Easter in Extremadura (Monfrague & Merida, 18-19 April)

Portilla del Tietar in Monfrague National Park is one of the most regular places to see Spanish Imperial Eagle.  The park is about an hour's drive from Trujillo making it an ideal town to be based in.  My slight concern was that seeing the eagle might require some hanging around, something which Megan is not keen on.  Once in the national park we first walked up to Castillo, an old fort on a ridge opposite the cliffs of Pena Falcon.  There were disappointingly few birds around, possibly as there were quite a few other visitors present.  We continued to Portilla del Tietar where a number of birders were scattered.  After five minutes of fruitless scanning a German birder picked up the eagle high over the cliffs.  It was on view for about ten minutes, briefly landing in what was presumably the nesting tree before flying off.  Half an hour later it repeated the performance.  It is a pity all birds of prey don't perform as well.  We slowly worked our way back to Trujillo, had our by now regular early evening walk around the old town walls and caught the evening's Semana Santa parade.  Birds seen included 3 Black Storks, Egyptian and at least 60 Griffon Vultures, Booted Eagle, Bee-eater, Hoopoe, 15 Crag Martins, 13 Red-rumped Swallows, 3 Blue Rock Thrushes, 3 Sardinian Warblers, Southern Grey and 7 Woodchat Shrikes and 9 Azure-winged Magpies.

Blue Rock Thrush at Castillo

me scoping Griffon Vultures from Castillo

until I realised they were closer  overhead

me at Castillo

Megan at Castillo.  Most of the background is in Monfrague National Park

Portilla del Tietar

Griffon Vulture at Portilla del Tietar

Sardinian Warbler at Portilla del Tietar

Spanish Imperial Eagle, note pale head and diagnostic white leading edge to the wing

stooping onto the nest, or a passing Crag Martin

about to land in the nesting tree

but it was off before I could scope it 

by now I'd unknowingly messed up the programme setting on my camera

Pena Falcon

Black Stork near Monfrague

Trujillo castle and old town walls from the west

Trujillo castle

preparing for the evening's Semana Santa parade

the evening's special performance was a lament (or three) from the guy in the black suit on the lower right balcony, while those in the block opposite played fitting as many onto their balconies as possible

Saturday 19 April.  We set out from Trujillo to visit Guadalupe in nearby mountains but hanging low cloud put us off and we headed for Merida instead.  On the way we called in at Cornalvo where we walked part-way around the reservoir.  On returning to Trujillo we did our usual walk around and outside the old town.  Birds seen included Montagu's Harrier, Booted Eagle, 3 Bee-eaters, 4 Hoopoes, 2 Wood Lark, male Subalpine Warbler 2 Azure-winged Magpies and 400 roosting Spotless Starlings.

Cornalvo reservoir. Wood Larks were singing from here

Roman amphitheatre in Merida

next door was the Roman theatre

Roman Bridge.  We saw Little Bittern and Kingfisher here

Alcazaba from the Roman bridge

Roman chariot racetrack

it was enormous

Roman aquaduct in the background