáceres), four birds on 01/03 (Manolo Iglesias) and on 09/03 (S. Molano).
- Black-Necked Grebe: 45 birds, some moulting into summer plumage, at Orellana Reservoir (Badajoz) on 05/03 (Ángel Luis Sánchez).
- Glossy Ibis: Two birds at Azud del Guadiana (Badajoz) on 03/03 (Juan Carlos Paniagua). One bird at Río Salor (Cáceres) on 12/03 (Juan Carlos Núñez). At Montijo Reservoir, Mérida (Badajoz), 12 birds on 15/03 (Fernando Yuste), 11 on 17/03 (Ángel Sánchez), 12 on 28/03 and 11 on 31/03 (J. Solana). At Arrocampo (Cáceres) three birds on 22/03 (Martin Kelsey) and six birds, one of them ringed at Doñana, on 24/03 (Godfried Schreur and Debby Doodeman) and 27/03 (Mary Perrins and Chris Perrins).
- Spoonbill: At Morantes Reservoir (Badajoz), 45 birds on 17/03 (P. Herrador and J. L. Bautista) and 40 on 30/03 (J. L. Bautista and I. Jerez). 47 birds at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 30/03 (J. L. Bautista and I. Jerez).
- Bittern: One bird at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres), on 04/03, 05/03 (Hugo Sánchez) and 12/03 (S. Mayordomo). At Arrocampo (Cáceres), one bird on 05/03 (Á. Sánchez), 08/03 (Sammy Langlois, Manolo García del Rey, Isabel Gallardo and Dave Langlois) and 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta).
- Squacco Heron: One bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 05/03 (Chema Diu and Á. Sánchez), 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta) and 23/03 (S. Langlois, M. García del Rey, Javier Briz and D. Langlois). One bird at Río Búrdalo, Santa Amalia (Badajoz), on 17/03 (F. Yuste).
- Great White Egret: 25 birds roosting at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 05/03 (Á. Sánchez). Sum. plum. birds: one at Orellana Reservoir (Badajoz) on 13/03 (Á. Sánchez), another at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 23/03 (S. Langlois, M. García del Rey, J. Briz and D. Langlois) and 31/03 (S. Mayordomo and E. Palacios), and another at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 28/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Osprey: One bird at Montijo Reservoir, Mérida (Badajoz), on 11/03 (J. L. Bautista). At Monfragüe (Cáceres), one bird at Torrejón-Tiétar Reservoir on 14/03 (G. Schreur), 17/03 (Mercedes Rodríguez and José Carlos López), 24/03 (S. Mayordomo and E. Palacios) and 29/03 (J. Prieta); and at Salto del Gitano on 24/03 (S. Mayordomo and Rafael Abuín). One bird at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 17/03 (P. Herrador and J. L. Bautista), 26/03 (F. Montaño) and 30/03 (J. L. Bautista and I. Jerez). One bird at Zorita (Cáceres) on 20/03 (M. Kelsey). At Arrocampo (Cáceres), one bird on 22/03 (Leandro Rivas and Antolín Redondo) and 23/03 (J. Briz). Two birds at Gabriel and Galán Reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/03 (Alberto Pacheco). One bird at Belén, Trujillo (Cáceres), on 27/03 (John Hawkins).

- Goshawk: One female at Riomalo de Abajo (Cáceres) on 01/03 (A. Pacheco). One male chased by a female Marsh Harrier at Canal de las Dehesas (Badajoz) on 05/03 (Á. L. Sánchez; photograph). One bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta). One displaying bird at Mohedas de Granadilla on 30/03 (A. Pacheco).
- Pallid Harrier: One adult male at La Roca de la Sierra (Badajoz) on 26/03 (José María Casas and Joaquín Mazón). Second Extremadura record.
- Avocet: Four birds at Orellana Reservoir (Badajoz) on 05/03 (Á. L. Sánchez). Two birds at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz), on 12/03 (G. Schreur). One bird at Paredón Reservoir, Campanario (Badajoz), on 14/03 (Juan Pablo Prieto and José Luis Pérez Chiscano). One bird at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Grey Plover: One bird at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 07/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Kentish Plover: Six birds at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 26/03 (F. Montaño). Three birds at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 28/03 (S. Mayordomo). One bird at Paredón Reservoir, Campanario (Badajoz), on 29/03 (J. P. Prieto).
- Curlew: One bird at Santa Amalia (Badajoz) on 01/03 (J. P. Prieto). One bird at Laguna de Galisteo (Cáceres) on 12/03 (S. Mayordomo). At Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz), three birds on 26/03 (F. Montaño) and 27/03 (I. Sánchez, F. Lopo, E. del Viejo, C. Díaz and A. Cangas).
- Whimbrel: Two birds at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 12/03 (F. Montaño, José Antonio Delgado and Joaquín Vázquez).
- Bar-Tailed Godwit: Two birds at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 12/03 (F. Montaño, J. A. Delgado and J. Vázquez).
- Great Snipe: One bird at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 12/03 (F. Montaño, J. A. Delgado and J. Vázquez). Second Extremadura record.
- Spotted Redshank: Two birds at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz), on 12/03 (G. Schreur). At Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz), two birds on 17/03 (P. Herrador and J. L. Bautista) and one on 27/03 (I. Sánchez, F. Lopo, E. del Viejo, C. Díaz and A. Cangas). Two birds at Tozo Reservoir, Torrecillas de la Tiesa (Cáceres), on 23/03 (M. Kelsey). One bird at Paredón Reservoir, Campanario (Badajoz), on 29/03 (J. P. Prieto).
- Wood Sandpiper: At Paredón Reservoir, Campanario (Badajoz), one bird on 09/03 (S. Mayordomo and J. P. Prieto), 14/03 (J. P. Prieto and J. L. Pérez Chiscano) and 29/03 (J. P. Prieto). One bird at Talaván Reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/03 (S. Mayordomo). At Charco Salado, Casatejada (Cáceres), two birds on 18/03 (S. Langlois, José Antonio López and D. Langlois) and 24/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. García del Rey and E. Palacios) and four birds on 30/03 (S. Mayordomo). Present at Charca de Esparragalejo (Badajoz) on 24/03 (Á. Sánchez). One bird at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 26/03 (F. Montaño). One bird at Laguna de Galisteo (Cáceres) on 28/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Temminck's Stint: At Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz), two birds on 12/03 (F. Montaño, J. A. Delgado and J. Vázquez) and three on 26/03 (F. Montaño).
- Mediterranean Gull: One adult at Charco Salado, Casatejada (Cáceres), on 10/03 (Pablo de la Nava and José Carlos López).
- Yellow-Legged Gull: Eight birds at Montijo Reservoir, Mérida (Badajoz), on 17/03 (Á. Sánchez).
- Long Eared Owl: One bird on its nest at Saucedilla (Cáceres) on 10/03 (P. de la Nava and J. C. López).
- Short-Eared Owl: 35 birds roosting at Hernán Cortés, Don Benito (Badajoz), on 02/03 (Á. Sánchez), only 3 remaining on 11/03 (F. Yuste). Two birds near Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 27/03 (I. Sánchez, F. Lopo and C. Díaz).
- Tawny Owl: One ground-nesting pair discovered at Mohedas de Granadilla (Cáceres) on 30/03 (A. Pacheco).

- Wryneck: One bird at Madrigalejo (Cáceres) on 12/03 (G. Schreur). At Villanueva de la Vera, one bird on 13/03 and 30/03 (D. Langlois).
- Carrion Crow: 42 birds at Riomalo de Abajo (Cáceres) on 21/03 (A. Pacheco). Biggest flock recorded in Extremadura.
- Bearded Tit: At Arrocampo (Cáceres), one bird on 04/03 (S. Langlois, M. Kelsey, J. Porras and D. Langlois) and 08/03 (S. Langlois, M. García del Rey, I. Gallardo and D. Langlois).
- Ring Ouzel: One bird at Montánchez (Cáceres) on 31/03 (I. Sánchez; photograph) and previous days (J. M. Benítez).

FIRST SUMMER VISITORS AND SPRING MIGRANTS

- Garganey: One drake on 06/03 at Charca del Embarcadero, Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) (J. Prieta). At Charco Salado, Casatejada (Cáceres), one drake on 10/03 (Pablo de la Nava, José Carlos López), three drakes on 17/03 (S. Mayordomo and E. Palacios) and on 18/03 (S. Langlois, J. A. López and D. Langlois), and two drakes on 24/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. García del Rey and E. Palacios) and 30/03 (S. Mayordomo). At Arrocampo (Cáceres), four birds on 13/03 (Vicente Risco, M. García del Rey and J. Briz), one drake on 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta) and one bird on 20/03 (L. Rivas). One bird at Ahigal Reservoir (Cáceres) on 13/03 (A. Pacheco).
- Quail: One male singing at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 02/03 and another on 01/04 (J. Prieta).
- Purple Heron: One bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 05/03 (Á. Sánchez). One bird at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres), on 12/03 (S. Mayordomo). One bird at Mérida on 17/03 (Lorenzo Alcántara). One bird at Torrejón-Tiétar Reservoir, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 29/03 (J. Prieta).
- Booted Eagle: Several birds at Orellana (Badajoz) on 13/03 (Miguel Ángel Romo, Manuel Gómez Calzado, Luis Lozano, Domingo Ribera and Ángel Sánchez). On 16/03, one bird at Aldea del Cano (Cáceres) and another near Salor Reservoir, Cáceres (G. Schreur). On 17/03, one bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) (S. Mayordomo, M. Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Salgado, J. C. López and E. Palacios) and another at Campo Arañuelo (Cáceres) (J. Briz).
- Montagu's Harrier: One pair at Brozas (Cáceres) on 06/03 (Helios Dalmau). One bird at Valdesalor, Cáceres, on 12/03 (Carlos Fernández). On 17/03, one bird between Montijo and la Roca de la Sierra (Badajoz) (P. Herrador and J. L. Bautista) and two at Llerena (Badajoz) (Vanessa de Alba and Antonio Núñez).
- Hobby: One bird at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 24/03 (D. Langlois). One bird at Toril (Cáceres) on 08/04 (H. Sánchez).
- Collared Pratincole: One bird at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 26/03 (F. Montaño), eight at Puebla de la Calzada (Badajoz) on 28/03 (F. Lopo) and one at Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 06/04 (M. Kelsey).
- Whiskered Tern: One bird from the Roman Bridge at Mérida (Badajoz) on 15/03 (J. Solana) and 20/03 (Á. Sánchez). Two birds at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) on 27/03 (I. Sánchez, F. Lopo, E. del Viejo, C. Díaz and A. Cangas).
- Turtle Dove: Two birds at Valdesalor, Cáceres, on 07/03 (C. Fernández).
- Scop's Owl: One bird at Collado de la Vera (Cáceres) on 10/03 (José María Cano). One bird at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 12/03 (J. Prieta).
- Pallid Swift: On 01/03: four birds at Montehermoso (Cáceres) (J. Mahillo), 25 at Plasencia (J. Prieta), 40 at Mérida (Badajoz) (Á. Sánchez) and several at Badajoz (Juan Carlos Paniagua). 53 birds at Alange (Badajoz) on 02/03. Twenty birds at Trujillo (Cáceres) on 03/03 (M. Kelsey, Jesús Porras and G. Schreur). Five at Almendralejo on 05/03 (L. Alcántara). 35 at Piornal (Cáceres) on 06/04 (J. Prieta).
- Alpine Swift: Several birds at Mérida (Badajoz) on 08/03 (E. del Viejo), five at Plasencia on 09/03 (J. Prieta) and ten at Mérida (Badajoz) on 12/03 (Á. Sánchez).
- Cuckoo: One bird at Alcuéscar (Cáceres) on 06/03 (S. Molano). One bird at Serrejón (Cáceres) on 11/03 (M. García del Rey, I. Gallardo and Emilio Pérez-Balsalobre). One bird at Trujillo (Cáceres) on 13/03 (G. Schreur).
- Roller: At Cáceres, one bird on 29/03 (M. Perrins and C. Perrins), 02/04 (J. C. López) and on 04/04 (R. Montero and Roger Sutton).
- Bee-eater: Several birds at Montánchez (Cáceres) on 14/03 (C. Fernández), at Mérida (Badajoz) on 27/03 (Á. Sánchez) and on 28/03 at Serrejón (Cáceres) (M. García del Rey) and at Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz) (E. del Viejo).
- Woodchat Shrike: At Cáceres, one bird on 03/03 (J. Porrás and G. Schreur) and 11/03 (G. Schreur). One bird at Hinojosa del Valle (Badajoz) on 11/03 (Vanessa de Alba and Antonio Núñez). One bird at Monroy (Cáceres) on 13/03 (G. Schreur).
- Red-Rumped Swallow: One bird at Torrejón El Rubio (Cáceres) on 01/03 (G. Schreur). One bird at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 04/03 (S. Mayordomo). Two birds at Montánchez (Cáceres) on 13/03 (M. Kelsey).
- Willow Warbler: One bird at Trujillo (Cáceres) on 13/03, another at Talaván Reservoir (Cáceres) on 15/03 and two at Los Barruecos, Malpartida de Cáceres (Cáceres), on 16/03 (G. Schreur). One bird at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 21/03 (S. Mayordomo, J. Prieta and C. Clemente). One bird at Río Jerte at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 22/03 (S. Mayordomo). First bird at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 24/03 and huge falls on 27/03 and 30/03 (D. Langlois). One bird at Casas del Castañar (Cáceres) on 26/03 and 28/03 (J. Prieta).
- Iberian Chiffchaff: At Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres), one bird on 19/03 and 21/03 (D. Langlois). Three birds at Río Jerte at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 22/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Bonelli's Warbler: One bird at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 25/03 (S. Mayordomo). Five males at Piornal (Cáceres) on 02/04 (J. Prieta).
- Savi's Warbler: One bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 08/03 (S. Langlois, M. García del Rey, I. Gallardo and D. Langlois) and 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta) and three on 17/03 (G. Schreur).
- Grasshopper Warbler: One bird at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 31/03 (D. Langlois).

- Sedge Warbler: At Arrocampo (Cáceres), three birds on 04/03 (S. Langlois and D. Langlois), one on 08/03 (S. Langlois, M. García del Rey, I. Gallardo and D. Langlois) and 13/03 (V. Risco, M. García del Rey, J. Briz, I. Gallardo and E. Pérez-Balsalobre), six on 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta) and on 31/03 (S. Mayordomo and E. Palacios). One bird at Río Jerte at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 14/03 (J. Prieta) and 22/03 (S. Mayordomo). At Río Guadiana at Badajoz, ten birds on 16/03 and four on 18/03 (J. C. Paniagua). At Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres), two on 18/03 (J. Mahillo) and one on 19/03 (S. Mayordomo). Photograph: Francisco Montaño.
- Reed Warbler: Several birds at Montijo Reservoir, Mérida (Badajoz), on 20/03 (Á. Sánchez) and one at Badajoz on 27/03 (J. C. Paniagua). One bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 31/03 (S. Mayordomo). Three at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 01/04 (J. Prieta).
- Orphean Warbler: One bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 29/03 (J. Prieta) and another at Toril (Cáceres) on 04/04 (S. Mayordomo).
- Subalpine Warbler: One bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 14/03 (G. Schreur) and abundant on 16/03 (J. Prieta). One bird at Mérida (Badajoz) on 18/03 (Jesús Sánchez, Á. L. Sánchez and Á. Sánchez).
- Spectacled Warbler: Two birds at Jaraicejo (Cáceres) on 24/03 (J. Hawkins). One male at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 29/03 (J. Prieta).
- Nightingale: One bird at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 23/03 and two on 24/03 (D. Langlois). One bird at Mohedas de Granadilla (Cáceres) on 27/03 (A. Pacheco). One bird at Casas del Castañar (Cáceres) on 28/03 (J. Prieta).
- Redstart: One male at Vegas de Coria (Cáceres) on 28/03 (A. Pacheco), at La Lapa (Badajoz) on 01/04 (F. Montaño) and at Santa Cruz de Paniagua (Cáceres) on 05/04 (J. C. Paniagua and C. Clemente).
- Black-Eared Wheatear: One male on 26/03 at Mohedas de Granadilla (Cáceres) (A. Pacheco). Another at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 28/03 (S. Mayordomo). On 29/03, one male at Monfragüe (Cáceres) (J. Prieta) and three at Campanario (Badajoz) (J. P. Prieto).
- Tawny Pipit: One bird at La Aldea del Obispo (Cáceres) on 30/03 (M. Kelsey).
- Yellow Wagtail: At Charca de Esparragalejo (Badajoz), one male of the subspecies M. f. iberiae on 24/03 (Á. Sánchez) and three males, two M. f. iberiae and one M. f. flavissima, on 31/03 (SEO-Badajoz). Three birds, two males M. f. iberiae and one female, at Laguna de Galisteo (Cáceres) on 28/03 (S. Mayordomo).

LINGERING WINTER VISITORS

- Crane: Four birds, two adults and two juveniles, at Los Canchales Reservoir on 28/03 (E. del Viejo).
- Skylark: Two birds at Trujillo (Cáceres) on 11/03 (G. Schreur) and five at Santiago del Campo (Cáceres) on 16/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Firecrest: One bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 15/03 (G. Schreur).
- Goldcrest: Two birds at Puerto de Piornal (Cáceres) on 09/03 (G. Schreur).
- Alpine Accentor: Two birds at Castillo de Montánchez (Cáceres) on 13/03 (M. Kelsey).
- White Wagtail: Subspecies M. a. yarrellii: On 03/03 several birds at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) (María Llorente and Álvaro Díaz) and one at Trujillo (Cáceres) (G. Schreur). One bird at Almendralejo (Badajoz) on 04/03 (L. Alcántara). One bird at Cáceres on 09/03 (M. Kelsey). One bird at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Bullfinch: Two birds at Villanueva de la Vera (Cáceres) on 05/03 (D. Langlois). One bird at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 19/03 (M. Kelsey). One female at La Parra (Badajoz) on 21/03 (Pablo Amaya).
- Siskin: Over 20 birds at Puerto de Piornal (Cáceres) on 16/03 (J. Prieta). One male among Goldfinches at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 22/03 (S. Mayordomo).
- Reed Bunting: Two birds at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 14/03 (S. Mayordomo, M. Gómez and J. Prieta). One bird at Talaván Reservoir on 15/03 (G. Schreur). One female at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres), on 19/03 (S. Mayordomo).

PALLID HARRIER. SECOND RECORD FOR EXTREMADURA

On 26 March 2012 an adult male Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) was seen in La Roca de la Sierra, Badajoz. The lucky observers were Joaquín Mazón and José María Casas. This is the second record for Extremadura. The only previous one, duly accepted by the Spanish Rarities Committee, was an adult male seen by Javier Marchamalo on 4 April 2000 in Fuente de Cantos (Badajoz).

The Pallid Harrier is a typical raptor of Euroasian steppes, breeding from Ukraine to Mongolia and wintering in Subsaharan Africa and southern Asia. Due to its general decline the IUCN now lists it as Near Threatened on a world scale; there are estimated to be between 10,000 and 30,000 breeding pairs.

Up to 2009, 34 records involving 35 individuals (only once were two seen together) had been accepted in Spain, three of them in the Canary Islands. The species has never officially been recorded in Portugal, at least up to 2009. The birds that turn up in Spain are the ones following the western migratory route, wintering in Africa. The nearest wintering area, with a low density is Tunisia and there is a certain spring passage through Italy. Up to 2003 all Spanish records were on passage, mainly adult males (the least difficult to identify) on the eastern side of the country and in the months of April and October. More recently, however, some cases of birds wintering in Spain have been recorded, especially on coastal wetlands.

According to the websites Rare Birds in Spain and Reservoir Birds, there are more sightings than those officially accepted. In 2009 at least eight sightings were published on these websites, but none has been submitted for acceptance. More recently, several Pallid Harriers were recorded in Spain during the 2011-2012 winter. On a pro tem basis, until these sightings are confirmed, we can say that eight birds were seen in November 2011, seven in December 2011 and six in January 2012. At least four different birds may well have wintered in La Janda, Cádiz (an adult male, an adult female and two juveniles); three in the Doñana area (adult female, second winter bird and juvenile); and two in Albufera de Valencia (adult male and juvenile). There are also records from Granada, Seville, Girona and Palencia. In all this might add up to 10 wintering birds. We should therefore keep an eye open for them in Extremadura. To increase our chances of identifying them we should gen up on the subtle plumage details that distinguish it from the similar Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) and Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus).

Sources:
- CR-SEO (Comité de Rarezas de SEO). 2011. Observaciones de aves raras en España, 2009. Ardeola 58:441-480.
- De Juana, E. 2006. Aves raras de España. Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
- Catry, P., Costa, H., Elias, G. y Matias, R. 2010. Aves de Portugal. Ornitologia do território continental. Assírio & Alvim. Lisboa.
- Gutiérrez, R. Rare Birds in Spain
- Reservoir Birds

COLOUR-RINGED SPOONBILLS SEEN IN EXTREMADURA. ANALYSIS

Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). Juvenile born in Holland and seen in Esparragalejo, Badajoz from 30.09.10 to 02.10.10. Five days earlier it had been seen in Irún, Gipuzkoa (photo: Ángel Sánchez).

The Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) has been well studied in Extremadura. Witness this blog itself, with regular reports on the monitoring of wintering and breeding birds. A particular feature of this species is the high proportion of colour-ringed birds seen in the field. It is also easy to obtain the complete back-stories of these tagged birds. The local birdwatching group SEO-Cáceres has therefore been systematically recording reports of ringed birds in Extremadura since 2008. Quite a lot of information has been built up by now, so the time seems due to take stock.

The culled information corresponds to 200 sightings of 102 different birds, the bulk dating from 2008 to 2011, together with a few from earlier years, the oldest from 2000. A special mention in dispatches must go to Sergio Mayordomo, responsible for 115 readings, and to a lesser extent Javier Prieta, with 51. A total of 21 collaborators have contributed in all (see final list).

The commonest case is a one-off sighting of a juvenile Spoonbill on autumn passage. Some birds, however, have been seen several times, with a maximum of 25 sightings of a French bird and 18 of a Dutch bird nesting in Cáceres. The Extremadura sightings were made in 23 different wetlands, with the following share-out: Alagón catchment area(102 records), Tiétar catchment area (68), south Cáceres (22) and Badajoz province(8). The sites with most sightings are Laguna de Galisteo (75) and Charco Salado, Casatejada (64). This reflects a clear bias towards the sites most visited by the most active members of SEO-Cáceres, since the Spoonbill's main locality in Extremadura, Los Canchales Reservoir, weighs in with only three records.

Origin of the ringed Spoonbills. Ringed birds seen in Extremadura come from five different countries. Two thirds of them were born in Holland; some way behind come birds from France, Spain (Andalucía) and Germany; with one Danish bird. The observed birds were born in 23 different colonies, 17 in northwest Europe (11 Holland, 3 France, 3 Germany and 1 Denmark), four in Spain and one in the Mediterranean (Camargue, France). The colonies accounting for most birds are Schiermonnikoog (Holland, 34 birds), Lago Grand Lieu (France, 12), Terschelling (Holland, 7) and Onderdijk (Holland, 7). The Andalusian birds were ringed in the saltmarshes of Odiel, Doñana (Pajarera and Casa Neves) and Cádiz Bay.


Age of the ringed Spoonbills. This is expressed in calendar years: i.e., the year of birth is the first calendar year, then clocking up an additional year each 1 January. Thus a bird born in 2008 would be in its fifth calendar year by 2012. For birds seen in more than one year their age counts again for each new sighting. In 93 cases the birds were only seen in one season, seven birds in two and two in three. The age-group accounting for most sightings was juveniles in their year of birth; 2nd and 3rd year sightings drop in number (most remain in the African wintering areas) with a slight upturn for 4th-year sightings (returning as adults), records tailing off thereafter. This tallies with this bird's mortality stats, 55% dying in their first year, 75% up to the age of 4 and 1.5% for adults (Luengo, 2011). The oldest bird in our trawl was in its 19th calendar year (18 years old); only 13% of the birds seen were older than 10.


Phenology of the ringed Spoonbills. The dates tend to vary from one colony to another so they have been broken down separately. The most numerous ringed birds are migrants from northern Europe. These birds turn up all year round (with a gap for December), with the heaviest passage from August to October, peaking in September and another smaller peak from February to April. Ringed breeding birds, for their part (six Andalusian and one Dutch), occupy their colonies from March to August, with peak sightings in May. Lastly, other birds born in Andalucía are seen only in summer, from June to August, as occurs in Los Canchales Reservoir, Badajoz (Emilio Costillo, pers. comm.).


Collaborators: Sergio Mayordomo, Javier Prieta, Eva Palacios, Florencio Carrero, Juan Manuel Brías, Rafael Parra, Manuel García del Rey, Dave Langlois, Raúl Guzmán, César Clemente, Javier Mahíllo, Vicente Risco, Javier Briz, Ángel Sánchez, Javier Gayo, Juan Carlos Paniagua, Marc Gálvez, José Guerra, Pedro Holgado, Manuel Iglesias, Mario Arcas and Luis Sanabria. Heartfelt thanks to the unsung Spoonbill ringers and other organisations that helped us fill in the back stories: Estación Biológica de Doñana, Otto Overdijk (Holland) and Loïc Marion (France).

References:
- Luengo, A. 2011. La espátula común (Platalea leucorodia) en las marismas de Txingudi. Gobierno Vasco. Vitoria.