RARE BIRDS IN EXTREMADURA. 2009

The latest issue of the birdwatching magazine Ardeola (vol. 58-2, December 2011) contains the Spanish Rarity Committee's findings for 2009. Only six of the 291 accepted records correspond to Extremadura (two of these dating from 2008). Most are based on photos so we can use these to illustrate said records.

Possible hybrids of Western Reef Heron x Little Egret (Egretta gularis x garzetta). Three different birds were seen in Extremadura. The identification of these birds is debatable since it's not certain whether they are in fact hybrids or melanistic Little Egrets. Up to 2009 there had been 53 records of 65 birds accepted by the rarity committee in Spain as assumed hybrids (plus 35 pure Reef Herons), five of them in Extremadura (plus two pure birds).

Brovales Reservoir, Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz), 10.01.08 (Emilio Costillo).

Arrocampo Reservoir, Saucedilla (Cáceres), 12 and 13.03.09 (Collin Jewitt; Steve Fletcher).

Charca de Los Gañanes, Guijo de Coria (Cáceres), 18.07.09 and the same bird again at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 07.08.09 and 12.09.09 (Sergio Mayordomo, César Clemente and Javier Mahíllo). This is possibly the same bird that was seen in 2008 in Coria and in Guijo de Coria (Ardeola, 57: 491).

Rüppell's Vulture (Gyps rueppellii). Two birds seen in Extremadura, to be added to three previously accepted records (1992, 2000 and 2004). The sum for the whole of Spain is now 43 records involving 58 birds.

San Vicente de Alcántara (Badajoz). In Sierra de San Pedro, an adult with typical plumage features of the western African population on 10.01.09 (José Gordillo).

Monfragüe, Portilla del Tiétar (Cáceres). An immature bird on 24.05.08 (Alfonso López and Ángela Molina).

Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius). Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz), 03.11.09 (José María Salazar Alonso and M. Rial). This is the only record accepted without photographs. It is the second accepted record for Extremadura; the first was in Mirandilla (Badajoz) from 19.02.04 to 04.03.04 (F. Prieto, J. Ledo and J. M. Benítez). Up to 2009 42 records had been accepted in Spain.

The records rejected by the Committee involved no Extremadura bird. Nonetheless, we do know of other rarities seen in 2009. On 28.02.09, Manuel Pérez González saw at Portaje Reservoir the same Marabou Stork (Leptotilos crumeniferus) seen in October and November 2008 in Plasencia and Acehúche (Cáceres), respectively (photo above taken in 2008 in Acehúche by Andrés Rodríguez). Also in 2009 a possible Western Reef hybrid was seen in Portugal near the Badajoz border on 12.05.09 and on 13.07.09, Caia Reservoir (the nearest colony is in Badajoz city), and a pure Western Reef Heron on 02.10.09 flying in the direction of the Badajoz heron roost (Luis Venancio). Last but not least, an assumed Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus) was seen at Arroyo Guadalefra, Orellana la Vieja (Badajoz) on 14.05.09 by Stefaan Horemans (source: Rare Birds in Spain). If accepted this would be a first for Extremadura but it doesn't even seem to have been submitted.

Source:
CR-SEO (Comité de Rarezas de SEO). 2011. Observaciones de aves raras en España, 2008. Ardeola 58:441-480.

SOCIABLE LAPWING IN LA SERENA . . . AGAIN

Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius). Castuera, La Serena Badajoz. 12-12-2011.By Jan Hill and Les Battle.

At the end of last winter, on 13 March 2011, a Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) was seen in Castuera, La Serena (Badajoz) by Rodney Smith. Nine months later, on 12 December 2011, another bird, who knows if the same individual, was again spotted in Castuera. The lucky birders on this occasion were Jan Hill and Les Battle. As usual it was seen in a flock of (Northern) Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus). This time there is a photo to hand, no prizewinner it's true but beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. The bird was seen at kilometre point 77 of the 103 road to the north of Castuera (gravel track one k after white gates with the name "Hartosa año 1980"). Jan and Les tried to see it again the following day without success.

This is the fourth Extremadura record, all of them in Badajoz. The first two (2004 and 2008) have been officially accepted. The two 2011 sightings will have to wait in line for acceptance. An earlier blog post gives more details of the sightings in Extremadura and Spain of this bird, threatened on a worldwide level. Its IUCN conservation status is "Critically Endangered".

SOCIABLE LAPWING IN LA SERENA

Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius), winter plumage (source: IBC-Lynx).

On 13 March 2011, Rodney Smith reported a Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) sighting on the reservoir birds website. The bird was seen in Castuera (La Serena, Badajoz) alongside the BA-35 road between km 20 and 21.

The Sociable Lapwing is a rare vagrant in Spain. Not only that but it is also classed as "Critically Threatened" (CR) due to plummeting numbers recently, a category including the 190 species with the most critical conservation status worldwide. This makes it an even juicier tidbit for twitchers. It is estimated that only 11,000 adult birds remain in the whole world, breeding on the central Asian steppes and wintering from Sudan to India. To get a better idea of the problem besetting the bird, BirdLife is now conducting a conservation programme including satellite tracking of several individuals.

This rare plover seems to winter regularly on the Iberian Peninsula. There are sightings ranging in time from 21 September to 18 April. Up to 2008 41 records had been accepted from Spain and 8 in Portugal. They are always one-offs, normally a fellow traveller in flocks of the abundant Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus). The last rarities report (2008) mentioned four birds in Spain. In the winter 2008-2009 there were at least four sightings. In winter 2009-2010 five more turned up. These sightings are widely scattered (Gerona, Le¾n, Valladolid, Soria, Zaragoza, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Badajoz and Seville in 2008-2010), the birds sometimes staying for a long time, up to four months, in the same spot. Curiously enough, this Badajoz sighting seems to be the only one in winter 2010-2011. According to the study of De Juana (2006), in France it turns up above all on spring and autumn passage, in northwest Iberia in both winter and on passage and in southwest Iberia mainly in winter. It therefore seems to be a true winter visitor in Spain, turning up after its arduous journey in very small numbers due to its low population worldwide.

This is the third sighting for Extremadura. The first was a bird seen from 19/02/04 to 4/03/04 in Mirandilla (Badajoz), initially in winter plumage and then moulting into its spring plumage during its stay (F. Prieto, J. Ledo and J. M. Benítez; accepted record). The second was a bird present on 03/11/09 in Los Canchales reservoir (Badajoz, J. M. Salazar); pending acceptance by the rarities committee (if a description was even sent in).

Sources:
- De Juana, E. 2006. Aves raras de España. Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
- Catry, P., Costa, H., Elias, G. and Matias, R. 2010. Aves de Portugal. Ornitologia do territorio continental. Assirio & Alvim. Lisbon.
- CR-SEO (Rarities Committee of the SEO). 2010. Observaciones de aves raras en España, 2008. Ardeola 57(2).