Pyrenees Trip – Day 1- Home to Monreal de Campo

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We were ready to set off for the Pyrenees on Monday morning, until John came back from taking stuff to the car to say that we had a flat tyre! Happily, we headed to the garage in El Altet where the friendly man sent us off to have a coffee while he fixed the tyre. We were back in fifteen minutes and it was all ready with the spare tyre put back in the boot. Very good service we thought. At last we were on our way, seeing a few Hoopoes as they flew over the road, but not really birding. About 50km South of Teruel we spotted 15+ Griffon Vultures and shortly after Teruel we saw our first Black Kite, a bit further South than usual as we normally see the first one around Zaragoza. We arrived for our overnight stay at Hotel Molino Bajo, near Monreal de Campo at about 4.30pm and I saw a single Bee eater from our window as it flew over the hotel. Shortly after this we both heard a Golden Oriole singing. A little walk around the area added Nightingale (HO), Cetti’s Warbler (HO), Blackbird, House Sparrow, Serin, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Crow and Woodpigeon.