May 16th – Ruidera – Home – Corral Rubio – Ruidera – A short trip away this week. En route we spotted Griffon Vulture and Booted Eagle. While passing by Corral Rubio we saw a single Great Bustard and a Gull billed Tern flying. Nearer to Ruidera two Black Kites were seen flying. We has a picnic by the lagoon and saw Red rumped Swallow and a Purple Heron was on the other side of the lake. Golden Oriole were singing in the trees, a Great Reed Warbler was singing in the reeds and a single Azure winged Magpie was in the picnic area.
May 17th – Ruidera Cemetery Walk and the road to Villanueva de Los Infantes and Castillo y Pantano de Penarroya – Another good day out with lots of Golden Oriole calling in the woods by the cemetery, and a few fleeting glimpses were had. A Nightingale was singing nicely, but didn’t show itself. A Jay was also in the woods.
May 18th – On our way home we had a great view of a Hen Harrier hunting over the fields.
Species list – Hoopoe, Great Bustard, Black Kite, Red rumped Swallow, Purple Heron, Golden Oriole,, Red Crested Pochard, Mallard, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Gull billed Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Crow, Magpie, Booted Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Great Reed Warbler, White Wagtail, Azure winged Magpie, Goldfinch, Nightingale (HO), Cetti’s Warbler (HO), Red legged Partridge, Jay, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Kestrel, Bee eater, Buzzard, Crested Lark, Hen Harrier.
