On Friday 12th October we made our second trip since the end of the summer, to Higueruela and it proved to be very good for the first part. Having had another excellent coffee at our usual ‘pit stop’ on the edge of the motorway we turned right towards Higueruela, but we did not go direct towards the pig farm this time and took the second camino on our left. On turning, I spotted a flock of flying birds in the distance that showed white plumage. They were so faraway and they soon dropped from view; but could they have been Little Bustards?
A beautiful female Stonechat perched, very close to me, on a pole. Such wonderful colours.
We are always prepared to work hard with the intention of searching out species. But at the same time content ‘to take what comes’ and this morning was no different. We both hoped to be able to find Little Bustards and maybe a wintering bird or two, like Dotterel, or even a Brambling hiding with Chaffinches. It was not to be. But the search was on and the following paragraphs contain some of what we got up to.
We had seen Great Bustards around the general area previously and we made the decision for an approach from a different direction. It payed off. We firstly encountered a group of up to seventeen as we drove down a track. They seemed oblivious to the tractors towing bulky trailers to and from the pig farm and they only moved slowly away from us as we watched from the car. Each and everyone provided a good view. We followed the track heading towards the railway and on the other side of it there was another group of Bustards - about the same in number.. We checked them out hoping to find a Little Bustard, but they were all of the bigger variety.
We were now at the station corner and to our delight there were around 20 Stone Curlews feeding in the field next to us.
On the sunny grassy bank butterflies were active and Bryan got busy. The photographs should provide the detail.
Clouded Yellow
Long Tailed BlueAlong our new route we encountered flocks of Goldfinches, Serin, and Linnets. This was in a very mixed habitat that included natural verges, vines, corn stubble and ‘resting’ ground. On a post a Great Tit sat. Tree Sparrows were in abundance too and this is new location for them. Spotless Starlings were easily seen and one occasion, on a wire, about eighty of the northern type.
The sound of Calandra Larks surrounded us and we had both excellent views of them flying and on the ground. A Thekla Lark perched long enough to be photographed.
We moved on towards Higueruela to discover that a usually good spot, under the pines, was devoid of species.
Lagunas de Petrola was again disappointing because the usually marshy areas were as dry as a bone and the main water provided little of note. Two Marsh Harriers circled over. On leaving, Bryan spotted seven Yellow Wagtails by the farm buildings. I was hoping to see a blue head on Iberiae, it was not so. Great to be able to see them and they lessened the disappointment slightly.
Heading towards Corral Rubio we saw nothing of interest and again many areas were dry. It has rained, but more rainfall is needed. Now, in the early afternoon we went to Montealegre del Castillo, where we knew we would find water. On earlier visits this was teeming with water birds, but today very little. This may have been due to the day being a ‘Red Day’ and the hunters were around. On our next trip we will make this water our first objective and also research the areas around it.
There is one bird that I sometimes mention and it never poses long enough to be photographed, but with a powerful lens this one was captured!
I have not mentioned every species that we saw, only ones that create more of an interest. It is a vast area with big wide open vistas. I find that it is good to be out there seeing beautiful things and today with the sun and vegetation played host to several species of butterflies we did have beauty. Many kilometers covered and it could have ended much better - that's for next time!
Photographs by Bryan Thomas Copyright 2018
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